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If you thought the sounds of the 70s were over (as well as the look!) then think again cos Sarasin AD, featuring legendary Canadian vocalist have recently released their debut that pretty much defines that era - and all without trying!

-Shan Siva

Greetings Phil, I knew your name rang a bell (having been into Talas and Coney Hatch) but it was only when I looked thru my albums that it clicked who you were!! Ok, having searched around a bit (and maybe been unlucky), why is there so little information on Sarasin AD given it's been going since 1983?!

Sarasin was an on again / off again band that had been going on for several years between Greg Boileaux and Roger Banks. Involvements with other projects was always putting Sarasin on ice. I joined the band in 2007 when another attempt to dust off the cobwebs came to their mind.

Is Sarasin AD not really a 'band' as such but a project between other bands or projects?

I would definitely have to say we're a band. Although we are involved with other tasks within the music industry, We want to focus our energies toward Sarasin and make a go of it.

Besides your latest release how many releases has the band made?

Regarding Sarasin, this is our first CD. As for myself, I have released several discs as a solo artist and with other bands.

To me, what really made Sarasin AD stand out was this classic 70s hard rock sound, very raw in places (but that's how like it!) so was there conscious decision to bring back the 70s (well, maybe not perms and bellbottoms!)?

No, but we are heavily influenced by many bands from that era. The pioneers of Hard Rock such as Montrose, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Alice Cooper in particular. By the way Shan, what have you got against bell-bottoms? LOL.

The one thing I did read about the band was that the critics didn't like you so why is that?

Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one. Besides, what do critics know about music? My concern is the fans and only the fans. As long as they buy our discs and come to our shows I'm happy. Their opinion matters to me, not the critics.

What does the band's name mean?

You should ask Greg this question. After all he's the one who came up with it years before I even met him!

How and why did you put together the band (and is it actually your own band)?

I used to be in a band with Greg and Roger quite a while back called Last Stand. We later changed the name to Empire in 1990 and won the Q107 Homegrown contest later that year. ( Same competition which launched Honeymoon Suite's career a few years before.) They needed a singer and I didn't hesitate to say yes when they asked me.

You've been in the business a long time so what would you say are the key differences that you notice between hard rock / metal (both in terms of the music and the industry) between over the decades from the 70s to the 80s to the 90s to nowadays.

Most of these bands have always looked and sounded the same. Clones. The big hair of the 80's may be gone along with the spandex and synthesizers, But the Clone effect in terms of sound and fashion have adjusted with each passing decade.

You've got an impressive resume in terms of the people who you've worked with over the years so were you brought in as a session vocalist (and songwriter) or did you just evolve naturally from one project to another?

I've been very fortunate to work with many outstanding musicians who were blessed with a God given talent in terms of writing songs and performing live. Being around them has only enhanced my own skills, and I'm very grateful for that.

I gotta say when I looked at the list of people who you worked with - given some of their reputations - was it also down to your personality being able to fit in with them not withstanding your obviously outstanding voice?

It all comes down to chemistry. Whether you're working with the humble guy next door or a million dollar ego, Chemistry goes a long way and it will always be the deciding factor as to whether it was meant to be or not.