Interviews

Voodoo Glow Skulls

Interview with Frank, Broadie & Eddie on Nov 30, 1999 by Archive Bot

PB: What's a voo doo glow skull and how did the name come about?
Frank: The name pretty much came about from a friend of ours. We were all sitting around in his car one day trying to figure out what we were going to call our band. We were looking for a weird name that would make people go huh? Then he had a skull that glows in the dark, it's like a little necklace and they used to sell them at Disney Land. It's called the voo doo glow skull and came in the cardboard packaging and it would say Voo Doo Glow Skull and would be like spooky! We haven't been able to find one ever since then, but that's basically where we got the name.

PB: There are simply no words that can describe what genre you guys fit into. The best thing I can come up with is crazy ass ska-punk with horns. What would you classify your sound as?
Frank: That's pretty much a good classification I guess. Now a days it's hard to put yourself in a cateogory so we just like to call ourselves a modern day rock band with a bunch of influences. The way we tour is definately of punk rock ethic. Our band is a rock band that is influenced by ska, punk rock, hip-hop, and latin if course.

PB: Who are some of the influences?
Frank: The Specials are a big ska influence. As far as the metal goes I think Iron Maiden.
Eddie: Fishbone, Madness, Iron Maiden....... Run DMC!
Frank: We grew up as kids listening to this music and this is what we developed into ya know?

PB: Being around for twelve years in a testament to your closeness as a band. How do you guys do it a what do you look forward to doing in your post Glow Skull days?
Frank: Well, the thing that keeps us going is the fact that we get to play live and we are out there. When we go to a club and there is 200 kids or 1,000 kids they are pretty much people who are into the band. We've had a little bit of commercial success, but not enough to speak of. Most of our success comes from a lot of grassroots touring. It's a big reward to us at the end of the night when the crowd goes off and we can get off the stage happy. That's what keep us going. The fact that three of us our brothers and Jerry our drummer has been around for a long time. That helps a lot to as far as being around for twelve years. The thing that keeps us going is that we all share the same love for music.

PB: What's it like working side by side to your brothers Eddie and Jorge. How does it contribute to your closeness as a band and what are somethings not a lot of people know about them?
Frank: I don't know...... we argue a lot on the road and that's natrual. The cool thing is that we get to travel together and not everyone can say they tour with their family members. Sometimes it's tough on the other guys because when we get in arguements everyone just back out of the way. It's cool working together. As far as thing people don't know about em....
Jorge: Frank wears women's underwear.
Frank: Yea! I wear women's underwear. I like to think we are normal people. Everyone is weird here and there but no one here does anything of the ordinary. 

PB: What does your family think of the band?
Frank: Our parents think we're a little crazy just because we're always on the road and they just can't comprehend. They are proud of us and proud for us, but at the same time they just can't understand why we do this. Financially it's tough for bands on our level. We make enough money to survive and we would rather do this than report to some job every day and wish for something we're never going to get. At least this way we are happy and calling our own shots.

PB: What was album "Band Geek Mafia" all about. Did any members of the band get beat up by the mafia and if so, which ones?
Eddie: Joey whose not in the band anymore.
Broadie: I don't know if they got picked on, but just got bagged on. Looking the way they did or whatever and being in a band.
Frank: Just the whole thing about high school is that there are some many cliques of people it seems like. The band people were always the geeks. They weren't cool just like you see in the movies and stuff like that. Just like in the movies. Nerdy kids are always the outcasts.
Eddie: It represented our band, because we are the outcasts of the whole punk rock scene. We're not ska, or just punk, so we are really the outcasts of the scene. So, the name just fit in.

PB: The ska/punk scene is always changing, and according to some folks ska is even dead. What's your take on the status of the scene?
Frank: Well, I think there will always be a market for ska music or ska-influenced music. As far as the comercialism of it is, it's definately dead. It's just like everything else. Right now a lot of people are listening to the metal-rap stuff and emo stuff is starting to become popular. The same things going to happen to that, like what happened with ska music a few years ago. It's going to get blown up and a lot of major labels are going to sign every band like that and then it's going to go away. It's just like a circle man everything comes back. Fortunately for us, we consider ourselves as a ska-influenced band not a ska-punk format type of band. That's what has kept us going. There are a lot of band out there (I'm not going to name any names) that are more traditonal out there that are having trouble getting gigs. I think that the fact that we are always trying to be more diverse and heavy with more of an edge has really helped us out, and we're doing pretty descent. 

PB: I know you own a label. What kind of bands appear on it, and how does being in a band help with the label?
Frank: Well, the record label is something we decided to do. One day we were just like let's start a record label and help local bands. One of the bands we decided to help was Backside who are on tour with us. They are the opening band. They have been on tour with us for a while. We were just like hey we've owned a record store before in the past, we know how the retail thing works, we're in a band that tours, and we just want to put out records and help these bands by taking them out on the road with us. So far it's worked pretty good and being in a band has definately helped because we get to bring these band on the road and put them in front of our audience. That's the best way to push a band and to get them out there. We have opened a lot of doors for the bands on our label. Not all of them are punk rock. It's a very diverse label, and it's a representation of what we like in our scene.

PB: Please finish the following sentence. If I was a super hero my name and special power would be....................
Frank: SAUSAGE MAN!

PB: What would your power be?

Frank: Whipping out the sausage. Hahhahahahaha

PB: After your tour with Grade what can we expect from the band and do you plan on going overseas any time soon?
Frank: We have an EP pending right now. It's six songs that didn't make it on our "Symbolic" record and it's supposed to be released on EP on Epitaph. It's supposed to come out hopefully soon. We're going to Europe next month and are doiing some festivals there. We're doing some big shows with Less Than Jake, 311, and The Vandals. Then come home, do the south in November, take the holidays off, then come back and get back on the road.

PB: Lastly, thanks so much for great interview. Janet Jackson or Queen Latifah and why?
Frank: Janet Jackson I think.

PB: Would you bang her?
Frank: Hell yea! I think so..... Sausage Man would have to do something.
Eddie: Queen Latifah doesn't roll that way.
Broadie: She has rolls!
Frank: I heard Janet Jackson gets coffee enemas once in a while.
Eddie: Her ass must taste good. Haahahahahahahahah