Tag Archives: the Hellion

HALCYON WAY VOCALIST- STEVE BRAUN

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Halcyon Way vocalist Steve Braun answered some questions for us. Let’s get to know about him and his band Halcyon Way.

Thanks for speaking with us Steve. Can you tell us a little about your self and where you come from?

Steve:  Hmmmm that could be a very deep questions,lol. I am the lead singer for Nightmare/ Sony Red recording artist Halcyon Way. We are a metal band based out of Atlanta, GA. I am a Jersey boy born and raised. I have lived all over the US and Canada following my dreams. I now live in Nashville, TN which is funny that I now drive 4 1/2hrs to band practice but you gotta do what you gotta do.

There was always music of some kind being played in my house while I was growing up. How did music come into your life? What kind of music shaped you as a kid?

     Steve:  I really got into music at a young age. My older sister use to baby-sit me when my parents were out. I remember the first stuff I listened to was Meat Loaf, Billy Joel, Pat Benatar and Hall and Oats. I was instantly hooked. Tho it wasn’t Metal I believe it really helped to set the foundation of loving strong songwriting and melody.

Most everyone dreams of being a rock star but these dreams remained unrealized. How did you make your dreams come true?

     Steve:  Man…all I can say is it took a lot of handwork. Countless hours of practice singing to my favorite tapes…yes tapes:) I also took private voice lessons in NY, LA and Nashville. I was even a vocal performance major in college.

     On making my dreams come true…I’m still in that phase. You have to knock on as many doors as possible. I believe if you continue to knock on doors sooner or later the right door will open. Sitting in your bedroom hoping it will happen will NOT make it happen.

What were some of the experiences you had that led to you to where you are today?

     Steve:  I have been quite blessed in the experiences I’ve had in the music industry. My first break was singing for Word Records recording artist Siloam. We were an anti-drug hard rock band. We toured all over the US and Canada.

     I’ve sung on the TV show “The View”. I actually got engaged on the show. I am the only one to ever make Barbara Walters cry on tv. I mean now I can die a happy man:)

     I’ve sung for Italian progressive Metal band ASHENT. We’ve released 2 CDs via Lion Music.

     I have been fortunate enough to tour all over the world and meet some of the most amazing people along the way.

Most musicians “earn their stripes” in several bands prior to success. What were some of your more memorable experiences in some of your earlier bands?

     Steve:  Well in Siloam we were on CNN when we were in Corpus Christi, TX and we were honored by the mayor. However, one of the biggest memories was that we played in this boys n girls club and as soon as the lights went down for the intro and gang fight broke out and the head of a porcelain duck whipped past my head (I still have the duck head:))

     One of the greatest things playing with ASHENT was I got to spend a lot of time in Italy. I would sometimes spend up to a month at a time there when recording our albums. The best part was I got to live like a local.

In talking to people about music, most of them identify with a certain era of music more than others. What period of music do you identify most with?

     Steve:  I would have to say I’m a child of the 80’s. I love the decade of decadence.

What artists inspired you from the past and which current artists have caught your ear?

     Steve:  I would have to say…Michael Sweet of Stryper, Tony Harnell of TNT, Sebastian Bach and James LaBrie.

     Some of my favorite new artists are Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, in This Moment and All That Remains.

People are often times surprised at what they find “hiding” in my music collection. Anything “out of the ordinary” in yours?

     Steve:  Oh man…there are a ton of things on my IPod that makes me go huh…I didn’t know I had that. Stuff like Marvyn Gaye, Notorious BIG, and obscure 80’s one hit wonders

HALCYON WAY

http://www.facebook.com/halcyonway

http://www.halcyonway.com

http://www.myspace.com/halcyonway

http://www.twitter.com/halcyonway

http://www.reverbnation.com/halcyonway

http://www.purevolume.com/halcyonway

http://www.skullsnbones.com/halcyonway

http://www.intromental.com

I have found myself really getting to enjoy the music of Halcyon Way. Tell us a little about Halcyon Way.

     9.Halcyon Way has been around in different forms for the past 10 years. They’ve gone through a ton of turmoil over the years from member changes, recording issues, canceled tours and even cancer in the founding member guitarist Jon Bodan. I’ve been in the band just about 3 years. During this time we’ve done a few tours, released 2 CDs and are getting ready next month to record our next disc and shop around for a new label. Our music is available on halcyonway.com, most major retailers and iTunes.

Given the opportunity to address young musicians what advice would you give them?

     Steve:  Work hard, work hard, work hard…don’t let your ego get in the way. Remember there is someone who is practicing in their bedroom that are better than you and I will ever be. Always remain humble because that will speak tons of your character.

     Lastly, have a career/job that will help pay the bills. Don’t let it get in the way of you’re dreams but have something to bridge the gap where you can live and follow your dreams.

What do you have to say about the music industry/scene today?

     Steve:  It’s awesome to be in the business but the money is not there like it use to be. Some of it is from bit torrent sites. I’ve seen on one site our last album was downloaded somewhere in the 20-30,000 times)and some of it is from the world economic crisis facing the world. We pay a lot of stuff our own pocket which is why you need to have a job. The day of getting a million dollar contract being dropped in your lap is sadly gone.

Thanks for taking sometime to talk to me. – Steve Braun

Thank you Steve for talking with us.

Check out this promo video:

the Hellion

WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO! – BURST INTO FLAMES “DIVINE SLAUGHTER”

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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burst-Into-Flames/379277886864?ref=ts

http://www.burstintoflamesmetal.com/

We got another hot one for ya! The new video from the “EPIC METAL” band BURST INTO FLAMES! You better keep your eyes on this band because they are fast tracking for global domination! FEED THE FIRE!

the Hellion

I’M TATTOOED AND PROUD

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I am heavily inked, I am a loving husband, caring father, and a productive member of the workforce. I vote, pay my taxes and am charitable when I can be. I love and support this page on facebook:

TATTOO ACCEPTANCE IN THE WORKPLACE

ABOUT: Our goal is to take away the stigma attached to people who have tattoos in the workplace. Tattoos are art. Some of us have chosen to express ourselves not with vibrant shoes, or a colorful tie, but with body art. What is the difference?

http://www.facebook.com/ThINKequality

the Hellion

DOWN – IV PART 1 THE PURPLE EP UPDATED 09/29/12!

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http://www.facebook.com/down

http://www.downontour.com
http://www.downboard.com
http://www.officialdownstore.com
http://www.myspace.com/downnola
http://www.down-nola.com

I have been a fan of Down since its inception. This is the first of four  EPs to come out. It was released on 09/18/12 and does not disappoint. Down carries on with their distinct dark and brooding sound. With tones of Sabbath running through it Down is true to form. Live and raw sounding it is deeply satisfying. If you have been living under a rock and haven’t heard Down you are missing out. Down features:

Philip Anselmo – Vocals
Jimmy Bower – Drums
Pat Bruders – Bass
Pepper Keenan – Guitar
Kirk Windstein – Guitar

With a total length of  33:18 it is well worth the price. Here is the track listing:

1. “Levitation”
2. “Witchtripper”
3. “Open Coffins”
4. “The Curse Is a Lie”
5. “This Work Is Timeless”
6. “Misfortune Teller

Here’s “Witchtripper” : UPDATED: OFFICIAL VIDEO RELEASE!

the Hellion

GET READY FOR DRONIKA!!!

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http://www.facebook.com/dronika2012

http://www.dronika.com

 

On a recent trip to Los Angeles  I was fortunate enough to meet and hang out a bit with Dronika members Eduardo and Carlos. We got to hang out and watch some great live music at the Whisky. Dronika is a new band that I have been lucky enough to witness growing. They have included me in sharing their growth and development. They are currently working on their debut release. Pay attention and don’t miss out when their CD drops! Here’s a taste:

 

the Hellion

SONG OF THE WEEK – “BLEED THE FREAK” BY ALICE IN CHAINS

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Alice In Chains will ALWAYS hold a spot as one of my favorite bands. This track is one of their best.

