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In a heated contest among Northern Utah’s best hard rock acts, Ogden’s Signal made the entire local scene proud and took home the checkered flag. The Utah Idol Style Battle of the Bands was sponsored by Salt Lake City’s KBER 101 FM and judged by local celebrities Mick & Allen (The Freak Show) as well as Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat) and Dana Strum (Slaughter).
10 other bands participated in the battle where the winning act would receive studio time for a demo produced and shopped to major labels by Dana Strum, as well as an opening spot in front of Slaughter, LA Guns, Stephen Pearcy and Sin City Allstars. Signal front man Bret Harmon received the call from Mick & Allen live from their radio show.
“There was a lot of great talent,” said Harmon, “They went up and did their thing and we went on and did our thing and it was left on the table for the judges. Lucky for us it was Signal. We feel very happy that we won and have the opportunity to open for Slaughter … I don’t think this is the last you’re going to hear from Signal.”
This victory falls on the heels of a successful performance at a showcase in Dallas, TX, in which Signal played for major label execs and walked away with rave reviews. The band has been playing together for little less than a year. Their finely tuned sound and energetic stage shows have earned them one of the largest fan bases of any rock act in Utah. Furthermore, the first run of their Dragon EP has all but sold out. - MI2N
"The Dragon"
The Dragon EP - 2005
Track of the Day: 3.7.05
Best Male Vocals: 3.14.05
Best Bass: 2.28.05
Best Lyrics: 3.14.05
Best Mood: 3.14.05
Ranked 395 of all time in alternative metal
"Life"
The Dragon EP - 2005
Best Beat: 3.7.05
"My World"
The Dragon EP - 2005
Track of the Day: 12.25.05
Best Drums: 12.19.05 - GarageBand.com
Discography
The Dragon EP (2005)
Awakening (2006)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Signal began simply enough ... four guys, their instruments and a vision. That vision has since culminated into a phenomenon of epic proportions. With one of the widest fan bases of any Northern Utah rock act and the first printing of their EP, The Dragon, selling out in a matter of months, their music has taken on a life of its own, but this is only the beginning.
The band was formed in the fall of 2004 by vocalist Bret Harmon. Bret's been singing all of his life and had been in a few other projects along the way, but he never really took it too seriously until a few years ago. After winning the 2004 U.S. National Karaoke Championship and traveling to Finland to take third internationally, he started assembling what would ultimately be Signal.
Enter Erik McWhorter. He and Bret have played together on and off since 2001, so he was the natural first choice to fill the position of axe slinger. Erik had recently spent a lot of his time and energy touring with Sig9, another rock band from Utah, most notably on the Jagermeister Music Tour.
The Signal rhythm section was found in the duo of Jon Craig and Greg Newbold, who both came from another well known and successful Northern Utah band known as SAND. They were responsible in early 2001 for putting the Utah local rock scene on the map, when they toured successfully and played in venues such as The Whiskey A-Go-Go and Viper Room in LA.
Signal's modern rock sound draws its influence from a wide range of artists and can best be described as a combination of energetic riffs, powerful lyrics and memorable hooks. Live, their energy is second only to their chemistry. Their ability to connect with their audience makes them an instant hit at every show they play, also earning them the respect and admiration of the many national acts with which they've shared the stage.
Now the word is out. Signal recently returned to the studio and recorded their first LP entitled "Awakening". National interest is growing for this young band from Utah and the invitations to play venues far and wide are beginning to pour in. Signal believes their future is directly related to their passion for entertaining and putting on the best show possible. When these guys get out and play it's all about the people ... and it's apparent in the hours they spend meeting fans of all ages, signing CDs and generally just hanging out.
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