Lucky Fonz III - Complexity in Simplicity
Apparently, after you’ve been a bar-pianist, a rave-DJ, a street musician and a member of a rock band, you discover folk music and tour the world to critical acclaim. Or so it seems for Lucky Fonz III.
Born in the Netherlands in 1981 as Otto F.Wichers, it seems music was always the direction Otto was going to take, and his talent has seen him venture into an amazing selection of styles.
It was while in Edinburgh, Scotland though that Otto first discovered folk music. He began performing as a solo folk artist upon his return to Amsterdam, developing a solid following in the Amsterdam underground folk scene, and developing and broadening his audience from there.
Rave DJ and folk singer may seem like two totally different musical directions, but the progression from one to the other seems very natural and straightforward when Otto talks about it. “I was getting really interested in the combination of words and simple melody, getting into the substance of music rather than its form. I felt folk had something to offer me that I would never have found in Rave music. By the same token, rave gets into places in your head where folk will never come. I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for in music.”
It was the simplicity of folk music that drew Otto in. “I’m really drawn to the simplicity and soberness of it. It basically leaves out a lot of form, to the point where only the core, the substance is left. Some people consider folk to be something old-fashioned, but I consider it to be radical. I love it when, in any form of art, something is completely simple in shape, yet at the same time emotionally complex. Plus it’s easier to get around with just a guitar.”
2006 saw the release of his debut album, Lucky Fonz III. It was first picked up by the indie radio stations before going mainstream in The Netherlands, earning him a couple of awards along the way, including the Grolsch Grote Prijs, a highly respected award for new Dutch talent.
Otto writes his music whenever and wherever he finds the time. “I never wait to get inspired. I couldn’t tell you what my creative process is, because I never think about the process itself. All I know is that too much thinking about how exactly it works would paralyse me as a songwriter, so best to keep a bit of mystery there.”
His music has seen him play a variety of venues, so how does the festival experience compare to smaller shows? Otto explains, “Every show is so different, especially because I like to leave a lot up to the moment. I’ve had big festivals that felt totally intimate, and intimate theatre shows where the crowd felt miles away. It’s always best when it feels intimate. I like it myself when you see an artist and he or she just draws you to the point where it feels suffocating and inescapable. It’s something folk music in particular can be capable of.”
Despite his success in Europe, he remains relatively unknown in Australia. But, an extensive tour with The Beautiful Girls and C.W Stoneking should see this change with his music being experienced by punters from Tasmania to northern Queensland. Otto describes himself as “a traditional singer/ songwriter, and live, it’ll be just me, my guitar and my songs. On the surface, it’s not at all exciting. It’s under the skin, that’s where I try to get. I have my own way of making music, and I hope people will dig it.”
Lucky Fonz III has just finished his second album, and is quite pleased with the outcome. “It’s mind-blowing! It’s called ‘Life is Short’ and it’s a strange album full of magical moments. Once something is finished you can look at it and go, that comes from there and this comes from here. And it seems to be now that musically the songs sprung from much more than just folk music, there’s songs on it which are more Bacharach-like, or rock’n’roll, or like children’s songs.” This is perfectly believable, considering the extent of genres his musical talent has explored.
If he wasn’t writing songs, it may have been a teaching career for Otto. “I worked as a teacher for a year and it was really rewarding and satisfying. I had a lot of fun and was good work, but music is my path. I loved the kids though, even the evil ones. I still bump into some of them once in a while and they love the fact I’m a little bit famous now. One of them said to me, ‘I heard your music, it’s depressing and it sucks, but some dumbwits seem to like it, so don’t come back to school right away.’ I took it as a compliment.”
And he’s decided to stick with music and add a touch of refreshing honesty, simplicity and variety to the music scene.
