Gerald

For the record, the vocal samples in 'Voodoo Ray' are absolutely and without a doubt from the LP 'Derek and Clive Live', specifically the 'Bo Duddley' routine. Peter Cook says 'in her sort-of *voodoo rage*' and Dudley Moore shouts 'later!' (which I had always assumed was a Dalek saying 'danger').

I've read that the "voodoo ray" sample actually came from a comedy record featuring Peter Cook ...but that factoid comes from the same book (The Rough Guide to House) that reported the drum machine story which is at odds with the somewhat more authoritative source which moos_moos cited above!

Interestingly there's a track called Voodoo Rage on Gerald's superb 1995 jungle album Black Secret Technology. I'd always assumed that this was a playful variation on the title of his earlier hit but perhaps he'd just finally upgraded his sampler's memory so that he could use the complete vocal he'd wanted seven years before. :)

In the latest DJ Mag, Simpson explained that the vocal sample on Voodoo Ray (taken from an old school sound library record) was supposed to say "voodoo rage", but he ran out of sample time.

I have been told from the man himself that the rights to Voodoo Ray were never sold for a drum machine. That is just media bullshit perpetuated by more media bullshit. He has always and will always own the copyright to this track.

Reportedly Simpson sold the rights to Voodoo Ray for only a couple of hundred pounds (in order to buy a used drum machine) and consequently made no royalties off what turned out to be the biggest tune of the UK acid house era. When the track was remixed and reissued in 1996 he was so concerned that the tune had cursed his earlier career that he asked that it be released under the name of the new vocalist (Lisa May) rather than his own; this release was even entitled The Curse Of Voodoo Ray! Obviously the remixes fail to better the original, although the "Man'Chiavellian" remix is pretty good.

Gerald Simpson was co writer of 808 State "Pacific State". Having not gained appropriate credit for the tune,released specific hate. In your face 808

A seminal pioneer in electronic music who fused dub, drum'n'bass, tribal and trance influences to create a hypnotic sound. 'Voodoo Ray' was a groundbreaking track for the embryonic UK dance scene. It's influence can still be heard today (2001).

'A Guy Called Gerald' is still making music, still pioneering, still enchanting listeners. This man is due major respect.

Listen, learn, enjoy.