(Photo by Anna-Varney Cantodea)

Pagan Pages: First, tell us about your books and please include links where we can purchase them.

Raven Digitalis: Sure. My first book, Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture focuses on the intersection of the Gothic culture and magickal spirituality. It explores things like the magick of music, shamanic body modification, Necromancy, the place of depression, and a number of social issues. My second book, Shadow Magick Compendium: Exploring Darker Aspects of Magickal Spirituality, does away with the subculture element and simply explores darkness—the Shadow—in its numerous expressions. This is divided into the chapters The Internal Shadow, The External Shadow, The Astral Shadow, The Shadow of Nature, and The Shadow of Society. The books can be browsed on Amazon.com, and can be purchased anywhere books are sold. One can also get inscribed copies straight from me, from my website www.ravendigitalis.com!

PP: Please tell us about the magazines you have appeared in.

RD: I’ve been featured in the magazines newWitch (now reborn as Witches & Pagans Magazine), Spellcraft (AU), Metacreative (online), the Ninth Gate (USA), and the Psychic Times International (online). All can be found via our trusty friend Google! I also have these links on my websites.

PP: Please tell us about the TV shows and radio show you have appeared in.

RD: The largest program I had the opportunity to participate in was MTV News. They visited my house and did filming for a number of days. They were wonderful folks and they formed an awesome story. The video can be watched at www.ravendigitalis.com. Fun!

PP: Where were you born and raised?

RD: Missoula, Montana, USA. It’s also the place I currently reside! Missoula is the “liberal hub” of Montana, and shared many similarities—vibrationally and politically—with surrounding northwest areas such as Washington, Oregon, and California.

PP: Can you tell us about your childhood, your parents, siblings, and surroundings?

RD: Sure. I’m blessed to have a very supportive, caring family. I certainly wouldn’t have published books this early in life if it wasn’t for them! My mother and father also live in Missoula, as does my grandma and my little brother. I’ve always been the “odd man out,” but luckily that black-sheepery doesn’t get overly rubbed in my face these days. I’m lucky for the moral support I’ve gotten, and strive to extend that very thing to others.

PP: What was your most memorable moment as a child?

RD: The first thing that comes to mind are my experiences as a stage magician. Before I ever got into “real magick,” I was highly interested in stage magic and slight-of-hand. I even performed, as a magician’s apprentice, for live crowds at a local restaurant, around the age of 15. Fun!

PP: What was the unhappiest memory you have of your childhood?

RD: Being tickled in a back room for minutes on end, without stop or hesitation, to the point of immense pain, by a member of my extended family. It’s only recently that I realized what a trauma those experiences were, and have magickally and psycho-spiritually worked against those imprints.

PP: What did your parents, family and friends teach you about life that you still hold close to your heart today?

RD: I suppose the most valuable thing people taught me is morality. To be noble, to have ethics and respect for people, and to treat them well—even if they aren’t doing the same themselves. These things were mostly family-taught. Most of my friends in high school turned out to be using me in many ways. Not good people. I learned a valuable lesson of discernment through many of my old friends, and count all my current friends as sacred comrades on the spiritual journey of life.

PP: What is the strongest realization about human nature; spirituality, bonding and interaction/relationships between people, between the material and spirit world that made you take notice as a child and young adult? How did that evolve or develop into adulthood, into the person you are today?

RD: From an early age I noticed that love, kindness, and compassion seemed to be the keys to evolution on all accounts, in every way, regardless of person, animal, or entity. I still carry that realization in my life and am constantly reminding myself that Love is the Law, and that it’s the one true key to all spiritual and magickal evolution. Period.

PP: What scared you the most as a child?

RD: The feeling that I am not from this place.

PP: What scares you the most now?

RD: The possibility that I may never be “okay” with existence, with being incarnate, living in this paradigm of reality. As well as the pessimism accompanying seeing so many people in varying states of suffering. So… in a sense, the very same thing.

