The classic Cole Porter saying “do that voodoo that you do so well” refers to the magic of music. Artists creating in the right headspace—away from tour cycles, label pressures, or career expectations—can summon supernatural powers. You can hear that with Voodoo Wiseguys.
Voodoo Wiseguys is a curated, artist-first collaboration series where iconic rock musicians create one-of-a-kind singles, each immortalized as a collectible playing card.
Operating outside traditional industry constraints, Voodoo Wiseguys brings artists together in fresh and unexpected ways. Each collaboration is imbued with a kind of mystical chaos as genres, styles, and creative perspectives collide, then take shape around a unique lineup of musicians and contributors.
“There is a cool rebel spirit to it,” says vocalist Chas West (The Jason Bonham Band, Lynch Mob, Foreigner, West Bound). “We get to collaborate with musicians we haven’t worked with before doing songs we’ve never done.” Guitarist George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob) adds: “In my experience, some pairings of musicians look great on paper, but my collaboration here was magical. I feel a lot of freedom with Voodoo Wiseguys.”
These are epiphanic, standalone musical events released as singles exclusively on boutique indie label, Legendary-Artists and celebrated with a Voodoo Wiseguys-branded playing card deck. The 54-card deck features four suits with each suit corresponding to the nature of the collaboration. “Spades” spotlights a standout artist or a singular voice. “Clubs” showcases a powerhouse group of collaborators. “Diamonds” features reimagined cover songs. “Hearts” signifies emotion-driven songs. Anything goes with the pair of “Jokers.” The package presents a collectible music experience that fans can follow and engage with over time.
Legendary-Artists founder and music business veteran Robert Farrell is the unseen hand behind Voodoo Wiseguys. Farrell was the founder of the fantastical San Jose, Californiabased rock n’ roll clubhouse, the Rockbar Theater. There, he made a name for himself with numerous live venue innovations—the most widely-discussed being treating musicians like royalty.
Farrell has modeled Voodoo Wiseguys around the Rockbar spirit, bringing along with him many of his legendary rock star buddies, including George Lynch, vocalist Joe Retta
(The Sweet, Dio Disciples, Heaven And Earth Band), and bassist Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio Disciples, Quiet Riot). The three plus Farrell collaborated on the smoldering bluesy hard-rock ballad, “Someday You’ll Know.” “What’s great about Voodoo Wiseguys is that fans get to see their favorite players in a different light. People associate George with Dokken and metal, but when they hear this song, they see a different side of George,” Englen says.
Voodoo Wiseguys offer artists and fans a way to connect with music through experiences that are unbound and upscale. The musicians get to express themselves in a way they might in a closed-door jam session at the Rockbar Theater. The fans can savor these once-in-a-lifetime moments through the singles and elegant commemorative playing cards. The deck is stacked in everyone’s favor.