A STOCKTON Heath songwriter has described music as something that has saved her as she prepares for her band's biggest headline gig.

Former Bridgewater High pupil Kim Jennett will be holding the EP launch for her blues rock band Voodoo Blood at Rebellion Bar in Manchester on Friday, October 14.

The launch for 'Anabolic Blues' follows Voodoo Blood's appearance at Warrington Music Festival and Kim told Weekend that songwriting and performing is what she lives for.

"It’s just what I’m passionate about and what I wake up every day thinking about," said the 21-year-old.

"The reason I got into music was because I had issues with mental health and an eating disorder and music and songwriting pulled me out of that.

"Since then I’ve been hooked on music as a way to get me through life. It’s something that makes me happy and I want to do it for the rest of my life."

Voodoo Blood formed around a year ago after Kim met bassist Chris Norris and drummer Will Lewis when they joined her on stage to perform a cover of Elvis's Can't Help Falling In Love for an end of term gig at uni in tribute to her late dad Mike.

Kim said: "Nothing really came of it until I was doing some recordings and my bassist let me down. Chris stepped in and at this point Will was playing for me.

Sean Owens then completed the line-up who Kim met when she was looking for guitar lessons.

Kim added: "He ended up joining the band as he really liked what we were doing as well. We all became really good friends from it.

"It’s blues rock with our own twist on it as we all like music from different backgrounds.

"Will’s really into his blues, Chris is into metal and prog, Sean loves rock and I like a mixture of all of them.

"We take all of those elements, add a lot of anger and emotion and we create something which is us."

Voodoo Blood will feel right at home at the 250-capacity Rebellion where they are regular performers.

"We’ve played there with a band called RavenEye and we’re playing with them in November as well," said Kim, who is also in an acoustic duo with her boyfriend Jed Farish called Calm and the Storm.

"They’re brilliant and have been on tour with Slash and Deep Purple.

"We’ve played at Rebellion quite a lot so it’s good to have our EP launch somewhere we’re comfortable and where we have a bit of a following.

"At the moment we’re self-managing the band so we’re doing everything ourselves.

"We’ve done it all off our own backs from the EP to the organisation of the gig but I enjoy that as much as playing.

"We have to lug our own stuff and get to our own gigs. It’s very DIY."

The band have even performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of a Band on the Wall youth concert competition.

"It was incredible because a lot of people who inspired us like Led Zeppelin and BB King have played there," added Kim.

"It was incredible to be on the same stage and be in the dressing room and have all that experience.

"Ever since that we’ve had a fire in us to keep going with the band. We want to be playing venues that big in the future."

- Voodoo Blood's Anabolic Blues EP launch is at Rebellion Bar in Manchester on Friday, October 14. Tickets are £5 in advance or £7 on the door. Visit rebellion.club

DAVID MORGAN