Interview with Voodoo Shock

Congrats to your excellent debut, how has the response been so far from media and the Voodoo Shock fanbase ?

Excellent, sold 700 units in the first 3 months. Every review we got is excellent saying that we „combine the best doom in one".
Previously you have made a demodisc before you issued this one, fill me in your background how was Voodoo Shock pieced together in the first place ?

As NAEVUS split in may 1999 I steadily wrote new songs already. That time we wanted to enter studio for a new recording. As Sven (bass) left the band I didn’t have enough energy to restart it all. Play new songs and rehearse old ones again with a new bass player and everything. One year before I moved to a new town which was one hour driving away from the others. There I had a couple of doom friends already. So started with the written songs with drummer Gunnar from Mirror Of Deception. We had a few sessions, playing 4 or 5 songs (all new). Due to lack of time of his studying and his other band it didn’t work out very well. So in 2000 I started again, this time with drummer Mathias Siffermann from End Of Green, on bass Rainer Hampel (also End Of Green) and later guitarist Oliver Merkle on bass (also End Of Green). With those two guys I recorded the demo with 4 songs, originally started because of the long awaited VITUS tribute. We did PETRA. We didn’t want to release it officially but it turned out excellent, so we decided to send it around. Parted ways with both at the end of 2001. As I had so many songs I decided to search two guys only to work with for recording. With Michael on bass (former Windfall and ex-Phased 4°F). Known him for a long time as we both played in our bands together at the legendary DOOM IN BLOOM Festival. He knew some drummers to check out and we landed with Specky. Here the success goes...

Compare your previous band Naevus to this unit, what is the major change do you feel ?

It’s more professional if I’m allowed to say that. More easy to play in. You’re free as a three-piece, no limits. You don’t need to combine any guitar sounds. We all know what we want to do.

Your demo caused quite a stir, at least on me. A brilliant piece of work. How pleased are you with the reaction of that demo and how many copies have you sold ?

We were very impressed on all those reactions. As I said before, we wanted to record it only for the Vitus tribute and thought we can do these songs we jammed already together (only four at that time). It turned out very good so we decided to send it out to various friends and labels how the reactions would be.

Fill me in on your deal with Psychdoomelic, what kind of deal is it and how pleased are you with the promotion so far on the album ?

Well, it’s not a real deal if we can say that. We recorded the album and Mark pays for the studio. He sells the album and gives us the money for studio back. We never subscribed anything. As we searched for a label he offered us that kind of stuff. We didn’t want to do it on our own. And maybe we sell that good that maybe a bigger label will license it, or we sign to a bigger label instead for the next album, we’ll see how everything goes.

Michael: It’s really cool how Mark sells the album. He has all those connections and he puts a lot of effort and energy into the whole thing!

Your debut is to me very much old school doom metal, bands like Trouble, St Vitus and Witchfinder General are very obvious, but it also have a modern heavyrock feel with excellent arrangements, strong vocals and spooky overdubs. Fill me in on the studiotime you had and how pleased are you with the final mix of the album ?

I’m very pleased with the final result in all categories. We prepared only two weekends jamming, and recorded the third one. So that’s pretty good. Guitars and vocals were recorded over some weeks, depending on how the time was right and I had time for it. So we recorded over a four months period. After the first mix we sat down and listened closely one month. Then we changed some guitars again and made another mix, that’s what you have in the player. I need to say that I always wanted to play around with some guitar sounds, not always the same. I used different distortion pedals, more volume instead of distortion, various speakers and so on. It should be diverse, to make it a bit more interesting.

Talking about the cover of strange creature, a mans face covered with leaves. Where did you find the cover, how pleased are you with it and do you feel that the cover that is a good representation of the album ?

I got the cover from Roger of Tollwuet. He once found it in a book and wanted to use it for his own band. But he actually never took it and has sent it over to me and asked if I’m interested. We changed the colours to a brown/orange style. The original is full coloured. It fits the album perfectly with all clichees and the likes of a heavy album...

The album features a stunning version of my alltime fave tunes Nights In White Satin by the Moody Blues. How did it come that you picked that one and how pleased are you with your version ?

The result is excellent and it’s a natural Voodoo Shock song I think. That song was in my mind a long time before, but only as a good song, not for a cover. Actually the decision was made in the studio. We went for shopping to a CD shop and bought the Moody Blues singles collection, found out the chords and lyrics, played it veeeeeery slow, and recorded. That’s all.

Michael: If I remember correctly we were talking about a bluesband, and suddenly someone said: Moody Blues. Then someone else said: Yeah, let’s do Nights in White Satin...that’s how it went...