PP: One of the greatest philosophical minds to have ever existed, yet one of the most misunderstood, is Anton LaVey. Why do you think Mr. LaVey was so misunderstood and continues to be misunderstood by some to this day?

RD: I think Aleister Crowley is and was far more misunderstood than Anton. As for Anton, his rebellious nature, and the use of the term “Satan,” caused much misunderstanding. I think he would have had it that way, however; if people are too scared to research the reality of Satanism—LaVeyan or otherwise—they are best left in the dark with their uneducated fear.

PP: When did you begin to study the occult and spirituality? Was it deliberate (did you set out to seek truth) or did it happen much by accident?

RD: A friend of mine introduced me to the Craft in high school. From there, I began studying Wicca and other forms of magick and occultism, and found my place in that spiritual expression. I’m happy also involving myself in other paths and philosophies, like Buddhism and Hinduism, at this point in time. So, I suppose I would say that esotericism “came to me,” but it was my willpower that took it to the next level.

PP: Did you have a spiritual experience that changed your life? Can you tell us about it?

RD: For me, the spiritual use of entheogenic drugs was the first experiences to reveal the spiritual world to me. My first times getting high on cannabis literally felt like a veil of reality was being lifted—and this was palpable and perceivable. While I’m not “into” drugs so much at this point in time, I have immense respect for the awareness they can give spiritual seekers. But, a person must approaches any substance with this type of intention, and this is a very ancient thing. Otherwise, it’s misuse and abuse.

PP: Are you able to see the past, present, future, and are able to walk with the dead?

RD: Yep. I see everything, everywhere, at all times, ever. No, not really! It can be a challenge just to perceive the present with accuracy and clarity!! My vision-seeking and Tarot readings do provide glimpses into the past and future, and help clarify the present, but otherwise, no, my gift is predominantly Empathic rather than Psychic. And as for the dead… I believe we all have that ability if we choose to hone it!

PP: Can you tell us more about your abilities and how you developed them? Are you in control of them or do they occur naturally in a hit or miss kind of way? And what is meant by ‘walking with the dead’, is it the ability to communicate with loved ones from the other side?

RD: Sure, “walking with the dead” is the ability to travel to the Otherworld and communicate with the departed. This often includes helping guide departed souls to the world beyond this one, so that they don’t remain “earthbound disincarnates” or ghosts, as Dion Fortune might put it. Shamans have done this since the beginning of humankind. And as for my abilities, they do indeed occur naturally. The challenge with these things is acutely and accurately getting hold of the abilities and allowing them to become controlled by the practitioner, rather than them being controlled by the abilities.

PP: When you channel in on Spirit, how do you receive the messages you get? What is like? What do you feel at the time? Do you feel as if you’re out of your body looking in or is it like a film playing in your mind? Can you see, feel touch taste, smell the messages from the other side? Is it that concrete or is it more abstract?

RD: Yes, no, yes, yes, no, yes, no, yes. Next question! Just kidding. Hmm, I would say that the experience of Invocation and Channeling is more abstract than concrete. The Otherworld is not as solid as the physical world—this includes energies such as emotion, the mind, the astral plane, the spirit world, and so on. When a person engages in Invocation or Channeling, they open themselves as conduits of spirits, gods, or other entities they consciously invite into their “frame” or body. This can be immensely overwhelming, to be sure, and the practitioner’s goal is to channel these Otherworldly vibrations into an understandable form. It would be silly to think that all of these messages are 100% pure: the person conducting the channeling naturally has some influence over the transmission. The channel is the interpreter of an energetic language so to speak, and just like with any language-to-language translation, messages are never 100% solid. But, depending on the message and the channeler, these transmissions can be incredibly valuable—or incredibly arcane! If I were to summarize this process, it’s like accessing an etheric box (this is the current, or vibration, of that which is being Invoked or Channeled) and reporting its energy, while taking a backseat to the energy pulsing through the Self. Many artists can relate to a feeling of being “worked through.”

