British rockers Voodoo Six have been announced as support band for Iron Maiden’s European tour this year and are about to embark on their own headlining tour around the UK and Ireland to promote their new album “Songs To Invade Countries To” which is released in April. The tour includes the Diamond Rock Club in Ahoghill on 23rd March. The band consists of Luke Purdie on vocals, Tony Newton on bass, Matt Pearce and Chris Jones on guitars and Joe Lazarus on drums.
Singer Luke very kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Rock Radio NI.
NI ROCKS – I appreciate you taking some time out to answer a few questions for Rock Radio NI. First up, a big congratulations on landing the support slot on the upcoming Iron Maiden tour of Europe. That must be a big thrill for the band and obviously opens up all kinds of opportunities. However, it’s actually not the band’s first time supporting Maiden.
V6 – Yes the band supported Maiden 5/6 years ago in London, but it was just one or two shows rather than a full European tour and it was before I joined the band.
NI ROCKS – Steve Harris has been saying some really good things about Voodoo Six in the press releases. How much have you been aware of Steve’s interest in the band over the years?
V6 – Steve Harris has always given the band advice over the years and even pops up at the odd gig. He told me I have a good set of pipes which made me go as red as a tomato as I've been a fan since i was ten! It's quite something to have someone like Steve on our side, he likes the fact were British and aiming for the big stages I guess.
NI ROCKS - Ahead of the Iron Maiden tour in the summer of course you have you own headline tour in March / April to promote the new album coming out. I have to say I love the name of the album – “Songs to Invade Countries To”. Where did that come from?
V6 – Tony came up with the album title half way through the making of it, and we all laughed at it at first but over time it started to make sense and stuck. The whole being in a band thing is quite like a military invasion, when you all set off on the road together to achieve something and try to be the best you can; invading people's album collections!
NI ROCKS – This will be the third album from Voodoo Six, and the second since the line-up change. Tell us how you think the new album might differ from “Fluke” and a little about who has worked on it.
V6 – We hope we've stepped it up a gear on the new one, both in terms of the songs and the musicianship. As a band we are always trying to play something new and keep ourselves on the edge to make things interesting, and hopefully we've come out with something that has the signature Voodoo Six energy from the previous album but bigger and better after two years more experience.
Every one in the band is great at what they do and it makes recording a painless and really fast thing to get done once the songs are in place, and Tony producing makes it even tighter as a band producing their own record.
NI ROCKS – Is there such a thing as a typical V6 track in terms of the writing process?
V6 – The band has always been a groove based band - always looking for that feel good riff like the bands we look up to, but there's definitely some softer sides and some harder songs like 'Stop' on the new album. Usually it starts with a riff at Tony's place and we all build parts on top and create a demo which becomes the final song structure, and when we're happy we start again, only seriously.
NI ROCKS – The first single from the album “Sink or Swim” is released on 4th March and a new video is already out. Do you enjoy making music video or is it just one of those things that you have to do?
V6 – Unless its hot on a beach somewhere or somewhere fun, it's just something you have to do, and it's usually cold and means you have to mime the same song over and over all day without the crowd driving you on, so it can be quite a heavy day and night, I don't think it's something the band is really supposed to enjoy it, it's more of a must do, but we do try and make it as fun as possible!
NI ROCKS – I’ve been following V6 for a while and managed to see the original line-up in Belfast on the Extreme tour back in 2008. I’ve always felt that you were a band on the verge of breaking into a bigger market, but that cross-over into the mass market is exceptionally difficult for a rock band these days. There are a lot of small internet stations like our own playing music by current day rock bands but we’re not exactly mainstream!! How frustrated do you get with elements of the music industry at times?
V6 – I think it's all about the right song; it needs to be radio-friendly but still the same band. You don't want to loose fans or 'sell out' but you have to strike a balance and write a good song that's commercial enough to be played on mainstream radio. One big number one could change everything for a band but still keep its edge on the rock scene. The music business is frustrating and it is hard to get a break on any level but we have all been doing it so long that we wouldn't know what to do without it now!
