Sonic Voodoo

For this next installment of INDIE Focus, I got to chat with the upcoming rock band, Sonic Voodoo. The band, consisting of Sean McCreight, Tommy Culley, Jackson Mayhall, Jack Stark, and Nick Baker, combines several unique tastes into one to bring a style of work that is pleasing to the ears and difficult to copy. The group has some big plans for this year, but first lets learn about who they are through this installment of INDIE Focus. Enjoy!

1. Introduce yourself. (Stage name, where you’re from, how long you’ve been making music, etc)?

For this holiday weekend installment, I had a chat with Sonic Voodoo. Sonic Voodoo, a rising five piece rock band out of Nashville, Tennessee, consists of Sean McCreight (lead Guitar and vocals), Tommy Culley (keys), Jackson Mayhall (bass), Jack Stark on (drums) and our newest addition Nick Baker (saxophone).

2. Why/how did you get into music?

“We all started playing our instruments from an early age, and have had years of practice and experience under our belts. We all decided to pursue a life in music and met in college as freshman. Almost immediately, we started jamming together to see if we were a compatible group of musicians that would build off of each other’s talents. We want to create a feel and sound that can not be replaced. As a group we value musical quality over commercial appeal.”

3. What do you try to get across with your style of music?

“With our music we try to primarily focus on the communication between our instruments. As musicians we try to play as a unit rather than individuals. We want to create music that people can connect with and feel in their souls. We want our fans to dance and have a good time. We have a passion for what we do and we want our fans to know that.”

4. What are your long term goals for music?

“As a band our goal is to continue to improve and play shows. Our main priority is always the music. Our long term goals are to become a commercially successful touring act while keeping in touch with our roots. We want to spread our art form across the country and inspire other musicians with our style.”

5. Why would you say you deserve a chance in the industry?

“We deserve a chance because we truly believe that we are different. As a group, we care more about the quality of the music instead of the business aspect. We also play a style of music that opposes the mainstream. We feel that this gives us a chance to stand out from the masses and make a name for ourselves as a band. The music always comes first.”

6. Who are your musical influences?

“Our musical influences are varied. We try to incorporate all of our collective musical knowledge into our performance. We are concentrating on creating our own unique sound, and are trying to do something that has not been done before. To name a few: Gov’t Mule, Snarky Puppy, Widespread Panic, The Black Crowes and the Allman Brothers.”

7. Any hobbies outside of music?

“When we are not spending time playing music, it’s usually spent playing destiny or FIFA.”

8. What makes you unique?

“What makes Sonic Voodoo different is that we all come from very similar backgrounds yet our musical tastes are very different from each other. Every member of the bands input is important. After every gig we improve as a band and as individual musicians. Unlike some bands we are always trying to create and mold our sound. We are never done developing our style.”

9. What’s next?

“We are planning on going back into the studio and start working on an EP or even a full album. We recently recorded our debut single “S.O.L” with local Nashville producer Pete Jacobs at Black Dog Studio. It turned out amazing. For now we are focusing on playing as many shows as we can! We want our next release to be huge.”

10. What life moments have affected your style of music since the beginning?

“The moments in our life that have had the greatest impact on our music has to be going to our favorite artists live shows. We have attended countless festivals and live shows and they all have an impact on our music. We love to study the artists styles and use them to experiment with our own sound. There is a huge difference between live and recorded music and watching our musical idols perform live gives us a different perspective on their music.”

Listen to ‘S.O.L.’ and find out more out the group here! - Tune Collective