For Canada's The Metal Voice Former Singer of Anthrax, Neil Turbin (Deathriders) caught up with guitarist Herman Li of Dragonforce at this years NAMM SHOW 2017 in Anaheim California.
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When asked why he comes across as rude to some people "As musicians were are suppose to express ourselves with the truth though our music. I've been told that I'm rude, I Don't think so, I'm just open. I'm born in Hong Kong live in the UK I'm from a different culture." When asked about the new Dragonforce Album and tour "We haven't been posting anything but we have been working on a new album, which is almost done, we are putting the final touches and will come out in Spring and we have one show confirmed in Chicago. " When asked who are some of his guitar influences growing up "I can't relate to anything after Nirvana/ Grunge came out. I like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, George Lynch, Michael Angelo Batio so many of those guys, so amazing and it's hard to find a guitar players that good coming out in the last 10 years. When I was learning to play guitar it was all grunge, so I went back and listened to the 80's stuff I wasn't cool. So in a way grunge music did a favour for Dragonforce because it wiped out all the competition for us because people said, hey you guys play guitar solos." When asked about bands stage shows "I don't really want to pretend to be miserable after working to make an album and just standing on the stage, not moving like I don't want to be there. Let's have some fun, I'm not going to look sad, I'm just having a laugh. I like bands who stand still and play but that's different they are usually incredible musicians that play difficult stuff. I do enjoy some of the bands like Baby Metal a different kind of music, J Pop, big production so I enjoy those too. It's either full action or the serious musician." When asked if he plays 7 string guitar "I have a seven string for certain songs but the six string got a certain sound, it's got a classic sound or rock metal that the 7 string can never replace. I prefer 6 string, I prefer standard tuning I'm not really a down tuning guy" When asked what his favorite album in 2016 "I really like the new Dream Theater album the last one they cameo out with, The Astonishing. I thought that was grea,t I see people writing shit on the Internet about that tour. I thought that was the best shows I have ever seen from Dream Theater, since 1995." When asked if there was anything at the NAMM SHOW 2017 that was exciting for him "Seeing my friends is great, friends from Europe that I don't get to see all the time . I really enjoy seeing certain guitars, I like seeing those yellow guitars,I saw the Steve Vai re-issue. I remember wanting one when I was a teenager but could never afford it. " When asked about his Ibanez signature guitar "My guitar signature model is exactly the same, the one I play is the one in the shop. it's ibanez EGEN, it's called Egen cause I am not cool enough to put my name on the guitar that people want to buy, Egen, stands for electric generation. I have a purple colour and i have an orange I don't have a black one." Thunder 'Rip It Up' Album Review w/ Neil Turbin (Deathriders) David Reece (Sainted Sinners)