ROCKSTARS GLUED - JULY 06

WITH GAV RUADH

1. How long has Hallion been together and how did you meet?

I PUT TOGETHER THE FIRST HALLION LINEUP IN AROUND 2002. I'D RECORDED "BORN OF FIRE" UNDER THE BANNER OF "HALLION" EARLIER THAT YEAR. HOWEVER, AROUND JANUARY OF THIS YEAR MIKE (BASS) AND ANDY (DRUMS) JOINED THE RANKS. I HAD BEEN FRIENDS WITH DANE AND MIKE FOR YEARS. ANDY CAME RECOMMENDED BY A GUY WE HAD BOTH DONE SOME SESSION WORK FOR.

2. What music did you listen to growing up?

MY PARENTS WERE FANS OF THE ROLLING STONES, BOWIE, QUEEN ETC SO I STILL LOVE THOSE. SOME IRISH MUSIC TOO FROM MY MOTHER'S SIDE. I WOULD SAY HOWEVER THAT DISCOVERING ALICE COOPER WAS THE TURNING POINT OF MY LIFE. FROM THERE I STARTED GETTING INTO A LOT OF GLAM AND HARD ROCK. HANOI ROCKS, GNR, WASP, ALSO METALLICA AND SLAYER TOO

3. What do you do for fun?

ALTHOUGH MUSIC IS VERY MUCH THE CENTER OF MY WORLD, I'M ALSO A SUCKER FOR CLASSIC CARS. OLD BRITISH FORDS AND AMERICAN CLASSICS. I LOVE MEETING PEOPLE AND SOCIALISING TOO. HALLION IS PRETTY MUCH FOUNDED ON A D.I.Y ETHIC, SO WHEN I'M NOT WRITING THE SONGS OR RECORDING AND PRODUCING, I'M USUALLY HOLDING DOWN THE PUBLICITY FACTOR OF WEBSITES, INTERVIEWS....IT TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME.
HOWEVER, THE OTHER GUYS ALL HELP OUT TOO! ESPECIALLY WITH VIDEO EDITING AND MERCHANDISE

4. Fill in the blanks:

Hi my name is __GAV RUADH_ and Im a great BELIEVER IN _STAYING TRUE TO YOURSELF__.

5. For those who dont know, where did the name Hallion come from?

THE WORD "HALLION" IS AN OLD IRISH TERM FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS SOMETHING OF A ROGUE, SCOUNDREL. BASICALLY "A BIT OF A BASTARD"
THE U.S. VERSION IS A "HELLION"

6. What has been the hardest part of getting your music heard?

NOT RUNNING WITH THE CROWD! IF YOU'RE NOT DOING WHATEVER IS "FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH" BE IT "EMO", "INDIE" OR WHAT I CALL "COOKIE MONSTER METAL" IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET NOTICED IRONICALLY ENOUGH. ON A POSITIVE NOTE THOUGH, THE WHOLE WORLD WIDE WEB HAS BEEN HEAVEN SENT FOR EVERYBODY. WE HAVE A COLLECTIVE OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THAT WE CALL "THE HALLION HORDE". THEY PROMOTE US PURELY BECAUSE THEY LOVE WHAT WE DO. THAT IS VERY HUMBLING AND ISN'T TAKEN FOR GRANTED AT ANY TIME!

7. What thread count are your sheets?

(NOT SURE ON THE QUESTION)

8. Who does your writing? One person, or do you collaborate?

I'M THE SONGWRITER FOR HALLION REALLY. BOTH ALBUMS WERE SOLO ALBUMS TO BE HONEST. ALTHOUGH ANDY (DRUMS), HAS BEEN OFFERING SOME OF HIS WORK FOR THE 3RD ALBUM. IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING DOING THAT. SEEING WHERE THAT TAKES THE HALLION SOUND NEXT.

9. What can people expect at a Hallion show?

WE ALL REACT AND COME ALIVE IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE. WE'RE BIG ON INTERACTION! THE LOUDER AND MORE RESPONSIVE THE CROWD, THE MORE ENERGY WE HAVE TO FIRE BACK. PEOPLE CAN EXPECT A GOOD HARD ROCK SHOW PUT SIMPLY!

