Hammer of the Broads rocks the sandbox

Photo By Sgt. Glen Baker | Dyna Shirasaki, lead singer for the all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band, Hammer of the Broads, holds a Marine’s hand while singing, as Tina Wood plays lead guitar during the band’s performance, Sept. 11, at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IRAQ

09.11.2010

Story by Spc. Glen Baker 

224th Sustainment Brigade

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq— The all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band, Hammer of the Broads, rocked the Adder Commons stage near Memorial Hall during a concert held, Sept. 11, at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.

Hammer of the Broads is made up of lead singer Dyna Shirasaki, lead guitarist Tina Wood, bassist Andrea Zermeno, and drummer Nikki Lane Taylor. All four band members are Los Angeles natives (or as Zermeno says, “La-la land!”).

The band described what performing their music for the Soldiers meant to them.

“It’s a little thing that we can do and give back and say thanks for everything that [the soldiers] do,” said Shirasaki. “After doing a number of these tours, you realize how difficult it is and how much they have to sacrifice in order to do what they do, and they do it for the love of their country. We really want to show our appreciation, so we come out and do these tours and try to break up the monotony of their deployment. It really means a lot to us what we do.”

Sgt. Steven Spence, an operations non-commissioned officer-in-charge with the 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and a Wilmington, N.C. native, said that he enjoyed Hammer of the Broads’ performance.

“I do Community Relations Team projects and Provincial Reconstruction Team missions,” said Spence. “I’ve been a Led Zeppelin fan since I was in high school.” He said that the first song the band performed, “Good Times, Bad Times,” was his favorite.

Pfc. Zechariah Scott, a soldier with the 3rd Bn., 29th Fld. Art. Regt., and a Des Moines, Iowa native, said that it meant a lot to him that the band traveled a long distance to perform.

“It’s really great when people show their appreciation for the troops, especially flying all the way here,” said Scott. “A 20-hour flight – it’s just amazing to play for us in 120-degree weather. I thought the music was great. I thought they represented Zeppelin really well.”

Zermeno described how the band formed. “I was in a Led Zeppelin tribute band with the drummer, Nikki,” said Zermeno. “They needed a bass player, so I came in place of the old one. And that band broke up. Then Nikki and I brought in these two, Dyna and Tina, who I’d been playing with for many years. That’s how it formed.”

The band members explained why they chose to play in a Led Zeppelin cover band instead of another cover band.

“I never thought of doing it myself, although I’ve been a huge Led Zeppelin fan forever,” said Taylor. “These girls found me on MySpace and started pestering me until I finally got together with them and started playing and I’m like, ‘Ooh, this is fun.’ It was the previous girls who started the Led Zeppelin project and needed a drummer and they found me. I started playing the music and then we ended up replacing our bass player with Andrea. It was kind of already formed, but if it was my choice now to say, ‘Hey, I’d be in a tribute band,’ it would definitely be Led Zeppelin if I had to pick one.”

The band members gave advice to those who are thinking about playing in a band or performing onstage.

“Practice, practice, practice,” said Taylor. “Be good at your part. Otherwise your band won’t be able to be great. You’re only as good as your weakest link.”

Shirasaki also provided insight to aspiring musicians: “Play from the heart,” she said. “It’s all about feel.”

Wood said being relaxed is important, as well. “No matter how it’s going up there, you want to make it look like you’re having a good time, even if you’re having the worst night of your life,” she said. “The audience feeds off your vibe. If you look like you’re having a bad time, they’re having a bad time. You’re acting as well as performing.”

Shirasaki had a final message for soldiers: “We love our troops. Stay safe. Hurry up and get the job done and come home soon.”

• Date Taken: 09.11.2010
• Date Posted: 09.18.2010 08:22
• Story ID: 56537
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