Voodoo Glow Skulls
VOODOO GLOW SKULLS have repeatedly labeled their unique fusion of punk, metal, ska and Latino swing as “California street music.” So this time around, they decided to make it official.
2007's Southern California Street Music, is their first release since 2004 and the latest installment in their epic career. VOODOO GLOW SKULLS have been praised by everyone from Rolling Stone to the legion of fans that have followed the band since their backyard parties in Riverside, CA. Brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas, along with fellow founding member Jerry O’Neill, have crafted an outfit that has stood the test of time and constantly thrived. Armed with a blazing horn section featuring Brodie Johnson and James Hernandez, VOODOO GLOW SKULLS are aiming to make Southern California Street Music their masterpiece.
After forming in 1988, the band diligently honed their sound in DIY quarters before moving to yard parties and café shows. The band’s background in ska and Latino music resulted in the addition of the horn section three years later. They continued to erupt in the indie scene, and soon a national tour was on the horizon. Days of jamming in café shows with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones gave way to headlining and supporting ska-influenced acts such as 311, The Offspring and No Doubt. VOODOO GLOW SKULLS’ popularity was cemented. And with over 500,000 records sold worldwide, fans of all genres have taken notice of this driven and passionate unit.
A large part of the group’s steady draw is that it never tries to reinvent itself with a brand new sound or drastic changes – the band makes music that appeals to them and their devoted fans. So the band felt little pressure when entering the studio for Southern California Street Music. “This was the most relaxed approach we’ve taken recording an album, plus the longest we’ve ever taken,” Frank said. “We went into the studio with the mentality of having no deadline; there were only our own expectations,” he said. “We’re not writing music for other people or a popular style; we have to like our music first.”
VOODOO GLOW SKULLS are clearly still meeting the expectations of their fans, as diverse crowds of old and young frequent their boisterous performances. The band’s fan base has spanned over two generations, and they continue to reel more in with their fresh approach to avoiding the popular conformity of punk rock today.