Siris (band)
Encyclopedia
SIRIS is the name of American music
duo Michael and Patrick Maley. Their name SIRIS was derived from two Chinese
words "sai" 赛 and "ri" 日, meaning to surpass the sun. Hailing from the city of Philadelphia, the brothers are best known as the only western band in the world performing and composing their own original English and Chinese language
songs.
, Sting, U2
and Tears for Fears
. In 1992, shortly after graduating highschool, Michael Maley moved to China to pursue his studies in Chinese
at China's prestigious Fudan University
. During that time, younger brother Patrick remained in America and continued his pursuit of music as a drummer.
but also worked as an English teacher and Chinese/English translator. Michael's fluency in Chinese and strong martial arts background helped him gain notoriety in TV commercials and films. In 1994 he was featured in the Hong Kong
produced martial arts
movie The Green Hornet
. After living for four years in China, Michael returned to America and reunited with his brother Patrick. In 1996, the brothers returned to their musical roots by forming the band Siris. They adopted a unique multi-cultural approach to making music by melding influences from the east
and west
.
EP entitled, "Till My Last Breath" (直到我最后一息) SIRIS became the first Western
group in music history
to record an original Chinese language
album. The album was co-produced by Grammy nominated producer David Ivory. In 1998 the brothers moved to Taiwan
and Mainland China
to promote the new album. Breaking new ground in the Chinese
market would prove difficult. After a modicum of success in Asia, they returned to the United States
in 1999.
influences, containing many Chinese references throughout. These references were evident on both the packaging and on three of the albums twelve tracks; including the progressive title track "The Order of Time", "Ma Ma Hu Hu" and their Chinese
single "Beautiful Angel" 美丽的天使. "The Order of Time" was officially released and distributed worldwide in February 2001. While the record industry was facing new challenges from music downloads and online file sharing, Siris seized a new opportunity. On the strength of their English single, "My Love For You Will Always Be" and the albums' lone Chinese
track "Beautiful Angel" 美丽的天使 , SIRIS quicky jumped to the top of MP3.com's top 40 pop chart. "Beautiful Angel" broke the top 20, reaching number 11 and became the first Chinese song in MP3.com's history to enter the charts.
After more than 2 million downloads, 100,000 units sold and a string of successful performances, Siris' critically acclaimed English
debut was an independent success. In 2002, Music
legend Adrian Belew
commented, "It's nice to hear something refreshing in a world of similar artists!" In 2003, Siris once again took part in breaking new ground as their Chinese single "Beautiful Angel" became the first Chinese song to be sold on Apple's iTunes
.
EP "Xing Fu". The album received widespread critical acclaim and helped solidify their unique place in music history
. In late 2005, a successful promotional tour of Mainland China
, Taiwan
and the United States
followed. On the strength of their hit single "Xing Fu" 幸福, Siris was heavily featured by major U.S. and Chinese media throughout 2005 and 2006. ABC News
stated: "SIRIS is certainly breaking down cultural barriers between east and west... these two guys from the City of Brotherly Love may just change the world of Rock
!" MTV
described SIRIS' music as "Magical!" and stated "They should be embraced because there is sincerity in their work." In 2006 SIRIS was invited to perform at several high profile television events including the Phoenix Television
Chinese New Year
Global Gala and the groundbreaking MTV Chi
Rocks! Concert, celebrating MTV's strong push into the Chinese market. Since its release, Xing Fu has been downloaded over 25 million times. In 2007, SIRIS announced the release of a brand new full length Chinese language
album entitled "我们都一样" (We're All The Same). The new album was released in North America and became the first half of their planned double Chinese/English album release for 2008.
The new album includes 20 original Chinese and English songs. Prominent singles featured in the release are "God Bless Sichuan", "I Was Chinese in My Previous Life", "China", "A Trip To Nowhere", and "You'll Be Okay." The Mandarin single "God Bless Sichuan" was pre-released on July 1 , 2008 as a tribute to the survivors of the tragic Sichuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. The song features renowned mainland Chinese erhu soloist, Qin Qian. Since its July 8 release, "God Bless Sichuan" has become the No. 1-played song on mainland China's most popular video-sharing Web site, Youku.com, surpassing 2.5 million plays. The band's 2008 offering is its fifth studio album and the first full-length "double" Chinese- and English-language album ever released. The album was made available for free on the band's official Chinese Web site.
