Aurelio Voltaire Hernández (better known as Voltaire) was born on January 25, 1967 in Havana, Cuba. It is a popular Gothic scene. Voltaire took its name from the philosopher and essayist François-Marie Arouet.
Voltaire is also a renowned animation and comics artist and Professor of Visual Arts in New York School of Visual Arts (SVA).
Name
Voltaire chose his pseudonym Voltaire is its namesake. Stated in an interview with StarVox “I’ve seen among the hypocrisies of humanity and them I have converted or commented in the form of satire.” “In essence, it is best to educate people about their environment making them laugh”.
Voltaire has been questioned about his real name on multiple occasions, and tends to not give many answers that Voltaire is his real name or simply to evade these questions.
Other times has asked for the name “Bernie Weinstein” which is a very recurring character in the books and letters of Voltaire. Bernie appears as the guy who changed its name to Voltaire in the book What Is Goth? (what is Gothic?) and as “the * fool layer” (the fool in the cape) in his song “The Vampire Club”. Thus, Voltaire has denied being or inspire himself in is Bernie Weinstein and has clarified that: “Bernie is only an archetype that I think really covers all people I have met in the Gothic scene”
In line with the school of Visual Arts, where Voltaire is Professor, his real name is Aurelio Voltaire Hernández. In this school also has been called occasionally in directories as “Roy Hernández”. Voltaire attributed “Acoustic guitar and vocals” Aurelio Voltaire Hernández disk Ooky Spooky, confirming his real name.
Youth
At age 10, Voltaire is inspired in the films of Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th voyage of Sinbad) and began animation with a camera Super 8 armando cuts in chunks of magazines. Shortly after he learned to make models of foam rubber to make your animations. Got his first job in animation at age 17 with Parker Brothers. Child emigrated to New Jersey with his family. About it, he claims that he never liked to live there.
It was until it reached adulthood moved to New York. Voltaire said that he loves New York but also like to live in Tokyo.
Musical career
The music of Voltaire has strong roots with European Gothic music folk. In spite of this, many listeners are difficult to classify music. Although his music is an evocation of European folk music, many people called darkwave, but perhaps only is the label given to groups of Projekt Records. Also has been linked with the word cabaret. With Lexicon Magazine used the term “Gothic cabaret” referring to the genus dark cabaret. Another genre with which he has associated is with the New Wave, but Voltaire describes his music in this way:
-Music for a parallel universe where electricity was never invented and Morrissey is the Queen of England-
He influences are: Rasputin, Tom Waits, Cab Calloway, Morrissey, Danny Elfman.
The first band that Voltaire played was First Degree where he participated in high school. At that time was Duran Duran fan but then began to listen to Gothic music, very notable bands such as Bauhaus or The Cure and it wasn’t until time after it began to get involved in the Gothic scene.
Adult, Voltaire formed a band which included violin, cello, drums and himself as vocalist and guitarist. A one-year sign with Projekt Records and for June 1998 sacarían their first album called The Devil’s Bris. Two years later sacarían his second album Almost Human.
One of the most popular hits of Voltaire is BRAINS! to show the grim adventures of Billy and Mandy “Rock of horror” episode netrwork cartoon. He also wrote The land of dead movie the great adventure of Billy and Mandy
Voltaire is an avid fan of Star Trek and frequently attends science fiction conventions.
Also leads the New York new wave The Oddz quintet.
Band members
Although many times Voltaire appears as soloist, has a band.
* Voltaire-vocals/guitar
* Gregor Kitzis-Violin
* Matthew Goeke-cello
* Kiku Collins-trumpet, clarinet
* George Grant-BAS
* Glenn Sorino-drums
* Stephen Moses-drums
* Grisha Alexiev-drums
Television
Got her first with MTV in 1988 by creating the classic MTV-Bosch Bosch Geronimo style. Tour stop-motion of the horrifying Garden of Earthly Delights won important prizes such as Bradcast Design Award.
Besides his work with commercial, has made short films and series as Rakthavira and Chi-chain. Chi-chain is now a series of 14 episodes in stop-motion in the Sci-fi Channel Web site. Before that, Chi-chain was a graphic novel that only reached 6 publications produced by Sirius Entertainment.
Currently teaches in the school of Visual Arts in New York, stop-motion animation as well as animation, direction and singing.
[Edit] Career as a writer and artist
Added Chi-chain, Voltaire produced another graphic novel entitled Oh My Goth! (also called GMO) where begins the story of his own making small religious extensions inspired by Jack Chick. Began as a booklet of 8 pages where it was caught by the miniones Satan. Two publications of Chi-chain more occurred, and Voltaire convinced Sirius Entertainment publishing Oh My Goth. Some time later created a sequel called Oh My Goth! Humans Suck!.
Non-compliant Voltaire released two series more: What is Goth? and Paint it Black.
[Edit] Discography
* The Devil’s Bris (1998) (Projekt Records)
* Almost Human (2000) (Projekt Records)
* Banned on Vulcan (2001) (Projekt Records)
* Boo Hoo (2002) (Projekt Records)
* Then And Again (2004) (Projekt Records)
* Deady Sings! (2004) (Projekt Records)
* Zombie Prostitute… (2006) (Projekt Records)
* Live! (2006) (Independent)
* Ooky Spooky (2007) (Projekt Records)
* To the botton of the sea
[Edit] Books
1. Voltaire (2002). Oh My Goth! Version 2.0. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-047-4
2. Voltaire (2003). Oh My Goth!: Presents the Girlz of Goth!. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-061-
3. Voltaire, Chris Adams, David Fooden (2003). Chi-chain: The Roleplaying Game. Aetherco/Dreamcatcher. ISBN 1-929312-03-2
4. Voltaire (2004). The Malevolent Teddy Deady. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-083-0
5. Voltaire (2004). Deady the Terrible Teddy. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-077-6
6. Voltaire (2005). The Evil Teddy Deady. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-081-4
7. Voltaire (2004). What Is Goth? -Music, Makeup, Attitude, Apparel, dance, and General Skullduggery. Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-322-2
8. Voltaire (2005). Paint It Black – A Guide to Gothic Homemaking. Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-361-3
9. Voltaire (2007). Deady: Big in Japan. SIRIUS Entertainment. ISBN 1-57989-085-7