AltScene

Voltaire

Voltaire's music has strong roots and connections to European folk as well as other influences such as the goth scene.[4] However, many listeners find his music hard to classify. Although it has a sound reminiscent of European folk music,[4] many people claim it to be dark wave; perhaps as this is a label often given to many other artists from Projekt Records, and a word often used to mean many things by the label themselves.[8] His music has also been linked to cabaret, with Lexicon Magazine using the term "goth cabaret", possibly referring to dark cabaret, a term often used to describe some bands Voltaire cites as his influences. Voltaire has also been linked to the steampunk scene with Victorian-era horror related subjects, and some of his visual and music styling, and in recent years he has become a favorite at major steampunk conventions such as the Steampunk World's Fair.[9] New wave has also been used to describe Voltaire's music by some reviewers.[10] Voltaire describes his own music as "Music for a parallel universe where electricity was never invented and Morrissey is the queen of England". He says that bands and artists who influenced his music are Rasputina, Morrissey, Tom Waits, Cab Calloway and Danny Elfman.[11]

The first band that Voltaire played in (during junior high school) was called "First Degree". At this age, he was a fan of Duran Duran, but then began listening to gothic music, most notably bands such as Bauhaus and The Cure. It was not until later that he began participating in the goth scene; it did not at first occur to him that there was a goth scene at all.[6]

As an adult, Voltaire formed a band which included a violin, a cello, drums, and himself as the vocalist and the acoustic guitar player. Within a year, Projekt Records signed them and by June 1998 they released their first album called The Devil's Bris. Two years later their second album, Almost Human was released.[6]

One of Voltaire's popular hits is "BRAINS!", a song written for the Cartoon Network show The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, aired in the episode "Little Rock of Horrors". He also wrote "Land of the Dead" for Billy and Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure, which plays in the opening sequence.[12]

As an avid fan of Star Trek, Voltaire frequently attends science fiction conventions, and released a four track EP called Banned on Vulcan. It was a set of comedy recordings poking fun at characters from the show.[12]

On the side, Voltaire is also the lead vocalist of a New York City based new wave quintet known as The Oddz.[13]

Voltaire performed a musical special for Artix Entertainment in their MMO game AdventureQuest Worlds, altering some of his songs in To the Bottom of the Sea to suit their standards. Over 32,000 players attended. It was released at 8:00PM on Friday the Thirteenth of March 2009.

In 2010 Voltaire released an "Alt Country" CD called Hate Lives in a Small Town. He also released a children's CD, Spooky Songs for Creepy Kids, containing his previous works for Cartoon Network, as well as other age-appropriate songs.

On September 2, 2011, Voltaire released his eighth studio album: Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children. Participating musicians include Rasputina frontwoman Melora Creager on cellos, Brian Viglione on drums, former Bauhaus bassist David J on bass and Franz Nicolay on accordion.

On September 2, 2012, Voltaire released his ninth studio album, BiTrektual. It contains songs parodying Star Trek, Star Wars and Doctor Who, and featured guest appearances by Jason C. Miller, Tim Russ, Garrett Wang and Robert Picardo.

He also released a compilation of demos, The Cave Canem Demos.

In 2014, his tenth album, Raised by Bats, was released. Contrasting with the dark cabaret instrumentation of most of his album, Raised by Bats is more deathrock- and gothic rock-inflected, and it counted with guest appearances by Ray Toro of My Chemical Romance, Craig Adams of The Mission, Julia Marcell and much more.

Band members Edit
Although often credited and pictured as a soloist,[12] Voltaire has a band. His band occasionally performs in live acts,[14] but does not feature on his live album, Live!.[15] The current lineup is:

Vocals/Guitar: Voltaire
Violin: Hannah Thiem
Violin: Maxim Moston
Violin: Ben Lively
Cello: Melora Creager
Drums: Brian Viglione
Bass: David J
Horns: The Red Hook Ramblers
Accordion: Franz Nicolay
Banjo: Smith Curry
Tuba: Joe Tuba

