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Voodoo Lake
P r e s e n t a t i o n
Voodoo Lake, Biography: From Chuck Berry to John Coltrane
Who's been a teen with rock n roll dreams in the eighties can understand it
has been
so hard to survive in a back combed hair, straps and synths; the only light
showing the way to loosers in that darkened and lonely journey, encouraging
to hold on, were Bruce Springsteen's songs. In 1989 Max Arrigo, back from a
travel in the States, takes the decision to buy an electric guitar and embracing
the cause that would have changed him forever. In that time begins his backward
trip in the world of music: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Rolling Stones; Chuck
Berry, B. B. King,
Muddy Waters, Elmore James...
One day he came in a second hand record shop
and bought, for just 2000 lire (1 Euro for young people who can't remember
lire), (to him) an unknown band's record. He got curious by long haired and
criminal faces on the sleeve. He took it home, the mentioned record is Second
Helping.
When "Sweet Home Alabama" first notes are playing, a new dimension
opens wide in front of him. So he starts a long journey discovering southern
rock: Allman
Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, 38 special, Blackfoot, Outlaws etc.
Southern
rock band idea (really unknown term in those days) takes shape and it start
the research of the mythical names that would have written history. The band
goes through several line-up changes and different names (Badweiser; 20 mule
train) until the end of the ninethies when, like a movie, in order to save
a dying out genre, some musician from the band separated by historical rivalries
makin an alliance to conceive an album containing unreleased tracks only.
It's
when Max Arrigo and Fabrizio Viora (Turin guitar player in the project since
a long time) join to Dario Leon Leonelli and Fabry Montanaro strengthened rhytmic
section coming from Southern Steel - a local band Lynyrd Skynyrd strongly influenced.
Subsequently meeting in CEDI studios with Simone Ubezio (sound engineer, guitarist
and singer) was fundamental for the turning point to record industry.
On summer
1999 was released the eponymous album defining Voodoo Lake line up: 3 guitars,
bass and drums, and Giulia Coluzzi, a soul singer. "Years go by" and "Jacsonvillian
trademark" lies heavy on the band. A split up will follow, the two steels
came back to their old band while Max Arrigo and Simone Ubezio, in their stylistic
research, widen Voodoo Lake sound to jam rock and psychedelic influences. So,
the vocal trio is completed by Maurizio Spandre (keyboards), Gian Maria Pepi
(drums), and Joe Ferrante (bass) which came back - a 20 mule train member.
This line up was suitable for Voodoo Lake creativity. Their new work was under
the
influence
of several bands: from Little Feat to String Cheese Incident, Allman Bros,
but also Grateful Dead and Crosby, Still, Nash & Young, all melted with
southern
flavour.
Voodoo Lake have collaborated with other bands since their
early days. They cocooperated with international artists such
as Flatman from Germany,
Rebel Storm (USA), Savoy Truffle (Giappone), Andy Penington - british singer
and banjo player, Johnny Neel - mythical keybordist from Dickey Betts Band
and Gregg Allman Band (he's currently working with Warren Haynes). There are
also
collaborations with Italian players of the same genre such as W.I.N.D. and
young and promising Silver Trane (some of them played with original members
of Frank Zappa band). Also, Voodoo Lake can boast to have shared the stage
with Mauro Pagani (P.F.M.) and De Andre - who played his violin on some southern
rock
classic songs: "Call me the Breeze", "Sweet Home Alabama" etc.
The results
of their experiences accumulated during these years can be enjoyed in their
live shows,
where their long instrumental jams combined with vocal harmonies built with
three voices makes incredible atmospheres and let us know that the music is
the business would like to be dead, is alive and kicking and its continuously
evolving
taking
always a look to its roots.
News - The second album, "Flowers in the Sand" is
now on sale: www.sra-musicshop.de (Germany),
www.southern-rock.de, www.justforkicks.de (Germany),
www.compactdixie.com (France), www.rockandfolk.com (Italy),
www.baerchenrecords.de (Germany)...
Read the incredible review at www.home-of-rock.de/ ...
Check out
the website www.voodoolake.com .
Band members - Max Arrigo - lead and background vocals, lead guitar, slide
guitar; Simone Ubezio - lead and background vocals, lead and acoustic guitar;
Julia
Coluzzi -
lead and background vocals; Maurizio Spandre - hammond and piano; Joe Ferrante
- bass giutar; Gianmaria Pepi - drums and percussion.
Max Arrigo
Max Arrigo is the founder of the Italian southern rock band Voodoo Lake, well
known for his fine slide guitar work played mostly in standard tune. He's
also appreciated for his soulful voice, which has been compared to the singers
who pioneered this kind of music. Over the years, he has shared European
stages with several artists and bands from all over the world: Hook Herrera
(gov’t Mule and Willy DeVille), Johnny Neel & W.I.N.D., Mauro Pagani
(P.F.M.), Savoy Truffle, Joe Pitts and the Liquid Groove Mojo, Andy Penington,
Pat Savage, Rebel Storm, Flatman, The Cell, Silvertrane and many more. SNF
is a brand new musical project including the talented Italian musicians Roberto
Tassone, and Sandro Picciuolo. That which brings the band members together
is a taste for improvisation based on blues, rock and jazz. A formula of
age-old traditions but one which has remained relevant and which goes straight
to the heart, used as a means of entering into harmony with the cosmos...
Max Arrigo: lead vocal, lead and slide guitar;
Sandro Picciuolo: bass guitar;
Roberto Tassone: drums & backing vocals
(www.myspace.com/maxarrigo)
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