Wall Of Voodoo

Wall of Voodoo formed in Los Angeles in 1977 with Stan Ridgway on vocals and guitar, Marc Moreland on guitar, Chas Tiller on bass, and Joe Nanini on drums. They took their name from Phil Spector's 'wall of sound' production technique, which gives a sense of their interest in texture and density. Their early work came out of the city's punk scene, but they were never exactly a punk band.

Their sound mixed elements of new wave, art rock, and surf music, with Ridgway's talk-singing and Moreland's wiry guitar lines giving it a particular edge. They released their self-titled debut in 1980, followed by 'Call of the West' in 1982, which included the song 'Mexican Radio.' That track got some airplay and became their best-known moment. After that album, Tiller and Nanini left the band.

They kept going with a shifting lineup, putting out 'Dark Continent' in 1984 and 'Seven Days in Sammystown' in 1985. Songs like 'Big City' and 'Long Arm' show their knack for tense, cinematic narratives set against a backdrop of synths and twangy guitars. The band called it quits in 1987. Ridgway went on to a solo career, and their records, especially 'Call of the West,' have held up as interesting artifacts of that early-'80s L.A. underground.