10. How do you think your sound has changed since your first album Born of Fire released in 2002, to your newest release in 2005 Rhythm N Bruise?

THE PRODUCTION FELT LIKE A GIANT LEAP! SIMPLY AS BETWEEN THOSE TWO I BECAME BETTER AT MIXING AND PRESENTING THE MUSIC BETTER.
I ALSO THINK THAT THE SONGS ARE A TOUCH STRONGER. ALTHOUGH I STILL LOVE "BORN OF FIRE" I DO AGREE THAT "RHYTHM & BRUISE" IS AN ENHANCEMENT IN A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS.

11. What is a goal you would like to achieve this year?

PLAY TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN AND RECORD THE AS YET UNTITLED 3RD ALBUM. IT'S NOT EVEN IN PRE-PRODUCTION YET BUT IF I CAN TRANSLATE WHAT I'M HEARING IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW....IT'LL BE GOOD! HAHA

12. What has been the greatest experience for you being in this band?

FIRSTLY, ENTERTAINING PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY MAKING THEM FEEL HOW I DO WHEN I'M AT A GOOD ROCK SHOW. THE OTHERS ARE PLAYING WITH MY 2ND FAMILY IN HALLION. IT'S A TRUE GANG SPIRIT AND EVEN REHEARSALS ARE SOMETHING WE LOOK FORWARD TO. A BIG DEAL FOR ME IS TO HEAR PEOPLE TELL ME HOW MUCH THEY LIKE PARTICULAR SONGS. IT'S A GREAT FEELING FOR ANY SONGWRITER I THINK

13. If you could make your own concert bill, who would be on it and why?

A UK MONSTERS OF ROCK SLOT AT WEMBLEY, LONDON WOULD SURE RAISE A SMILE! HALLION, SOME OF OUR MUSICAL IDOLS OH YEAH AND LORDI (NOT ONLY CAUSE THEY RULE BUT WE MIGHT BORROW THAT "WALL OF FIRE" THEY HAVE HAHA HOWEVER, THROUGH MYSPACE I'VE FOUND SOME UNBELIEVABLE ARTISTS AND BANDS OUT THERE! HOPING TO SHARE SOME STAGES WITH THEM SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

14. You seem to have a devoted fan base, what do you think appeals to them the most?

THEY ARE SOMETHING ELSE!! AS I SAID BEFORE, OUR "HALLION HORDE" ARE AMAZING TO US. BEYOND THE FACT THAT OUR SUPPORTERS LIKE THE MUSIC SO MUCH, THERE'S ALSO A LOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE LIKE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OUR SUPPORTERS AROUND THE WORLD. WE'RE ALMOST ALWAYS AT THE BAR BEFORE AND AFTER A SHOW TOO. HAVING A DRINK AND GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO SEE US.

15. What CD do you find yourself listening to over and over again?

A "DESERT ISLAND DISC"? (A RADIO SHOW HERE IN THE UK THAT FEATURES A CELEBRITY'S FAVOURITE ALBUM) ALICE COOPER'S "BILLION DOLLAR BABIES" THE FIRST ALBUM I HAD THAT WAS MY OWN. NO MATTER THE MOOD, I CAN ALWAYS PUT THAT ON. THERE ARE A FEW ALBUMS THAT I TEND TO LISTEN TO A LOT! BUT THAT'S THE ONE THAT ALWAYS JUMPS TO MIND FIRST.

16. What does music mean to you?

IT'S MY LIFE. IF I'M NOT LISTENING TO MUSIC OR MAKING IT, IT'S PLAYING IN MY MIND AT ALL TIMES. A WORLD WITHOUT IT IS UNIMAGINABLE. IF I WERE IN IT FOR MONEY, FAME, OR WHATEVER I WOULD HAVE QUIT A LONG TIME AGO. I DO IT BECAUSE I HAVE TO!