A Dirty Dozen with ILLUSIONS OF GRANDEUR – December 2023

According to the band’s bio: “Illusions of Grandeur “I.O.G.,” is a Theatrical Hard Rock/Fantasy Metal band based in York, PA. I.O.G. has been touring in both the United States as well as across the UK, Germany, France, and Ukraine since 2016. I.O.G. ‘s Live show The Siren Saga is a story of the journeys, perils, and triumphs of the Siren and her warriors.  The story mixes facts and fiction combining Greek and Norse Mythology, Sirens, Gods, Archangels. Illusions of Grandeur’s fierce and energetic live show has gained them a legion of fans dubbed “The Siren Nation” who follow them worldwide, at live shows, and on social media.” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and more.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Well, our latest release is the single “Midnight” which is the first single from our forthcoming album The Siren Rises Part 1 – The Raven Witch. “Midnight” takes Illusions of Grandeur sonically in a new direction which is, we feel the perfect way to debut the new album and sound we created on it. If you go back to our last full album, The Siren we went in a lot of directions of that album introducing different genres of music, but making them our own, that album we are really proud of and it taught us a lot during the making of it, to explore more with all aspects of writing and using the studio as an instrument.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Music has been a part of my life since I was a child. My dad was a musician and I followed in his footsteps. I’ve always been in music in some capacity; from theatre to chorus and bands. The idea of Illusions of Grandeur is to create a world and tell the story of The Siren and her journeys. IOG’s love of both history and Greek/Norse Mythology felt that this was the best medium way to create a world for The Siren Saga. IOG feels that when listening to music or seeing a live show you should be able to immerse yourself in that moment and take a journey of your own with the band. I do not remember a time when music wasn’t a force in my life, even before I played an instrument.  I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, it is who I am.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

IOG’s influences range from: In This Moment, KORN, Altar Bridge, Evanescence and Avatar to Led Zeppelin and The Who. These bands all influenced us in different ways, but mainly as the story tellers and how they craft songs that carry emotion to the listeners. I can’t think of just “one” song or album that sent me and or us down this path, maybe just the number of great songwriters and story tellers I have heard over the years.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

It would for sure be Jonathon Davis of Korn, his music and emotion that it translates has always floored me, that I would love to witness and be a part of.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I would have to say going to the gym or cooking. Working out and enjoying a good meal might be the best things in life! To unwind well, writing a song or traveling tend to be the things that “unwind me” the true joys in life.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Theatrical metal and hard rock, storytelling. That is how I would describe our music, our live show, I would have to say a mix of KISS, Bowie, Queen, and Alice Cooper! Never had a comparison that I couldn’t see the writer’s point of view on, music is subjective and allowing that to be is what makes it an art.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Well, The Siren is a helluva cook and we all tend to get the drinks out, sometimes and Conor our tech is always good for an acoustic guitar jam out!

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

April 2023 at The Rainbow in West Hollywood, Ca, met Mark Tremonti and Scott Phillips of Alter Bridge and Creed, great guys, but what amazing careers they have had! Both hung out with us and our road crews for the whole night swapping stories and wandering around the sunset strip, what a great night. One for the books!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Best part? Traveling and seeing the world, also sometimes the worst part!

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Well, none. I try not to think of things that I want asked the normal flow of an interview or conversation should just be that normal. I and we as a band enjoy doing press and getting to express ourselves, it’s an honor.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Nope, never look back and have regrets, it is what it is. That moment led me to where I/We are now in our careers, maybe it wasn’t the best, but it was and so it goes…

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

That would be Stevie Wonder’s sessions at Crystal Clear Recoding for the album Songs in The Key to Life, I can just imagine the creative flow of those sessions in that amazing studio.

ILLUSION OF GRANDEUR LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews