Colorado Music Buzz
January 01, 2011
The Silent Still
by Michael Amidei
Draven Grey, frontman for The Silent Still, sits in abject silence. He breathes in through his nostrils, waiting for a response. Seeing that he has just finished unveiling a long and spiraling explanation into the origins of Christmas, its multi-religious symbolism and Christianity itself, a pause is expected. Not long before that, he was standing at a piano, emoting his way through “Fairytale Of New York,” punctuating the lyrics by pointing his finger into the vacant corner of the room.
The Silent Still is a unique band in Denver. While there are admittedly hundreds, if not thousands, of bands in Denver, my money is on The Silent Still to make the leap from local secret to a larger-than-life, can’t-get-into-their-shows kind of success. A recent conversation with the band makes it sound as though they are the joint commanders of a full-scale army invasion. The preparation, planning, and the sheer amount of work being put into the music are humbling, and maybe more than just a little intimidating.
CMB: In a world so chock full of music, how do you think The Silent Still will stand out?
Draven: The Silent Still isn’t just about our music. Sure, as a band, our music is at the forefront. We use our music to make connections with people and help them out of their personal hells. But the music is just one tool. Whether it’s a CD, music video, our light show, or even standing in line to get into a concert, we want to make everything we do part of a genuine connection, a real experience for our fans. It will take some time to build up, but those connections can start happening now with a simple hug and smile, as we listen to and care about our fans.
We’re also starting out as a band already much further along than most bands do. We have Indie Graphic Design, RNA Recording Studios, and Rockstar Mindset under our wing. And because of my band coaching business, we don’t have a choice but to succeed. I owe it to my students to show them that I live what I teach. These things alone give us a huge head start. And we would love to see the bands around us catch on and start seeing their dreams become reality too.
The music has depth. It’s a woven tapestry of melodic and metallic, all done with a great deal of flourish. With Grey on vocals, the gorgeous Tiffany Chohfi on guitar, and thunder demigod Ryan Nichol on bass, we have three unique outlooks and styles that blend together in something that sounds like if Tool had a brooding and intelligent, sometimes seething, vampire as a lead singer.
Tiffany: We are a strong, solid band who are approaching the music industry with a focused and precise idea of what we want and what we are giving the world through music. We love people. We want people to feel what we feel, to learn what we have learned, to see what we see. There are a lot of great bands who make people feel like they are not alone. This is important. But it’s also imperative to be a band that not only comforts people, but stays beside them throughout their journey through life. To connect with them in a way that shows that we do care, we are here, and you will make it through.
Aside: As The Silent Still continues to make connections with more and more fans, they are gaining some serious ground. There are plans for what sounds like years ahead. But the fun will be, as it always is with great bands, seeing what they do next.
CMB: What is up next for The Silent Still?
Draven: Our first show is at the Bluebird Theater on February 5th, with some of the coolest guys we know – Glass Delirium, Nemesys, and Seris. We’ve been coming up with some creative ways to engage with our audience that I think will be really cool for them. If things go well, there will be cookies and hot girls. That’s all I can really say right now. (laughs)
Our apparently controversial and heart-wrenching Christmas video was a huge success, and we hope to put it up again next year. But it was only the beginning. We’re currently working on more engaging videos, a solid album, and laying plans for how to build relationships with the venues we love, and even more relationships with our growing fanbase. We’re also building relationships with fans where we want to tour, including Europe, where most of our connections are thanks to my awesome partners in coaching. 2011 will be a great year for us, but what truly matters to us is how we use the things we do to make genuine connections with our fans.
They are the true rock stars.
