by Jordan Finn
It's been a year since I interviewed the band last year, any complaints about the decline of contemporary journalism?
On the contrary, I think we're all hoping the decline of contemporary journalism will give rise to neo-journalism, wherein the news is transmitted directly on to whatever screen you happen to be looking at in a series of scrolling green code, Matrix style. The catch is that in order to decipher it, you have to be a 90's movie hacker character.
Who are the members of Silverbow Society for anyone late to the game?
Trevin - Guitar/vox
Caleb - Bass
Conner - Lead Guitar
Ty - Drums
How is Silverbow Society these days? We cool? Do we need to talk?
We're 100% solid. We need to talk in the sense that you and I ought to be more communicative, but like, we don't need to have a "talk" talk, y'know?
Scene: You're the paramedic and called to the unconscious body of the Billings music scene? What's your prognosis? (Aside: Perhaps the phone call was a prank and the body of the Billings music scene is totally copacetic and doing something random like driving to Laurel or listening to a podcast about the future of cryptocurrency rather than requiring the assistance of a medical professional. If so please indicate.)
Left in our hands, the scene will never regain consciousness. We don't want to say it will die, but will probably at least be in some kind of vegetative state, so we're hoping it was a prank.
What do you guys prioritize in writing songs? Melody? Rhythm? Rockness? Et al.
We don't write it unless you can mess someone up in the pit to it. Nah but actually - I feel like melody probably is what we focus on most as a band. We try to write stuff that will stick.
2018 is turning out to be one of the most political years in recent memory. With that in mind, do you have an ideal location for holing up in case the zombie/not zombie apocalypse initiates?
For a zombie apocalypse, probably a warehouse store like Costco or Sam's Club. For the not-zombie apocalypse, we'll figure it out when we get there.
Why didn't any members of Silverbow society participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago? Are you as much of fans of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as you are of rock and roll?
The joke is on you, slimeball. Conner definitely made an Ice Bucket Challenge video back in 2014. But to your bigger point - rock or die, brother.
Lars Von Trier was once quoted to say "Silverbow Society's output has been nothing but a respectable expression of frustration, persistence, and rejection. I hope to one day match that sort of dedication in my own form."
Look, I enjoyed Melancholia as much as the next guy, but Lars Von Trier's batting record is a little spotty. So, while I appreciate his kind words, it's sort of like being complimented by your weird cousin who likes some of the shows you like but also spends a disturbing amount of time watching instructional taxidermy videos.
Do you predict relocation in the band's near future? Any dream spots for playing music in these "crazy times?"
For the foreseeable future, the plan is to stay in Billings. We might have to make a few adjustments depending on who goes out of town for college next year, but we'll be based in Billings for at least a little while.
I'm sorry to even bring this up, but how do you respond to allegations that Silverbow Society has knowingly participated in the "pink slime" scandal at McDonald's restaurants around the world by defalcating band profits to ensure the continuation of a practice widely understood to be unethical and, to be perfectly frank, a sickening maltreatment of the consumer?
No need to apologize, it's a complicated issue that's been largely sensationalized. What we can assure you of is that we participated in no practice that violated legal boundaries and that we pride ourselves in being transparent with the consumer. These allegations are completely erroneous, though we do have to commend you on the thoroughness of your research. You dig deep, kid.
Can we expect the band to have any new releases / decaffeinated coffee blends / Silverbow Signature winter wear / Silverbow Society: The Game where players watch different perspectives from the band's history up to and including this very interview without the player having any volition to do anything but press scripted buttons that makes the characters make trite comments like "Great job," "Ouch, man" or "Not again!"?
For about the past year and a half, we've been writing what will hopefully be our full-length. We don't have any concrete plans, but we've been "talking" to some "guys" and we really hope an album will be released towards the conclusion of the year. We're pretty excited to show people what we've been working on, at least; it's definitely a cut above anything else we've done. As far as crossing over into other markets, we're prototyping a hot-sauce, but development has been...unstable. Thanks a bunch and much love to you and the rest of the people at Waste Division
