Voodoo Loons
Encyclopedia
Voodoo Loons is an alternative rock band from both Donegal
, Ireland
and Cincinnati, Ohio
that was formed in 2006. The band is known for blending influences from various musical genres, ranging from bluegrass and celtic to punk and psychedelic, into their own signature alternative rock/pop sound.
and the U.S., had been posting and distributing freely online started gaining attention in both Europe
and the United States
. When the Dublin, Ireland arts magazine Pro Bono Publico asked in early 2006 if they could feature his "Unabashedly Political Song" on their DVD magazine (the demo version of the song was published in their first volume, O'Hagan decided that it was time to put a name to the project, and Voodoo Loons were born. O'Hagan's original concept for the Loons was that it would be the name of a project rather than a "band" much like in the way that Karl Wallinger
's World Party
operated. The idea was that Voodoo Loons on one night may be just O'Hagan, another night it might be a trio, or a quintet, etc.
The Voodoo Loons name was born out of O'Hagan's experience working in Mississippi
and Louisiana
in the days following Hurricane Katrina
. Working as part of the Red Cross Disaster Response team, he encountered "walking dead": folks wandering around in a state of shock hoping to find loved ones who had been washed away by the storm. A local cajun had referred to them as "voodoo loons", meaning they were under a spell of delusion or craziness, etc. (the reality was usually post-traumatic stress).
In early 2006, due to an ever increasing volume of downloads on both the Voodoo Loons website and new MySpace
page, O'Hagan decided that it was time to record a proper album. He initially recruited his old school chum Bill McCarthy on drums, who recommended Chris Hooks for bass, and that became the core band.
The Loons spent the remainder of 2006 working on material for the debut album. The bulk of the music consisted of songs that O'Hagan had already recorded demos of, while a few others were written during this period. A crucial agreement among the band, though, was that each member had free rein to create their own new parts to even the existing material, so that the resulting sound would arrive naturally and not as a result of O'Hagan's previous vision of the songs as captured on the demos. In the summer of 2006. the band decided to road test the material, and was invited to play several U.S. festivals. However, McCarthy's mother fell ill with cancer, and the band limited their appearances to that summer's MidPoint Music Festival
. The band's MPMF set kicked off in legendary fashion, with O'Hagan's guitar amp bursting into flames during their first song. A backup amp was quickly employed, and the band went on to deliver an enthusiastically received and well reviewed set.
In 2009, the band began working on material for their second full-length album, which they expect to be released late summer 2011.
based pianist/composer Michael Sokolowski played piano on "Intangible" (in exchange for which Hooks and O'Hagan did some work on a forthcoming Sokoband project)
Much like O'Hagan had done earlier with his demos, incomplete tracks, rough mixes, and outtakes were posted throughout the recording process on both the band's website as well as their MySpace page. During the final mixing process the band would update the online recordings often several times a day, so that fans were involved as much as possible with the entire process. Some of these tracks were also included in the Rough Mixes EP that the band also released in early 2008.
The finished album was pre-released on the band's website on Christmas
Day 2007. It was released worldwide in January 2008, and immediately received warm reviews. OnlineRock.com said that the album's sometimes politically pointed angle took political rock "to a new level... Without ever losing track of the hook that catches their listener fishes – the powerful chords (but not power chords), rough beat and fierce energy of the song –Voodoo Loons reaches down and unwraps the part of the brain where you keep your fear... Whether you’re on board with their message or not, Voodoo Loons’ grungy hard rock will surely hook you. Be afraid of the government, by all means. But do not fear the rock."
New York's Music Reviewer said that "the Voodoo Loons musical appeal is as far stretching as their apparent influences. The opening track Hello could easily be heard over lubricated conversation at a dorm room party, while the mandolin driven Emerald could satisfy a bluegrass/folk fan" and ranked the release higher than those of Panic At the Disco, Tea Leaf Green
, Scarlett Johansson
, Counting Crows
, the B-52's
, and other more established artists during the same period.
CityBeat Magazine said "As for Euphobia itself... the album, which bears the mark of their musical and writing influences (Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Paul Westerberg) focused through a soaring, careening Afghan Whigs-like Indie Rock sonic filter, results in the expansive sound of a major label album."
