Making music with a message is always a challenge. Pairing the message with music that is both catchy and compelling, doubly so. Having captured the attention with Ha Ha OK OK, Voodoo Bloo – the new project from Rory McDonald (Lucifer Gunne) – seem oblivious to any potential difficulty, a sense given greater weight by the release of new single Her Name Was Human. We caught up with Rory to discuss the genesis of Voodoo Bloo, the difficulty of writing music that is both deeply personal and yet universal and much more. Read on and discover Voodoo Bloo.
Producing lyrics that are both true to your personal experiences, yet universally relatable is one of the most challenging things for a song-writer. Given the personal nature of this project, how did you approach the lyric writing and was there anyone in (or outside of) the band, against whom you could bounce ideas?
The lyric writing is strange, as it all comes from my personal experiences as you mentioned, but I often find myself taking notes of what other people say, which is why I think I meet that mark of being able to relate to others at the same time. I very vividly remember being in an elevator, and hearing somebody say to their colleague “My body’s a temple, but a warehouse on the weekend”, and knowing I found gold, or at least that he had, but he just didn’t know it. For me, it’s about actively listening to the world around you, and trying to take note of the things you relate to at that moment in time, no matter the emotion.
In New Zealand there is a substantial issue with teen mental health – it’s clearly important to you that artists use their voice and platform to raise awareness of issues such as this -in what ways do you think the music industry is best placed to help people going through issues such as depression?
If I’m being honest, I think there’s a lot of different factors that come into that question. I felt a great sense of pride when we put on 2 charity shows last year for Lifeline Aotearoa, and I’m glad to know that all the money that we raised went back into helping people who are going through something they need support with, but at the same time there’s so many other things you can do, and even just the music you create can be enough to help someone’s day (though I know that’s not nearly always the case). I think what I’m really trying to say here is that the music industry shouldn’t put their energy into a specific spot of mental health awareness and aid, but the artists themselves should be trying to support wherever they can, as this industry has a massive history with mental disorders and illnesses, not just New Zealand.
One of the things we’ve seen in the UK, is just how many people have been cast adrift by the pandemic – obviously New Zealand is recognised as having handled it better than most countries, but have you found yourself (and the band) to be particularly affected by events of the last year?
I found myself actually having one of the most productive times for music when we began lockdown, as we’d recently just finished up the studio at my parents house and that’s where I was going to be staying for the next 3 months. I feel extremely lucky in that regard, as we did get through the worst of it quite quickly in relation to other countries, and I really do feel for the people who do not have the luxury that I currently do, but I’m just trying to use these uncertain times to create something new while most people can’t experience a lot of the things they used to.
How did you first get involved in music – was it something you grew up wanting to do?
It’s just something I’ve always done. I’ve pretty much known how to play an instrument as long as I can remember, and both my parents were musicians, so I guess you can probably say it was a mixture of both my family and the music I got from them.
You list an unusual array of instruments, including the banjo and theremin – were these things you sought out, out of interest; or do you tend to pick up new instruments in order to meet the needs of the music you are making at a given time?
It was a love for experimentation. My best writing usually comes about when I switch over to something I haven’t played in a while, as just playing a guitar or bass for a long time can get quite stale, and I lose some of that creative flow. Being able to play numerous instruments does add a great new texture I wouldn’t be able to find with a traditional band setup, but it’s more to keep me from the bottomless pit known as “writing block”.
You’ve previously stated that you favour personal exploration over formal education – for me, one of the most exciting parts of song-writing is where you’re trying to shape an idea you have in your head, but don’t yet have the means to make it reality (and you also get a lot of happy accidents that way) – would you agree?
Oh absolutely, I don’t think there’s any better feeling than just knowing how a song goes, which may sound really odd to someone who doesn’t play music for themselves, but you’d have no idea how many melodies and rhythms that go astray because us artists can’t figure out what to do with them!
The influences stated for Voodoo Bloo are pretty diverse, do you find you’re more attracted to specific elements within a band’s music as an influence as opposed to a genre?