PHIL SOUSSAN – A ROCK LEGEND SPEAKS

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     We got ROCK LEGEND Phil Soussan to get with us on some questions. You know him from his stellar bass playing and songwriting with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Vince Neil, Johnny Hallyday and John Waite, as well as a membership in Beggars & Thieves. Soussan has also played in bands featuring Jimmy Page, Steve Lukather, Edgar Winter and Richie Kotzen. Let’s check out his interview:
     I am thankful to my mother for being instrumental in exposing me to various forms of music. Was there someone who opened your ears to music?
     Phil: Yes, my Mom used to play the radio all day and sing along to songs. I was bought a kid record player at about 4 years old, and I used to sit in front of it changing records and singing along. About that time, my Mom’s musical cousins – two brothers who played just about every instrument, bought me a real 1/4 size acoustic guitar. The rest is history!
      When was it that you decided to learn music? Were you formally educated or self-taught?
     Phil: Both. I was self-taught on the guitar, melodicas, recorders – anything that made a sound! At about 8 I started taking proper recorder lessons and at 11 began classical violin and music theory studies.
      I think all of us at one time cranked up some music and played air guitar to our heroes music, what were some of the bands you jumped around in your bedroom to?
     Phil: The Carpenters… NOT!!   David Bowie, T-Rex, Sweet, Slade, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Move, Wizzard, the Yardbirds, the Stones and of course the Beatles – all of these the first time round!
      What were some of your early bands experiences? Did you take any lessons learned from those experiences and they are still relevant to you today?
     Phil: I had a lot of American friends growing up in London and they placed a lot of importance on the quality of sound and their technique, compared to UK musicians that were not very polished. I started to practise a lot by watching in the mirror and I was able to see my technical faults better.  I knew how it should look. I still do this today.
      I’ve talked to a lot of musicians who have been “starstruck” by other musicians, has that ever happened to you?
     Phil: Very few times… when I first had a chance to meet Jimmy Page, once I got to know him the familiarity kicked in and we became friends.
      If there was any performer alive or not you could work with who would that be?
     Phil: Elvis during the Sun Sessions era, Hendrix, Zeppelin during the LZ III years.
      I love the idea of one-off “supergroup” projects, what would your ideal project be?
     Phil: Big Noize with Sebastian Bach!
      Is there a singular moment in your musical career that you are most proud of?
     Phil: Walking on to the Stage at Wichita for my first US gig with Ozzy, and at Donnington in 1986.
      I love your solo work and have a copy of “NO PROTECTION” can you tell us about the CD?
     Phil: Thank you! I played and recorded virtually all the instruments on the record. I wanted to do a record where I performed and arranged the entire record. I first heard McCartney do it with “Maybe I’m Amazed”  and I wanted to try the challenge of doing it myself. It was tough but I learned so much about imagining arrangements in my head. Some people think it’s because you want to be able to control everything, but it’s not. I think I wanted to do it is because I wanted to really get inside of music, from every perspective. And it was very difficult to do. But when you come through it, you are a better musician for it: you understand arrangements better, you understand all the instruments better. It takes four times as long to change one part, and I don’t have three other guys to say, “Hey, let’s change this”. I had to change it, record it, change that, record this, and then listen and realize, “No, it’s not working. I think I’ll do something else”. But what I got out of it was a sense in my head that, when I hear an idea now, I can imagine exactly how it should be arranged. And that’s something that I was not doing very well before. So it’s an amazing exercise. My last album “Vibrate” was fun to do but it was what I would call a compilation, a compilation meaning songs one written there, one written here, one written there, and every song put together into a collection written over a long period of time. This album was written at one time from beginning to end, all songs written around the same time, and there’s a thread of continuity that goes through it. As I started recording it, I was in my studio and I started coming up with arrangements.The record itself is really a snapshot of my life at the moment, at a point where I had to go through a lot of realizations and changes in the you cannot stop life from taking its course.
Here is “Free My Soul” from NO PROTECTION:
      Are you still involved with the Grammy’s and how did that come about?
     Phil: Yes, I am Vice President. I have been a member for many years and about 6 years ago a put myself on the ballot to run as a Governor, which I did. I wanted to find a way to give back to the musical community and the Grammys was the best way. I became involved in advocacy issues, fund-raisers for MusiCares and education issues. I wanted to do something for MusiCares as they were the entity that did so much for by best friend Randy Castillo when he became so ill.
      What does the future hold for you? New recordings, touring, etc….?
     Phil: All of the above, We just got back from doing a festival in Bulgaria with Big Noize and we had a change of singer from Joe Lynn Turner to Sebastian Bach; it was awesome and we are now looking to book more shows with this line up.  I really want to do more shows out of the Los Angeles area with my solo band doing material from this new album and some of my other hits written for other artists, but it is proving difficult to tie down local promoters as most of the agents are closed off to new projects. Maybe I shall try to approach local venues myself.
 
