The story of the record label begins in 1979. As a young boy Beat Zeller rather was drawing imaginary record covers or going to town, surfing the record shops and listening to new releases instead of learning in school. In 1980 under the pseudonym ZERFALL TAPES Beat started producing tapes and trading with other labels too.
1986 the band “The Monsters” was founded and Beat-Zeller turned into Beat-Man followed by a record deal with a Swiss independent label called ‘Record Junkie. Together with the label owner Pfifu, Beat-Man learned how to manage a label, how to print records and how to sell them. In 1992 Voodoo Rhythm Records was born. The 1st record made was a Swiss Garage Punk Compilation called 'Garage Punk Primitive Rock'n'Roll and Psychotic Reactions from Switzerland vol1'. With a limited edition of 500 copies only, the record was sold out at the same night of the release party.
Beat-Man was on the road with his bands The Monsters and Lightning Beat-Man, or as a rowdy and driver for US bands. During that time he met so many talented musicians, who's sound didn't seem to fit in any genre and which didn't have a record label supporting them. This was a big moment when things started to change for Voodoo Rhythm, lots of bands where signed to the new founded record company - the Dead Brothers, King Khan and his Shrines, the Watzloves, John Shooley, Mama Rosin, C.W., Stoneking, only to mention a few, started to release their albums through VRR.
SUPPORTING THE OUTSIDER LIFESTYLE SINCE 1992’ The first success stories happened in Europe, then they started to get very well known overseas and finally Switzerland followed and recognized the potentially of Voodoo Rhythm Records and its artists. Today Voodoo Rhythm has a household name, it stands for a creative label, for a wide horizon in music styles and for quality. Initially purely a vinyl label VRR started soon to press cd’s and dvd's and now also MERCHANDISE WITHOUT ANY BORDERS like t-shirts, key caps, bolo ties, stickers, patches, belt buckles and screen print posters. Digital downloads are offered and their own publishing pitches songs to movies (like Deficit ,ex 2007, the Death of Michael Smith ,usa 2006) and TV shows (Arte Tracks, Viva Wahwah). With patience and massive support by many distributors, Voodoo Rhythm Records became an important institution in the worldwide underground music scene. Bands and fans identify themselves with VR and trying to create similar stories.
Voodoo Rhythm is still a One Man Company but supported with help of many friends like Nicole Zorn, Tea Soza, Robert ‘Panti-Christ’ Butler, Chris Rosales, whos also produces the famous Voodoo Rhythm Radio Show “Sonic Nightmares” on Garagepunk.com.
Most of the studio recordings happened at the famous friends place Outside Inside Studios in Italy. Dan Suter from Echo Chamber or Adi Flück/Central Dubs are in charge of the mastering and Artists like Märt Infager, Dirk Bosma, Darren Merinuk or Rob Jones (White Stripes) are doing artwork for album covers.