PP: What was the most profound experience you ever had when contacting a spirit from the other side?

RD: I honestly don’t do too much work with spirits—I would leave these sorts of questions up to the more experienced, such as my friends Michelle Belanger (Weiser and Llewellyn author, and spirit-contactor on the TV show Paranormal State) and Liz Souza (Witch and host of “Psychic in the City” on CBS PsychicRadio).

PP: What was the scariest if any, experience you’ve had while contacting a spirit from the other side?

RD: Having a spirit, in her desperation and loneliness, literally cling to my left side for a few months. I’ll never forget that experience, and she came of her own accord—I didn’t consciously invite her! She could easily be called a succubus, and it took force—and forced apathy—to get her off my energy sphere. It was certainly a challenge, and occurred just last year. I’ve never had a spirit experience that strong and long-lasting! I wish her the best of luck.

PP: What tools if any do you use as a method for divination?

RD: Us here at the OAO Temple House are quite keen of Tarot cards, which are the true Book of Thoth: the Qabalistic codex and the Key of Reality! Literally everything—any energy or experience imaginable—is contained in the Tarot. So, we constantly work on honing our skills divinating with the cards. While our foundation is in Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Deck, we branch into diving with other decks and experimenting with other methods of divination including runes, scrying, trancework, stones, and so on. My Priestess even hosts Dark Moon (New Moon) women’s rituals, each of which includes using a different form of divination!

PP: Do you think the Ouija board has gotten a bad rap or are the cautionary tales regarding the board true?

RD: Oh, I think many things can be used as portals to the Other Side. Certainly the Ouija board can serve that purpose. I always advocate caution when using it, and I have a couple, but I rarely utilize them. It’s just very difficult to trust the information that’s coming through! How much of it is dictated by a spirit—and what is their real intention—and how much of it is simply the unconscious mind of the user? It’s hard to say, so I find it less reliable. As for contacting the departed, I prefer to use deep meditation! I think the departed prefer that method, too—then they don’t feel like such a novelty or item of entertainment!

PP: What is the difference between the Ouija board and tarot cards? To me there aren’t any really because you’re opening a portal and contacting Spirit regardless. Why is the Ouija board considered more ’dangerous’ than the average tarot cards?

RD: There is a huge difference! Tarot is not used to contact spirits, and contains the code of reality in the cards. Sure you may be tapping into Spirit, AKA the Universe, AKA the Creator or God and Goddess forces, but you can do the same thing with a can opener! Spirit is in all things and can be accessed through anything. Ouija boards are considered dangerous because one never knows what sort of spirit is really coming through.

PP: Is there a ritual you use specifically for protection?

RD: I mostly prefer the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), which is a Qabalistic protection exercise derived from the Golden Dawn. Done properly, it’s incredibly effective!

PP: Can you read auras?

RD: I read emotions. I can read a person through those emotions, which definitely ties into their auric energy at any given time. But as far as actually divining and scanning a person based on their aura colors, auric strength, or auric attachments, it’s not something I’ve done very often in the past!

PP: How does the ‘essence’ of a person come through to you the strongest? Is it intuition or is something more that helps you connect with that person’s inner spirit and read it so well?

RD: Like I said, emotions are my strong point as an Empath. When I’m doing healing or divinatory work with someone, they also have to be trusting and open with me in order for those insights and healing methods to be accessed most successfully!

PP: Can you tell us about Opus Aima Obscuræ?

RD: Sure. OAO is the training Coven and community group that I belong to. We perform numerous public ritual events that members of our community and beyond are welcome to attend. We also conduct inner-Coven training for interested members, which relies on a series of “Marks” or degrees, each of which has various lessons, challenges, and obligations. It’s not an easy occult training system, but then again, neither is life! We’re lucky to reap the rewards of our own successes and the achievements of the group.

PP: Can you tell us about your being a radio and club DJ of Gothic and industrial music?