       If you were asked to give a lecture to musicians looking to start their careers, what advice would you have for them?
     Phil: Ask yourself if this is really what you want to do and if it is then go for it, never say die and never give up.
      What era appeals to you the most and why is that?
     Phil: The era before digital music – I loved making records and selling records was the way in which we made our money. Today everyone feels that music should be free and it has become such a s challenge to be able to pay your bills and continue making music for people with no income. It is not as if recording equipment manufacturers give you free equipment!
      Being a veteran of the music industry what are your thoughts of the sate of things today?
     Phil: We are getting back in to the T-Shirt business. We use music to invite people to a gig and if you sell them merchandise then you walk away from the deal with some income. If not then you come up zero.
      If we were hanging out and I plugged your MP3 player into my stereo would I be surprised at what was on it?
     Phil: Just a varied assortment of music.
      This last one is open, tell us anything you want to:
     Phil: Listen to my record, enjoy the songs and if you like them please join my mailing list at www.philsoussan.com and write! I try to reply to everyone as much as I can. Please follow me on Twitter at @philsoussan and although I have a Facebook “page” I am not on Facebook anymore – I hate Facebook as I don’t know anyone on it who is not made miserable/ jealous or had their friendships and relationships compromised… and I want to make people feel good – My music makes people feel good!
     Thanks so much for considering this. I know there are some questions you have answered a million times over the years, I’m just hoping to bring them to a new audience!
     Phil: You’re welcome!  Rock on!
Let me know if you are tied in to any local promoters or radio stations and perhaps I can arrange to come out to NM and do some shows!
     Phil
     Thanks Phil!
     I am gonna leave you with Phil’s version of the classic “Shot In The Dark”:
     the Hellion

EDDIE’S MATES WELCOMES DEATH ALLEY MOTOR CULT!

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http://www.deathalleymotorcult.com/blog.php

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Death-Alley-Motor-Cult/276917487784

BLEACH BANGS – 09/18/2012

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SHOTGUN REBELLION – SPEAKS ABOUT “OUTLAW METAL”

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I sat on the porch one mid morning talking with Rick from Shotgun Rebellion. We found we were kindred spirits on a lot of things. As we talked, I felt a bond developing with Rick and knew we would remain friends for a long time. Let’s get to know Rick (guitars/vocals), Jon (bass), Jared (drums), and Steve (guitars) from Shotgun Rebellion.

Hey guys, let’s open a cold one and find out about  the origins of Shotgun Rebellion. How did all of this start?

   Jon: “As Rick was playing with a band called Kill the Silence and I was with Echofist, our paths had crossed a few times. Over the next two years we’d swap emails back and forth discussing various shows and what all was going on in the Oklahoma music scene. When Echofist separated, the vocalist and I started a new project. Although I enjoyed what we were doing, there was just something missing. So I decided to put the word out that I was looking to do a side project that had a little bit more balls to it so to say. Well, Rick just happened to be online and within about twenty minutes of me posting a notice he called me.
As the issues within KTS grew, what was originally just a side project and a chance for Rick and I to work together, begin to evolve into the full-time ride. We thought for a short time about just bringing me in on bass and revamping the lineup for KTS, but after thinking it over we decided to go with our own identity as Shotgun Rebellion.”

As I was listening to the tracks you sent me  I hear elements of country music in your songs. What were some of your country influences?

Rick: Not really what you would call traditional country. But more of an Outlaw country and Southern Rock like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank jr. and Willy nelson were more of an influence to me along with blues.

Tying into the previous question I also hear metal in your songs, where did the metal influx come from?