That’s a great way of putting it, and yes! I’m much more attracted to a piece of music that can make me deeply feel a certain way rather than it being “my kind of song”, whatever that means. I think it’s really important to test your comfort zone when it comes to music you enjoy, especially as a creative, as you never know where you may find your next bit of inspiration.
When it comes to writing the music, it’s very much you when it comes to the studio and then the band when it comes to live dates? If that’s the case, do you find that the music undergoes unexpected shifts when it’s filtered through the guys in the band, or do you try to remain as faithful as you can to the studio versions?
Yeah that’s right for the most part, however Jackson (drums) and Don (Guitar) are definitely on there, as it was crucial that they added their flair to the material. In saying this though, the songs have changed quite a lot from the studio to live versions, not structurally or melodically, but it’s more in the atmosphere and how we try to portray the emotions of the material, something I think we’ve honed our skills on since the recording of the LP, and Jackson, Don and Daniel (Guitar) really are the ones who elevate our live game.
The Video for Ha Ha OK, is very cool and it looks like you had a good time putting it together – were you involved in the aesthetic, or did you entrust that to the person who shot the video (Alex Hargreaves?)?
Even though we hadn’t worked together yet, I very much trusted Alex’s vision as she’d worked on some other great music videos for the likes of Devilskin and Alien Weaponry and I was all in from the moment I saw the concept for myself.
What’s next for Voodoo Bloo?
We have a few show dates coming up, but we’re trying to slow down on the live performance as of now so I can go back into the studio with the live members to figure out what happens next. Not much I can say right now, but more is to come very very soon!
Any final words?
My mum just made me Eggs benedict, and since I’m not home all that often anymore, it was awesome.
Single out now
Voodoo Bloo, a powerful NZ based alt-rock act unveil a dark and energetic (part) live performance video to their latest single ‘Her Name Was Human’ – out now via Plastic Groove Records. The track has some notable credentials having been worked on by Gregory Haver (Manic Street Preachers/ Super Furry Animals/Bullet for My Valentine) as mix production adviser.
The video shows the band playing one of their usual raucously exciting gigs for die-hard fans in a suitably sweaty New Zealand club; Rory lamenting his doomed relationship situation in his unique baritone voice. It also features our disguised ‘anti-hero’ wallowing in the toxicity of his sick and doomed relationship, seeking comfort from his ‘tribe’ by heading down to the beach, lighting fires, binge- drinking and hanging out with mates. Both the track and the video have a real punk energy vibe whilst also nodding to the greats of rock, grunge, metal and indie, without losing focus on their own youthful fire and individuality.
It’s hard not to be swept into this fantastical musical despair: Rory says “the track has a lot to do with broken relationships, and the idea of Stockholm syndrome which I felt that some of my close mates were experiencing to some degree at the time of writing the lyrics. You know something’s bad for you, but you keep going back for more, in hopes something better comes of it.”
Rory is originally from Sheffield but now resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Voodoo Bloo‘s sound is influenced by acts such as Arctic Monkeys and System of a Down, as well as some singer-songwriter artists such as Car Seat Headrest and Neutral Milk Hotel. This combination brings a great blend of emotional and conceptual songwriting with a very catchy and frequently danceable distorted mess.
Before starting Voodoo Bloo, Rory was the frontman of Lucifer Gunne, who gained a large fan base from touring, releasing singles & EP’s. He started the new band so he could have creative freedom and because their debut album ‘Jacobus’ is a conceptual and very personal record.
“Last July, a close friend of mine for many years, took his own life while I was away overseas. This was obviously a massive shock to myself and the people around me, but being isolated from my friends while in a different country led me to writing a lot of lyrics during one of the strangest and scariest points in my life. The writing of “Jacobus” was a very cathartic process at a time when I didn’t have many people around me to talk to.”
New Zealand currently has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world and recently the band played multiple charity shows for Lifeline Aotearoa (an organisation focused on suicide prevention and mental health treatment).
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