RD: I host a radio show every Saturday night on the local college radio station here. I’ve done it for 6 years, and it’s a blast! I play all varieties of “dark” music. The station is even streaming online now, at www.kbga.org – my show is every Saturday night from 10pm until midnight Mountain Standard Time. And yep, I also DJ regularly at a local Goth/industrial/fetish club night we have locally, which occurs roughly once a month. In the club, I stick to danceable-dark music and have fun getting energy flowing with the crowd.

PP: Who do you consider your greatest mentor?

RD: My Priestess, Estha McNevin.

PP: Do you consider yourself a teacher and mentor as well?

RD: I’ve long struggled with the idea of the role of “teacher” being attached to me. Over the last couple years I’ve started to accept that title more often, yet at the same time I will always and forever be a student of life’s mysteries, and will constantly learn from those around me, regardless of their official titles or roles. A person can never stop asking questions in life, nor forget that everyone in there sphere of experience is also there to both learn and teach about life along the way.

PP: Where did the name Raven Digitalis originate from?

RD: The Raven is my spirit animal. The idea of spirit animals is cross-cultural, and many of us in America are familiar with the concept because of Native American spiritualities and their emphases on the wisdom of the animal realm. As for Digitalis, the term is the Latin name for the Foxglove plant. Much as Raven is my spirit animal, Foxglove is my spirit plant!

PP: Tell us about Twigs & Brews Herbs.

RD: Twigs & Brews is a mini-business that my Coven and I operate from our home. We create bath salts, herbal blends, teas, incenses, soaps, and other products; each is charged with energy, and we only use pure, natural ingredients—nothing synthetic! At this point in time we sell products online and do local vending at various festivals and events. We’ll soon have a “proper” website up and running, and will eventually have a miraculous metaphysical storefront that people can visit any time!

PP: What has been the most devastating part of human nature that you have experienced?

RD: I think the biggest problems between people, no matter how big or small, come from selfishness, apathy, and lack of compassion. These things are the greatest poisons.

PP: What has been the most uplifting part of human nature that you have experienced?

RD: Love in all its forms.

PP: Do you think when we die, Spirit judges us or we judge ourselves?

RD: Well, I think this view is folly because it assumes that “Spirit” is not “us.” It’s a “this” and “that.” In truth, everything is God. All things are alive and vibrant with Spirit. The reality we constantly find ourselves in is a piece of Spirit. I think the view of someone judging us from the Other Side is entirely Christian and mythological. I believe our karmic patterns continue to follow the path they’re on, regardless of how we find ourselves incarnated or disincarnated. If we’re happy now, we’ll be happy when the physical body ceases. Like attracts like!

PP: Tell me about the various spiritual altars that you have, if any.

RD: In our Temple, we have altars to Aima Elohim: The Great Mother Binah, Abba Elohim: The Great Father Chokmah, North/Earth, South/Fire, East/Air, and West/Water. About the house are altars to Ganesha, Shiva, Parvati, Bast, Horus, Thoth, Kwan-Yin, the Buddha, and an ancestor altar.

PP: What would like to say to the skeptics?

RD: I would advise that they continue to be skeptical about everything—it’s a necessary quality—but always keep an open mind!

PP: Can you tell us about any organizations you are involved in, such as charities?

RD: Our Coven supports a number of nonprofit groups. We’ve done fundraisers for Ars Terra and Greenpeace, and are fond of groups like Solar Cross, The Permibus, Action for Animals, and others.

PP: What new projects do you want to tell us about? What’s new right now?

RD: My next book, Planetary Spells & Rituals: Dark & Light Magick Aligned with the Cosmic Bodies, will be released in March 2010. I’m also working on a fiction project and have a big top secret book planned to follow that! I’m dreadfully excited.