 SR: Sabbath, Zeppelin, Van Halen, Dokken, Wasp, Down, Pantera, Corrosion of conformity, Megadeth, BLS, Anything Ozzy, Motorhead and Pride & Glory Just to name a few.

As I have gotten to know about  I have heard you guys referred to as “Outlaw Metal” what can you tell us about that?

     Rick: Well I grew up in southern Oklahoma and my parents and grand parents always listened to country, Outlaw country, Southern Rock as well as Classic Rock. My dad Ronnie taught me to play at a young age, he cut my teeth on Southern Rock and Outlaw country tunes along with blues and classic rock songs. So on my own I was listening to Wasp, anything Ozzy, Van Halen and all that era’s Metal and hard rock songs. So I was taking the licks my dad taught me and trying to learn how to play the stuff I liked. About that time I met a Guitarist named Steve Parnell we formed a band in the late 80s early 90s even then Steve was a accomplished Guitarist he started teaching me a lot more of what was going on in Metal then. We’ve since added him to the line up of “Shotgun Rebellion” in the past year, you can hear his lead work on our songs such as “Emperor’s clothes and Killed by love”. So this half Outlaw country/Southern rock meets Metal/hard rock is just a natural thing for me. So we just coined the term “Outlaw Metal” to describe our sound.

Tell me about the writing process.   I can imagine you all putting on some David Allen Coe and then some BLS, drinking a few and going from there. How do you guys go about writing new material?

Jon: “As a writer, anything can inspire you and that creative spark can hit at anytime, I’m always coming up with lyrics. I’ll send them to Rick, who is constantly working out something on his guitar. When he finds something that fits, he’ll record it and bounce it back to me. Or he’ll come up with some lyrics on his own and call me saying he’s sending a new track. Either way, once we have that first blueprint of a song, we all will start adding in our own little touches.”

It’s obvious you have a lot of classical influences, what are some of the newer bands that are catching your attention?

 SR: Eye Empire, DevilDriver, Kill Devil Hill, Down and there’s a new southern rock band called Blackberry Smoke I like a lot.

You have shared the stage with some great bands, does any particular show stand out?

 Jon: “Every show we do with Texas Hippie stands out just because they are brothers in arms, we’ve gotten to know those guys pretty good and are fun to work with. But as for me one show that really stands out was when we played with Warbeast, Forte, and Rev Jones at the Coca-Cola Center in Oklahoma City. We had honestly only been together as Shotgun Rebellion for a about a month, and as far as the crowd knew we came out of nowhere. Over the next few weeks, we received messages from fans and even the promoter who told us we had the set of the night, and that was only our second show after that first practice six weeks before.” 

     Rick:  Sharing the stage with George Lynch twice when we opened for Lynch Mob was a big deal for me. I grew up in the late 80s as a teen and he was a big influence on my playing
What are the musical backgrounds of you guys? Any formal musical instruction?
Rick:  I was taught to play guitar from my dad.There was alway instruments around the house if you didn’t play you wasn’t from my family. So it was just the way I was raised.

 Jon : “I graduated from the Art Institute in Dallas with a degree in Music Business.”

I have been having fun reading the responses fro others with this question.  Is there any music that you listen to that would surprise us? I happen to like the Bee Gees myself….
 Rick:  I sometimes listen to Motown soul and a lot of blues.
 Jon: “I listen to just about everything. Whether its country, metal, blues, pop, jazz, or even Christian artists; I’m always hearing rhythms or lyrics that hit me and inspire me. I take that bit of inspiration and use it, then send it off to Rick who puts his own stamp onto it with what he’s been listening to and that is where that SGR blend comes from.”

If you had a chance to speak to a crowd of musicians trying to enter into the music industry what advice would you give them?
     SR: Stick to your guns and don’t be fake, what I mean is play and write from the heart don’t just be what you think other people want to hear. If you do that it’ll come out fake so Stick to your guns and play what you feel.

Let’s have some “Devils Home Brew”:

There you have it, Shotgun Rebellion in the raw.

the Hellion

 

UPDATE: Catch Shotgun Rebellion on Bleach Bangs Radio tomorrow night (09/18/2012)