Big In Japan

"Give me the future, one day at a time"

Silverman have all bases covered, they are enormously inspiring, are the future of indie music and will survive. When you hook up with Silverman be it at at show, on a cd, online or in person you get alot more than your moneys worth, so much so that it puts other bands and their labels to shame. You get the feeling that they will look after you as a fan. I think they realize that fans, punters, and internet surfers have been their life blood, not the "investment loans" from record labels disguised as advances.

Anyway I'm being a bit rude here because I've not yet mentioned the fact that Siverman have made a great album called Speed of Life pt2. Rather than give you a history of the band I'd just like to offer you my impressions after seeing the band live and talking to them over drinks. Silverman are Martin Williams and Anna Dennis, the vibe is similar to Depeche Modes' "Songs of Faith and Devotion" mixed with Gavin Friday's "Shag Tobacco" but with the added sensual and thrilling voice of Anna Dennis. This band are special in that they hold all the cards in terms of controlling what they do, there is a valuable brain and work ethic behind this band that if revealled would be the envy of the music industry.

Martin Williams could be England's own Leneord Cohen or Serge Gainsbourg, you get the idea...it's yin and yang on stage and a good, bad and ugly showdown it is too. Just when the show veers on the point of becoming over sentimantal, Martin comes out from behind the drum kit to assail centre stage and have his say over the confessional songs sung by Anna. It really is like watching a bickering couple breaking up, making up and then getting fucked up over the space of six or seven songs. Fantastic.

I enjoyed talking to them so much that I had Martin Williams do my questionare which you can find detailed here
.
It's funny that I'm struggling to place a band like Silverman in todays "market" because the best way I can describe them is to say they make strikingly precious, passionate and engaging music. I beleive that is something that transcends trends and fashions,
or at least it used to...

The cd is remarkable value for money, although lasting just over 35 minutes, you get a video, 2 acoustic tracks, a screensaver and an invitation
to to their world in cyberspace. I just hope they don't leave this world without me.

Discover the world of Silverman for yourself,

Listen to Silverman, Speed of life part 2 (on the fabulous UglyMan music label web site) Learn about Silverman by going to their web site and follow Siverman on tour this summer 2002.

So onto the interogation -

Describe to me...

1: How would you describe the "Silverman" experience?

Cathartic, stressfully relaxing, all-consuming, important.

2: Some of the trials, joys and tribulations behind the making of "speed of life part two"?

The whole record was recorded in six metaphysically time stretched days and is the product of infinite love, patience, vision and belief. A fantastic, painful, draining and enjoyable experience.

3: Putting the show "on the road"?

More trauma. We’ve had an ongoing guitarist problem, we don’t have an attitude problem, we just know what we want. With numerous candidates in our wake we’re left three days before our debut gig at In The City in Manchester without a lineup. Desperate times requiring desperate measures. So Mark Rolfe decides to play guitar (and ends up easily sounding best out of everyone we'd tried). Alan Deacon our sound engineer dusts off his Richard Clayderman tutorial and replaces Mark on keys. Steve Moody who was along to play some glock and make a few weird noises ends up on bass. Easy, under our noses all the time. Sorted. One rehearsal and it's Manchester here we come and a major result it was too. Channelfly videoed the gig and showed it on the ITC Conference TV system about 5 times (which was nice).

The live band has essentially remained the same since though Mark has recently left (owing to commitments with his own band Lorna) and has been replaced by Paul Treby.

4: How do you "summon your mojo" before you take the stage?

(See below)

5: Your first kiss?

Hazel Williams (no relation…honest), to a Led Zeppelin soundtrack.

6: Your hometown?

I exist in Cheltenham but live in my warped imagination. Cheltenham does us few favours other than being well located to reach other places.

7: Your first band?

I don’t care to recall.

8: The "Great Album" but where’s the singles? debate?

It’s about good songs. Songs tend to meet their natural conclusions and if they naturally end up promoted to radio as a single, then all well and good. People tend to apply criteria to songs when considering whether they are singles or not. Those ‘rules’ are only there to be broken in my opinion. Yes it’s easier to focus on one or two songs when promoting an album, but what’ll make them work are the qualities of the songs themselves, not necessarily any conscious criteria fulfillment.

9: Your most embarrassing "Spinal Tap" moment on stage.

Having my arse barbecued by a Par can.

10: When did Uglyman step in and how has this taken the band further?

We’d been talking to them for ages before anything really happened. Things started moving properly this year. Their input allows us to stand a chance of getting above ‘the noise’. Bands need good teams. Uglyman have organised the distribution of the record and it’s marketing, that’s important. It’s a good feeling to know that your efforts are being supported.

11: Where do you see Silverman in say 2 or 3 years time?

In our respective condos with the rain lashing down outside, lightning and stuff, tear streaked mascara running down our faces, an empty bottle of gin in one hand, a smoking gun in the other. Fall to knees, more tears, “I could have been someone”.

12: How do you "summon your mojo" before you take the stage?

My mojo is permanent.

13: Do you hold grudges? if so tell me more...!

Yes I’m afraid so. Less than I used to though, someone told me not to let a negative situation or upset with a person or wrongdoing take from you more than you feel it already has. Good advice that I struggle to put into practice. I do my best to turn slight into motivation.

14: The inspiration behind "ctrl alt del" (for me, the defining moment on "Speed of life..")?

The inspiration is revealed throughout the song. It is the song. It defines itself without explanation except to say that sometimes and with the best intentions we’re not as honest to people we’re with or ourselves as we should be, and that pretence breaks when someone has the balls and respect to say it like it is. And when the reality dawns you have to make a new one for yourself.

15: Describe to me 5 interesting ways of executing Gareth Gates.

No thank you.

Wordplay by Na'im Cortazzi

 

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