Review

Raven Digitalis (Missoula, MT) is the author of Planetary Spells & Rituals, Shadow Magick Compendium, and Goth Craft, all on Llewellyn. He is a Neopagan Priest and cofounder of the “disciplined eclectic” shadow magick tradition and training coven Opus Aima Obscuræ, and is a radio and club DJ of Gothic and industrial music. Also trained in Georgian Witchcraft and Buddhist philosophy, Raven has been a Witch since 1999, a Priest since 2003, and an Empath all of his life. Raven holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Montana and is also an animal rights activist, black-and-white photographic artist, Tarot reader, and is the co-owner of Twigs & Brews Herbs, specializing in bath salts, herbal blends, essential oils, and incenses. He has appeared on the cover of newWitch magazine, is a regular contributor to Dragon’s Blood and The Ninth Gate magazines, and has been featured on MTV News and CBS PsychicRadio.

www.ravendigitalis.com

www.myspace.com/oakraven

Lord is an Australian heavy metal band that is really a mix of styles from all over the world with their own unique spin on it that’s hard to quantify exactly. I would say more than anything you can hear a hunger and a drive in Australian metal because the scene there is so small, and to be a cut above anyone else and to make a real go of it you need to be up there with the best in the world or you have no hope of making the leap from small bar band to international touring act. That hunger trickles down from the top tier of international touring acts right through the entire scene. It’s that drive that gives the Australian bands a freshness and energy that’s lacking in some of the more over saturated markets.

With LORD, while they say they’re a heavy metal band, there’s much more to their sound than just being under that label. They have the obvious elements of traditional and power metal, but they also mix it in with a good helping of thrash, melodic hard rock, melodic death, and even incorporate elements of things as diverse as prog metal, mainstream rock, AOR and many extreme metal styles. It’s that diversity that makes up the LORD sound, so while they are proudly an Australian heavy metal band, they’ve also evolved into something far more broadly than that.

LORD was born from the ashes of Dungeon, who were one of the longest running and better-known Australian metal bands. The singer/guitarist of Dungeon was under the name of “Lord Tim” (which is actually more of a joke name than anything else), and he released an album of solo material as a side project in 2003. He disbanded Dungeon in 2005 and started LORD as a proper band rather than a solo project. It was convenient to use that name because they already had an album out, so the name was known, plus LORD is a fairly ambiguous word that can mean a lot of different things to different people, so it suited the diverse sound that they were aiming for. Essentially LORD is Dungeon when you break it all down, but with even more diversity in its style.

Dungeon, toured with Megadeth, Opeth, Mayhem, Destruction, Doro, Angra, Edguy… the list goes on. LORD has toured with Nightwish, Queensryche, Nevermore, Gamma Ray, Saxon, and lots more as well. They are very fortunate that their profile makes them one of the go-to bands for promoters to choose as a support to international acts that tour there, and getting the opportunity to tour the world with the likes of Megadeth, Queensryche and Edguy who are some of their favorite bands, and play with incredible musicians like Angra and Opeth is just a fantastic experience. They have also had the great honor of collaborating with members of bands like Doro, Dio, Megadeth, The Poodles and Angra. As the band puts it,” It’s amazing thinking back to when you were growing up and seeing posters of these people on your bedroom wall and then one day you find you’re not only just a fan, but you’re now a peer that is either touring or collaborating with them. That’s a pretty amazing feeling!”

It’s a pretty amazing feeling when we listen to their music as well. On A Night Like This is actually a cover of a Kylie Minogue song, believe it or not. It’s one of those wacky ideas that they did semi-seriously and it turned out great, and has since gotten national airplay and tens of thousands of plays on their My Space page. It’s a cool song and a lot of tongue-in-cheek fun.

Rain is one of the more popular songs on the Ascendence album, with a very Queensryche kind of vibe. It’s possibly the most ballad-like song on the album but when it gets to the middle section, it becomes quite heavy. The band says,”  It’s a challenge to play live but very satisfying and I think we’d get lynched if we ever stopped including it in the live set.”

