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July 2013 interview by Todd Jolicoeur, photos by mintypics.com Bands break up, get back together, take breaks, etc. There are some bands that never seem to fall off the radar, regardless of how little they actually released before a break or how many years between releases. Silvertide is one of those bands. The fans have been wondering for years now how long it would take for these young rockers to get it back together and take the rock and roll back on the road. Well, I was fortunate enough to discuss this with lead guitarist Nick Perri, on the eve of the only two announced return shows - to be played back-to-back at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. ToddStar: How are you, Nick? Nick: I’m well. No complaints. ToddStar: That’s good. Nick: Yes, Sir. How are you? ToddStar: Good, thank you for asking. Let me start off with thanking you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule for us. We are very excited to have you via phone for an interview today. Nick: Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Never too busy to talk rock and roll with some friends. ToddStar: Let’s start this off. I can’t ask you about the new disc yet, I can't ask you about the new single yet, but I can bust right out with Silvertide is back and it’s about fucking time. Nick: [Laughs] That is an accurate statement, thank you man. I feel the same way as you. You know, when we took a break back in 2006, and I call if that because we've all stayed in touch, we’re all still great friends and we always knew that we’d be playing again, just the timing was really bad, and I don’t know how much you want me to go into about the events that surrounded the break, but it was never “the band is over,” it was the band has just pressed pause and continue when the timing is right. So what you’re seeing now is actually, it’s all kind of been part of the plan. This has been in the works now for about a year, maybe more, about you know, getting the band back out there and we've been writing songs. Walt and I are best friends since the day we met, and we continue to write songs. We had another band a couple of years ago called SINAI, too. We've been writing since we met each other and never stopped. So there’s been Silvertide material happening all this time, it’s just now we feel like it’s the right time to do it. And really, we’re so blessed because we have the best fans in the world, and they are so loyal, and they've made Show and Tell into this kind of cult favorite, and it spread. It spread all over the world, in all different countries. Some of the countries we've played in, and a lot of countries we haven’t, have discovered this record and really it’s because of them that we can come back, and we can do this again. It’s just a testament to their loyalty and them sharing with their friends this rock and roll record, and you know, the sound that we've created, and just genuine love for playing rock and roll music that we grew up on. We don’t care about the trends, we don’t care about what time it is or what’s popular, when we first started it was ‘Nsync and Britney Spears, and now it’s whatever, dubstep and Mumford & Sons. And it’s all good, we’re fans of a lot of music, but that doesn’t play into what we do. We play rock and roll with the kind of stuff that we grew up on, and that’s really what it’s about. ToddStar: You hit on something. When you guys released American Excess in 2002, you guys really just said with your music ‘this is what we do, this is what we like, and damn the critics and damn what anyone else wants. This is what we like and this is what we’re playing’, and you took it to the next step with Show & Tell in 2004, which is nine years ago. That album’s still even in my regular listening patterns, just because its good rock and roll. How did young guys like you, and let’s be honest in 2002 and 2004 you guys were young guys. How did you just come at it with a balls out attitude, and do what you wanted to do and make it successful? ToddStar: And you do it well. Nick: Thank you, I appreciate that. ToddStar: Now that we've got the nice stuff out of the way, The Machine Shop. I mean, you've picked one of my favorite places. Why The Machine Shop (http://www.themachineshop.info/)? Nick: Well, everyone in the rock and roll touring circuit, everybody knows, it’s just kind of like a given, that The Machine Shop is pretty much the coolest venue, club to play in America. And really that’s a testament to Kevin and his brother who run the place, and they just make everybody feel at home. We played The Shop, I don’t know how many times, a half a dozen times or more, probably more, ToddStar: Wow, you hit on the great vibe of The Machine Shop, and Flint is looking forward to this, and we’re honored to have you guys doing this. It’s not like you guys booked a whole tour, you said ‘We’re coming back, we’re gonna drop a couple of shows. You did the home town show like you mentioned tonight, and throwing two at Flint, which is just a testament to you