Wall of Voodoo

Wall of Voodoo was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, who were active from 1977 until disbanding in 1989. Wall of Voodoo had its roots in Acme Soundtracks, a film score business started by Stan Ridgway, who was later the lead singer and harmonica player for Wall of Voodoo. Acme Soundtracks' office was across the street from the Hollywood punk club The Masque, and Ridgway was soon drawn into the emerging punk/new wave scene there. Marc Moreland (guitar, The Skulls) began jamming with Ridgway at the Acme Soundtracks office, and the soundtrack company soon morphed into a new wave band. Other Skulls member and Mark's brother Bruce Moreland (bass), Chas T. Gray (keyboards, synthesizers), and Joe Nanini (drums, Black Randy & The Metrosquad) would all join in 1977.
Bruce Moreland left sometime in 1981, and Gray would pick up bass responsibilities. Bill Noland replaced Gray on keyboards. Ridgeway and Noland left in May 1983, following the band's performance at the US Festival on May 28. In early 1984, Andy Prieboy joined the group after they were seeking a lead singer, and Bruce Moreland also rejoined on bass. Ned Leukhardt replaced Joe Nanini on drums later that same year, before the single "Big City" (1984). Bruce Moreland left again, just before the 1987 tour. Wall of Voodoo disbanded in 1989, playing their final (known) show on April 8, 1989.
The band was named Wall of Voodoo before their first gig in reference to a comment made by Ridgway's friend, Joe Berardi of the Fibonaccis. Berardi was listening to some of the Acme Soundtracks music Ridgway and Moreland had created in their studio. When Ridgway jokingly compared the multiple drum machine and Farfisa organ-laden recordings to Phil Spector's legendary "wall of sound" production style, Berardi commented that it sounded more like a "wall of voodoo".