Losing a bandmate is an undeniable tragedy. Lady Rage founder and singer Siren Sycho may have passed just when things were starting to happen for her and the band, but her legacy and influence on the scene she loved are unmistakable. Here, guitarist and close friend Nika bravely talks about those darkest of times that followed, coping with such an unbearable loss, and how she hopes a new yearly event, Sirenfest, will help keep her name alive.
We need to talk about the very sad loss of your friend Siren and what came after. It was a huge shock, wasn’t it?
“It was truly devastating for all of us. She was one of my best friends. We were talking every day, texting every day and making plans about the band. We were talking about what we were going to do next and how we were going to conquer the world. We also talked about our lives and everything. She was a really big part of my life. We lost her when things were starting to get exciting. We had so many plans and were climbing that ladder. We lost a really good friend and a bandmate who had such a bright future. You never expect to lose someone this close so fast. Overnight, everything changed. That’s the saddest part, that there was so much waiting for her in the future. She didn’t have enough time to make her dreams come true, and she would have – she could make things happen, make the impossible possible.”
She wouldn’t take no for an answer, would she?
“No! Absolutely not. She had all these insane ideas, and she was able to drag people with her. She was an inspiration for all of us. I learned so much from her, and I’m really grateful that she was my friend and that I got to work with her. I’ll be grateful for that forever. She was a proper rebel.”
There was a tribute gig back in June. How did that go and what was the mood like?
“It was really nice. We had music, we had tears obviously as well. It was a roller coaster of emotions. We had laughs as well, remembering all the crazy stories. Remembering some of the ridiculous things Sophie (Siren) did in the past. Loads of people came from different parts of her life. Seeing that room full of people reminded me of how many lives she touched. It felt like how we wanted it to feel, a celebration of her life.”
You’re also planning an event on October 10th called Sirenfest at the FaceBar in Reading. Who have you got playing that? And is this a one-off or are you aiming to run this annually?
“The idea of this event is to keep her name alive for years to come. So, we are planning to do it as a yearly event and to keep building on it. She deserves it; I don’t want her to be just a memory. I think it’s a really good thing to do. I’m really excited about it. This year we have Stripknot, SNM, Hag Reflex, Mel Quinn and Catfight playing. We’ll have some other surprises too that I can’t talk about right now. There will be more announcements on the Lady Rage socials.”
You’re keeping the Lady Rage socials open to engage with fans, is that right?
“Yes, that’s the idea. For now, and then just see what happens. It’s really difficult for us, and we just need some time and space to process. I honestly haven’t processed it yet, and I’m not sure that I’ll ever get over it. For now, I am hoping Sirenfest will be something people will genuinely look forward to in the future.”
On a more personal level, are you looking at any other musical projects, or is it too soon?
“I needed some time after losing my friend. I am trying to keep myself busy because it’s a part of how I deal with difficult situations, and for me music is the best medicine. I keep practising, and I’m writing some stuff and working on other projects behind the scenes as well. I’m teaching guitar as well. I’m just trying to take everything one step at a time.”
We’re sat talking during Rebellion Festival, and it’s a bit of a strange one because while you’re a metal shredding style guitarist, the punks have really taken to you and made you one of their own too. Do you find that strange?
“Yeah, it’s crazy! But punks and metalheads have much more in common than you’d think. Both genres have the same attitude about not giving a fuck about what others think. I was always interested in heavy music. With Lady Rage, we were never trying to write music to be a punk band or a metal band. I think we were a nice crossover. I think people resonate more with authenticity than labelling.”
What are your future plans looking further ahead?
“I want to get better as a guitarist and work on my technique. There’s always something new to learn. I want to keep on teaching. I also want to take on other projects as well in the future.”
Remembering Siren, have you got any stories or crazy stuff you’d like to share with us?
“A lot of crazy things happened on tour, and the thing is she was posting everything. The two toilets, though. I woke up the next morning and was like, oh my god, no, why is this online? There is a photo of me sitting on a toilet online. There were two toilets next to each other in a room, and she posted a picture.”
Why did they have two toilets next to each other though?
“I don’t know. You could actually hold hands. They were next to each other, and I was like, what’s going on here.”
A lot of people reached out to the band after her passing. Have you got anything you’d like to say to them?
“The only thing I want to say is thank you for reaching out. Thank you for supporting us. There were so many that reached out. We felt your support, and it helped us get through those difficult moments. It was really nice to see how much love there was for Sophie. People really loved her. We miss her so much, but she will be remembered.”
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Words & Photos by Gary Trueman