Artist:Wall Of Voodoo
Song:Call Of The West
Album:Call Of The West
Wall Of Voodoo was a Los Angeles post punk band heavily influenced by the film music of Ennio Morricone. They lucked into some success with the 1983 hit Mexican Radio. The group started in 1977 producing music for films as Acme Soundtrack. Led by singer songwriter Stan Ridgway (born Apr. 5, 1954 in Barstow, CA), they soon got caught up in the punk movement of that time along with their interest in spaghetti westerns and film noir topics for songs. The Skulls guitarist Marc Moreland started jamming with Ridgway and they formed a band. Marc brought in his brother Bruce Moreland to play bass along with Chas Gray on keyboards and Joe Nanini on drums. Wall Of Voodoo self released an EP in 1980 featuring a loopy cover of Ring Of Fire. This earned them a contract with IRS/A & M Records. Bruce Moreland left the group. Gray moved to bass and Bill Noland joined on keyboards. The 1982 album Call Of The West was their biggest success and Mexican Radio reached #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. The video got a lot of airplay on MTV. Just when Wall Of Voodoo was building momentum, primary singer songwriter Stan Ridgway left for a solo career. He has said that there was a lot of drug use within the band. He was replaced by Andy Prieboy but Wall Of Voodoo was through by 1987. Ridgway continues to record and write for films today. He reformed a version of Wall Of Voodoo for one gig in 2006. Joe Nanini died in 2000 and Marc Moreland died in 2002. Wall Of Voodoo was one of the more interesting groups of the early 80s. Here's Wall Of Voodoo performing Call Of The West in 1982.
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