Footsteps in the Sand is another mainstay of their live set. The lyrics are about deja vu and precognition, with a discussion asking if destiny is already mapped out and we’re just following “footsteps in the sand”, or if there are infinite possibilities and paths to follow. The band says,” This song is great to play live because there’s a big Iron Maiden-esque sing along part in the middle that always gets a great reaction.”

Reborn has so much cool stuff in there – dozens of guitars, hundreds (literally) of vocal tracks, orchestras, choirs… you name it – and because it tells the story of the demise of Dungeon and the birth of LORD, it’s very symbolic.

As for Last Rites, the subject matter is fairly thought provoking and it goes through a wide range of movements and themes to tell the story.

One thing everyone says about LORD is that even if they’re not particularly a fan of their style of music, they still enjoy the performance. The band likes to put on a show rather than just standing there and playing their instruments. There’s a lot of crowd interaction, lots of jokes and crazy stage moves. People can see they’re having a great time on stage and not taking some of the stuff they do too seriously, but all the while actually managing to play the complex material they have on their albums.

LORD has the following albums out: A Personal Journey (2003, remastered and re-released in 2005 when LORD became a proper band), Ascendence (2007), Hear No Evil EP (2008) and 2009 will see their new album Set in Stone released. There’s also been a limited edition live album called Live at the Metro (recorded live in late 2006, released 2007). They tend not to count A Personal Journey as a “real” LORD album, although they’re still proud of the material on there and play some of it live, so as far as evolution goes they would say it starts with Ascendence. That in itself was a continuation on from Dungeon’s style and was very much a transitional album between the more straight ahead heavy metal sound Dungeon had into the more adventurous sound that LORD was developing. That continues on into Hear No Evil where there’s more of a blend of elements like thrash and mainstream rock into the core heavy metal sound, and Set in Stone is more diverse again, and the most ambitious project that they’ve done yet in both LORD and Dungeon.

The band is currently putting the finishing touches on their new album, Set in Stone, which should be due out this year. You can expect a couple of video clips and possibly a limited edition DVD sometime this year as well, and then they plan to take a much needed break from writing/recording until 2010 sometime because it’s been absolutely non-stop tour/record/tour/record for the band since it was formed. They’d also like to concentrate on touring and recharging their creativity before they tackle the next one, and given the high mark they are setting themselves with Set in Stone, I think they’re going to have a tough act to follow.

No tour dates in the US yet, unfortunately, but they are working on international dates at the moment. Hopefully that’ll take them to the US sometime in early 2010 if all goes well and their distribution is in place. For all of LORD’S tour dates, the best place to check them out is on their My Space page: http://www.myspace.com/lordaus they’re just about to embark on an Australian and New Zealand tour in a week, and they’re adding more national and international dates as they get confirmed.

You can get LORD (and Dungeon) albums at their online store: http://store.lord.net.au and you can also legally purchase MP3s from the Hear No Evil EP from places like iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc.

Modern Invasion is the Australia label that released A Personal Journey and Ascendence. Soundholic is the label that released Ascendence in Japan. From Hear No Evil onwards, LORD has been and will be released through Dominus Records, which is their own label. They’ve chosen to go that route to give them more control over their product and marketing, and they’re arranging distribution and sub-licensing for territories around the world.

Silas has come to die today, in that ditch by the
meadow, thirteen miles in where the woods wind into
the semi-circle of a dark green grove. With silent
lips by huddled masses, the priest weeps, hungry for
the low lisp of a cricket’s call.

White animal bones, ritually placed under the thick
fog of a winter’s moon, reflect the light of sudden
frost. Oh Magus martyr, sleep! Cernunnos blesses you
with solace as nature holds up her mirror to the wild,
devoted creatures of the night.

Under the arching heavens, odorous trees bring incense
to bonfires inebriating the Kerridge hills, untouched by
the molten blue of morning. Song of Amergin, act of
sacrifice; effaced footprints in the soil, victory is yours!
Rain falls in the warmth of summer.

