BAND: Silverstein
INTERVIEWER: Sarah Connolly (SarahC@bandvibe.com)
INTERVIEWEE: Josh Bradford of Silverstein
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 09.07.07

BAND MEMBERS:
Josh Bradford – Guitar
Neil Boshart – Guitar
Shane Told – Vocals
Paul Koehler – Drums
Bill Hamilton - Bass

SARAH C: How did you guys come together as a band?
Josh: Well, we all played in a whole bunch of different bands in our same home town. We all played different bands and decided we all wanted to do something different. Fiddled around a little with a side band and decided we were having more fun do that, then our main bands and it took off.

SARAH C: How long have you guys been a band for?
Josh: Seven years now; It started in the new year of 2000.

SARAH C: What are your influences?
Josh: Well, we are all defintely into underground music. A lot of us were really into punk rock and stuff like that and some of us were into metal and hardcore and all different stuff like that. It’s hard to pick one band when we started we were all really into The Get Up Kids stuff like that and that’s what we were trying to do. We were all in punk rock bands but we wanted that kind of band with a punk influence but more pop and melodic. We are trying to do something a little more melodic than punk rock.

SARAH C: How is the tour so far?
Josh: It’s been awesome. This is the best summer we have had in a while. We normally do warped tour but it’s nice to be in clubs with air conditioning verses being outside in the heat. All the dudes on the tour have been awesome.

SARAH C: You guys are from Canada, so how is it in the US and do you like Canada or the US better?
Josh: It’s nice touring the US because there is a lot of people here as opposed to Canada where we have even more space then you guys do but the population in Canada is equivalent to California. So there are areas in Canada where you have to drive for days before getting to a city big enough to play in. It’s hard to tour Canada. It’s weird because we are a Canadian band, but we do or at least originally did better in the US. We were in-braced here like we are from here. Most people think we are a California band anyways.

SARAH C: I know you guys tour a lot, how is it living on the road?
Josh: It’s really different. It is something you have to get used too. You have learn to go with the flow. Nothing is ever in set routine so you just have to go with things. You never know what each day will bring. It can be stressful but at the end of the day you get to play music everyday, its fun.

SARAH C: What is your favorite place to play?
Josh: Southern California, Australia, and I had a really good time in Mexico. I like playing anywhere.

SARAH C: What do you do to pass time while on tour?
Josh: We hang out in the trailer. We watch movies and T.V. shows. Skateboard, bike, and hangout with friends. We have a lot of friends on tour, and there is always someone to just sit down and chill with.

SARAH C: What is your craziest tour story?
Josh: We stayed with this kid in San Luis Obispo, and I guess it wasn't really his house and he wanted to make it memorable. He ended up lighting his genitals on fire. Anytime I smell burning hair, I still think of that day.

SARAH C: Do you have rituals before going on?
Josh: I need to stretch or I will throw my back out. I play a Les Paul which is a big, heavy guitar. I like to have a beer or two. I find I stumble around more if I don't have a beer, it stabilizes me, evens me out.

SARAH C: Do you have any advice for bands getting started?
Josh: Just have fun. I think that’s the most important thing. A lot of people ask me, ‘how do I get signed and stuff.’ It seems once you do that, it becomes a job, and I am sure a lot of people are fine with that, but you got to do it for the love of making music, and that’s what it is all about at the end of the day making money or not because your doing what you love. If you’re doing it to be famous, it might not be the best way to do it.

SARAH C: What is next after this tour?
Josh: We get ten days off I think then we go back out on tour. Just for a change of pace. Then we go on tour with From Autumn to Ashes, Strike Anywhere and Dance Gavin Dance. So we do that, then we are home for ten more days then off to Europe. So we tour non-stop.

SARAH C: Are you excited your new album is doing so well and did it meet your expectations?
Josh: I am stocked it’s doing as well as it is. We are all really happy about how it came out and think it is the best we have come out with yet. We are diggin' it and it’s rad. We all enjoy playing music and we are playing what we want to play so it great others like it too.

SARAH C: Any thing else you want to say to your fans?
Josh: Come to the show and hang out it will be fun and we will have a party.

For more official information on Silverstein, please log onto:
http://www.silversteinmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/silverstein