SIRIS also announced plans to tour Asia and North America in support of the new release. The band also announced that all proceeds from physical album sales and portions of tour revenue would go to Sichuan earthquake disaster relief.
, Three Dog Night
, The Beach Boys
, The Rip Chords, Mary Wilson
of the Supremes and many others. Michael Maley has established the company Run Hard Media which is producing new television shows for the Chinese
market.
Music of the United States
The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll. The United States has the...
duo Michael and Patrick Maley. Their name SIRIS was derived from two Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
words "sai" 赛 and "ri" 日, meaning to surpass the sun. Hailing from the city of Philadelphia, the brothers are best known as the only western band in the world performing and composing their own original English and Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
songs.
The beginning
The brothers began singing and writing music at an early age. During their teenage years they performed in local bands throughout the city of Philadelphia. Some of their major influences included GenesisGenesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, Sting, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
. In 1992, shortly after graduating highschool, Michael Maley moved to China to pursue his studies in Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
at China's prestigious Fudan University
Fudan University
Fudan University , located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most selective universities in China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty...
. During that time, younger brother Patrick remained in America and continued his pursuit of music as a drummer.
Chinese Influence
Siris' Chinese inspired music is due in large part to Michael's experiences in China. While living in China, he not only studied at FudanFudan University
Fudan University , located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most selective universities in China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty...
but also worked as an English teacher and Chinese/English translator. Michael's fluency in Chinese and strong martial arts background helped him gain notoriety in TV commercials and films. In 1994 he was featured in the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
produced martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
movie The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
. After living for four years in China, Michael returned to America and reunited with his brother Patrick. In 1996, the brothers returned to their musical roots by forming the band Siris. They adopted a unique multi-cultural approach to making music by melding influences from the east
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....
and west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
.
1997 to 1999
Beginning with their 1997 debut ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
EP entitled, "Till My Last Breath" (直到我最后一息) SIRIS became the first Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
group in music history
Music history
Music history, sometimes called historical musicology, is the highly diverse subfield of the broader discipline of musicology that studies the composition, performance, reception, and criticism of music over time...
to record an original Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
album. The album was co-produced by Grammy nominated producer David Ivory. In 1998 the brothers moved to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
to promote the new album. Breaking new ground in the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
market would prove difficult. After a modicum of success in Asia, they returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1999.
2000 to 2003
The year 2000 was a turning point for SIRIS as the brothers returned to the studio to record their first English album "The Order Of Time". That same year, they also formed their own record label and production company, "Run Hard Music". "The Order of Time" was a very progressive offering that stayed true to their musical roots. The album also managed to celebrate their ChineseCulture of China
Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest and most complex. The area in which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces...
influences, containing many Chinese references throughout. These references were evident on both the packaging and on three of the albums twelve tracks; including the progressive title track "The Order of Time", "Ma Ma Hu Hu" and their Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
single "Beautiful Angel" 美丽的天使. "The Order of Time" was officially released and distributed worldwide in February 2001. While the record industry was facing new challenges from music downloads and online file sharing, Siris seized a new opportunity. On the strength of their English single, "My Love For You Will Always Be" and the albums' lone Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
track "Beautiful Angel" 美丽的天使 , SIRIS quicky jumped to the top of MP3.com's top 40 pop chart. "Beautiful Angel" broke the top 20, reaching number 11 and became the first Chinese song in MP3.com's history to enter the charts.
After more than 2 million downloads, 100,000 units sold and a string of successful performances, Siris' critically acclaimed English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
debut was an independent success. In 2002, Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
legend Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
commented, "It's nice to hear something refreshing in a world of similar artists!" In 2003, Siris once again took part in breaking new ground as their Chinese single "Beautiful Angel" became the first Chinese song to be sold on Apple's iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
2004 to 2007
In 2004, Siris went back into the studio to focus on new Chinese material. In 2005, they released the ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
EP "Xing Fu". The album received widespread critical acclaim and helped solidify their unique place in music history
Music history
Music history, sometimes called historical musicology, is the highly diverse subfield of the broader discipline of musicology that studies the composition, performance, reception, and criticism of music over time...
