Q&a
With Silvis
Answers from Guitarist, Vocalist, and Lyricist, Luke Johnson
Q: Silvis doesn’t sound like a band trying to figure it out—you sound like a band that’s already lived through it. When did the creation of this project go from “let’s jam” to “oh, we have something real here”?
A: Happy to hear that we’ve tricked you into thinking we’ve figured anything out lol. But seriously, we’ve been a band since 2018. Basically just jamming, playing shows here and there, kind of just going with the flow, letting our path be decided for us. In 2023, I began to evaluate myself, who I had become up to that point, and who I wanted to become. A big part of that was setting the goal of writing and recording my first full length album with Silvis and really seeing how far we could get.
Q: There’s a lot of emotional chaos in your lyrics, but the instrumentation is often locked-in, even joyful. Is that contrast intentional—or do you just naturally write about existential crises, anxiety and indecision into something that grooves?
A: My writing style has always been to chase what makes you move, what makes you feel something. With that, I try to stay conscious of how each composition feels in its most basic state — focusing on the groove/feel/vibe of the song above everything else. The lyrics on this album were just the first time I let myself be a little more honest and vulnerable. So the contrast wasn’t intentional but more so a projection of my own life through the medium of music.
Q: One thing that jumps out on the record is how textured the sound is—guitar tones layered like velvet, synth stabs, vocal mimicry. What’s a sonic detail on the record that most people might not notice but you’re personally really proud of?
A: I think sonically I’m most proud of Hear You Speak. We had tried several ideas to get it to feel just right emotionally and the end result hits me like the climax of a film score every time.
Q: Who I Am feels like it belongs both on a front porch and a festival stage. It blends folk warmth with gospel energy and a healthy dose of identity crisis. Was it hard to keep that balance from tipping into corny? Or do you just trust the honesty to carry it?
A: Yeah I think trusting the honesty was a big part of that song coming together. I felt like more straightforward lyricism matched the tone of the composition and it seems like people really connect with that one.
Q: What’s a song from your youth—road trip era, burned-CD era—that still triggers that same warm, anthemic feeling when you hear it now?
A: Ooo I’d have say Graceland by Paul Simon. The groove/warmth of that album has always stuck with me and influenced my writing.
Q: You give off such Midwest energy, but not in the flannel-and-cornfields way—in the “I’m fine” while internally screaming way. How much of your music is therapy vs performance?
A: Oh man music is my therapy. Growing up, it was always a way for me to escape but has more recently evolved into a way to confront and work through things. Songwriting is what makes me feel most alive and it’s been fulfilling to explore my thoughts and fears in writing the lyrics to this album.
Q: You recorded A Tendency to Seek Distraction at Moonlight Audio in Columbus, OH. What’s one moment in the studio that changed how you thought about your own sound? And how much did the space itself influence what you walked in with versus what made the final cut?
A: Honestly, this was our first true studio experience and further, our first time working with a true producer, and the goal was to find and define the Silvis sound. From sending back and forth our favorite songs/albums to dialing in drum and synth sounds, it was a thorough exploration into what we wanted to become. Our producer, Joe Amadio, had a huge influence on our sound and really helped us zero in on what we were searching for but otherwise would’ve never found. So much credit to Joe for his impact on the album and the Silvis sound.
Q: Let’s say you’ve been asked to play a one-off show, but the catch is the entire setlist has to be covers. The twist? Every song has to represent something that influenced the making of A Tendency to Seek Distraction. Basically, it’s your sonic origin story in 45 minutes. What’s on that setlist—and what does it say about Silvis to someone hearing you for the first time?
A:
• Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
• Vampire Weekend - Unbelievers
• Young the Giant - I Got
• Young the Giant - Repeat
• Beach Boys - You Still Believe In Me
• Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
• Phoenix - Lasso
• Foals - My Number
• Royal Blood - Either You Want It