The album also caught the attention of Black 47
founder, author, and playwright Larry Kirwan
, who featured tracks from the album on his weekly Celtic Crush program on Sirius
and XM satellite radio outlets. Kirwan called Voodoo Loons "a great new band, if you get a chance you should do see them.... great stuff!". Kirwan featured both "The Unabashedly Political Song" and "Emerald" on the program, the latter of which was later voted #56 in the 2009 Listener's Poll Top 100 Celtic Songs rankings.
In 2010 the band started work on its follow-up album, tentatively titled The Criminal Ear. As of early 2011, the band had released two songs ahead of the album, "Delicate Flower" and "The Winter Trail", the latter of which features Mark Daly again on mandolin. The album is expected to be completed and released late summer 2011.
The band may be taking a different approach in 2011, though, as they plan to play more extensively in support of The Criminal Ear album.
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
that was formed in 2006. The band is known for blending influences from various musical genres, ranging from bluegrass and celtic to punk and psychedelic, into their own signature alternative rock/pop sound.
History
In 2005 music that Dennis O'Hagan, who holds dual-citizenship in both IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the U.S., had been posting and distributing freely online started gaining attention in both Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When the Dublin, Ireland arts magazine Pro Bono Publico asked in early 2006 if they could feature his "Unabashedly Political Song" on their DVD magazine (the demo version of the song was published in their first volume, O'Hagan decided that it was time to put a name to the project, and Voodoo Loons were born. O'Hagan's original concept for the Loons was that it would be the name of a project rather than a "band" much like in the way that Karl Wallinger
Karl Wallinger
Karl Edmond De Vere Wallinger is a Welsh musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for leading the band World Party and for his mid-1980s stint in The Waterboys...
's World Party
World Party
World Party is a British pop/alternative rock band, which is essentially the solo project of its sole member, Karl Wallinger. He started the band in 1986 in London after leaving The Waterboys.-Career:...
operated. The idea was that Voodoo Loons on one night may be just O'Hagan, another night it might be a trio, or a quintet, etc.
The Voodoo Loons name was born out of O'Hagan's experience working in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in the days following Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. Working as part of the Red Cross Disaster Response team, he encountered "walking dead": folks wandering around in a state of shock hoping to find loved ones who had been washed away by the storm. A local cajun had referred to them as "voodoo loons", meaning they were under a spell of delusion or craziness, etc. (the reality was usually post-traumatic stress).
In early 2006, due to an ever increasing volume of downloads on both the Voodoo Loons website and new MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page, O'Hagan decided that it was time to record a proper album. He initially recruited his old school chum Bill McCarthy on drums, who recommended Chris Hooks for bass, and that became the core band.
The Loons spent the remainder of 2006 working on material for the debut album. The bulk of the music consisted of songs that O'Hagan had already recorded demos of, while a few others were written during this period. A crucial agreement among the band, though, was that each member had free rein to create their own new parts to even the existing material, so that the resulting sound would arrive naturally and not as a result of O'Hagan's previous vision of the songs as captured on the demos. In the summer of 2006. the band decided to road test the material, and was invited to play several U.S. festivals. However, McCarthy's mother fell ill with cancer, and the band limited their appearances to that summer's MidPoint Music Festival
MidPoint Music Festival
MidPoint Music Festival launched in 2002 in Cincinnati, Ohio, as an independent music festival and industry conference. The annual three-day event occurs each Septemberin the city's downtown and historic Over-the-Rhine entertainment district...
. The band's MPMF set kicked off in legendary fashion, with O'Hagan's guitar amp bursting into flames during their first song. A backup amp was quickly employed, and the band went on to deliver an enthusiastically received and well reviewed set.
In 2009, the band began working on material for their second full-length album, which they expect to be released late summer 2011.
Recordings
The band began recording its first full album, titled Euphobia, in early 2007. The bulk of the album was recorded at Middleground Studios, with O'Hagan doing some minor work at his home studio. The original working title of the project was "Self Proclaimed Prophets & Profiteers", but was changed to Euphobia in the eleventh hour after O'Hagan had thought he had invented a word. They soon learned that the word Euphobia already existed (it is a rare medical condition that involves the fear of good news), but enjoyed the actual definition so much that they kept it as a title. In addition to the core band, mandolin virtuoso Mark Daly contributed mandolin parts on four tracks, and Charlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
based pianist/composer Michael Sokolowski played piano on "Intangible" (in exchange for which Hooks and O'Hagan did some work on a forthcoming Sokoband project)
Much like O'Hagan had done earlier with his demos, incomplete tracks, rough mixes, and outtakes were posted throughout the recording process on both the band's website as well as their MySpace page. During the final mixing process the band would update the online recordings often several times a day, so that fans were involved as much as possible with the entire process. Some of these tracks were also included in the Rough Mixes EP that the band also released in early 2008.
The finished album was pre-released on the band's website on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Day 2007. It was released worldwide in January 2008, and immediately received warm reviews. OnlineRock.com said that the album's sometimes politically pointed angle took political rock "to a new level... Without ever losing track of the hook that catches their listener fishes – the powerful chords (but not power chords), rough beat and fierce energy of the song –Voodoo Loons reaches down and unwraps the part of the brain where you keep your fear... Whether you’re on board with their message or not, Voodoo Loons’ grungy hard rock will surely hook you. Be afraid of the government, by all means. But do not fear the rock."
New York's Music Reviewer said that "the Voodoo Loons musical appeal is as far stretching as their apparent influences. The opening track Hello could easily be heard over lubricated conversation at a dorm room party, while the mandolin driven Emerald could satisfy a bluegrass/folk fan" and ranked the release higher than those of Panic At the Disco, Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green
Tea Leaf Green is a five-piece jam band from San Francisco Bay Area, comprising Josh Clark , Trevor Garrod , Reed Mathis , Scott Rager , and Cochrane McMillan .-History:Tea Leaf Green began in the fall of 1996, when Scott Rager met Ben Chambers on the...
, Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, model and singer.Johansson made her film debut in North and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo . She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World...
, Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, the B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
, and other more established artists during the same period.
CityBeat Magazine said "As for Euphobia itself... the album, which bears the mark of their musical and writing influences (Pixies, Jane's Addiction, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Paul Westerberg) focused through a soaring, careening Afghan Whigs-like Indie Rock sonic filter, results in the expansive sound of a major label album."
The album also caught the attention of Black 47
Black 47
Black 47 are a New York City based celtic rock band with Irish Republican sympathies, whose music also shows influence from reggae, hip hop, folk and jazz...
founder, author, and playwright Larry Kirwan
Larry Kirwan
Larry Kirwan is an expatriate Irish writer and musician, most noted as the lead singer for the New York based Irish rock band, Black 47....
, who featured tracks from the album on his weekly Celtic Crush program on Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
and XM satellite radio outlets. Kirwan called Voodoo Loons "a great new band, if you get a chance you should do see them.... great stuff!". Kirwan featured both "The Unabashedly Political Song" and "Emerald" on the program, the latter of which was later voted #56 in the 2009 Listener's Poll Top 100 Celtic Songs rankings.
In 2010 the band started work on its follow-up album, tentatively titled The Criminal Ear. As of early 2011, the band had released two songs ahead of the album, "Delicate Flower" and "The Winter Trail", the latter of which features Mark Daly again on mandolin. The album is expected to be completed and released late summer 2011.
Live Performances
Rather than doing extensive touring, the band has traditionally focused more on music festivals and strategic "stealth" shows. O'Hagan explains: "we started online, and we decide where we want to play based on where the most interest seems to be coming from, rather than living in a van and hitting every town along a path. Doing our one-off shows allows us to put more effort into collaborating with local art schools and so forth, so that we create a different experience both musically and visually each time. Doing this with the traditional touring model wouldn't make sense from a time or economic standpoint."The band may be taking a different approach in 2011, though, as they plan to play more extensively in support of The Criminal Ear album.
Discography
- 2006 - Pro Bono Publico, Vol 1(DVD) - Pro Bono Publico, Dublin, IE
- 2007 - Euphobia - MPG
- 2008 - Rough Mixes EP - MPG
- 2011 - The Criminal Ear - MPG, due summer 2011
Members
- Chris Hooks (bass, keys)
- Bill McCarthy (drums)
- Dennis O'Hagan (vocals, guitars, harmonica)