. In late 2005, a successful promotional tour of Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
followed. On the strength of their hit single "Xing Fu" 幸福, Siris was heavily featured by major U.S. and Chinese media throughout 2005 and 2006. ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
stated: "SIRIS is certainly breaking down cultural barriers between east and west... these two guys from the City of Brotherly Love may just change the world of Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
!" MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
described SIRIS' music as "Magical!" and stated "They should be embraced because there is sincerity in their work." In 2006 SIRIS was invited to perform at several high profile television events including the Phoenix Television
Phoenix Television
Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd or Phoenix Television is a Hong Kong-based Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese television broadcaster that serves the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong along with other markets with substantial Chinese viewers...
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
Global Gala and the groundbreaking MTV Chi
MTV Chi
MTV Chi was a spin-off network from MTV that was targeted at Chinese Americans. The network featured various styles of music such as Mando pop, Canto pop and Chinese American hip hop. It broadcast in English and featured a mix of original programming with the best of MTV's International...
Rocks! Concert, celebrating MTV's strong push into the Chinese market. Since its release, Xing Fu has been downloaded over 25 million times. In 2007, SIRIS announced the release of a brand new full length Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
album entitled "我们都一样" (We're All The Same). The new album was released in North America and became the first half of their planned double Chinese/English album release for 2008.
2008
On August 8, 2008 - just in time for the Beijing Olympics, SIRIS announced the release of its brand new "double" Chinese- and English-language album, "8".The new album includes 20 original Chinese and English songs. Prominent singles featured in the release are "God Bless Sichuan", "I Was Chinese in My Previous Life", "China", "A Trip To Nowhere", and "You'll Be Okay." The Mandarin single "God Bless Sichuan" was pre-released on July 1 , 2008 as a tribute to the survivors of the tragic Sichuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. The song features renowned mainland Chinese erhu soloist, Qin Qian. Since its July 8 release, "God Bless Sichuan" has become the No. 1-played song on mainland China's most popular video-sharing Web site, Youku.com, surpassing 2.5 million plays. The band's 2008 offering is its fifth studio album and the first full-length "double" Chinese- and English-language album ever released. The album was made available for free on the band's official Chinese Web site.
SIRIS also announced plans to tour Asia and North America in support of the new release. The band also announced that all proceeds from physical album sales and portions of tour revenue would go to Sichuan earthquake disaster relief.
2009 to 2010
In 2009 SIRIS went through an unexpected transition. Michael Maley went solo with the SIRIS name after brother Patrick became ill. As Patrick recovered from cancer, Michael continued to perform extensively in the Chinese market, making several television appearances, including an emotional performance at the "Love Across The Pacific" benefit concert commemorating the one year anniversary of the Sichuan Earthquake in San Francisco. In 2010, Michael, now exclusively performing publicly as SIRIS, embarked on a successful promotional and concert tour of Mainland China. Although the brothers still collaborated, Patrick decided to no longer participate in live performing due to health concerns. Now referred to by international fans as SIRIS, Michael continued to perform at high profile events throughout China, including the Sheng Tai Zhong Guo concert aired nationwide and the Second Annual Mainland China Cartoon and Animation Festival in Dong Guan China. The concert was aired live on CCTV. It was performed in front of 60,000 fans and watched by over 400 million viewers on live TV. It was at this show that SIRIS unveiled his new single "Dream Goddess" in a collaborative performance with talented young singer Wang Huan. SIRIS successfully toured 15 cities in 2010. Later in the year SIRIS was invited as a celebrity judge and performer for the Third Annual China-Paris International Modeling Contest in Beijing. Upon wrapping up a year long stay in China, SIRIS returned to the US to prepare for a new album release in 2011.Discography
- 直到我最后一息 - Till My Last Breath - Chinese (1997)
- The Order Of Time - English (2001)
- Martial Arts Channel - Sound Track (2003)
- 幸福 - Xing Fu - Chinese (2005)
- 我们都一样 - Chinese (2007)
- 上天祝福四川 (God Bless Sichuan) single - Chinese (2008)
- 8 - Chinese/English double album (2008)
- Dream Goddess - Chinese (2010)
Side Projects & Credits
As a studio / touring drummer Patrick Maley has performed with accomplished acts such as: Little RichardLittle Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
, The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, The Rip Chords, Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
of the Supremes and many others. Michael Maley has established the company Run Hard Media which is producing new television shows for the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
market.