He looks a little like he just crawled out of a time machine. Straight out of the 70’s. Or maybe the 80’s. It’s not so easy to tell. His chinos and flamboyant print shirts are almost hipsterish. Whatever the case may be, VOODOO JÜRGENS is seen as the next great hope for Austropop. And that is despite the fact that he hasn’t really published many songs. Actually, he has only ever released one song officially. Well, two if you count the B-side. The A-side is “Heite grob ma Tote aus” (The B-side? “Ronny”) and it’s a bit of a street ballad. In the video you see Voodo Jürgens as a reporter meets him at home and then follows him as he wanders through the Viennese nightlife.
Well, maybe “nightlife” only fits for the time of day. Because the Voodoo gang is running around in what looks like the sewers of Vienna. The images aren’t just atmospheric because of post-production and filters, but because of the charismatic performance Voodoo Jürgens provides as a viennese pimp. Watching “Heite grob ma Tote aus” is almost a homey experience.
ANTI-FOLK FOR THE PUB
It might also be because of the brilliant lyrics, an absorbing mix of melancholy, humour, and a very viennese sort of laissez-faire attitude. The clip was directed by Florian Senekowitsch, who was also responsible for the successful Wanda videos. It’s apparent that Voodoo Jürgens has all the attention of the Austrian music scene. And that is certainly thanks to his lyrics. Becuase the music is of a very reserved nature. A little guitar for the background, every now and then a hurdy-gurdy and some drums to complete the sound. He plays folk, but more like anti-folk, and in his performances he almost evokes a young Bob Dylan. He isn’t stingy with live shows, it actually feels like he has already played everywhere. Wether as opening act for The Libertines – whose influence seems obvious in “Heite grob ma Tote aus” – Voodoo Jürgens always perofrms with a certain spark.
AN EXPERIENCED MUSICIAN
He didn’t just appear out of nowhere, though. He spent years as the frontman for the garage-rock band Die Eternias, and has stood with them onstage as support band for Ja, Panik or worked on an album with Wolfgang Möstl and his song “Broken Bones”. That one has even already had airplay on FM4. It was in Die Eternias that he got his name, because they would come up with new stage names for their albums. Now the musician from Tulln IS Voodoo Jürgens. And since the death of Udo Jürgens it has even acquired an extra macabre nature that he has eagerly taken to heart.
It’s the little details that make Voodoo Jürgens so likeable. That, and the feeling that you know exactly what he is talking about in his songs. Well, you do if you speak Viennese.
Anne-Marie Darok (adapted from the German by Dave Dempsey)
Upcoming shows:
21/11/16 Villach Kulturhofkeller
22/11/16 Linz Central
23/11/16 München Unter Deck
24/11/16 Karlsruhe KOHI
25/11/16 Zürich stall 6
26/11/16 Schorndorf Manufaktur
27/11/16 Berlin Badehaus
23/12/16 St.Pölten Warehouse
14/01/17 Dachau Cafe Gramsci
15/01/17 Stuttgart Merlin
29/04/17 Milla München
30/04/17 MUZ Nürnberg
03/05/17 Chemnitz Lokomov
04/05/17 Leipzig Werk
Links:
Vodoo Jürgens
Upcoming