The lineup are kind of divided, yourself in Germany and the other guys in Switzerland. Every time you practise or have a gig, how do you piece together cause it must be a few hours drive where you live to the rest of the band ?

I’m driving down to Basel by car, it takes me 3 ½ hours. Last time we practised in Rogers basement, which only takes me 2 ½ hours, but still in Switzerland. As the basis work for Voodoo Shock is to work with the music, not to practise once a week, we continue like that as long as we can. Every time we have a show (which is not too often) we practise once before.

Michael: It’s cool that way, cos when you don’t practice too often, that keeps things really fresh. We also work with home-recordings which we send to the other members, so when we meet, everyone’s prepared.

Talking about the german doomscene, Naevus, Mirror Of Deception and Dawn Of Winter were kind of forerunners, now has the scene progressed with Dreaming, Bohren & Der Club of Gore, Well Of Souls, Doomshine, yourself etc. How do you view the progression ?

As we now have seen on the Doom Shall Rise festival two weeks before, the overall sound of doom established, and many bands continued to play the style. That’s a good move. It’s the same as in the states. I guess there weren’t too many bands around without Kyuss or Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu and the likes. After the "stonerrock" wave it brought the people a wider horizon to listen to the older stuff which finally lead to Sabbath, and back to newer bands like Cathedral.

You are on the list at the upcoming Doom Shall Rise Fest that will be held in Crailsheim Germany february 7th/8th. What the fest.crowd expect from Voodoo Shock ?

We try to bring them a good show and rock their asses!

You are also included at the upcoming St Vitus tribute on Raven Moon Records where you cover Patra (Petra) a stunning cover I must say from probably my alltime fave St.Vitus album V, how pleased are you with your cover and what have St Vitus meant for you ?

Because of that recording for the tribute we went in studio for the first time, and we recorded our first songs we ever made with Voodoo Shock. People never heard about Voodoo Shock but wanted to have us on the tribute... Saint Vitus is one of my favourite bands. I mean it didn’t influenced me deeply for making this kind of music, but I love the albums with Wino. I don’t like Scott Reagers too much.

Michael: Come on, Scott Reagers rules! But Reagers is obviously very different from Wino. I could go on brabbling for hours, how cool the first two Vitus albums are...of course the ones with Wino are equally great, but Scott has something fascinating in his voice to me.

Talking about the liveshows you have made with Naevus and Voodoo Shock, what is best gig/worst gig you have made so far ?

The worst show with NAEVUS were maybe the first ones, as we started with DEATH Metal style. Maybe the best show with NAEVUS was one of the last ones with Mirror Of Deception in Stuttgart/ Longhorn. That was a really good show. The best Voodoo Shock show was last years Crailsheim with JACK FROST and the Doom Shall Rise festival.

Talking about the musical and lyrical direction on the album, first the lyrical direction what is the main message in the songs, is there a concept ?

The main message should be positive, that’s the way I like to spread it. We need to get up every morning with a smile so every problem is only a small one. Life goes on whatever happens. But all in all there’s no real concept behind it.

The musical influences, to me like I said earlier it is very much early 80s old school doom metal but I figure there is a wide spectrum of influences, what are the main influences for you ?

I try to list some sort of bands I really love (no order): Cathedral, Soundgarden, The Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Death, Alice In Chains, The Tea Party, Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Revelation, Wretched, Ramones, Kings X, Tool, Kyuss, Confessor (they reformed!!!), Carcass, old Entombed, ...

Michael: Don’t forget to mention Sleep.

Beside the Doom Shall Rise fest. whatelse is in the plans for you. Have you sorted out material for a follow up, any eps on the way, gigs, any more tributes to compilations etc. fill me in on your next plans ?

We have a split 7" coming up as a collaboration between Psychedoomelic Records and Game Two Records with Conan’s (GameTwo Boss-Ed) band Iron Kind. It should be out in march or so. We made a special artwork for it showing a Voodoo temple...Songs are made for a follow up, but they need to grow of course. Maybe we get back together for a new recording in spring/ summer next year – no hurry – the ways of doom are sloooooooooooooow......

Michael: Uwe wrote all the songs for the first album, and he already has a couple of new ones. I have like two songs ready so far. I guess that will bring in more variety.

Any last words ?

Thanks again for your support Gabriel. You can buy our shirts, albums and free stickers via e-mail at my address or get it to psychedoomelics website (see below) The costs are very low including postage.

By Gabriel Lilliehook

Review of Voodoo Shocks debut at rec19.html

More Voodoo Shock info at www.voodooshock.de

Order their debut at www.psychedoomelic.com