Silverstein (band)
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Silverstein (pronounced Silver-steen) is an post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario. The band name was taken from the famous childrens author Shel Silverstein.
When the band started, it was a side project for the original members; At the time, each member was already participating in a separate local band. They recorded their first demo two months later with a slightly varied lineup: Lead vocalist Shane Told filled in as the bass player, since they had not enlisted anyone to fill that role at the time of the release. The demo would be pressed and released locally in August of the same year as the EP Summer's Stellar Gaze.
Lineup Changes
After a couple of lineup changes, the band acquired Billy Hamilton, a local fan who learned of the band's need for a bassist on the Internet message board The 905 Board (an Ontario area outreach board for local musicians). In Christmas of 2001, he joined the band after Told instructed Hamilton as he learned some of the songs. Following a rehearsal on Canadian Boxing Day in 2001, he officially debuted with Silverstein. The next spring, original guitarist Richard McWalter left the band to move to Victoria, British Columbia to study engineering. He was then replaced by Neil Boshart, childhood friend of Shane Told. The new lineup recorded a second EP, When the Shadows Beam, in preparation for their first tour in Eastern Canada.
Record Label Signing
The band then signed to Victory Records in October of 2002 with a complete lineup as Hamilton attempted to complete his secondary education one semester early. The January after, the band recorded their full-length debut CD When Broken Is Easily Fixed, released on the Victory Records label.
Recent Touring
In 2005 the band performed on the Never Sleep Again tour with bands such as Aiden, Hawthorne Heights and Bayside—a tour where Bayside's drummer John "Beatz" Holohan would be killed. In January-February 2006, they toured with the band Simple Plan in Europe. They then toured Canada with the Taste of Chaos Tour, and also toured Europe, Japan, and Australia.
The band toured on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, in support of their current studio album Discovering the Waterfront and an EP compilation 18 Candles: The Early Years. The Early years compiles the band's first two self-financed EPs with some acoustic and live material as well as single remix of the Discovering The Waterfront hit "Smile In Your Sleep". Discovering the Waterfront was re-released in September 2006 with an extra song, the band's cover of Lifetime's "Rodeo Clown" and a DVD.
In 2006, Silverstein was nominated for a Juno Award in the "Best New Band" category, but lost to Bedouin Soundclash.
In Fall 2006, they headlined The Never Shave Again Tour, along with Aiden, It Dies Today, and He Is Legend. Following completion of their third CD, the band has played a few shows in the spring, and is engaged in a all-summer tour with Rise Against.
Current Developments
The band's third full-length CD Arrivals And Departures was released on July 3, 2007, and was designated by AP Magazine as one of the most eagerly anticipated CDs of 2007. Mark Trombino (Blink 182, Finch, The Bled) produced the CD.
Silverstein contributed a new acoustic version of their song 'Red Light Pledge' to the Punk Goes Acoustic 2 compilation, released May 8, 2007 through Fearless Records.
Silverstein (presumably Told) is listed as a client of Melissa Cross, a voice coach for lead singers.[1]
Lyrical Origins
Several of the band's key tracks are based upon and derived from previous works. For example:
- Forever and a Day recites Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends (book) verbatim.
- Your Sword vs. My Dagger is based upon the story of Romeo and Juliet.
- The Weak and the Wounded is written around the film Session 9.
- Already Dead is based on the novel The Lovely Bones.
Popular Culture References
- American Idol contestant Ryan Hart covered their song Smashed Into Pieces during the January 31, 2006 program.
- Hamilton has a tattoo with a quotation from the poem Hug O' War, by Shel Silverstein.
- In Bleeds No More, the line "You were the worst thing that ever happened to me..." comes from the movie Fight Club.
- In their video for Smile In Your Sleep, the band plays in the Parkwood Estate in a style reminiscent of the murder-mystery Board Game Clue with rooms and weapons as seen in the game. They also each wear shirts related to the characters' color.
Members
Current members
- Vocals - Shane Told
- Guitar - Neil Boshart
- Guitar - Josh Bradford
- Bass - Billy Hamilton
- Drums - Paul Koehler
Former Members
- Guitar - Richard McWalter
Discography
Albums
- When Broken Is Easily Fixed (May 20, 2003)
- Discovering the Waterfront (August 16, 2005)
- Arrivals and Departures (July 3, 2007)
EPs
- Summer's Stellar Gaze (EP) (August 29, 2000)
- When the Shadows Beam (EP) (April 26, 2002)
Compilations
- 18 Candles: The Early Years (May 2006)
Singles
See also
External links
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | |||
| 2003 | "Bleeds No More" | When Broken Is Easily Fixed | |||
| 2003 | "Giving Up" | When Broken Is Easily Fixed | |||
| 2004 | "Smashed Into Pieces" | When Broken Is Easily Fixed | |||
| 2005 | "Smile In Your Sleep" | Discovering the Waterfront | |||
| 2006 | "Discovering the Waterfront" | Discovering the Waterfront | |||
| 2006 | "My Heroine" | Discovering the Waterfront | |||
| 2007 | "If You Could See Into My Soul" | Arrivals And Departures | |||
| 2007 | "Sound of the Sun" | Arrivals And Departures | |||