Asheville, NC's psychedelic-rockers, The Silver Doors, have built a reputation for their dynamic and unpredictable live shows. Now, their electrifying sound is being channelled straight into their highly anticipated self-titled debut album set to drop on April 15th, 2024.
With their debit album close at hand, The Silver Doors are set to take listeners on a wild ride through frenzied punk bursts to epic rock anthems, and to help celebrate the upcoming release, we couldn’t wait to sit down with frontman Alex Cox to learn a bit more about what’s to come.
It’s so great to be able to catch up with you, thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Let’s dig right into things, when did you first start making music?
“Thanks for having me! Speaking for myself, I first picked up the guitar when I was 11 or 12. I was never in any serious bands until I was in college, though. I had always played music with my brother and my dad, who are both drummers. But The Silver Doors formed in late 2022! It’s made up of Bryce (drums) who I met in college and have known for close to a decade now, Brett (bass, vocals) who I met playing shows in different bands in Asheville, and Justin (violin) who I met when we worked together at Moog Music here in Asheville a few years back.”
What inspired you to start your journey into music?
“My family really inspired me the most. My mom was a music lover, and my dad is a drummer and has been playing in bands since as long as I can remember. My brother is also a drummer, so I really learned how to play guitar by covering Led Zeppelin and Hendrix and the White Stripes in our backyard music shed growing up. My grandfather showed me how to play my first things on guitar.”
Have there been any influences who have helped define your music and style?
“My early musical influences range from classic bands like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc. to more modern psych and rock bands like Television, Band of Skulls, Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Angels, Ty Segall, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, etc. But I love all kinds of music! I’ll go through phases of Loretta Lynn or Outkast…anything that catches my ear. Lots of the Josh Homme extended universe – QotSA, Desert Sessions, Them Crooked Vultures, Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Humbug’ (produced by Homme), etc.”
How would you describe your sound on the upcoming album?
“We have been calling our sound Appalachian Desert Rock, or Appalachian Psych Rock. This is hinting at the fact that we are from the Appalachian Mountains and include an electric violin in our sound. Bryce and myself are also pretty heavily influenced by blues music, which has deep roots here in the south. But I would say we are at some kind of intersection of psych, alternative, blues, and garage rock.”
Can you tell us a bit more about what to expect from the upcoming record?
“This is our debut album, so it kind of captures our first attempt at putting our heads together and introducing ourselves to people. It was recorded in two sessions in December 2022 and June 2023 at Drop of Sun Studios here in Asheville, with Alex Farrar and Lawson Alderson. Drop of Sun is such an amazing studio and it’s so wonderful working with Alex and Lawson. We are really proud of what we put together! “
What was your songwriting process for the album? How did it all come together?
“The songwriting process in this band is very collaborative. The root idea of a song may start with one person or another, but in the end, everyone puts their thoughts, ideas, and energy into it. We also sit down and analyse the different arrangement possibilities between the guitar, vocal melody, violin texture and melody, etc.”
What’s the most important thing for you when you’re writing a song?
“When I’m personally writing a song, the most important thing is that it gets across the feeling or energy that I’m trying to get across. And as a band, the same idea applies, but also that we are all listening to each other and supporting each other.”
What’s next for the band after the album?
“Next, we will be trying to play live shows regionally in 2024, then it’s on to the next batch of songs to be recorded!”
Do you have anything you would like to say to our audience?
“Just that we are grateful! Besides the insane world that we are living in 2024, there is so much going on and so much incredible music out there, so we are grateful and privileged to be in a place where we can express ourselves creatively as a band. We’ve done our part when it comes to writing and releasing the music, so it’s out of our hands now!”
Formed in 2022, The Silver Doors perfectly stitch together elements of psych, garage, blues, and more, paying homage to the Appalachian mountains they call home and exploring the boundaries of those genres. Blending their collective influences, their sound gets catapulted into new territories by letting the violin shine among blues backbeats, punk basslines, and reverb-drenched guitar riffs.
The band is supporting this release of the self-titled debut with an album release party at Eulogy in downtown Asheville, NC on April 18th, with more surrounding regional dates through the Spring.
You can pre-save the album now on Spotify ahead of its release next week.
Connect with The Silver Doors,
