Stan Ridgway

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Biography

Stan Ridgway’s tenure with Wall of Voodoo may have launched him to semi-stardom, but his solo musical style is more blues rock, almost Americana-ish, than WoV’s big hit “Mexican Radio.” Multiple solo albums and collaborations later, Ridgway morphs with each release.

Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Stan Ridgway was the original lead singer for the band Wall of Voodoo, singing on their debut EP and first two albums, including their only hit song, “Mexican Radio”. Wall Of Voodoo’s genesis was in a Hollywood company called “Acme Soundtracks”, a commercially unsuccessful venture founded in 1977 in Hollywood by Ridgway. Ridgway’s intent for the company was to provide soundtrack music for independently produced low-budget horror films; unfortunately, the company found few takers for its services. Instead, Acme Soundtracks evolved into a band that played live shows.

The band was named Wall Of Voodoo by Ridgway before their first gig in reference to a comment made while recording and overdubbing a Kalamazoo Rhythm Ace drum machine, a gift to Ridgway by writer and iconic voice over artist Daws Butler, partner to Stan Freberg, voice of Yogi Bear and many other Hanna-Barbera characters. When someone jokingly compared the multiple drum machine and farfisa organ laden recordings to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, Ridgway commented it sounded more like a “Wall Of Voodoo”, and the name stuck.

Actually, for new listeners, the voodoo reference was a little misleading, as it referred to the music’s often spooky quality, as opposed to any Haitian or Caribbean influences.

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  • activewaste

    It's a shame so few has listened to more than Camouflage. So many great albums in there. A Mission in Life is one of the greatest songs ever written!

    13 Apr 6:10pm Reply
  • crocy2

    fantastic song and fantastic voice...

    10 Oct 2012 Reply
  • anajev

    : A revelation day for me...! 6 years ago I fell for film "Rumble Fish" and its soundtrack, by mr. Copeland...Having no idea that it has anything to do with Ridgway, or Wall of Voodoo...since today, my (audio)life has another dimension! )

    3 Oct 2012 Reply
  • jaoui

    Storyteller, that's what Ridgway is, yes storyteller definitely, tellin' stories about walkin' home alone and salesmen!!

    11 Dec 2011 Reply
  • JoleoIzz

    I would have to agree with Kurt, but damn thats a close call.

    31 Aug 2011 Reply
  • KurtBell

    Best story teller in music. And dare i say it, even better than Nick Cave (as much as i also like him).

    2 Aug 2011 Reply
  • heffernan71

    Like it!

    27 Jul 2011 Reply
  • RedjMusic

    I love him...great with Wall of Voodoo and great solo

    29 May 2011 Reply
  • MrSouljacker

    Stan Ridgway & many others say happy birthday to Bob Dylan: http://www.ondarock.it/speciali/dylanbirthdayeng.htm

    23 May 2011 Reply
  • Persian_Kingdom

    I like the sound of Stan :)

    12 Jan 2011 Reply
  • KurtBell

    I am partial to a bit of Stan lyk.

    16 Sep 2010 Reply
  • spainx

    .. goood ..

    13 Sep 2010 Reply
  • mintonmedia

    Nobody knows what he knows...or, at least, nobody tells it half as well.

    25 Aug 2010 Reply
  • Queenmoreta

    wooooooaahhh camouflage! :)

    19 Aug 2010 Reply
  • brownieboy

    Holiday in Dirt album is pretty good

    10 Aug 2010 Reply
  • brownieboy

    Bing Can't Walk is a Great tune.

    6 Aug 2010 Reply
  • saransong

    big dump town *_*

    19 Apr 2010 Reply
  • moul3

    camouflage <3

    20 Mar 2010 Reply
  • chrisa72

    Camouflage is in my top ten ever, corny as hell but it carries it off somehow....

    13 Aug 2009 Reply
  • Iconus

    This song changed my life. I'm not kidding. I am now a boss and it's all because of this stupid song.

    5 May 2009 Reply
  • All 53 shouts

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