× The Urban Voodoo Machine back in Holland with "Hellbound Hymns"

The Urban Voodoo Machine back in Holland with "Hellbound Hymns"

16-08-2016

We know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking: “Why should I care about The Urban Voodoo Machine? They’ve been around for ages, haven’t they? Aren’t they a novelty band who wears funny make-up? Don’t they sometimes play jazz? Aren’t half of them dead or something?” So bear with us, sunshine, cos you clearly need educating.

“We’re not Americana and were definitely not ‘retro’,” says frontman Paul-Ronney Angel. “I write songs about living in London right now. Although having a shit time, no money, heartbreak, mental illness, addiction and suppression from the big guy is kinda universal and timeless, I guess…” In 2014, when Angel named their third album "Love, Drink & Death!" he had no idea what the year had in store. In October, fiddle-player Rob Skipper died of an accidental heroin overdose, aged just 28. Guitarist Nick Marsh fought throat cancer throughout that year. He died in June 2015, aged 53. The Voodoo Machine transformed themselves into a New Orleans-style marching band for his funeral. The Urban Voodoo Machine Marching Band also played the Classic Rock Awards that year – the only band to do so without electricity. And that brings us to new album "Hellbound Hymns". Marsh plays on eight of its 13 songs. (Angel: “He was really putting the hours in when he knew the cancer had come back. He was like, ‘Right, these might be my last recordings with this band, so let’s roll the tape and make it a good one!”) To borrow one of the song titles, it’s all mixed-up. It’s part wake, part protest, part valediction – a party at the gates of hell – because the greatest tribute you can pay the dead is to live life to the full: “We will sing and we will dance/We will drink and we will laugh/We will not forget the past and our fallen brothers…”

TOURDATES:
26-08-2016: Den Haag (NL) @ Texas BBQ
02-09-2016: Arnhem (NL) @ Willemeen
03-09-2016: Heerlen (NL) @ Cultura Nova (9 PM)
03-09-2016: Rotterdam (NL) @ De Nacht van de Kaap (2 AM)

Related artist: The Urban Voodoo Machine back