One of the hardest working, consistently touring bands around is Ventura’s very own Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (BBVD). We got wind recently that the band had a new CD and it’s their second Christmas album at that. I downloaded it from Amazon.com, gave it a listen and quickly got into the holiday spirits. It’s quintessential Big Bad Voodoo Daddy doing Christmas classics. It doesn’t get any cooler than that! So we caught up with Scotty Morris (lead vocals, guitar, songwriter, bandleader, all around good guy) to get the lowdown.Ventura Rocks: So this is not Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s first Christmas album. Why a second one?
Scotty Morris: After the first Christmas album was released, we started touring behind it with our “Wild and Swingin Christmas party” and the tour just started to build a really large fan base. Every year it just kept getting bigger and more fun. So after ten years we felt it was time for a facelift.
VR: How is this one different from the first?
Scotty: This one is different in many ways, the first being that we tried to focus our attention on some of the more popular tunes, the classics and then try and really stay faithful to our sound, what we thought we could bring to these ‘Very’ recognizable tunes. And secondly and most importantly, we are just a better band then when we made the first one so it’s just more interesting all in all.
VR: Are they all Christmas covers?
Scotty: All but one song is a remake, the title track ‘It Feels Like Christmas Time’ it’s the only original tune on the record and probably one of my favorite tunes I have written to date.
VR: What can people expect to hear?
Scotty: People can expect to hear BBVD in top gear. This is a very eclectic mix of arrangements of very classic Christmas tunes performed by a band playing in top form. Very fun and really a good balance of what I think we do best.
VR: BBVD remains a touring powerhouse. I saw your current schedule, is that to support “It Feels Like Christmas Time” or is that still a typical month for the boys?
Scotty: The Christmas tour in support of ‘It Feels Like Christmas’ started on December 1st and will continue through the end of the year. And yes, that is a pretty typical month for us.
We will be home for Christmas, we fly home dec. 22 and leave again on the 27th, so if you see one of us surfing or at Trader Joe’s and we look a bit tired, you’ll know why:)
VR: Glad to see you’ll be home for Christmas! Will Ventura get a chance to see you anytime soon?
Scotty: Our next local performance will be at the Thousand Oaks Performing Art Center for New Year’s Eve. Hope to see Ventura in the house!