In 2015, I had the pleasure of seeing Silverstein share the stage with Senses Fail on an epic co-headline tour. Come back to 2016, I had the chance to chat with Paul Koehler, drummer of Silverstein, about their new headlining tour, the music industry, and so much more. It’s crazy to think these guys have been a band for so long now, as it seems like just yesterday I purchased When Broken Is Easily Fixed on CD. I have seen them live countless times, and each show gets better and better. Check out our great conversation below!
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. I know you guys just set out on a new tour. Where are you right now?
Hey Maria, no problem. We are in Minneapolis, Minnesota, right now!
Awesome, I’ve never been there. How is it?
It’s great, we love it here.
Great, now I want to jump right into it and talk about your current headlining tour. It’s insane, including bands like Emarosa, Being As An Ocean, and more. How did this lineup come about?
Thanks, yeah, we are really excited about this lineup. Honestly, we found a bunch of bands that were available at the same time as us to tour and had this timeframe carved out. There is a ton of diversity on this lineup, and that’s part of the appeal; every band is awesome and brings a different style and sound to the show. We couldn’t be more excited about it!
It certainly is eclectic; you can probably gain some new fans here that may not have even ever seen Silverstein live.
Absolutely, it opens the doors for lots of music fans.
Are you guys mainly playing stuff from the newest record, I Am Alive With Everything I Touch, or is it a mix of your discography on this tour?
We are playing a bit of everything. Yes, we are still playing songs from I Am Alive In Everything I Touch, but we aren’t one of those bands that won’t play the songs people want to hear. We want to please the fans, and we will always switch up our sets to keep the crowd happy!
That’s great, and it’s been almost a year since that record came out, and it’s still getting a crazy good response.
Yeah, it’s really been awesome, especially playing the songs live. The production is amazing, and we are so happy with it.
Now I have to ask, from a fan’s perspective, at this point in your career, given that amount and longevity of your success, what inspires you to continue?
We never want to lose our appeal. Honestly, there are so many cool bands out there now, that’s what keeps us going. We want to connect with our fans and new listeners, while staying true to ourselves. It’s a great challenge, honestly, to keep us motivated. We love to play music, and we love to play shows; that’s the motivator.
Since you started out, as you can agree, the music industry has changed a lot, whether for better or worse. I think it’s safe to say it’s easy to get your music out there, but do you think it’s harder to get people to care?
Yes, you’re right, so much has changed. Honestly, modern day people can release a single and become huge. And you can write a song in your bedroom and people can listen, but it’s more so about how do you make a career out of this? I think that’s the thing I have noticed change the most. Granted, yes, you can stream music, and get your stuff up online instantly and reach more people, however, it’s how you perform. We are lucky to do this for a living, and want to keep doing it.
That’s a great point. People can release stuff and get overnight success, but to serious performers, the goal should always be longevity. Last time I saw you guys was the co-headline with Senses Fail, great show by the way. I found it interesting that there were still a lot of really young fans in the crowd. Are a lot of kids just getting into you guys?
Awesome, we loved that tour. It was so fun. We’re very lucky; as we continue, our fans continue to grow in age, but we do always notice new younger faces in the crowd that are just getting into our music now. That’s another factor that keeps us motivated, and having a lineup like this on our tour, it’s a great way to introduce us to some younger fans, while maintaining our relationship with the ones who have been there since the beginning. It’s a great feeling!
Dare I ask, new music in the works, or is it too soon?
We are definitely working on some stuff; we have a lot of ideas, maybe early next year? No definitive timeline yet.
Also, after this tour, will we see you on the road again in the summer?
We are hitting up Europe, which is always great, getting things finished internationally, and then we will lock in some plans. Promise to keep you posted!
Looking forward to it, and can’t wait to catch you on the road!
Silverstein’s latest album, I Am Alive In Everything I Touch, is available now through Rise Records. You can catch Silverstein with Emarosa and more March 25 at The Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. For more information, go to silversteinmusic.com.
