{"id":69011,"date":"2020-12-13T16:52:17","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T21:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=69011"},"modified":"2020-12-13T16:52:19","modified_gmt":"2020-12-13T21:52:19","slug":"interview-with-jon-siejka-of-magic-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2020\/interview-with-jon-siejka-of-magic-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon Siejka of Magic Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Alexandra Mrozowska
\u2014 Senior Columnist \u2014<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

More or less fifteen years ago journos and fans alike started to talk about a \u201cnew wave\u201d of Glam and Sleaze Metal, some with hopes of bringing the \u201880s inspiration back to mainstream music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This scene is still strong today, and certainly not that much of a \u201cwasted generation\u201d Crazy Lixx and Crashd\u00efet declared it to be in the mid-2000s. But now the hopes of the \u201880s vibe seeping into the mainstream seem to be directed elsewhere. These days, the potential seems to be in a genre called Synthwave \u2013 its unabashedly \u201880s roots, strong nostalgia factor and electronic sound that\u2019s perhaps more palatable for a modern day listener than Cr\u00fce-esque guitar riffs and thunderous drum rolls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It already infiltrates the mainstream \u2013 with acts such as Miley Cyrus and The Weeknd \u2013 but also continues to inspire side projects by Melodic Hard Rock artists of the younger generation, from Erik Modin of Wildness to Michael Palace of Palace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the question is, does it work the other way around as well? Can an artist go from Synthwave to AOR\/Melodic Rock, thus proving the potential of bringing the \u201880s spirit back into popular music…? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything Jon Siejka, the mastermind behind the Long Island, NY-based act Magic Dance, created to this day seems to confirm this. His new album Remnants<\/em>, out this December via Frontiers Music SRL, is filled with pure \u201880s AOR\/Melodic Rock \u2013 whereas Synthwave is actually what he started from. What\u2019s prompted this kind of transition and how do an artist\u2019s Synthwave and Pop sensibilities translate into Melodic Rock…? Hardrock Haven caught up with Jon to find out that and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Remnants<\/em> is Magic Dance\u2019s fourth album so far and the second released via Frontiers Music SRL. Does it differ from the previous offering New Eyes<\/em>, or is it perhaps more of a continuation of the formula you embarked on previously?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: This new album sees me experimenting with darker lyrical themes. It\u2019s a meditation on the inevitability of death and how that knowledge can motivate you to live a more authentic life.  As the album progresses, the songs get lighter and more melodic, finally ending with a return to my older style of Synthwave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Whereas at least a few AOR\/Melodic Rock musicians \u2013 especially those of the younger generation \u2013 have their Synthwave side projects, I believe Magic Dance actually started as a Synthpop\/Synthwave project…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: That\u2019s right, back in 2012 I was doing a purely synth-based sound. I was a guitar player for years previously. It occurred to me somewhere around 2015 that it would be cool to incorporate some of that. That was also the time I discovered AOR. Melodic Rock to me is essentially Pop music with distortion guitars. Most AOR songs I hear are written using traditional Pop structures and are highly melodic. So, it\u2019s not such a stretch between the three genres. Synthwave has more linear or looping structures but the melody is definitely there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Synthwave becoming more and more popular now, what do you think makes it so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: I\u2019ve been out of that game so long it\u2019s hard for me to answer. If I were to guess, I would say the fact that it was able to translate out of the artists\u2019 basements and home studios and into live venues. Instrumental Synthwave is also great music to put on in the background while driving or working, which is probably boosting the streaming numbers. I think the Metal scene has helped too, being a big supporter of it, especially the darksynth stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: You declare to have discovered AOR music not so long ago. Do you think it translates into the fresh approach you have to your own music now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: It\u2019s funny how the Internet has leveled everything, even time. I was super inspired when I discovered AOR. It didn\u2019t have to be 1986 for me to understand it and get excited about it. I think what I\u2019m doing is incorporating some Synthwave elements. It\u2019s more of a hybrid style and has less of a hard rock edge. If it were the 80s, I guess they\u2019d call it Hi-Tech AOR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: The genre of AOR spawned some big names for sure, but also many obscure bands and artists. Out of these less-known, which band or artist is your favorite and why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: Diving deep into AOR made me appreciate the fact that just because a band didn\u2019t \u201cmake it\u201d doesn\u2019t mean that their songs were any less impactful. I\u2019ve said this in a bunch of interviews but the American AOR bands Fortune, White Sister and Icon were a huge influence on me. I don\u2019t think Magic Dance sounds like any of those bands, but that\u2019s the source I originally tapped into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: How did the songwriting and recording process for Remnants look like and was it any different than before? And how did you hook up with each of the musicians involved in the recordings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: Same as usual, in my little bedroom studio. Writing riffs, working out the production on my computer. Other than a couple of gear upgrades, the process has remained largely the same. Some guest musicians are friends that I\u2019ve known for years, like Kevin Krug who helped me out with the demoing process. Many I found online, Tim Mackey and Stelios Andre specifically through YouTube. I know when someone has the gift for melody and an expressive guitar style. So those guys were a natural fit for the music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: You claim you\u2019re inspired not only by the \u201880s music but also the movies and entire culture of the era. What do you find so appealing about it? Can you recall a single \u201880s movie, cartoon, music video or other visual that made a lasting impression on you? Or an \u201880s movie soundtrack perhaps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: It\u2019s difficult to describe. Part of it must be nostalgia. The decade seemed to be over the top and theatrical and idealistic. And there was a magic to it that you only get when you risk being cheesy. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll see that level of sincerity in culture ever again. And I still remember the scene in \u201cPee-wee\u2019s Big Adventure\u201d when he\u2019s being chased through the movie lot and runs past Twisted Sister. I remember watching that on VHS really, really young and rewinding it over and over. I thought they were the coolest looking people ever. And the most inspiring soundtrack was the one to Rocky IV<\/em>. One of the best collection of AOR \u201cmontage rock\u201d songs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: One of your previous albums, 2016\u2019s Vanishings<\/em>, was released in a cassette format. What do you think prompted the revival of the format? And what\u2019s your personal favorite format when you listen to music?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: It\u2019s a cool little physical item to sell to people. It taps into nostalgia and the desire for people to collect memorabilia. Usually, it\u2019s limited edition which makes it even more appealing. It comes off as a personal item rather than a mass production run of CDs. My favorite format is streaming because of the convenience. Though I\u2019ve been getting more and more into 7digital and supporting artists that way. The difference in quality is obvious but you can\u2019t beat the convenience of streaming. I listen to a ton of music and various genres so Spotify is a must for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Having released your second album for Frontiers Music SRL, what do you think are the pros and cons of it, especially in comparison to independent work you pursued earlier on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: They are putting me in front of people and in magazines\/websites\/shops that I would not have otherwise been. Being an independent musician is tough as all responsibilities fall on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Absolutely. What are your plans as far as promoting Remnants<\/em> is concerned?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: The typical social media stuff. A few YouTube videos planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardrock Haven: Is there anything you\u2019d like to add in the end?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Siejka: Thanks for the opportunity and I really enjoyed these questions!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Alexandra Mrozowska\u2014 Senior Columnist \u2014 More or less fifteen years ago journos and fans alike started to talk about a \u201cnew wave\u201d of Glam and Sleaze Metal, some with hopes of bringing the \u201880s […]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":69015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[203,15243,15244],"class_list":{"0":"post-69011","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-interviews-recent","8":"tag-interview","9":"tag-jon-siejka","10":"tag-magic-dance"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}