Welcome to Paradise: A Look Inside Jesse Fulco

One of my first shows at the famous Whiskey a Go-Go on the Sunset Strip featured an opening act that triggered nostalgic memories of baggie pants, studded belts, and an influx of kids around America, raving over Tony Hawk and Sum 41. The lead singer of the band effortlessly (and impressively) sang a mix of Green Day covers and original tunes while backed by his younger brother and close friend. I knew I had to know more about this guy, who even brought up his father to perform with him in front of the crowd of eager listeners. I had the opportunity to talk to Jesse Fulco a few weeks after the show. 

            Meeting on Zoom, I caught a glimpse of Jesse’s musical filled life and what it’s like to be a young musician trying to make it. Jesse Fulco comes from a very musical family, his father and brother both skilled musicians. 

Interviewer: What is it like to grow up in a musical household, where all your family members are into that sort of thing?

Jesse: Yeah, so growing up in a musical family, it’s something that can’t be compared to a regular family. It’s like night and day, compared to a normal family. There’s no schedule, you’re not working a nine to five. My dad was big on me finishing school but also putting in work to be a musician. It’s loud, a lot of noise. We are all musicians from New York. There’s a guitar in every room. It’s not for everybody. A lot of crazy hours. It’s a struggle but there’s beauty in that. 

Jesse started playing guitar when he was five years old, constantly practicing and perfecting his playing skills. Jesse notes that one of his most inspirational bands, Green Day, was the soundtrack of his youth. Jesse even has tattoos of the albums “Dookie” and “American Idiot”.

Interviewer: Both Dookie and American Idiot are great albums.

Jesse: Yeah, they really are. 20th Century Breakdown is also very underrated. People say that Green Day are sellouts. I don’t think so. Diehard fans stick by Kerplunk, Dookie, Nimrod, those albums. But when American Idiot came out, even 20th Century Breakdown, those fans were saying it was too over-produced or the band was changing their sound. But they stay true to who they are, the kind of writing they do. The production changes but that’s natural I think.  

With Jesse’s wide range of music styles, you can see that his sound is evolving. He sticks to his guns, making music that represents him. Even if the stylistic change is significant.

Interviewer: Would you classify yourself as a pop/punk artist? 

Jesse: Look, I’m always experimenting with different styles of music. But right now, I’m focusing on pop/punk or alternative rock. But pop/punk is the term I usually use. I think it’s slowly making a comeback with artists like MGK and Jaden Hossle. The younger generation seems into it. It’s simple. Drums, bass, and guitar. But it’s catchy and happy. Like out of an American Pie movie or that early 00s feel good stuff.

Jesse has proven himself as a versatile artist. His first two singles, “Tombstone” and “Catch a Vibe” are both hip-hop/pop tracks while his newest single “Let’s Just Make Out!” is a pop/punk track. Jesse tries to keep his creativity open, not being stuck in a certain corner. He experiments with everything, from rap to singer/songwriter styles. 

Jesse: It’s important to stay creative, keep writing, and expressing yourself as an artist.  

Interviewer: With genres like pop/punk, being out of the mainstream for at least fifteen years, a shift seems inevitable in the next decade or so. Do you think there will be some sort of shift?

Jesse: I think there will be a shift in music, pretty soon. We live in a time where anything goes. There’s a lot of experimenting going on. Artists are working with other artists you would never expect. You don’t have to be stuck in a genre. That was my biggest struggle. Should I do hip/hop rap? Should I just do singer/songwriter stuff? I decided I’m going to do what I feel like doing. It will all be Jesse Fulco because that’s who I am.

Jesse plays every instrument but Jesse notes that his little brother, Tyler, is better at drums than him and will usually help with the drum tracks on songs. Jesse usually has his little brother Tyler and Matt Fullove backing him up during live performances. 

Interviewer: So, they make up the Jesse Fulco band?

Jesse: Well we’ve always played together as the family but when I’m going out as Jesse Fulco, it’s because it’s my music, my originals. So, they’re backing me up as the band.

Interviewer: It was cool to see that family dynamic on stage. I honestly thought Matt was related to you. You guys were meshing really well. And Matt was cheesing super hard during that show. It looked like a lot of fun.

