It's not often that one gets to hear a favorite local band playing live for a fantastic local burlesque show, but such was the case in this case. I'd owned the Voodoo Saints CD for awhile, but hearing them live at the Pink Box Burlesque still somehow blew my combustile little mind.
Feeling saintly, John and Nathan answered five questions for me the other day. Granted, one of their answers was not entirely gratifying for personal reasons, including a small amount of cash and a personal ego trip.
QUESTION #1: It caught my eye that your album was recorded in Cherokee Hills Studio. Since we live in Cherokee Hills, my kids and I place bets on which house this studio might be. Where was the mysterious Cherokee Hills Studios and how did you end up recording there?
JOHN: Well, Cherokee Hills is the street that the album was recorded on. A very close friend of ours let us record at their house for the session…so we'll just leave it there…but you're on the right track.
QUESTION #2: It looks like the mystery will continue.... Now I have to ask the underwear question- five bands or musicians on your playlists right now.
JOHN: I think this would be impossible for me to answer on the groups behalf. Everyone that plays within the band definitely has their own unique tastes as well as common grounds. But we are all fairly eclectic listeners. Personally, I have been listening to: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Alabama Shakes, Gary Clarke Jr., The Beatles, Mahalia Jackson.
NATHAN: Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Dizzy Gillespie, Caetano Veloso, Lee Konitz, Mal Waldron.
QUESTION #3: I enjoyed you guys at the Pink Box Burlesque show. The history was made palpable by your music. don't think most bands have the experience of playing for a burleqsue in their repertoire. Has playing live for the PBB influenced your music in any way?
NATHAN: I really wouldn't say that either of us are influenced by each other. We enjoy working with Mama Dixie and the cast of the PBB, but there's no influence going on. We just try to hit a wide variety of music that applies to each designated show, and make a complete "product" (or "theme") for each and every show. Wherever that takes us is where we'll go. So stay tuned and attend the next PBB show to find out.
QUESTION #4: Why New Orleans jazz?
JOHN: Well to be quite honest, the band started as a one time thing. We had some friends that decided to throw a “Prohibition” themed party in the fall of 2010. They asked us if we would mind playing a few tunes during the festivities. As a result a quick group started out as a joke playing some really, really old Jazz tunes. Unexpectedly, we were asked how long we had been together and when and where we would be performing again... and we said "We've been together for about 20 minutes. This was just thrown together!" After that night, we decided to pursue the group seriously, and the rest is what you hear.
QUESTION #5: Indeed. Most interesting place you've ever played and why on earth you played there?
JOHN: Besides the group's inception at the "Prohibition" party (which is pretty weird to have a group start out from a fluke), the most interesting place we've ever played would have to be in the studio at WVUA for their Tuscapalooza on-air music festival. As we were playing, there was a band that literally broke up at the studio, and they were slated to go on after us. So, we were asked to keep going, and it was more of a good time for us in the studio. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler! (Let the Good Times Roll!).
The Voodoo Saints. If you'd like to catch them live, the Saints play at Chloe's Cup Coffees & Teas every Tuesday from 6:00-8:00PM. If you catch them with the PBB at the Green Bar later this month as a result of this post, just buy me a local beer so I can continue my study of Prohibition. If you don't live in Tuscaloosa, then you should visit for something besides the football- something like this.
In the meantime, take a listen to my favorite tune from their album. It slinks, slithers, and grins its way straight across whatever room you happen to inhabit.
Walk On Guilded Splinters (Voodoo Saints)
A few others to stream (with a reminder that you can find more on their website).
The Pink Box Burlesque....
