Welcome to a journey into the heart of Southern Rock with Jasper Dan on Underground Press. Discover the inspirations behind their latest single 'Mama Voodoo', delve into their distinctive sound, and explore what drives them to ignite stages worldwide.

How did the concept of 'Mama Voodoo' come about, and what inspired its mystical themes?

Jasper Dan: (Barrett) "The original idea came back in the Covid Pandemic lockdown. I battled with not being able to play music in a collective environment with my bandmates and live shows, through which we thrive. These challenges boiled over into something of a deeply frustrated and quite aggressive riff which eventually became the backbone for ‘Mama Voodoo’."

(Jamie) "From there it was almost as if the song chose its own lyrical content as a theme of traditional and dark magic practices seemed to be the only thought I had while listening to the music when we were putting it all together. I started to visualise the many methods people use for escape and hallucinogenic journeys that people of all walks of life have been experimenting with over many generations. I always found it fascinating that long before people of different continents had contact or communication with each other there has always been different methods for inducing spiritual or out-of-mind journeying. From palm reading to tarot cards, crystal balls to ayahuasca experiences to drinking pills the song tells a story of a spiritual journey of enlightenment through mayhem of ending in tranquillity and peace of the emotion and feeling of being immersed in the gentle rolling river water."

 Jasper Dan, your music is often described as gritty Southern Rock with a modern twist. How do you balance traditional influences with contemporary sounds in your songwriting?

 Jasper Dan:  "Our musical roots are relatively firmly set in 1970’s American rock, it’s that tone we really are all about and it really is what we aim for. Overdriven Marshall Amplifiers, Gibson Les Pauls. A Fuzzy Fender Jazz Bass and big classic Tama drums. A Good ol’ faithful SM 58 vocal microphone. This combination is our happy place! From there more modern learning styles, equipment and experimentation combined with current-day lyrical content brings the songs into this era."

Could you share some insights into the creative process behind 'Mama Voodoo', from writing to recording?

Jasper Dan:  "It’s really all about the fact that we write music together. It’s very much a collaborative and organic process. We are not a band who writes our parts individually or away from each other to later come together and stitch it all, we physically sit together in the same room at our bar, and we work through the song creation process together. We bounce ideas, thoughts and the things we individually hear inside off each other. There are no ego’s, each one of us respects each other. We sat together and we worked Mama Voodoo until we were all happy with what we had. By the time we took Mama Voodoo to studio all the parts were well rehearsed and because of this we decided to record it together in the sound room at the same time. We made a few minor tweaks and Jamie added a few last-minute changes to the lyrics, which he always does."

As a band known for your energetic live performances, how do you prepare for a show, and what can fans expect from a Jasper Dan concert experience?

Jasper Dan: "Before any Jasper Dan show we socialise and catch up with people who have come out to see us. An hour before we normally find a quiet spot and just spend time hanging out together, having a beer and talking about whatever comes to mind. We really are the best of mates. At Jasper Dan shows we just want everyone to have as much fun being there as we are performing. We have handed out a bottle of Jack Daniel’s to the crowd at every show we have played since the very first one, so a little Jack is on the cards."

Tell us about the gear and instruments that define Jasper Dan's sound. Any favourites or unique setups?

Jasper Dan: "We spoke briefly before about getting “that” tone!! Jason plays Tama Drums and is endorsed by Soultone cymbals. Barrett plays Gibson Les Paul and Fouche Custom Guitars through a Headrush Multi Effects pedal and Marshall Amplifiers. Mark plays Fender Jazz Bass guitars through Hartke Bass amplification. Jamie uses Shure microphones and plays Martin and Yamaha acoustic guitars."

'Mama Voodoo' has a visually striking cover art. Could you elaborate on the artistic concept behind it and how it ties into the song's themes?

Jasper Dan: "The artwork is simply our interpretation of what we envision our Mama Voodoo to look like. We’d be happy to follow her on the journey. She has strong links to the Voodoo of New Orleans but also our more traditional African Hoodoo and the respective traditional medicine and cultures. It really is a traditional and old-world concept with a striking modern beautiful lady."

What's the most memorable or unexpected moment you've experienced while touring or performing live?

Jasper Dan: "Unexpected: We once played a gig at the Texas Saloon in Potchefstroom. We did a little tribute to Kings of Leon ‘Sex on Fire’, and as we hit the chorus every guy in the venue stood up on their table and dropped their pants. We later found out it was something they did as part of their University Residence traditions but at the time we were totally none the wiser and were quite taken by surprise."

"Memorable moments: Afriski was Barrett’s first show. This was an iconic tour. Our first show with a freshly cut new guitarist who had only joined us three days prior. We drove for 7 hours into neighbouring country, Lesotho. Barrett sat in the back of the van learning the songs on an acoustic guitar. We played a gig in the snow on the Lesotho Mountains and spent a good few days really getting to know each other. Since then, we have had great tours to Durban and Cape Town. Our recorded show at the Radium Beer Hall was an exceptionally special night. It was just one of those nights where everything goes without glitch and the crowd were just fantastic. We were the first band to play a show in the Lollipop Lounge in Joburg, you can just imagine how amazing that was."

If Jasper Dan could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

Jasper Dan: "Locally, we would love to collaborate with Shadowclub from music, tone and sound point of view. Internationally, oh that’s easy, we’ve already thought this out many times … Zeppelin, Chris Stapleton, Eric Church and Eddie Vedder as our shoop shoop girls! We are, however, talking to an awesome local artist and starting to put a collaboration together, but you’re going to have to wait a little longer to hear about that."

Off the stage, what are some hobbies or interests that the band members enjoy in their downtime?

Jasper Dan: "Together we love to go watch other shows as a band. Funks is an avid gamer, Jason loves to cook while DJ’ing EDM and Psy trance, Barrett spends all his spare time talking about how much he loves being in Jasper Dan. Jamie collects Jack Daniels and spends any down time running after his kids.

If each band member had a superhero alter ego based on their personality in the band, what would their powers be and why?

Jasper Dan: "Jason would be Pedestrian Crossing Red Man because he’s always waiting for the rest of the band for something. His superpower would be packing lots of gear into small spaces. Barrett would be The Sun Star; this superpower and its sheer devastation will only be understood once you see the Sun Star rising above the Tramp Stamp! Funks is already The Funks … His superpower is that he can make hard liquor and lingerie disappear. Jamie would be Sir Loin… Because that’s just what everyone called him in High School."

As Jasper Dan continues to captivate audiences with their authentic blend of Southern Rock, Underground Press extends heartfelt thanks for this insightful glimpse into their world. Don’t miss out on 'Mama Voodoo', releasing on all platforms from Friday 19 July, and stay tuned as Jasper Dan lights up stages with their electrifying performances across South Africa and beyond."

 ‘Mama Voodoo’ available on all platforms 19 July 

 Releases:

• 'A Southern Fling' (2016 Album)
• 'Your Sugar Girl' (2020 Single)
• 'Hurricane (Live)’ (2022 Single)
• 'The Soil (City of Gold)' (2022 Single)
• 'Crooked Kings' (2023 Single)
• 'Mama Voodoo' (2024 Single)

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