Simon Rushworth
Hot new act Voodoo Johnson look set to make a massive classic rock mark with forthcoming album The 10,000 Horses.
rushonrock caught up with Kev, Paul and Rich to look back on a fantastic 2009 after we were blown away by their short but incredibly sweet Hard Rock Hell set.
And we can’t wait to hear what promises to be one of the best new records of 2010.
rushonrock: Just how much progress have you made during the past 12 months?
Kev: 2009 was a fantastic year for us and we achieved a lot. We released our second EP and toured a fair bit. The live stuff went down really well and we managed to get a lot of exposure. Throw in some good support slots and it was the perfect 12 months. We’ve finished our debut album and now the challenge is to top 2009 in 2010.
rushonrock: Will you do that?
Paul: We set out a plan of what we wanted to achieve and when and we’re sticking to the plan. That was nearly two years ago now – pretty much since we got together as the band you see now. We agreed when we would release the EPs, what we wanted to achieve from touring and when we wanted to record and release our first album. That album is due anytime and it’s going to be called The 10,000 Horses. It was a working title that just stuck and it sums our sound up.
rushonrock: How and when will it be released?
Kev: We’re looking to release the record in the spring, maybe May time. We’re still talking to a few labels who are interested but we’ve released all our stuff ourselves so far and that’s something we could do again. Being on a label would be ice but it’s not the be-all and end-all. We signed with a new manager and touring agent before Christmas and it’s all about stepping up a gear.
rushonrock: For a rock band you’re a very focused group of guys…
Rich: As a band we’ve been really focused since 2007. Things have just started to come together since then and we thought we’d put out the second EP and from there judge when the time was right to release the debut album.
rushonrock: You made a huge impression on the fans who saw your Hard Rock Hell set and how important was that festival appearance?
Kev: Playing Hard Rock Hell was another big thing for us. We were on early on the Friday in the pub but a load of people turned out and the reaction was fantastic. It turned out to be one of the best gigs we’ve down. There were lots of new faces out there and that’s what’s important to us at this stage. It’s all about putting the Voodoo Johnson name out there and the whole HRH experience was really rewarding.
Paul: It was a nice, cosy atmosphere and everyone was in there for a good time. Everyone goes to HRh for the music and they appreciate good bands with good songs.
rushonrock: Why would you advise other new bands to get on the 2010 HRH bill?
Kev: For us a new band just meeting the people who go to these festivals – whether it’s fans, media or other bands – is so important. In a way HRH proved the perfect springboard for 2010.