The Voodoo Organist (Scott Wexton) is one of the best live entertainers you can see. He's a stunningly charismatic front man, which is saying a lot because he's seated playing a motley of instruments during his entire performance.
We couldn't pass up a chance to ask him a few questions...
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Sepiachord- How did you go from being a "goth industrialist" to a musical "sideshow preacher/road warrior"?
Voodoo Organist: Well, it was something of a natural progression. I grew up in Detroit when Industrial music really started taking off---Wax Trax in Chicago, Nine Inch Nails from Cleveland; etc. This was late '80s; i was 18, and i was in two popular Detroit Industrial bands, and we were warming up for acts like NIN, Alien Sex Fiend, Young Gods, Marilyn Manson, etc. I knew at that time that being a full time working musician is what i wanted to do with my life. Fifteen years later and a few moves around the country i was still trying to put together a band that would work, and i got sick of trying to find like minded musicians, so i developed, or turned into, the Voodoo Organist. Unless you win the music lotto and get a great record deal right away, the only way to be a full time working musician is to hit the streets and get on the road, which is what i've been doing now for the last 5 years.
SC- You grew up in the industrial midwest, what drew you to living in the desert?
VO- In the early '90s i got an offer to join a math/noise rock band from Nashville called Today is the Day, who were on AmRep at the time. So i moved to Nashville, we recorded an album (the self titled 3rd TITD release) and toured with the likes of Neurosis, Zeni Geva, etc. Things didn't work out between us, and i then moved to San Francisco for a couple years; then moved to LA for the last 10 years or so. LA was getting to be too expensive for us, so then we moved to the desert--the Joshua Tree area---which i love it out here. Its beautiful, peaceful, still in SoCal (both california politics and SoCal weather are important to me), and still fairly close to LA, Vegas,Phoenix, etc. And there's lots of artists and musicians out here for a small desert town.
SC- How has your environment influenced your sound?
VO- That's hard to explain. Certainly growing up in the hell of detroit has had a huge influence on me. It's dirty, dangerous, poluted, you get the perma-cloud (detroit has more
cloudy days than seattle). The weather sucks. It's pretty much hell. Out here is fantastic. My organ room looks out to all these Joshua Trees and other desert plants and cacti and whatnot. I had no intentions on writing another record so soon after "This Burning Hell", but after being a month or 2 out here in the desert, the material just kinda came to me. So the Joshuas have certainly inspired me in some way.
SC- Your newest release is entitled "Darwin Dance Hall Days", what's so special about Darwin?
VO- Darwin is this really weird living ghost town near Death Valley, sort of south west of Death Valley. Maybe 50 or so living reisdents, but absolutely NO buisinesses of any kind for 100s of miles. No grocercy stores, no gas, etc. Driving thru there i was a bit nervous of becoming food. But there's an old boarded up dance hall there, Darwin Dance Hall, which i photographed. All the art on the new record was inspired by pics i took on various travels to ghost towns. I'm something of a ghost town enthusiast. "Darwin Dance Hall Days" seemed like a good title for the record--my travels thru life, and life is truly survival of the fittest.
SC- Your recent work has featured more of a "disco" beat, how did that worm its way into your songs?
VO- Yeah, i guess i've been listening to a lot of late 70s stuff recently---later Can, later Amon Duul II, lots of NY post punk, etc. And i've always been into bands like Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, etc. So i guess disco is finally creeping in to my music. My parents actually took disco dance lessons in the late 70s! There's been some prog (influences)creeping in lately too, which makes sense 'cuz i've been listening to a lot of dark european prog---bands like Univers Zero, Art Zoyd, Heldon. And i've always beena fan of ELP. Growing up, Keith Emerson was an organ hero to me.
SC- You used to perform as a solo artist but then added Robin Kennon on drums, do you still write all the songs yourself or is it a collaborative effort?
VO- At this point i still write all the songs. I send Robin demos of new material (he lives
in Dallas), and he pretty much learns the songs. He certainly throws in his unique style into the beats, but they are based off the beats used on the demos i send him.
SC- Your music was used in the film "Return of the Living Dead IV", have you ever watched the film?
VO- Yeah, actually i have seen it. I thought it was entertaining.
SC- Every musician claims that their newest work is their best, why do you feel "Darwin..." is your strongest release?
VO- I think every record has been a progression. The longer you do something, the better you get at it. Or at least you should get better: practice makes perfect. I think my songwriting has gotten better, i think my vocals have gotten stronger, Robin and i certainly play better together. We play 100 shows a year, so we're pretty seasoned. And this record sounds the best. I've got a new rig which i use both live and on the record. I've got a 1949 Hammond CV organ and Moog Taurus II bass pedals, along with an analog Akia AX 60 synth on top, and of course the moog theremin. The sound of the vintage tube organ with the vintage analog synth and pedals sound absolutely amazing. Huge! And i think this is the best art work of my records--Aimee, who does a lot of my art, did an amazing job. Overall, yeah, it's my best for sure.
SC- Are there any artists you're dreaming of collaborating with?
VO- There's actually a few things that are possibly in the works, but i probably shouldn't
talk about them in case nothing happens. Aside from that, i've been wanting to front a "rock" band for a long time, and am looking for the right guitarist and bassist. The Slow Poisoner and i have talked about possibly collaborating, which i would love to--i dig his work. Obviously working with Tom Waits would be a dream come true.
SC- What's better: sex, a good meal or finishing an album?
VO- Being in a studio and working on a record is one of my all time favorite things. And i'm not talking about working in my little project studio, but in a real deal studio. It's fucking amazing. So much fun. Of course i'm a big fan of sex, but i do live eat sleep amd breath music.
SC- What town has the best audiences? Are some places harder to win over than others?
VO- It's odd, because so far some of my best towns has been in really religious areas: Salt Lake City, Wichita, etc. Overall it's really tough out there these days; gas prices kill touring acts like me. The economy is terrible and has been for years; no one has any money, myself included. People go out less. Consumers are buying less and less cds, yet there's so many more bands releasing cds than there was 10 years ago. I think the internet both helps independent music, but it is also hurting it at the same time. I still have hope though that there will always be a need for good live entertainment.
