Fuse

Fuse - Lighting up your night!
Born from a desire to provide a full live band sound and a full visual experience along with vocal harmonies, as an alternative to the very successful duo, Eclipse, Chris kirkland and Larry Taylor set about to form "Fuse" in 2008.
Their dream was to have a four piece band, with a difference; hence along with their lead/rhythm and bass guitars they searched for a drummer and a female vocalist. It wasn't difficult at all to ask Ian MacDonald to join the band, his hard hitting, solid drumming style was just what the pair needed. The search for their female vocalist took some time however, as several candidates auditioned but didn't fit the bill.
Julie O’Brien, long time friend of Chris and Larry was then asked to take up the fourth position in Fuse, as she offered just what they were looking for, a great voice and personality. The band members have a love of all music right through the decades, and also strive to learn today's music, ensuring all musical tastes are catered for. Although being new to the circuit, Fuse is packed full of experienced musicians and has an extensive song list, guaranteed to "light up your night".

Ideal for: Dance music for wedding, corporate function, ball, private party

Ian MacDonald – Bio – Drums and Vocals

Ian MacDonald is a Scot from Glasgow. While in Scotland he performed professionally for many years with bands PowerHouse, Highlights Showband and Oasis. On arriving in New Zealand with his new Kiwi wife Annette, he continued his musical career joining Proud Mary, one of Wellington’s top bands at the time. This was followed by a stint with John and Jenny Forster in the band, Sound Advice. With the addition of the equally fabulous Wendy Forster, the band’s name was changed to Sound Reason. Prior to joining “Fuse”, Ian was the driving beat of Wellington band Borderline. Ian is strongly influenced by drum giants Mich Mitchel and Ginger Baker.

Julie O’Brian – Bio - vocals

Julie’s career spans over twenty five years. She has worked in New York, Britain, New Zealand and Australia performing in shows as diverse as ‘Chess’, ‘Evita’, ‘The New Rocky Horror Show’, ‘Grease’, ‘Me & My Girl’, ‘Anything Goes’, ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ and ‘Oliver’.
She has worked in concert as a backing vocalist for Rob Guest and has presented the cabaret shows ‘East Of The West End’, ‘The Dating Game’ and ‘In Her 40th Year’ in Sydney.
She also has her own one woman show ‘Julie & Friends’ – a fast change show in which she performs as fourteen outstanding female vocalists.

She has trained extensively in the Estill Method for Voice and has appeared in television commercials in Australia and NZ, and also works as a freelance director, singing coach and voiceover artist, and recently made her debut in the acclaimed NZ made film, Hook Line and Sinker

Julie is in constant demand for her Singing and Music Theatre audition workshops, which she runs with acclaimed Musical Director and Composer, Michael Nicholas Williams.

Larry Taylor – Bio – Guitar and Vocals

Larry was born and raised in the Hutt Valley and now proudly resides in Upper Hutt. Music was very much a part of Larry’s early family life, with his father performing in local bands. Larry started taking music lessons at the age of 7 and took up guitar at 15, playing in his first band as a teenager before joining local Rock ‘n’ Roll social band “Pogal” in the seventies. He remained with them until the mid-90s. Larry’s next musical venture was forming “Eclipse Duo” with fellow Pogal band member, Chris Kirkland. “Being a part of Fuse band, as well as Eclipse, has given me fantastic opportunities to perform a wide variety and different styles of music.”

Chris Kirkland – Bio – Bass and Vocals

Chris, who was born and brought up in London, performed in a number of bands in the UK before heading off to New Zealand in 1976 where he joined Wellington Rock ’n’ Roll band “Pogal”. Chris was a member of Pogal for almost 20 years before deciding to take a different direction in music and, along with Larry, formed “Eclipse”. Chris has been a professional musician now for 10 years, with career highlights including performing twice on both television programmes Telethon and TV One’s The Good Morning Show. As Eclipse, Chris and Larry have also appeared on radio on numerous occasions in interviews and for air time with their CD “On Track”. “Highlights of my musical career have been Eclipse opening for The Searchers Concert in Upper Hutt in 2007, and recording Eclipse’s first CD. I am now looking forward to recording with “Fuse”.”

Sample repertoire:
500 Miles
Ain’t No Sunshine
April Sun In Cuba
Are You Old Enough
Baby, One More Time
Back On The Chain Gang
Blue lady
Boogie Oogie Oogie
Boogie Shoes
Boys Light Up
Bye Bye Love
Chasing Cars
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Dance The Night Away
Don’t Get me Wrong
Don’t Stop
Dreams
Every Breath You take
Fever
Fire
Get This Party Started
Gimme Some Loving
Girl From Yesterday
Green Door
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Honky Tonk Women
Hot Stuff
I Hate Myself For Loving You
I Love Rock N Roll
I Will Survive
I’m A Believer
I’m So Excited
Is This Love
Let’s Dance
Light My Fire
Lips Of An Angel
Long Train Running
Mercy
Midnight Hour
Moondance
Moving On Up
Mustang Sally
My Girl
Nothing Sweet About Me
Nutbush City Limits
Oh My God
Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll
One Way Or Another
Play That Funky Music
Poker Face
Pretty Women
Proud Mary
Road House Blues
Rocking All Over The World
Sex On Fire
Sha La La
Silver Bells
Simply The Best
Something Stupid
Stand By Me
Steamroller Blues
Stop Dragging My Heart Around
Stuck In The Middle
Stumblin’ In
Summer Of 69
Superstition
Ten Guitars
Tequila Sunrise
Turn Me On
Upside Down
Waterloo
We are Family
Well It’s All Right
What’s Up
Why Does Love Do This to Me