by Christophe Pauly
– Sr. Photojournalist —
Voodoo Kills is a combination of French, Brazilian and American musicians that met in Los Angeles in September 2015. The roots of the band began in France with Paul (guitar) and Marine (vocals) who at the time were in the band Rockett Queens. The duo moved to Hollywood in 2011, eventually finding Mike (bass) and Ivan (drums), completing the group’s lineup.
Marine Craven talks with Hardrock Haven about the formation of the band, her influences, recording and writing process and more …
HRH : Hi Marine. Thanks for this interview. Voodoo Kills has a particular genre. Could you tell me more about your influences?
Marine Craven: Well, we all have different influences. Paul (guitar) is more into classic rock ‘n’ roll. His favorite band is Guns ‘n’ Roses. Personally, I listen to more punk rock stuff. I also like some Industrial like NIN or Massive Attack. And I’m a big fan of Joan Jett, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones for sure.
HRH: How’s life for a band like yours in L.A.? Is it easier than in France?
Marine Craven: Everyone here is treated the same way. Wherever your band comes from, if you work hard, you’ll get results. It hasn’t been difficult to be established there. But the competition is really bigger than in France. There are thousands of bands in LA. Personally, I like this atmosphere. It’s a motivation to get a unique sound.
HRH: Let’s talk about the EP. Was it your first recording?
Marine Craven: No, we’ve already recorded our first EP 8 years ago in France.
HRH: What was the recording process like?
Marine Craven: Well, it was awful. Our engineer acted like we were idiots. We lost money and didn’t get the quality we wanted. We’ve recorded in L.A. and the engineer took too much time to do an awful mix. We just had a month and a half before the EP to be out. So Paul and I went back in France in august and got the chance to catch Nicholas Tchakamian who had recorded and mixed our EPs (when the band was called Rockett Queens) in France. So he kindly proposed to mix all the four songs quickly. He did his best and we’re somehow frustrated with the sound but we’ll do better next time.
HRH: Do you compose altogether or individually?
Marine Craven: Both! Generally, Paul or I write something with the guitar. Then we come with it at rehearsals and everyone works on it and brings something to it. It’s important for me to make songs with a mix of us all.
And finally, it can be surprising how a song can sound totally differently when It’s played by different musicians. And the diversity of our influences makes Voodoo Kills identity.
HRH: What inspired the lyrics of your songs?
Marine Craven: I’m inspired by the world I live in. I spend a lot of time to observe and analyze things around me. And sometimes I make a song with it.
I also write about my personal life. I try to tell my story or give my opinion. The power of the lyrics is generally underrated by people. It’s a good way to connect people like “you.”
I like to talk about differences and the way people see those like “us, the freaks.” I’d like to make them understand that all our differences are not a weakness but a force.
It can sound like a “cliché”, but nothing is more depressing for me than when I see people doing the same things than the others just to fit in a society I deeply hate. No one should be dumb enough to look like everyone.
HRH: How did you come up with the name of the band?
Marine Craven: Well I woke up one day with that name in my head. That’s all!
Voodoo Kills – “Running To The Grave” —
Visit the band online @ https://www.facebook.com/vkillsband/
