Introducing #167 - Voodoo Bandits
Let us introduce you to Voodoo Bandits, who recently released their new single ‘I’m A Loser’ and who talked us through their own brand of chaotic indie pop.
Hey Voodoo Bandits. How are you? You’ve just released your new single. How does it feel to have it out in the world?
Howdy! It feels awesome to get it out in the open. This particular song was tricky to finish as we’d reached a point during the writing process where we’d become numb to it so hearing what people think of it has been super refreshing.
The track’s called ‘I’m A Loser’. Can you tell us what it’s about?
It’s essentially about that rubbish feeling you get when things aren’t going as planned in life. I think most people have been in a position where they’ve felt as though they’ve hit a brick wall but are desperate to get cracking on with their ambitions whether big or small. That’s what “I’m a Loser” is about. Embrace your flaws, get back up on your feet and try again.
You’re from the Isle of Man, what’s the scene like there? Did you have to branch out to the mainland before things took off?
The scene over on the Isle of Man is rather different to the UK. It’s much smaller for starters and there really aren't many “proper” music venues around. Lots of musicians (including us) on the island tend to resort to playing cover gigs due to higher demand whether that’s in the corner of a pub, or at a birthday party etc., it’s sadly very prominent. In recent times though, more and more events have been set up to accommodate local musicians performing their own original music which is something we’ve been very much involved with however there is still a long way to go on that front. We haven’t had much of a chance to perform over on the mainland (just 3 gigs so far) due to COVID restrictions however we’ve got lots of shows coming up for the rest of this year and next which we’re excited about. We’re hoping things will take off from there as that’s the scene we really want to step right into with it being much better suited for us.
What are the key influences when it comes to your music?
Hmm… I’d say we have quite a handful of musical influences as we’re always coming across new music that inspires us and it tends to be that each song we write has been influenced by a number of sounds which differ slightly from the last song we wrote if that makes sense. The musical influences that have inspired us the most would have to be Wavves, Circa Waves, Skegss and The Strokes.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never listened to your music before?
Good question! We like to describe our sound as Indie Garage Rock mixed with Surf Punk however this is something that will become more and more apparent with each song we plan to release from now on. In our songs, you’ll find lots of fuzzy yet clear guitar action, distinctive melodies and boisterous fast beats that all come together to make a feeling of questionable optimism, and carefree relief.