It all started in late 2003 as Brian Adams showed up at Carman Hall, bass guitar in hand, when Dave Campbell, guitarist, approached him out on the front steps and asked him if he wanted to jam sometime.

Their common interest in music is what brought them together, and this weekend The Fuz will be performing two consecutive nights at Friends & Co.

Adams was previously in the band with Jim Wallwin, drums, and Chris De Rosa, bass and guitar. After the addition of Campbell in late 2003, the present lineup of The Fuz was born.

These guys are not just musicians that stick to assigned instruments throughout the entire show. Adams and De Rosa alternate between bass and guitar during performances. With the exception of Wallwin on the drums, Campbell, De Rosa and Adams alternate vocals throughout the performance.

When asked about what kinds of shows they play, Adams and Campbell looked at each other and smiled.

“It’s hard to say,” Campbell said. “I guess (we play) a rock show, but even rock is broad.”

The Fuz performs a lot of improvisational jams during their set.

“We play a lot of different styles,” Adams said. “Funk, psychedelic, experimental . but every show we play has a different set list. We wrote about 25 originals, and we cover about 70 songs. So, we try to rotate as much as possible.”

Their pre-show warm-up isn’t much different from those of any other band.

“We like to have band practice all day up until the performance and have a party at the house,” Adams said. He laughed then added, “Oh yeah, Chris sometimes tends to get nervous before shows.”

They will start playing and during the session they will build off of the improv jams until they have a song that is good for open-ended jamming in a live performance.

“It isn’t a conscious decision,” Campbell said. “You just play the music you enjoy, which is more inspired by the things we listen to.”

Their live performances generate a unique animation of energy, causing their fans to just have fun and let loose.

“It is the best form of expression,” Adams added, “Getting up in front of a couple hundred people . it’s just the greatest feeling ever; unlike anything else.”

Every band has a unique fan base, and The Fuz’s following is no different.

“Our fans are very dedicated people, the craziest people in the world,” Adams said. “A lot of them are from Chicago, and they come out to our shows (in Charleston), other fans hear about us, like what they see, and just keep coming.”

Bands like Phish, The Beatles, Radiohead and Pink Floyd have influenced The Fuz’s musical style.

You can listen to The Fuz online at their myspace music site, or visit their Web site, http://www.thefuzband.com, which is currently under construction.

Catfish Jenkins from Darien is opening Friday night for The Fuz, and Brainchild from Peoria will open on Saturday. Cover charge is $5 at the door and both shows are 21 and older.