In the Green Room: The Fuss
Ahead of their performance at PRE-SAVE on May 1, we dove in with alt indie 5-piece The Fuss, dissecting the themes of haunting new track ‘Golden Sphere’, championing local art and why 2026 is going to be their biggest year yet.
Image Caitlin Bowman
Congrats on the release of ‘Golden Sphere’! Tell us about the story behind the track.
‘Golden Sphere’ is our fifth single; it’s lengthy, intensely instrumental and emotional from start to finish. Brought to the band by Oliver as part of a university project, the track focuses on the struggles of publishing the 1972 book Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers, a critique on the Soviet Union veiled in a sci-fi setting. Though touching on heavy, historical topics, ‘Golden Sphere’ also nods to the relevance these themes play in the political climate of today, as well as the importance of free speech in art and fighting censorship.
You’ve been playing this song locally for a while now. What made now the right time to release it?
This release has been on the cards for a while, as it’s a core piece in our live set and continuously incites an amazing reaction from the audience. Now, this track and its themes feel extremely timely and have almost taken on a new meaning in 2026.
You’re playing at PRE-SAVE on May 2. What does playing this event mean to you?
It means a great deal to be a part of such a local muso-forward event, organised by Dakota from Band Banta, who we love dearly! It’s such an amazing way to introduce audiences to new artists, without them having to commit to a number of tickets and shows at once.
Band Banta’s mission is celebrating and uplifting Australian artists. Why do you find supporting grassroots arts so important?
From little things big things grow… Grassroots arts is where it all starts from. Without support, everybody loses. It’s the foundation of every scene, from which artists like ourselves are provided a platform and place to pursue our passions. It fosters communities that provide individuals with purpose and helps to shape our creative identities. It’s also art in its purest form and captures the soul of the craft. Dakota from Band Banta champions local artists with such an incredible passion; Adelaide is so lucky to have her in our corner.
What have been some of your biggest highlights as a band?
Supporting The Rions at Hindley Street Music Hall was one of the most incredible experiences we’ve had as a group, as well as the other amazing support slots we did last year (The Tullamarines, Oscar the Wild and more). A moment we’ll think fondly of for years to come! Placing in the top 10 for the Sickest 100 two years running, as well as playing a packed out afterparty in 2024, is also a core highlight. We’ve also been super lucky to receive praise on triple j Unearthed for a number of our singles, which we’re hoping will continue with our upcoming releases.
How do you feel you’ve evolved as a band since you started making music?
Initially, we each came to the band with our own musical backgrounds and influences, which created a really unique blend of sounds. Over time, we’ve also started sharing music with each other, shaping one another’s tastes and musical experiences along the way. That’s led to us creating some really special pieces and writing some incredibly exciting tracks, because the writing process now feels like a completely new experience. As we step into a new era as a band, we’ve also all grown personally over the past two and a half years. That growth has naturally influenced our sound too, bringing new styles, ideas and inspirations into the music.
What artists or songs have influenced this single?
The track is tonally a lot darker, weaving influences from A Hero’s Death era of Fontaines DC and The Jesus and Mary Chain. A big influence also in the writing and visuals for ‘Golden Sphere’ is Molchat Doma, a Belarusian band with dark tones, heavy bass and Soviet era nostalgia.
What do you hope audiences take away from listening to this single?
We hope audiences attach their own meaning to the track; although it has a very structured storyline and political undertone, it’s emotionally vague and offers the listener a subjective experience – especially through the instrumentation. We hope the track does justice to its original thematic influence, whilst also drawing parallels to the political landscape of today.
Out of every artist, dead or alive, what is your dream festival line-up to perform alongside?
Fontaines DC, Queens of the Stone Age, The Foo Fighters, Deftones, Wunderhorse, Keo, Florence & The Machine, The Smiths – we went super realistic with this one…
What can we expect from The Fuss in 2026?
EP, tour, singles, more singles, big gigs and heaps of content. We are incredibly excited for 2026; it’s definitely going to be our biggest year yet, and we can’t wait to bring this new era to everyone.
Catch The Fuss at PRE-SAVE on Friday 1 May alongside Molly Rocket, Hey So Hungry and Darlington at the Ed Castle. Tickets on sale now via humanitix.com.