PEOPLE WHO LIKE VOLTAIRE

Cigsncyanide

Leicestershire
United Kingdom

Apr 19, 2024 16:26

Mar

Pennsylvania
United States

Apr 19, 2024 15:17

Missing Puzzle

Queensland
Australia

Apr 19, 2024 10:44

Gothicvamp777

Florida
United States

Apr 19, 2024 06:09

Paranoid Drummer

Lancashire
United Kingdom

Apr 19, 2024 05:04

MoonFlowerFaerie

New Mexico
United States

Apr 18, 2024 21:22

phantomwolf

New York
United States

Apr 17, 2024 02:19

Samhain

Alabama
United States

Apr 15, 2024 23:02

Ashtaroth

Pennsylvania
United States

Apr 15, 2024 14:16

Lord_Steampunk

Staffordshire
United Kingdom

Apr 15, 2024 13:13

kyridwen

Glamorgan
United Kingdom

Apr 14, 2024 08:20

FaerieWitch

New York
United States

Apr 14, 2024 05:26

John of The Dead

West Midlands
United Kingdom

Apr 13, 2024 11:37

Gwilym

Glamorgan
United Kingdom

Apr 13, 2024 03:15

MorticiaMoon

California
United States

Apr 10, 2024 09:32

Fãllën Archäñgêl

California
United States

Apr 10, 2024 00:23

Midievalfantasy

Georgia
United States

Mar 26, 2024 01:13

🦇Mr.Batz🦇

Georgia
United States

Mar 20, 2024 05:51

HowieFester85

California
United States

Mar 15, 2024 11:47

Ravennah

Sofia
Bulgaria

Feb 18, 2024 10:35

Steamgoth75

Staffordshire
United Kingdom

Feb 14, 2024 20:08

DP

California
United States

Feb 14, 2024 02:03

Meowstopheles

California
United States

Jan 20, 2024 06:17

CottonCandy

Berlin
Germany

Jan 18, 2024 09:18

Grim

Norfolk
United Kingdom

Jan 14, 2024 20:50

BoomTownBlues

Pennsylvania
United States

Dec 17, 2023 14:52

EvilElectricity

Illinois
United States

Dec 9, 2023 00:45

Ḟ̷̡̜̝͉̥̙͂̐̆͌͜͠͠ͅaust A̶͛̄͐̓͛͘

Texas
United States

Dec 5, 2023 20:55

Space_Oddity25

New York
United States

Dec 1, 2023 19:58

Dachurchill

Illinois
United States

Nov 27, 2023 11:44

Ice King

North Carolina
United States

Nov 25, 2023 18:53

Dalton

California
United States

Nov 9, 2023 06:54

HandmadeHero666

Indiana
United States

Oct 31, 2023 01:37

Sceleratis

Florida
United States

Oct 9, 2023 08:04

Hexmainackairi

Washington
United States

Sep 15, 2023 05:41

mourningstar

Texas
United States

Aug 29, 2023 23:42

HomeGrownHades

Washington
United States

Aug 24, 2023 11:18

Shayde

Ontario
Canada

Aug 5, 2023 11:27

Franciscathedragon

Utah
United States

Jul 30, 2023 20:19

Ctfbeginnings2020

Maine
United States

Jul 18, 2023 19:03

Geekymetalhead38

Illinois
United States

Jul 17, 2023 19:12

GrayWaters

California
United States

Jun 25, 2023 22:10

NateTheNerdy

Illinois
United States

Jun 2, 2023 12:00

MaryRose

Massachusetts
United States

May 11, 2023 14:18

Oblivionsaint

Washington
United States

May 4, 2023 05:18

VampyBabes

Tennessee
United States

Apr 11, 2023 21:45

EstelleEve

AB
Canada

Mar 29, 2023 05:11

Dressed.to.Depressss

West Virginia
United States

Feb 17, 2023 17:06

DarkFae79

New York
United States

Feb 9, 2023 19:25

ZombieBrandon666

Baja California, Tijuana
Mexico

Nov 7, 2022 07:53

Tyrant1880

Leinster
Ireland

Oct 2, 2022 13:49

Toughbunnie96

Kansas
United States

Sep 4, 2022 18:47

Graveness

New York
United States

Jul 31, 2022 00:27

FrozenLotus

Overijssel
Netherlands

Jul 4, 2022 22:42

hydrocefalic

North Carolina
United States

Jun 20, 2022 16:52

SugarSatanCookies

Nevada
United States

Feb 27, 2022 12:35

IggyXiggy

Virginia
United States

Aug 29, 2021 16:05

pleaseoffendme

Oregon
United States

Aug 24, 2021 10:30

OdetteTacker

Mazowiecke
Poland

Aug 10, 2021 07:58

Bloody Lilith

Bila Tserkva
Ukraine

Aug 7, 2021 00:43

DeathMetalTechnoJoe

Florida
United States

Jul 15, 2021 02:59

YourFutureEx

Upland
Sweden

Jun 9, 2021 05:07

Momo

Arizona
United States

May 31, 2021 09:30

Psywalker

Maryland
United States

May 11, 2021 14:45

LazerusCain

Tennessee
United States

Apr 17, 2021 08:20

intosly0

Hertfordshire
United Kingdom

Apr 12, 2021 07:32

Drakumagna343

Illinois
United States

Mar 12, 2021 07:33

Grim

Osaka
Japan

Mar 10, 2021 16:44

LittleLovely227

Michigan
United States

Feb 11, 2021 02:02

UndeadVitriol

Tennessee
United States

Jan 31, 2021 04:01

Matea

Colorado
United States

Jan 25, 2021 15:36

Clocks4TimeTravel

New York
United States

Jan 23, 2021 10:13

Deamuus

Holbaek
Denmark

Jan 16, 2021 19:10

Shadowhewn

South Carolina
United States

Jan 9, 2021 00:01

Misfitvortex

New York
United States

Jan 1, 2021 22:03

Kaycat23

New York
United States

Dec 6, 2020 18:08

Gem3190

Greater Manchester
United Kingdom

Nov 27, 2020 23:34

loss.for.love

Alabama
United States

Nov 14, 2020 00:20

vinlander-wendigo

Indiana
United States

Nov 1, 2020 20:04

Gothjoker666

Pennsylvania
United States

Oct 21, 2020 08:40