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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n by Dan Skiba
\u2014 Columnist \u2014 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
HARD ROCK HAVEN (HRH) caught up with VICKY STARR (VS), founder and vocalist for the up-and-coming band SIGNAL 13 to discuss their debut EP and recently released video. Here\u2019s what VS had to say \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Signal 13 is an odd name for a Hard Rock band \u2026 is there a story behind it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: We have family and friends in the military and in law enforcement, and \u201cSignal 13\u201d is a code call meaning \u201cOfficer In Trouble\u201d \u2026 so we wanted to dedicate the band towards supporting all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Your Website (Signal13Band.com) makes an interesting statement \u2026 \u201cRock & Roll with all the attitude, swagger, and energy surrounding it\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: We\u2019ve been seeing a resurgence for \u201880s style Hard Rock and Metal. When we put the band together, we wanted to keep it fun \u2026 like it was in the \u201880s \u2026 but with an underlying rhythm that would make especially women want to dance. We feel our playing style has grit and an unpolished sound and that our attitude towards how to entertain comes across exactly as we feel with high energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Where is Signal 13 from and when did the band form?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: We are from the greater Baltimore, Maryland area \u2026 a blue collar area of the state. We formed the band originally in 2017, then changed the line-up in 2019. I really wanted to focus on writing original music, and the line-up change was necessary to get everyone on the same page and to ensure that all members would be dedicated to contributing ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: In April 2020 you released Destination Unknown, which is a 5-song EP. Was writing and recording what you expected?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: I was responsible for the lyrics, but everyone made contributions and it was a team effort. The middle-class industrial environment we were raised in and live in was largely responsible for the ideas behind song topics and the messages I was trying to convey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: What is behind the album title, Destination Unknown?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: We\u2019ve had success and enthusiastic crowds whenever we play \u2013 mostly along the Atlantic Seaboard States \u2013 so we wanted to get something together that we could market, advertise, and sell to see if what we do has a greater appeal. We\u2019ll see what happens now. But Destination Unknown is just that \u2026 we really don\u2019t know what will happen to us as a band. With the Covid-19 Pandemic, everything has changed. We haven\u2019t been able to play a gig since March 2020, so basically we\u2019re going with the flow, hoping for the best, and we\u2019ll take advantage of opportunities that come our way. You\u2019ll notice the angel on the front and back cover \u2026 on one side she\u2019s alert and robust \u2026 on the other side she looks spent. That\u2019s how we view ourselves \u2026 plenty of energy and excitement, and we\u2019re willing to give Signal 13 and success our full effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Signal 13 came out with it\u2019s first video for the song \u201cDirty\u201d. Why did you choose this song?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: \u201cDirty\u201d is about working hard \u2026 getting your hands dirty \u2026 blue collar work. So we shot the video in an old factory warehouse in the Baltimore area that had originally been erected in the 1800\u2019s. It\u2019s still in use, which was important to us, and we felt the rough and rusty look fit right in line with the theme of the song \u201cDirty\u201d. We included some pyrotechnics and special camera effects that we think are pretty cool and help capture our energy in a live setting. We\u2019re very happy with how it turned out and hope music fans will check it out on our Signal13Band.com Website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: What ended up motivating the other 4 tracks on the EP?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: Lyrical writing is something I really enjoy \u2026 and I was surprised how ideas from everyday life motivated me to write lyrics once I was in the mode to do so. One track, \u201cMake It Rain\u201d, was motivated by a local strip club \u2026 another called \u201cStay With Me\u201d was about losing a son or daughter to a drug overdose. Both of these songs are based on real experiences that I\u2019ve encountered and that have been encountered by people close to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Destination Unknown ends with a track entitled \u201cAll Fired Up\u201d. The musical approach is different than the others on this EP \u2026 why the switch?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: I\u2019ve always loved Blues-Based Hard Rock, so we wrote \u201cAll Fired Up\u201d as a bit of a change-up to end the EP. I love Blues grooves, and the message in this song is that you have to have passion one way or another \u2026 you can\u2019t stand or get lost in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HRH: Is there a final message you\u2019d like to convey to HRH readers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
VS: We hope you\u2019ll check us out at Signal13Band.com and watch the video. If you like what you hear, pick up a copy of our CD and spend some time with it. Get to know it. Enjoy it! We\u2019d love to hear from people from throughout the country to know what they think of Destination Unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visit the band’s official website: https:\/\/signal13band.com\/<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"