Features

Like this short intro, this is a short interview with Silverstein guitarist Paul Marc Rousseau.

PRT: You were recently once again on the Warped Tour and it’s fair to say that at this point Silverstein are Warped Tour veterans. How were things different this time compared to your first experience?

Paul Marc: My first Warped Tour was 2013, so not too much has changed. Still hot, still rainy, still a summer camp with a lot of really great people I don't get to see enough.

PRT: What are absolute necessities in your Warped Tour survival kit?

Paul Marc: A list of goals and a good attitude. Warped  tour days can be exciting but they can be equally dry (or wet, you know, rain) and long. Have a hobby! Lift weights to be strong. Read books, then write one! Get into puzzles? Fit the pieces together to reveal a picture of cats in a basket on Easter- you're gonna love it!

PRT: Most of you have been in the band with one another for nearly two decades. What is the key to healthy band dynamics?

Paul Marc: I'm the newest and probably the most difficult to be around, so check back in a few years.

PRT: When you’re on a long tour, you are bound to get annoyed from time to time though. What are your band member’s most annoying habits?

Paul Marc: I've diagnosed myself with misophonia so basically everything annoys me. This is both an answer to this question and support for my answer of the last.  

PRT: Your new album came out recently, your eighth already. Very open question… but how do you keep things interesting/challenging for yourself?

Paul Marc: It's not difficult to keep things interesting if you keep doing interesting things. I like to work outside my comfort zone with other writers, then bring what I can back to Silverstein.

PRT: You like the occasional cover song, especially songs that have influenced you as an artist. Are there any cover songs that make it into the set list? Any songs that are only for band practice?

Paul Marc: We like doing American Nightmare's “Hearts." We do “Apologize" sometimes. With so many originals in our catalogue, it's tough to justify putting covers in the set- especially shorter slots. I want to cover Queen. Any song. No one will let me do it.