Jesse: He’s so talented, man. We perform all the time. We play in a family band too, which is my dad, my brother, me, and Matt. So, he’s pretty much my adoptive brother. We’ll be playing up on stage, groovin’ and smilin’. We’re like having an amazing time up stage, this is what we get to do for a living. It’s really a great time.

Jesse and his bandmates work hard, moving and setting up their equipment. It’s a full-time job, but to Jesse, it’s worth it.

Interviewer: You’ve mentioned you’ve traveled around a lot. Within the states and outside of the US. What’s your favorite venue you’ve played in so far?

Jesse: I liked Europe a lot. We played at this place called Stars and Bars in Monte Carlo. It’s so beautiful up there, man. There was a ton of people. And my dad knows the prince and princess of Monaco, because he used to tour there. So the prince came down, it was a very cool thing. 

Interviewer: Woah, that must have been an experience.

Jesse: It really was. I mean I just love going to new places and performing. I’ve played anywhere from huge arenas to dive bars, where you can barely fit on stage. I’m all about experiencing life.

Interviewer: Yeah, is there a dream venue? Somewhere that you’re like “I’ve made it”.

Jesse: Off the top of my head, somewhere like Madison Square Garden in New York. But even someplace smaller, like the Roxy. I love that place, have been going to a lot of concerts there recently. That place would be super cool. I could say like “I remember watching these bands, standing in the pit and now I’m the one on stage”. 

While Jesse has been traveling a lot, getting his sound out to eager audiences, he’s been focusing on the future and where he wants to be. 

Interviewer: What’s your goal in the next five years? Where do you see yourself?

Jesse: I think in the next five years, I want to record and release a lot more music. A lot more visuals like music videos. I’d like to collaborate with some artists that I look up to. Ultimately getting my music out there and getting heard by more people, eventually going on tour.

With artists like Jesse Fulco, playing with genres that could be considered “nostalgic” to audiences, it creates a chance for modern music to dip back into the rawer, band powered music.

Interviewer: You mentioned music videos. Those are super powerful tools to trigger people’s memories... You see that stuff on YouTube in the comment section. Older generations watching these videos, reminiscing when they were teenagers during that time. That interest in nostalgia seems to be getting stronger and stronger.

Jesse: I think that will go along with the shift that will happen within the music industry. For the younger generation its newer to them. For guys like you and me, we grew up with some of this stuff. It’s like, oh that’s nostalgic and that’s what I grew up with, I like that style and it’s making a comeback. But for newer kids, they look back on the stuff we grew up with and think that sound is new. 

Interviewer: You see it even with fashion. Everyone’s dressing like they did 30 years ago.

Jesse: Yeah, I’ve noticed that. I was at the skatepark, picking up my brother, and seeing kids dressed in the ripped jeans, chains, the long sleeve t-shirts with the short sleeve on top of it, band tees, coloring their hair. Kinda rock n roll/punk. Stuff that people like me used to get bullied for.

While music and performing is Jesse’s number one focus, he has a few hobbies as well.

Interviewer: Do you have any hobbies? 

Jesse: I try to work out, stay in shape. My dad was a championship bodybuilder. I used to skateboard, but I don’t do much of that anymore. I snowboard more. I’ll try anything. 

Interviewer: Oh nice. I saw you were involved in a movie recently?

Jesse: Oh yeah. My dad wrote and directed an independent film. I helped film and edit it, putting it all together. It’s called The Fixa. Super cool flick. I act on the side too, I’ve done a few commercials and music videos. 

Interviewer: Your dad seems like he’s all over the place.

Jesse: If my dad wants to do something, he does it. He’s tenacious. He puts in the work and won’t take no for an answer. He just goes for it, man. 

Determination and ambition seem to be something that runs in the Fulco family. Jesse also is into some current artists like Travis Barker, Willow Smith, The Oxymorons, and Heart Attack Man. Since it was Thanksgiving, I had to get the scoop on his favorite dish.

Interviewer: What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Jesse: I love dessert, man. Thanksgiving is my thing, I eat like three to four plates every year, it’s terrible. Not a big pumpkin pie guy but bring me a warm, apple pie, with some vanilla ice cream. I’ll kill it. 

Jesse Fulco is currently working on a new pop/punk EP that should be released in the next few months.