DragonForce: From Guitar Hero to World Domination

I am pleased to welcome Herman Li to Magazine-X.  There just aren’t anymore guitar heroes left in the world. There are maybe five or six, and I’m more than happy to have Li defending the faith.  Love them or hate them, you know DragonForce just can’t be touched right now no one is making music like that anymore or even playing riffs like that for that matter.  Enjoy the interview!
-Frank X!

Ultra Beatdown is an extremely fast and intricate metal opus. Did you accomplish all you wanted to on the record?
Yeah, pretty much it took a good snapshot of where we were at that time.  So we for sure were happy when we finished it.

I saw that you used an 8 string on some of the parts on the album, how was that experience?
It was interesting. We just wanted to try a different dynamic, so we used it in different parts. It wasn’t a dominating part of the record or anything, but definitely a new experience.

What can you tell us about “Heroes of Our Time?”
It was received well!  We also put it as part of the Guitar Hero III DragonForce download pack which helped.  And on top of that we received a grammy nomination for that. It’s a very good dynamic Dragonforce song it goes from fast to melodic to lightning fast and back to melodic.

Which is your favorite solo to play?
Um, it’s really hard to say. I’ve done so many.  Sometimes I really like to play a slow one like in a ballad, or a really fast one like “Through the Fire and the Flames.” It really just depends my mood. Really it does.

Favorite Guitar to play?
My own signature E-Gen from Ibanez. It took many years of playing and experience to find something that I really enjoyed playing, but this was definitely the right one for me.

What is your favorite piece of gear?
Definitely my guitar. Simply put, you can’t play an amp or mess with a pedal without a GUITAR!

How did you feel when Ibanez made you a signature model?
It was always a childhood dream I had. It really came as a big surprise to me because I never expected it at all.  But it’s going well and selling even better so I’m happy with that.

What are some of the features of your guitar that cannot be found on another?
One thing is the setup on the bridge. It’s built for speed and for whammy tricks. Another thing is the body. It’s a special size and weight.  It’s also extra slim which make it easy to hit the really high frets.  And lastly the pickup system; the pickups are custom built to fit the body and gives you and amazing nine options for tones! Yup yup! really cool!

What was your first thought about being asked by Guitar Hero III for “Through the Fire and the Flames?”
I thought it was really cool because I had played it before I had it on Playstation 2 and thought cool why not!? Sounds good! It was definitely awesome to be a part of that.

It’s the hardest track in the history of the GH franchise, correct?
Well sort of. The download pack wasn’t much easier.  At all.

Do you feel this has helped your career? and how?
It definitely helped. I mean, it wasn’t going to  make or break us but everything definitely helps.  When we were approached by Activision, we already had 4 albums out and had toured the world more than I can count on my fingers.  So we were already pretty established but it did help push us a bit more.

Can you pass “Through the Fire and the Flames” on Guitar Hero III?
I absolutely can beat on easy for sure, but as far as hard or expert no way. Plus I have no time to just sit there and practice at it.

Is there any video game influence in your music at all or is that just something people mention because of the sound?
We definitely do have some influences drawn from video games but not as much as some people say. We’re definitely not video game metal. music, We just like to take little parts of electronic melody and parts we like as inspiration and incorporate it into the melody and what not.

You are considered a modern Guitar Hero. Who were some of your guitar heroes growing up?
I like lots of them! You can’t really peg it down to like three and build from there. But to name a few Satriani, Vai, Malmstein, Eddie Van Halen, and Bryan Adams’ Guitarist.

How did it feel to be nominated for a
Grammy?
That was weird!  We certainly never expected it. I never thought about it once in my life.  Someone called me up and said I was nominated, I just kind of laughed at him and said, “What are you talking about?”

What made you want to do a sam ash clinic?
Well, they asked me and I said, “Hey, why not?” It’s actually a challenge. I can play on stage and never be nervous, but during clinics it’s a lot harder to play perfect in front of people just sitting there. It’s cool to play and teach younger guitarist new things and show them how to get better, so it’s really cool.

What advice would you offer young guitarists?
I think somehow you really have to teach yourself. It takes time and dedication to get really good at it. You have to kind of choose what you want, just practice and decide, “Yes, I want to do this” or not, and really record and practice with a metronome.

Do you enjoy teaching as much as just playing?
Yeah, I guess. I enjoy both. It’s something totally different every time. Any kind of art, you have to go to the beginning to get better and reach a higher level.

What is the chemistry like in DragonForce?
It’s definitely fun. We’re a band that likes to do what we lik. As long as we play the songs properly, we have fun.  It’s great to say, “Wow, that dance move I did there was really stupid,” but then you look up at your band mate and say, “Now that’s INCREDIBLY STUPID!”  But not in the studio. No stupids in the studio!

Who are some of your current favorite bands?
I don’t really have any favorites. Mostly progressive stuff like Dream Theater, Symphony X or some hard rock stuff like Journey.

Typing DragonForce on YouTube.com many videos come up. Of all of them which has been your favorite you have seen?
I recently saw an acapella of “Through the Fire and the Flames” done by a high school choir acapella. It was very interesting. They even sang the solo!

What can we expect from DragonForce in 2009?
Really just a lot of touring.  Everyone needs to come see us on this tour. It’s definitely an explosive show. We have Cynic out with us, which is a newer progressive metal band, and Daath, who is just crushing progressive death metal.