In a world dominated by polished pop and algorithmic anthems, Fab the Rocker crashes through with a fuzz-drenched guitar and unapologetic attitude. This London-based, Portuguese-rooted rocker isn’t just recycling the past — he’s reimagining it. Known for his raw covers of ’90s alt-rock classics and his darkly poetic originals, Fab has become a lightning rod for the new generation of grunge fans.
We caught up with Fab just after the release of his gritty rendition of “Gone Away” — a passionate cover of The Offspring’s 1997 classic — to talk inspiration, family ties, and what’s next for the emerging iconoclast.
Why cover “Gone Away”?
Fab the Rocker: That song always hit different. It’s like… pure grief wrapped in distortion. I wanted to sing it from a place of loss and rage. Covering Gone Away was personal — like paying tribute to music that shaped me and the pain that never quite fades.
Watch Gone Away by Fab the Rocker here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrsttXGgy5A
Listen & support on Bandcamp: https://fabtherocker.bandcamp.com/track/gone-away-the-offspring-cover
Your voice sounds like gravel and fire — where does that come from?
Fab: (laughs) Years of yelling at gigs, heartbreak, and probably shouting at buses that never showed up. I grew up in Stockwell — loud streets, louder emotions, full of characters. I used to scream along to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Rise Against, and Linkin Park like my bedroom was Wembley Stadium. Pretty sure my vocal cords filed a noise complaint against me.
You’ve mentioned Kurt Cobain as a big influence. Your single “Hear Me” feels like a response to Nirvana’s “Rape Me.” Is that intentional?
Fab: 100%. Hear Me is my reply to the pain in Rape Me. It’s my way of saying, “You’re not alone. I feel it too.” It’s not just a song — it’s a cry for connection. Nirvana didn’t just inspire my sound — they inspired my honesty.
Stream Hear Me by Fab the Rocker:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3vE9cINW879209dsyi9vst?si=9a100a35f79e43e9
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgHym6j8nfc
Story behind the song: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mHoqkKPpd68
You’re blending grunge with storytelling and dark humor — especially in your new project Sold My Soul (Puppet Show). What’s the story behind that?
Fab: It’s wild. It’s about losing my dad to a sexy puppet show while I chased rock ’n roll. Sounds absurd, but it’s layered — about betrayal, illusions, and fame. It’s fast, loud, and bitterly funny. Like if Tenacious D had an existential crisis in a dive bar.
You cannot preview Sold My Soul (Puppet Show) yet.
What’s next for you?
Fab: I’m working on a full EP called Smoke Burns in the Mirror — more originals, more grit, more truth. Expect something that lives in the space between a midnight alley fight and a neon-lit daydream. Raw but surreal. Also thinking of doing an unplugged acoustic set. Maybe even a collab with AI vocals, just to mess with the system a bit.
Final question — what would you say to someone who’s just discovered your music?
Fab: Don’t expect perfection. Expect passion. Expect chaos. Expect real.
Follow Fab the Rocker:
🎸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/fabtherocker
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/003NeV3sH7BMOb2zG5ABIl
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fabtherocker