NI ROCKS – How involved do the band members get in the various social media sites? You seem to have a good management team behind you as I get regular updates from Lauren and her team as well as the Voodoo Six e-mail updates that fans can sign up for on the website.
V6 – We have a great team around us right now and in a way everything has to slot into place to work. We're on a winning streak at the moment and with ourselves and our management being so active and involved online we're certainly making sure we get the word out about the band as much as possible.
There's a lot of people sitting on their asses looking at computers now so it's important! ;-)
NI ROCKS – You’re playing Dublin on 22nd March and the Diamond Rock Club in Ahoghill on 23rd March. Will this be the first gig by V6 in Northern Ireland since the Extreme tour? It not, I must have had a damn good reason for missing it!!! What are your expectations for the dates in Dublin and Ahoghill?
V6 – I didn't get to play Northern Ireland with the band nor have I ever been to Dublin so I'm looking forward to it; especially as it's a first, and I hear Dublin is great to play. So we're hoping to have a good kick off to the tour there.
NI ROCKS – The Diamond Rock Club has a great reputation and touring artists seem to love playing there. As a performer how does the buzz of playing smaller intimate venues compare to that of the big stage at a festival or when supporting a bigger band on tour?
V6 – Playing small clubs can be great as long as there is enough room for the band to move about. Sometimes it can be a nightmare stumbling over pedals in the dark and bumping into each other with pointed bits of wood in hand! Looking out on a sea of heads and a good sound balance is what we all love, but we still also love the hot sweaty up-close gigs as its where you start as a band in the first place and you're right in there with the fans.
NI ROCKS – It looks like the band are going to have a busy year during 2013 with the headline tour, the new album release on 29th April and the Iron Maiden tour. Anything else planned for the year ahead?
V6 – We are supposed to be slowing down in July/August but I've got a feeling things are going to keep tolling on til the end of the year gigwise. We have a once in a lifetime tour to do with our new album out and it makes sense to keep riding on all the good energy until things naturally slow down, so I think this year is going to be a busy one. Maybe things will never slow down after this year!
NI ROCKS – If we were doing this interview in January 2014 looking back at the last year what would you hope to be able to say that the band had achieved following the album release and tours?
V6 – I hope the Iron Maiden tour will be a launch pad for us; as long as it's a success and I don't fall flat on my face in front of fifty thousand people that'd be great! ;-) But joking aside, I really hope this is our year and things just keep looking up from here. We love what we do and have a real passion for the band, so I hope when we look back looking back that this year is all we hoped for and more.
NI ROCKS – A few quickfire questions now! First band you saw live?
V6 – The Michael Jackson 'Bad' tour in '88/'89 was my first real gig, and still my favourite.
NI ROCKS – First album you remember buying?
V6 – Appetite For Destruction and Number Of The Beast.
NI ROCKS – First 5 bands we’d find on you iPod or whatever if we pressed “shuffle”?
V6 – Neil Young, Bruno Mars, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Corinne Bailey Rae.
NI ROCKS – Two or three bands that you’d recommend we take a listen to.
V6 – I like the band 'Fun!', and a newish singer called Emilia Mitiku. I can't listen to rock and metal all the time!
NI ROCKS – Bon Scott or Brian Johnston?
V6 – Bon Scott!
NI ROCKS – Most embarrassing thing to go wrong on tour?
V6 – For me it's falling over on stage, although my dad in his day fell off the stage and got up in time to the music - maybe that's how you deal with that! But there's so many things with the potential to go wrong you just never know what's gonna bite you in the ass!
NI ROCKS – Musical career highlight, so far?
V6 – Meeting the big artists and influences that have been around for a long time like Slash and Steve Harris. I think the highlight is coming in late May when we go out with Maiden.
NI ROCKS – Thanks again for taking some time to respond to a few questions for Rock Radio NI. Best of luck with the upcoming tour and the new album.
V6 - Thanks Rock Radio NI.
You can check out Voodoo Six on their website www.voodoosix.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VoodooSixBand