ABOUT THE BAND
“We’re all kind of amazed how fast it’s all moving. We all met each other only a few months ago, or weeks in Wyatt’s case. But we have so much fun playing together, and new material is falling out of us all the time. We just can’t wait to share it all with the world”
By late summer Miller and Magnus made plans to record an EP of new, original material in Nashville. There was just one problem— Magnus had a name, material and a recording date, but he didn’t have a band.
Haunting the hometown hills and valleys of Western Colorado, Voltaire’s Ghost combines elements of the Rock, Gothic and Classical traditions to conjure a surprising and seductive musical alchemy variously described as Dark Pop and Cosmic Goth.
The band is the brainchild of Magnus, a Grand Junction, Colorado native and the band’s guitarist. In summer 2023 Magnus composed, produced and released a single under the Voltaire’s Ghost name every Tuesday from May to September, seventeen tracks in all, including symphonic pieces like “Night of the Pumpkin Thieves”, originally written for a soundtrack to a friend’s movie project.
“The response to the singles
was beyond what I’d hoped
for, says Magnus. “Industry
representatives started
reaching out on social media
almost immediately.”
One of those “industry reps”
was award-winning Nashville
producer Dean Miller, son of
country legend Roger Miller.
So in the autumn of 2023 he began advertising for musicians. Singer and student Ruby Juhl responded to an ad for a lead vocalist she saw posted around her university. Drummer Joshua Eggstaff was looking for a new band to join when he met Magnus at a local music store, where he was giving drum lessons to Magnus’ niece.
One night Ruby and Magnus were rehearsing in a practice room on Ruby’s campus when a man popped his head in and asked, “Are you guys Voltaire’s Ghost?” Ruby and Magnus looked at each other. “Yeah,” they answered. “I like your stuff,” said the man, “mind if I join you.”
The man was Maxwell Reilly, music instructor at the college, and pianist, arranger and composer extraordinaire. Max walked into the rehearsal room, sat down at the piano, and joined in. After a few songs, Magnus said, “We’re going to Nashville to make a record and we need a keyboard player. Know anyone you could recommend?”
“I could do it,” Max said.
Magnus had his band.
The newly-assembled lineup began
rehearsing and playing live in local venues
to prepare for the Nashville recording
sessions, which finally took place the week
of January 15th, 2024, where they laid
down five tracks produced by Dean Miller
at Nashville institution Sound Emporium
Studios, home of recent recordings by the Smashing Pumpkins, Robert Plant, and other legends.
On the band’s return to Colorado from Nashville, Max had to bow out due to other commitments, and was succeeded first by Wyatt Rollins and the organ virtuoso Ben Mclam.
In April he band toured California, and returned again in the summer, including opening at the historic Whisky A-Go-Go on June 22nd. A third run across Southern California, and a return engagement at the Whisky, took place in October.
"Christmas Prayer" was re-released on December 6th, 2024. "Death Becomes You" followed on Valentine's Day, 2025; shortly after it entered the Mediabase Top 40 Radio Chart.
In the middle of it all, Voltaire's Ghost, rapidly becoming Colorado's premier goth rock band, had already begun recording material for a second full-length album, due in 2025.