Here, she dances sky clad among the white-silken
mists and apple blossoms that nearly caress the
night sky. Always indiscriminately, she pours her
heart out to shadowy figures most would find
grotesque, if not for the fragility of a flower, bruised,
with strewn petals.

Small animals, wild for carrot taking, stop to stare
at a cricket waving his antennae in a field of grassy
knoll opposite the wytches’ cottage, where Spirit
begins to scatter droplets of rainwater from the twigs
of bushes, darkened by a Midsummer’s wind.

Often, beneath the waves of a sparrow’s wing,
under towed sunlight gathers with mustard glow over
the rattling of tarantulas’ feet. The wytches’ child,
smells of eucalyptus and burnt necklaces made of shell,
made of bone. Every foe is her friend, and she laughs
as she builds a world of snow.

Silvery tinges of sparkles remain collected, protected, in
the magick of her moment. Violet hues radiate through
clear glass swellings. Between the idea, between the
reality of conception and creation, there is motion. The
casual are less aware, but every now and then I remember
to shake the bubble and dream!

PaganPages: Who are the members of your band?

Saira B.: It’s just me.

PP: Where were you born and raised?

SB: South Bend, Indiana

PP: Can you tell us about your childhood, parents, siblings, and surroundings?

SB: I really don’t talk about my childhood…. Let’s just say, it influenced the way I am today.

PP: What instruments do you play?

SB:  I dabble with playing instruments… When I was younger, I played piano.

Tried guitar (acoustic)

PP: When did you start to have an appreciation for music? What age?

SB: Ever since I can remember. Always. I was always singing.

PP: What was the culminating point in your life where you decided that music was something you wanted to make a career out of?

SB: It’s all I’ve EVER wanted to do.

PP: Who gave you your first musical instrument and what was it? What age did you start singing and writing?

SB: I was given a guitar at age 12… I’ve been singing as long as I can remember.
When I was younger, my sis & I would sing for people (neighbors) for a quarter…. lol

PP: What spiritual path or spiritual belief system/religion were you raised as?

SB: I was FORCED into church my whole life…. I didn’t appreciate it, other peoples beliefs forced on me constantly. I do not attend church of any sort now…

PP: Did you take musical lessons as a child or is the ability that you have self-taught?

SB: I can say I taught myself, because I did. I would listen to songs on the radio, and do what they did… I could do everything they did and more… I always knew it was what I was meant to do. I also was in choir all through school…. I was, and still am obsessed with everything music related.

PP: What other bands or musical groups were you in before?

SB: I was never in any music groups. I’ve always been known as a great vocalist around town…
I did ‘hooks’ for other artists (and whatever other vocals they needed). I was always wanting to record a song that was all my own…

PP: How did you meet the musical artists that have influenced your music and career as well as your writing?

SB: I have yet for that…. I am influenced by ‘life’ & ‘feelings’ — not people directly.

PP: Whose idea was it to form the band we all know of today as Saira B.?

SB: Me. It’s always been formed in my mind…. just didn’t have the means to make it a reality.

PP: What influences do you personally bring to the band?

SB: Hopefully, the influence of Darkness.

PP: Who were your musical idols growing up?

SB: So many… Sade, TLC, Mariah Carey, Jewel, Sarah McLaughlin, Destiny’s Child, Toni Braxton, Brandy. No Doubt there are so many… I could go on & on…

PP: What other bands do you admire now?

SB: Beyonce, Cradle Of Filth, Keri Hilson, Draconian, Razed In Black, BrokenCyde, 3oh!3
All Kinds of Dark & Crunk S!#*!

PP: How would you describe the music you make and the lyrics you write?

SB: They need to be heard… I have a dark message for everyone… I have ‘twisted’ love songs bleeding through the pages… I have visions of a dark ‘Dream’ That I know as A ‘Reality’…
The whole world will be black…. inside & out*

PP: Is Saira B. your real name or a stage name?

