Hal-You’re welcome. Thank YOU!
Todd-Absolutely no problem
Me-Your very welcome.I’m honored
How has things changed since the documentary on siren came out?
Todd-Well, it kind of inspired us to record two new albums and that was a lot of fun. We’ve gotten a lot of really good feedback and people seem to really like them although we’re definitely not getting rich laugh out loud.
Me-Well maybe we can get more people checking out with this interview
Hal-After the documentary, nothing changed too much, but we hear from a lot of people that have seen it that say they really liked it, enjoyed watching, and found it entertaining. So it has brought us more attention, which is great. I thought the documentary was well done and tells a nice feel-good story of getting older, but not giving up on your dreams.
Todd-That would be great. It’s really amazing how there are still fans out there that love this music and although it may be a little slow growing, it still seems to get out to more people all the time
Now you guys signed with a German label now?
Hal-Around the same time we started working with Frank Hirnschal of FHM Records, which has been great.
Todd-Yes, we’re signed with FHM records out of Germany,
Who are some of you influences?
Todd-I was a big fan of bands, like the early scorpions with Uli Jon Roth and Saxon and iron maiden Michael Schenker is one of my favorite guitarists
Hal- Kiss, UFO, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Accept, Megadeth, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Rush, Angel Witch, Riot, Boston, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy.My main influences are 1970s hard rock bands and 1980 heavy metal bands. Most of the big ones.
I noticed the whole band has Facebook expect Greg?
Todd- Yes, Gregg is very private. He doesn’t do a lot of social media.
Hal- Greg doesn’t do Facebook at all.
Me-I don’t blame him at all
Hal- Currently we have a temporary bass player who does the live shows, Ryan Tatum. Greg hasn’t been active with us for a while.
What’s your favorite gear to use ?
Todd- Right now I’m using my Kemper and it’s fantastic and simple and easy to use. I have some custom-made guitars by a maker called Virgil guitars but I also have a les Paul a strat and a couple of PRS guitars love a lot.
Me-Awesome I’m a Ibanez and dean Guy
Hal- As you saw in the documentary, Greg is a sweetheart. But he’s been taking time off, since he has some family health issues to deal with.
I always used Marshall amps back in the 80s. But now I use a Kemper and run it through a Peavy 5150 head. I love my Schecter Hellraiser guitar and Ibanez.
Is siren working on a new album?
Todd- Hal and I are getting ready to start working on some stuff. I’m not sure exactly what it will be, but it definitely could be the start of a new siren record.
Hal- No, not right now. Sometimes we talk about it, but not sure … maybe later. Todd and I have discussed a solo project, which is also just an idea right now, but it might be fun, if we do something like that. Are you chatting with him too?
Me- That’s awesome I can’t wait to hear it
Me-Awesome and yes
Me-It’s nice getting answers from both of you
Hal- As long as we don’t contradict one another. Haha.
Me- So far answers are about the same
Hal- cool
Any good road stores?
Todd- Well, you’ve already seen our best road story in the documentary. We ought to make a mini documentary of this next one coming up when we go to Blades of steel
Hal- One of my favorites is in the documentary when Doug lost his passport, and also I think he was talking to a cat or something.Also the best story is from the 1980s, you check out this booklet Ed wrote and see page 9. https://www.intersonic.com/siren_the_early_years.pdf
Me-I sure will
Hal- Another time was when the band was really young in early 1980s and we played a gig at the place that eventually became the very first Hooters. There was no stage so we had to build one with milk crates and plywood. So it was very rickety and we nearly collapsed. Also the cops came to the club and told us to turn it down, so we did. Right after the cops left, we cranked it right back up.
Me- awesome brother
Most memorable show ?
Todd- Of course, keep it true was amazing but we’ve also had a lot of really good shows locally. We had a fantastic one about a week ago at the Bay Area hard rock festival better known as barf. We had a really nice crowd and they were really into it.It was in a really good way all those German fans truly love, old school, metal and smaller bands never really made it big it. They made us feel like rock stars.
Me- makes me want release our stuff over there
Todd- You should Europe is a great market for metal They even remembered an old band that Hal and I were in called atomic opera and all we everreleased was a two song demo. It gave us the impetus to record a new album for that band called time warp it is also out on FHM records.
Hal- I would say Keep it True, which was a sizeable crowd in a foreign country. Amazing crowd! The legendary KIT! I also really liked how everything fell together one year ago at the Brass Mug in Tampa, the Florida Metal Show. The sound was damn good. And just one week ago, was one of my favorites, right here locally, an old-school backyard party BAHRF (Bay Area Hard Rock Fest), put on by Josh Jones. Amazing night. And many fans started waving S-Blades in the air during our first song. Very memorable!
Me- Awesome brother that’s amazing
You guys are a big inspiration
Todd- It has been a lot of fun basically we just took advantage of an opportunity
Me I agree opportunities don’t come that often
Hal- Yes, it was a blast!
Me-Keep it true seemed crazy
Todd- Our drummer, Ed is a very smart and connected guy. He has had a lot to do with all of our success.
Me- That great I saw that in. The documentary
Any advice for upcoming artists?
Todd- I think in this day and age, the best thing to do is exactly the kind of music you love when I was younger. I was kind of chasing a record deal and a lot of the stuff I did. Was trying to please what I thought a record company would want, but it’s always better just to do exactly what you like even if it’s not popular currently.
Hal-Well, I really don’t know enough to give anyone any advice. But what Siren learned was to never give up on your dreams. You never know when they might come true.
Me- The best advice I’ve heard
Where do you see your selves and siren in the near future?
Todd- Well, in the near future, we’ve got some shows coming up and we’re going to to play blades of steel in August Hal and I are gonna start writing a recording. We always joke that this is almost over with the run that we had with siren, but they’re always is something coming up and something always gets us to keep it alive so you never know.
Hal- Things are kinda up in the air. I, for one, really am getting too old for this shit! But we have an exciting gig coming up in late August in Wisconsin at the Blades of Steel Festival. Really looking forward to that show. After that, who knows?
Me- Awesome brother I can’t wait
I want thank you for doing an awesome interview
Hal- You’re welcome Mike! Metal Onslaught!
Todd- No problem it was fun
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