Wall of Voodoo
| Wall of Voodoo | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| origin | Los Angeles , United States |
| Genre (s) | New wave |
| founding | 1977 |
| resolution | 1989 |
| Founding members | |
Vocals, harmonica |
Stan Ridgway (until 1983) |
guitar |
Marc Moreland |
| Last occupation | |
singing |
Andy Prieboy (from 1983) |
guitar |
Marc Moreland |
bass |
Bruce Moreland |
Keyboard |
Chas T. Gray |
Drums |
Ned Leukhardt (from 1983) |
| former members | |
Drums |
Joe Nanini (until 1983) |
Keyboard |
Bill Noland (1982-1983) |
Wall of Voodoo was a new wave band from Los Angeles . Her hit Mexican Radio from 1982 is particularly well known .
history
The band was formed in 1977 by Stan Ridgway (vocals) and Marc Moreland (guitar) in Hollywood . Marc's brother Bruce Moreland (bass), Chas T. Gray (keyboards) and Joe Nanini (drums) were also members. After an EP bearing the band's name and an idiosyncratic cover version of Johnny Cash's classic Ring of Fire , the band released the album Dark Continent in 1981 .
The bassist Bruce Moreland left the band briefly and the remaining four members recorded their most famous album Call of the West in 1982 , which contained the single Mexican Radio . Stan Ridgway also left the band in the coming year to start a solo career, and was replaced as singer by Andy Prieboy . Ned Leukhardt replaced the drummer Nanini , and Bruce Moreland returned to the group. With this line-up, the band created the Christmas classic Shouldn't Have Given Him a Gun for Christmas .
In 1985 the album Seven Days was released in Sammystown , followed by Happy Planet in 1987. The singles Far Side of Crazy and Do It Again (a cover version of the Beach Boys song) attracted particular attention in Australia , which is why the live album The Ugly Americans recorded in Australia . In 1989 the band finally broke up, and Andy Prieboy and Marc Moreland devoted themselves to their own projects.
Joe Nanini died on December 4, 2000 of a stroke , Marc Moreland on March 13, 2002 of kidney failure after a liver transplant .
Discography
Studio albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
 US
|
|||
| 1981 | Dark Continent | - |
US177 (2 weeks) US |
First publication: 1981
|
| 1982 | Call of the West | - |
US45 (23 weeks) US |
First published: 1982
|
more publishments
- 1980: Wall of Voodoo (EP)
- 1984: Granma's House (Best-Of-Album)
- 1985: Seven Days in Sammystown
- 1987: Happy Planet
- 1988: The Ugly Americans In Australia (live album)
- 1991: The Index Masters (re-release of the 1st EP on CD with additional live songs)
- 2011: Lost Weekend - The Best of Wall of Voodoo
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1983 | Mexican Radio Call of the West |
UK64 (5 weeks) UK |
US58 (9 weeks) US |
First published: March 1983
|
More singles
- 1982: Ring of Fire (Remix)
- 1982: On Interstate 15
- 1984: Big City
- 1985: Far Side of Crazy
- 1987: Do It Again
Web links
- Official website
- Wall of Voodoo at Discogs (English)