SB: Saira B. is my real name. My last name begins with a B.

PP: What other bands/musical artists have you collaborated with/toured with/played with/opened for? Tell us about those experiences.

SB: I haven’t toured yet. I will eventually.

ists I’ve DONE SONGS WITH…

KRUSHO

Rob of Necrodemon

Steve Dickson (Signal)

Bryon DeVolder

Crook & F-5ive

So Many in South Bend & Mishawaka…

If I didn’t remember your name…it’s probably because you f*%$#@ me over in one-way or another. (Let’s just say I’ve done lots of recordings that I don’t even have a copy of…let alone get credit for)…

PP: Let’s talk about 6 of your songs: Your picks although my favorites are Secrets and Spun. Tell us about each of these songs.

SB: Secrets— A song about… Obsessing over someone…. Forever… Willing to play a deadly game, just to prove a point to the one you ‘LOVE’ so much…

Spun— Wanting to be with someone… no matter the cost… The past is irrelevant… being away from them is torture… Intoxicated— The feeling you get when your ‘in love’… it consumes you & makes your heart dance…

Surreal — Very intense feeling. Sadness & longing to die with the one you ‘love’… In Death, nothing can touch the two.

Thugged Down — More of a ‘need’ for short-term closeness…A past and present friendship…. unspoken, unbreakable bond.

Endless — A song about power, regret, revenge, hatred…. and a f*%$#@ up ending.

PP: Do you have a personal favorite song? If so which one is it and why?

SB: My Personal favorite is ‘Secrets’—- I’m all about insane S!@#…. revenge & stalking…who said it was over? Do you believe them? Do you believe yourself??? Why???? Reality Hurtzzz…

PP: What can one expect to find when we see you perform live?

SB: When the time is right… Sooner before later…

PP: Can you tell us a bit about your cd’s and DVDs’ special projects or endeavors etc.?

SB: My first cd… Darkness Falls, will be out SOON! Also an ‘X’ Record’s compilation album featuring 2 songs from each of their artists.

PP: How do you see yourself evolving as an artist?

SB: I want to touch everyone. I claim no genre. No Boundaries here. I want to spread darkness across the world & beyond. I want to work with some of my fave producers & such… TimBalAnD would be just fine (can we say, top spot?)!!

PP: What special projects, new releases can we expect to find from you in the near future?

SB: My Album…. Darkness Falls, The ‘X’ RECORDS compilation album. Lots of collabs!

PP: Any tour dates your fans should be made aware of? What are your latest tour dates?

SB: None as Of Right Now… Eventually…yes!

PP: Please give us links for ordering your cd’s and dvd’s etc. and for any other special projects that you would like our readers to know about.

SB: My first CD will be available soon through X Records: www.xrecords.biz. All of my music will also be available on all the digital download sites. For now everyone can simply visit:
www.myspace.com/sairabmusic

PP: Do you think an artist should play it safe of push the envelope? Why? And are you signed to a major record label yet? What is your present record label? Tell us about it.

SB: I was recently signed to ‘X’ RECORDS (October). I say be yourself…. Whatever that entails… Really…. never change for ANYONE, NO MATTER WHAT.

Thank you for the great interview, Saira.

Break; break from the remorse of dawn, the stain
of guilt that makes clock hands stick with savage servility
behind star drifts of forgotten connections. You’re my
beautiful ransom in this bubble of metaphysics that
makes my heart beat faster and faster with the simple
devotion of your manic passion.

Break; break from those that hate, slithering as eels,
inside the grief of your soul. Dance! Dance upon the
pseudo rhetoric of their squall heads as you weep
for violets and blue forget-me-nots. There’s a river that
ebbs and flows beneath the gangrene of your feet.
Let Earth rain as a soft voice calls you from afar.

A Wicca hand is typing these lines, waiting for your eyes
to take on the journey!