The VOO
... glide in and out of
a trippy combination of styles starting with
surf and winding their way through
Kraut- and Stoner-Rock influences into a
dreamy, Twin-Peaks vibe. A sound that
ranges from simple, puristic rock n roll to a psychedelic, loop-induced trip into outer-space.
Do The VOO
An homage to songs of the 50’s and 60’s that came with their own dance move, the VOO are asking their listeners to reach inside themselves and find “The VOO”; that piece of weirdness, passion, freedom that is deep down in your stomach and is just waiting for you to let it out! Doing “The VOO” is any dance move you feel, any noise or scream your body releases when you really set it free.
Starfish Stiletto
... is a 60’s psychedelic groove about the strange allure of self-destruction. Once you are in that tractor-beam, there’s no way out!
Story of “Brother VOO”
The debut album "Dreamrocknroll" is just one year old, and The VOO are back with a double album: "Brother Voo". "Brother Voo" are the first two words of a personal message from Ben, one half of the VOO, to his bandmate Andrew Krell, who died suddenly, without any warning, in January 2022 in the middle of recording the album."
It was so unexpected and devastating that we were all just stunned. After talking to his family, the album took on a new meaning and an even greater importance to me personally. It is Andrew's last work, it is a celebration of our friendship, our music and a way to honour his influence on my outlook on life. The VOO was more than just the music for both of us. It was our dream to record a double album. Completing the album was a way to say thank you and process the loss of a friend," says Ben.
Q&A
How did you get into music?
I started pretty late. I began learning guitar and writing songs just as something to fill my free time when I was living in Dresden and not too happy with life. Then music slowly took over and led me down a happier path. The last 10 years I’ve been in Hamburg, which has a great music scene.
What's the story behind your latest releases "Starfish Stiletto" and "Do the VOO", what was your inspiration?
“Do The VOO” is an homage to those old songs that had their own dance moves. Chubby Checker doing the twist, that kind of thing. Making music together as the VOO was such a freeing feeling, we could really be ourselves and “weird-out” however we liked. We wanted others to find that feeling within themselves; Do The VOO, let it all out!
"Starfish Stiletto" started with Andrew’s unusual doublebass groove and took on a kind of eery feeling from the start. It became a song about the attraction of dangerous people…a kind of pull towards self-destruction that I feel sometimes.
These are the first two singles from the upcoming album "Brother VOO", what can we expect from the LP?
A psychedelic, surfy wave of weirdly wonderful music from outer-space. It will be a double vinyl album. The first record will be all the songs that we recorded together before Andrew passed. The second record will be a collection of demos and live recordings. We had sooooo much material, but Andrew left so suddenly and we didn’t have it all recorded…so some of our songs will just have to stay between the two of us. How would you describe the Indie Scene in Hamburg?
It’s cool. Smaller than you’d think. But there are so many talented, creative, inspiring people around.
The best venues in Hamburg are ....?
Molotow has a great vibe. Mojo Club is cool for larger concerts. The prinzenbar is a beautiful location. Astrastube is tiny but always has a nice atmosphere. I like the Nochtspeicher… there are quite a few!
Is there a chance to see you somewhere live on stage?
Not just yet. I’m still recovering from Andrew parting and I’m not sure what form the VOO will take on…I love our music and the whole attitude with which we made music together. I would like to continue this somehow…we’ll see.
What's next for you?
First of all, I want to enjoy releasing this fantastic album. Then I’ll put my mind to the future. Whatever I do next, it will be with the passion, attitude and love that this band has taught me.
Photo credits: Oliver Eckert
