A Chat With the Heart of Silverstein: An Interview With Shane Told

I had the absolute highest honour of being able to ask questions and interview Shane Told, the original and current vocalist of Silverstein. Told was highly responsive and pleasant to talk to - and it really shows how potently important bands like Silverstein are for the rock community even today. It's rare to find celebrities that are so personable, but I have had great luck in talking to the nicest of people.

Silverstein are one of the biggest emo acts to emerge from Canada, with the band hailing from Burlington, Ontario in the year 2000 before hitting it big with their second album and the track Smile In Your Sleep. With the band still being active almost three decades after their debut album, the band has accumulated a total of eleven studio albums alongside other projects like EPs, a compilation, and a live DVD album. 

The band's debut album, When Broken Is Easily Fixed, is one of my all-time favorite albums. with Silverstein being one of the best, most underrated emo acts of all time. Their early sound captured the style and prowess of an entire generation, and they still manage to create a consistent output that is striking and entirely essential. 

Silverstein has long been a band driven by consistency and authenticity, and it was incredible to be able to capture that from a closer angle.

There is some incredibly interesting information within the interview I conducted with Told, which you can find exclusively below the cut.

*Photo by Dylan Flipps

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Q: What was starting out musically like for you?

A: I discovered my love for music early on in life, I was constantly taping songs off the radio, making mix tapes for myself.   Then around age 10 I heard One by Metallica.   I didn’t know what I was hearing but I knew I wanted to try to do it.   I got a guitar.  I took lessons.  That was it for me.  I started singing because I was the only one who could carry a tune.   I guess I got a bit better over the years!

Q: In your career, what was the most difficult thing that you have overcome?

A: The early touring years were tough.  Sleeping in the van, being away from loved ones and not even having a way to stay in touch.  We lived off Taco Bell dollar menu and people buying us pizza.   But after a couple years of that grind people took notice and our shows got bigger and bigger.  We could afford motels!   And buy our own pizza!  Eventually we sold a million albums, got a bus, and now we own houses and don’t drive our parents cars. 

Q: What are your plans for the future of Silverstein?

A: We are 25 years in but I feel like we have so much ahead of us!   New music, and touring with some bands we haven’t toured with before.   Also playing some new spots all over the world!

Q: Who are some of your favourite people you have worked with?

A: Some of the best bands we’ve toured with are :  Rise Against, Billy Talent, Simple Plan, Fall Out Boy…. I love all those people. We’ve also met some lovely producers and people behind the scenes and some of our fans have become close friends!  

Q: What is your favourite memory from performing?

A: Rock Am Ring festival in Germany.   We played to so many people I couldn’t see where the crowd stopped.  I heard it was 85,000. 

Q: If you had to choose, what is your favourite project you have worked on?

A: Our last recording session went so well we ended up with 2 albums - Pink Moon and Antibloom.  I love them so much and so do our fans!   I also am very proud of the concept albums Shipwreck In The Sand and This Is How The Wind Shifts. 

Q: Who are/were some of your inspirations?

A: Early on, I loved the stuff my family would play around the house.   KISS, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles … then Metallica changed my whole mindset.   Once I heard about punk rock and learned about the community, my life changed completely.  I became immersed in not just the songs, but also everything else.   All I wanted to do was go to shows and eventually start performing at them.  

Q: What can we expect from you musically in the next few years? 

A: MORE TOURS AND MORE MUSIC

Q: Lastly, what is some advice you would give to aspiring musicians?

A: Start small and good, people will find you.