Band Members:

• Sifu Stephen Doe

Record Label

• Independant

Sifu Stephen Doe is a guitar virtuoso originally from Springfield, now in Manchester, who has a penchant for martial arts and music. He has little time for bands that he thinks are losing their touch, and even less time for manufactured musicians. I spoke to him about what he has been working on recently.

Pharmer4: Let's get the simple stuff out of the way first. Who would you include as your predecessors; which bands inspired you to make the music you do?

Sifu Stephen Doe: Andres Segovia, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Allan Holdworth, Al Di Meola, Stevie Ray Vaughn and George Lynch.

P4: Who would you class as your contempories; bands that you see as your equals in the current scene?

SSD: Steve Vai, John Petruchi

P4: Who would you like to tour with?

SSD: Dream Theater, G3, Stariani, Paul Gilbert

P4: Which bands would you just as soon see disappear altogether?

SSD: Metallica

P4: Interesting. Why would you want to see Metallica end? Is it their style, do you think they are past their prime, is it something else?

SSD: I would want to see Metallica end because they are not up to the new standards of metal out there.

P4: Any others, or just them?

SSD: No there are not any others really. (anyone from American Idol LOL)

P4: Which sub-genre of metal would you class yourself as?

SSD: Progressive Metal

P4: Tell me about your background.

Wu Shu
Wing Chun
Southern Lotus
Black Dragon
Monkey
Northern Panther
Shoalin Long fist
Tiger
Tiger Claw
Dragon tail
Hopkkido
Show lin
Pakua
Mui thai
Judo
Jujitsu
Brazilian jujitsu
Praying mantis

Eagle Claw
Dim Mak
Savatte
Gendo Ri
Gao sum lau
Crane Wing Style
Leung Tao So
Jeet Kune Do
Ninjitsu

Akkido this I one will be working on for the rest of my life.

P4: How does your training in martial arts affect you approach to your music?

SSD: Training in martial arts affects my approach to my music by: discipline, focus, seeing outside the box, nonconformity but fitting anywhere.

P4: Does it give you the discipline to play all the music yourself, or does that come from somewhere else?

SS: It gives me mostly the freedom to truly selfexpress. I can make it my way no rules except those I apply.

P4: Tell me about where you are from

SSD: I am a Native of Springfield, MA USA. I now reside in Manchester, NH USA.

P4: What is you local scene like - are you one amongst many, or a lone torch bearer for Metal?

SSD: I am more like a lone torch bearer for Progressive Metal in the State of New Hampshire. Most of the groups tend to be Thrash or ScreamO metal young kids.

P4: What do you want to achieve with your music; a way to avoid mundane employment; notoriety amongst metal fans, or world domination?

SSD: I would like to not only achieve notoriety among metal fans but avoid the mundane employment all together and give total focus to the music!

P4: Do you still have a day job?

SSD: Yes, I work during most of the year at hardscape landscaping. In the cold winter months I plow/sand/salt.

P4: What have been your musical highlights so far?

SSD: The New York International Music Festival officially selected me to represent the state of New Hampshire in which I performed live at the Cutting Room to select A&R representatives. I have appeared in a range of venues from the Southern New England area (The Wolfs Den , Hounds Head, and Sylvester's) to performances in California (The Troubador, & Gazzaris, both from West Hollywood, CA).

I was described as a "Genius by Virtuosity" in the February/March edition of Guitar Nine Records magazine. "His electrifying techniques used in his tempos and transitional key changes make these energetic pieces a clever gift for the trained ear".

P4: Any lowlights?

SSD: The lowlight is not having the means to do the studio time or be able do music for a living.

P4: What albums can you not live without?

SSD: Dream Theater-Screams from a memory, Pink Floyd-The Wall, Enio Marcone- Anything by him

P4: What are you current tour plans?

SSD: Working on some plans with several other groups of musicians to do a tour hopefully next year!

P4: What other styles will the other musicians be – in the rock/metal field, or into other areas such as jazz/blues etc?

SSD: Some of the styles of the other musicians that I will be touring with next year are: instrumental guitar, some native american styles, hip hop, rock, metal. It will be very cool.

P4: And how about studio plans?

SSD: I have no plans at this time for studio time. I am willing to take offers.

P4: When do you expect we'll be seeing the next album?

SSD: The next album could be expected to come out 2008 give or take

P4: Thanks for you time.

SSD: Thanks for hooking me up! Best Regards, Sifu Stephen Doe

Playing With Time

1 Awakening
2 Breathe
3 Questions
4 Con-fusion
5 Hidden Time
6 My Self Reflection
7 Strat-o-spheric