Silver Dollar Room just dropped a massive album, and we wanted to have a sit down with Jamie from the band to find out where all of this came from and what may be next for them.
Here is what happened.
RAG: Where did Gilded Echos album come from?
These tracks have actually been in the bag for many years. I wrote the music for bands that never seen the light of day, never played a gig or recorded even a demo. I always liked the music and was disappointed that I never done anything with them. So just before lockdown I got together with Doug (drums) and we started digging into them. Some of them needed work, were possibly a bit immature and needed rearranged and parts added or rewrote.
Lockdown obviously put a stop to this but when we were able to get into studios again, Doug and I went in and tracked the drums for what became the album. There wasn’t really a plan but we really liked what we did in the studio and then asked John to lay down vocals. Then came Lisa and finally Dan.
So this album came out of nowhere. From a lot of failed projects and brought together by a love of music from that era and belief that we were onto a winner.
RAG: Biggest musical influences?
We are all pretty obsessed by the 90s rock, alternative and grunge. Not to say we don’t listen to modern music, we do! But this era really means a lot to us and makes up a huge part of our musical journeys. We don’t try to make our music a throwback or anything like that, we just do what we do and it seems to resonate with folks who like that stuff. But there is also a lot of other influences within the band. Indie, pop, country, punk… we just all really dig music and like what we like.
RAG: When and how did the band come together?
This really became a band at the beginning of 2023 when we realized that the album was worth bringing on the road. What began as a studio project really became too good not to be an actual band. That’s also when we asked Lisa to join too. Then we started jamming and working towards putting on a live show. We also instantly signed with Reaction Management as we didn’t want to mess about and wanted to hit the ground running. Dan arrived early in 2024 as we wanted to make the live show much bigger than the original 4 piece we started as.
RAG: Are you performing live?
We have been playing live regularly this year, Debut gig in April, a show up north and record store appearances too. We are playing in Edinburgh in October, and we are opening Winterstrom in November too.
With the album out we are planning to get out on the road as much as possible and pay our dues live. We can’t wait!
RAG: Who are you listening to right now.
The new tracks from Jerry Cantrell and Myles Kennedy are great! Really looking forward to hearing their albums. Smashing Pumpkins' new album is cool too. And I am quite digging Devin Townsend’s new single.
So much music going around right now.
RAG: What do you do when you are not working on music?
Lisa and I are both professional musicians, so we are always working on music. John and Doug are both fitness fanatics and are always in training for something or chatting about boxing. Dan is always playing guitar or working. I’m also pretty into F1 too.
RAG: What’s next for the band?
We are just out of the studio having just recorded some acoustic versions of songs from the album. We have a little work to do to finish that. We are getting ready for some great live shows and our first festival. And finally, we are in preproduction for album two. We like to keep busy haha!
RAG: Advice for other bands?
Doing something properly is a lot of work. Make sure you are prepared for that. Make sure you are communicating regularly, making the time to get shit done and have clear goals and timeframes. That sounds really un rock n roll. But by putting in the work early, it means there is loads of time to do the fun stuff when the time is right! We have been working hard, and look forward to having fun on the road and making loads of great memories.
RAG: What would we say to the fans of the music.
First of all… thank you so much. Reading all the great comments, all the awesome reviews, seeing our socials grow and monthly listeners jump up massively has been fucking amazing.
We want more though, so if you really liked it please share, tell your pals, talk about us and help us grow. We will repay you by playing our hearts out and making more music for you. Promise!
Fronting the band is John Keenan (Vocals) best known for Edinburgh rockers DMS. His unique voice is one of the most distinctive on the scene. He has played sell-out shows in some of Scotland’s most prestigious venues and has gained massive respect for both his voice and his song writing. Driving this is a mind that needs to say something. And SDR gives him, in fact encourages him to say what he wants with no filter.
Guitarist Jamie Turnbull may be best known as Producer for bands like Dogs D’Amour, but he has been seen on stages all over the UK since he was a teenager. His gifted song writing has seen him open up for legends such as Paul Di’anno of Iron Maiden, Skindred and Breed 77. Being a ‘gun for hire’ guitar player has seen him rack up hundreds of gigs in the last ten years alone!
Lisa Aird is a professional musician and multi instrumentalist who is handling bass duties. Best known as part of Edinburgh institution AC Rid, she has also performed all over the UK and Europe as a singer. She brings not only a massive amount of musical experience and integrity, but an attitude and professionalism like no other.
Dan Colvin adds the guitar layers that hold the band together and give the extra boost they need live. A seasoned player and songwriter, Dan has shared the stage with SDR vocalist John together with DMS many times. In bands such as Art of Privilege and Scottish rapper Mog, he has shared the stage with acts such as The Fratellis and James Arthur.
Douglas McDonald is one of the most powerful drummers on the music scene, with a tribal backbeat and groove that most drummers would die for. Having racked up extensive touring and festival experience with indie rockers The Acute, he knows what the UK music is all about.
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