Dan Soren of Sixty Watt Shaman: From Punk Roots to Heavy Rock Legacy

 

When you sit down with Dan Soren, frontman of Sixty Watt Shaman, you’re not just talking music—you’re digging into decades of raw, underground energy, punk-rooted ethos, and stories soaked in the sweat of stage lights and tour bus nights. I caught up with Dan to talk about the band’s roots, his musical journey, gear evolution, and how the ever-shifting music industry has shaped their vision.

 

A Guitar in the Window

Dan’s first brush with music came thanks to a guitar shop window in downtown New Brunswick, New Jersey. As a middle schooler, he spotted an Italian-made SG-style guitar that lit a spark—and his dad bought it for him.

“That was the beginning,” Dan recalls. “It was a knockoff SG with a tremolo and a little Gorilla 10-watt amp. I didn’t know how to play anything, but I knew I wanted to.”

The house had a few acoustic guitars, but no one played them. Piano players ran in the family. The guitar, though—that was Dan’s thing.

 

From D.C. Punk to Sabbath Riffs

By high school, Dan had moved to Washington D.C., a punk rock hub with legends like Minor Threat and Ian MacKaye shaping the underground scene. That community, rich with skateboards and slam pits, helped form Dan’s musical identity.

From punk, Dan gravitated to hardcore. “John Joseph from the Cro-Mags blew me away,” he says. “I tried to emulate his vocal style and energy.”

Dan soon picked up a guitar to play what he was listening to—Black Sabbath, Hendrix, and anything that sounded heavy and raw. Local lessons helped unlock the door, but it was his desire to express what he felt that truly drove him.

 

The Birth of Sixty Watt Shaman

The foundation of Sixty Watt Shaman started in the mid-90s in Baltimore, where Dan was playing rugby at Towson University. One of his teammates had a beat-up car covered in Agnostic Front and Cro-Mags stickers—instant bond.

“We formed a band called Approach, just jamming around town,” Dan recalls. “By 1996, it evolved into Sixty Watt Shaman.”

Joe Selby moved from bass to guitar, Jim Forrester joined on bass, and Chuck Dukehart rounded out the lineup on drums. They played everywhere—coffee shops, loading docks, VFW halls—anything to get onstage.

By 1998, they had released their debut indie record and were on the radar of major labels. The rest is heavy rock history.

 

Touring with Legends—and Meeting Hetfield

Sixty Watt Shaman hit the road hard, supporting acts like Clutch, Crowbar, Spirit Caravan, and Black Label Society. Along the way, they got to pick the brains of some of rock’s heaviest hitters.

“We were always bending Zakk Wylde’s ear about tone and solos,” Dan laughs. “Just being around those kinds of players—you absorb so much.”

One unforgettable moment? Playing the Whisky a Go Go and hanging out backstage with James Hetfield from Metallica. “That was a 'pinch me' moment,” Dan says. “You grow up with this music, and then you're shaking hands with the people who made it.”

 

From LPs to Streams: Adapting to the Times

Dan’s seen the shift from analog to digital—from flipping LPs to streaming on Spotify. While he misses the tangible experience of vinyl, he acknowledges the benefits of accessibility.

“We’ve lost that physical connection—the artwork, the inserts, the ritual,” he says. “But now our entire catalog is at your fingertips. There’s good and bad in that.”

And yes, he’s aware of the joke that modern bands are just "t-shirt salesmen."

“Honestly, merch has always been key,” he says. “Even in the major label days, most of your income came from touring and merch. That hasn’t changed—it’s just evolved.”

 

Evolving Gear and a Shredder's Mindset

Dan’s gear journey has been just as dynamic. While he still plays his original Marshall JCM 800 head (the same one he bought at 16), he’s now pairing it with Orange Cabinets, thanks to a recent sponsorship.

He’s also embraced Ibanez Super Strats to explore more lead guitar duties, moving away from Les Pauls for extended fretboards and shred-ready necks.

“24 frets changed everything,” Dan says. “I’m seeing the fretboard in a new way. It opened up new patterns, new possibilities.”

 

Megalithic Media and What’s Next

2022 was a year of laying groundwork. Sixty Watt Shaman launched their own label, Megalithic Media, and released two new singles: “This World” and “The Antidote.” Now in 2023, they’re hitting the stage again and working on a full-length record.

“We’ll be playing through the summer and into the fall,” Dan shares. “We’ve got the same production team lined up. Hoping to have the album wrapped by October—might release in January 2024 to avoid the Q4 flood.”

 

Looking Ahead

Dan Soren and Sixty Watt Shaman aren’t just surviving the modern music industry—they’re adapting, thriving, and still staying true to their roots. Whether it's a sweaty VFW hall or a festival stage, they're here to bring the riff-heavy thunder they’ve always been known for.

Keep an eye out for Sixty Watt Shaman’s upcoming shows and album announcements at Facebook.