Department of Crooks

This trio came together by chance in Las Vegas, NV in early 1995 when Marc Moreland (Wall of Voodoo founder/guitarist), met vocalist/guitarist Sheldon Ferguson (fronting his own project, Press, in San Jose,Ca.), and keyboardist Frederika, (a French magician's assistant on a tour stop in Las Vegas). The three encountered each other at the Golden Gate Downtown Casino. Moreland had been a Vegas resident for the previous three years, Sheldon was braving a lost weekend in Vegas, and Frederika had just walked out on the magic act, bored with the lack of challenge.

The three encountered each other at the Golden Gate Downtown Casino. Moreland had been a Vegas resident for the previous three years, Sheldon was braving a lost weekend in Vegas, and Frederika had just walked out on the magic act, bored with the lack of challenge. The three had a few drinks and talked about music, blackjack, and cigarette machines. Sheldon lost all of his money, and Marc had already pawned or sold all his old equipment, and told them he had given up music. Before the night was over Marc hit a Royal Flush and loaned Sheldon the money for a greyhound ticket back home. Within a couple of weeks, Ferguson had sent Marc the money back, convincing him to use it to fetch his equipment and get back into music. A phone call later, the two of them had agreed to put something together, but missing was a band!!

Sheldon returned to Nevada, and they spent the next two weeks tracking down Marc's stuff and getting most of it back. They started writing, in spite of the lack of potential accomplices, when Moreland got a call from Frederika who was back in sin city and didn't know what was to follow. They'd found the missing link...a rude, noisemaking, loudmouthed keyboard player...perfect !!

Soon after, Marc's old friend, Jean-Marc Butty, who had just gotten back from a PJ Harvey tour, was recruited for specific drum & percussion duties. Other miscellaneous problems would be solved with the use of semi-functioning rhythm machines. The result is a sound that could be equated to a soundtrack inspired by an Ed Wood production of a science-fiction induced spaghetti-western set deep in the seedy heart of Las Vegas...serve that up hot and enjoy!

Marc Moreland passed away March 13, 2002 from complications following a liver transplant.