guys as being a band of the fans. You've all gone on and done musical things during the break. Do you find that you still want that connection with the fan? Nick: Well yeah, I mean that’s the most important thing. Silvertide, it’s always going to be the closest thing to our hearts, because it’s what, you know, it’s our band, it’s our baby, and it’s a huge honor to play with Perry Farrell and Shinedown and Matt (Sorum). I'm playing with them in Norway in August, and it’s a great honor to play with other artists that you respect and other great bands, but Silvertide is my baby. I wrote the songs, I co-wrote the songs with the guys and it’s really, it’s a by-product of what’s in my head, and everyone else’s head, so there is a very special attachment to it, and Silvertide has the greatest fans in the world. These guys and girls have been loyal. I mean I don’t know how you could ask for more. Like you said, for nine years they have waited patiently and told their friends about the band, and played the record to their friends, and their brothers and sisters, and kids and all that stuff. So for all these years, to know that those people still, I mean when we played in Philly and this is the God’s honest truth, and we filmed it. We’re going to release eventually a DVD from that show, and everyone will get a chance to see, but I mean they were singing, they knew the words better then Walt. Walt ToddStar: Again, I hate to keep harping on Flint, but the fans here love you. You guys can call Flint hometown any time with the following you have here. Nick: Oh thanks man. ToddStar: And I can’t wait to be part of that crowd on the 6th and 7th September when you take the place by storm. But let’s talk about other things for a minute. You’re talking about a new album, is the stuff you guys are writing now, is it in the same vein, is it still just that guttural rock and roll that you guys are famous for? Nick: You know this is my favorite part. This is what makes me the most excited, because actually funnily enough I made a post on the Silvertide Facebook page, that I was holding in my hands the first new track mixed and finished since 2004, and what makes me most excited right now, like a little kid at Christmas, is that I cannot wait for people to hear it. I mean, it’s literally, you know, I call it like Devil’s Order part two. It’s just racing on the middle of exactly what the band is about, and we had this conversation about which one that was played. It was like look, some time has passed, whatever, you know why mess with what it is that people loved about us? And it’s not like we’re bored, we've had a very lengthy break, no one is bored or complacent at all, so let’s do what it is that we all did, and what comes naturally to us, and let’s make kick your ass rock and roll. And stay true to what the band is. So yeah, the new stuff is going to fit right in, right on the shelf there, right next to Show & Tell like a glove. ToddStar: Cool. That’s good to know. Who made you want to pick up a guitar, Nick? Nick: Mmm, this is great because last night my wife was out of town and I was taking the time to go through my DVD collection and watch some stuff, and I was just thinking about this last night, the first person who I saw who made me want to actually, you know, pick up a guitar and play lead with was Angus Young, and in fact I went to Catholic school, I wore the shirt, the tie and the friggin’ shorts, the whole ToddStar: Cool. I know you're a busy man, and I know you've got other things to do, so I've got a couple more for you if you don’t mind? Nick: Sure. ToddStar: If there was one song, or one collection of music in the history of time that you wish you had written, or been a part of, what would it be? Nick: One song or collection? I can tell you right now it’s got to be anything Pink Floyd, The Wall, anything from The Wall. That’s my favorite album of all time. David Gilmour is probably the fifth guitar player I should have included a minute ago. But if I could have been part of anything, you know, being part of The Wall, the writing, the recording, the playing, I mean to me that’s the greatest rock and roll album of all time. So, for sure. Nick: [Laughs] I don’t know, man. Get up and play while you've got it, you know. Just give it hell because you don’t know how long you got here. So why waste any time? Let’s just do it already. ToddStar: Cool, well again we thank you so much for the time, Nick, and we cannot wait to be a part of history at The Machine Shop when you guys welcome Silvertide back to Flint and make the city yours once again. Nick: Thank you man, really appreciate the support, and we’re looking forward to it like no one’s business, and we’re going to give both shows 150 thousand percent, and bring the roof down. ToddStar: Sounds good. We’ll see you then, Nick. Nick: Alright brother, thanks so much. ToddStar: Thanks man. Nick: Bye. If you need tickets for these killer shows, be sure to check out http://www.themachineshop.info/ for more details.
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