interview: Silent no more
Niko Kirincic, The Peak
Time Silent plays at Mesa Luna on October 20.
Six months ago I attended a concert at the Croatian Cultural Centre that featured too many bands in too little time. One of the bands was Time Silent, a group of four high school kids from Coquitlam and Maple Ridge.
Their music had edge, melody, and incredible vocals - all rare in most of the bands that night. Speaking with the band after their set, it became clear that these guys meant business.
The band was started in early 2004. After losing his mother to cancer, Ryan Stead took to music to vent his emotions. Cody Morgan soon joined him as they formed what would eventually become Time Silent. With Ryan on vocals and guitar and Cody taking the second guitar position, the two recruited Mas Gendron on bass and Hunter Elliott on drums.
After starting out playing high school shows, the band soon added to its experience local festivals and clubs. A couple Saturdays ago I met up with Mas and Ryan at a Tim Hortons way the hell out in Maple Ridge to talk to them about the band, hockey, and, of course, doughnuts.
For more information about the band: www.timesilent.cjb.com.
Ryan: The first time that I had a bowel movement was pretty rad.
Mas: Good start.
Ryan: You write down everything?
Yeah, this is an interview, not a selective reading.
[Awkward silence]
Mas: Playing at the Croatian Cultural Centre was pretty sweet. Come to think of it, every show is a good experience.
For you two, who has been your biggest personal influence?
Ryan: Dallas Green, the singer and guitarist from Alexisonfire.
Mas: Jon Gallant. He's the bassist in Billy Talent.
Time Silent just released and mailed out its latest demo titled "Sorry You Cannot Go to Outer Space." Does the band have anything on board in terms of new material?
Mas: Yeah, we've been writing like mad crazy. We've got lots of new material. We're just working out the last issues with the new songs before we start recording.
Does the new album have a tentative name?
Mas: We've got nothing. Songs come first and the title last.
Now for what everyone has been wondering: what is your favorite NHL team?
Ryan: For Cody put "I love my 'nucks."
Mas: Yeah, he loves those 'nucks.
Fill in the blank: _____, sex, rock'n'roll.
Ryan: "None of the following."
Mas: "Kitty cat."
Who is the band's slut?
Both: Hunter
Mas: Hands down it's Hunter.
Britney versus Christina versus Jessica . . . who wins in a fight to the death?
Ryan: Christina. She can sing sometimes. Out of all three she's the only one that can actually sing.
Mas: Christina, 'cause she'll get dirrty.
We're at Tim Hortons so I've got to ask: what's your favorite doughnut?
Ryan: Man, I'm diabetic.
So you'll hold out for some water and crackers?
Ryan: I'm down.
[Another silence]
Mas: I'm white [points at arm]. How did I get so white?
Ryan: You're pretty white and I'm Rick James, bitch.
If you could open a show for any band, who would it be?
Mas: Anyone?
[They look at each other]
Both: Alexisonfire.
Ryan: Hunter would definitely want Green Day.
Mas: Cody would be like, "Well, fack."
You guys are on top of things - what's going to be the next big fashion trend?
Ryan: Scarves [throws out the thumbs up].
Mas: I'm thinking about the big clocks that you wear on your neck with some chain. Cody is going to bring back wool socks.
Speaking of Cody, where is he? And Hunter?
Ryan: Cody's gone done huntin'.
Mas: Hunter is eating turkey.
What is your favorite Time Silent song?
Ryan: I like "The Water." It's kind of weird to say that you like your own songs. I listen to my songs every day.
Any shout outs?
Ryan: I'm so down with my mama, the Gendron family, and my balls.
Mas: Ryan's mom. She is the reason that the band started.
Girls or boys?
Ryan: I prefer syrup.
Mas: Hair.