1. Your music is described as a blend of classic rock riffs and 80s pop hooks with modern production . Which artists from those eras most directly influence The Silverbirds sound, and how do you balance nostalgia with a contemporary feel?

I have tons of influences from the 60s, 70s, and 80s which I think gives us a diverse sound overall. But if I had to pick one artist who's been most important to my development it would be Bruce Springsteen. Though I had been familiar with him since I was a kid, I didn't become a superfan of Bruce until I was 19. At that point I wasn't even really a singer yet, I just wanted to be a guitarist. But Bruce was the guy who provided me with the blueprint for how I could present myself as an artist and a singer. Not only that, I've always been drawn to raucous live performers, and I don't know if there's anyone better at turning into a wild man on stage than Bruce. Everything clicked for me once I got listening to Bruce.

When it comes to adding the contemporary elements, I actually think this where being a little bit out of the loop on my part helps me. I obviously hear things through the radio and social media. But overall it's not like I'm scouring the Hot 100 trying to scrape from modern influences, which I think can help us stay original amongst the competition. That being said, I still want it to be approachable to people who maybe aren't as familiar with 70s or 80s music. And when it comes to adding the modern elements, that's where I let the production team make their mark. One other thing I'll add is that I've found a lot of big pop artists these days like The Weeknd and Sabrina Carpenter incorporate a lot of old school influences to their tracks, which really helps with what we're trying to do on our end.

2. You've had the opportunity to collaborate with legendary musicians like drummer Kenny Aronoff and podcast guests like Andy Summers. What is the most valuable lesson you've learned from these established artists, and how has it impacted your approach to music?

I still can't believe I've had the chance to interact with all of these people. I'll be at the grocery store and hear a Police song over the speakers and in my head I immediately think about how I've been able to interview Andy on my podcast. Or, I'll be at a restaurant and a John Mellencamp song starts playing and then I'm thinking back to how we recorded our song "Dangerous Lover" with Kenny. I remember once I was in the car with Sirius radio on, and we were playing 80s on 8. There was a stretch of about four songs in a row where each track had someone on it who I was connected with. In the moments where I feel like I'm not doing enough for my career, remembering that I've worked with all these big names is what reminds me I'm probably on the right track.

The best piece of advice I've ever received from someone established was the great Neil Giraldo, who was on my podcast this summer. After we finished the interview we continued chatting for a few minutes, and I brought up how we would be opening for Nazareth at River Cree. He said that the main thing to remember once you start playing in bigger and bigger venues is not to let the size of it all get to you. It's easy to be intimidated by how big the crowd is, but you have to forget about it, focus on your performance, and ultimately have fun. If you're loose and having a good time, then you won't even notice all the crazy aspects of it. I thought about that multiple times once the show finally arrived for us, and I can say that despite playing for 2000+ people at that show, it didn't feel daunting once we got up on stage.

3. The band is based in Calgary. How has the local music scene shaped you, and what are the advantages and challenges of building a career from there while seeking opportunities across North America?

First off, I love Calgary. I'm born and raised here, and it's a great place to live. It's nice to be somewhere that has all the amenities of a big city, but is still small enough that it doesn't get too hectic. The music scene here is interesting because we do have some major venues, and the National Music Centre is located here as well. The Stampede has also become more of an event for the music than the rodeo in recent years. But outside of that, we're small. I think it's safe to say we're very far away from the LAs and Nashvilles when it comes to music.

Overall, I would say it's been challenging to breakthrough for us in Calgary. That isn't to say we don't have our supporters here (we're super grateful for those who have been with us from the very beginning), and things are getting better for us. However, I can't help but feel like the music scene in Calgary feels closed off in a way. Not naming names, but I've gone to people to share some of our accomplishments, and got met with nothing more than a shrug. And that's why I've put so much stock into getting opportunities outside of Calgary. Another great piece of advice I got was from Billy Joel's drummer Chuck Burgi. Chuck told me how because he's from New Jersey, he's just an hour away from New York and every opportunity you could possibly want. But because I'm in Calgary, it's even more important for me to get out of town to create connections that can lead to those life changing opportunities. Now the best part of living in today's world is that I've been able to build a network of contacts without leaving Calgary. A huge reason why I've made an effort to get our music on the radio is so that our music is heard in more places, and it's worked. Our music has been on the air in LA, New York, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, and even more amazing cities. Most artists in Calgary aren't doing that. Starting my podcast is another similar avenue to get my brand in front of a wider audience. Once again, not many people in Calgary are getting to interact with the likes of Andy Summers, Neil Giraldo, and David Paich. Or, getting to meet up with people on the road like Dominic Miller, Chuck and the Billy Joel band, or Barry Danielian from the E Street Band. Similarly, it seems kind of fitting that our first major show (opening for Nazareth at River Cree) was one we had to go on the road for.

Ultimately, I would love to achieve major success while continuing to base the operation in Calgary. And I think we'll be able to do that.

4. Your cover of  Little Red Corvette has been a major radio hit. What inspired you to record a Prince cover, and what was your process for reimagining such an iconic song to make it your own, especially by giving it a more live sound?

Prince is another huge influence for me, especially when coming from the pop side of things. In late 2023, I was figuring out what I wanted to do for the next release, and at the time I was listening to Little Red Corvette a lot. The more I listened to it, the more I realized how it had the exact kind of sound that was the perfect fit for us. It has these lush keyboards and pop elements to go along with a big chorus and a guitar solo to give it a rock edge. Plus, it still feels really fresh. I feel like it could have come out this year and it wouldn't feel out of place. Once I made all those connections, I knew we had to try recording it. The start of 2024 was when production began, and we had it ready to go for a May release date. The thing that made our version different from the original was the fact that we recorded all the instruments live, whereas Prince's version uses programmed drums and has more of an electronic feel. We also shot an awesome music video where we got to use a real 1973 Corvette, and that turned out amazing (shout out to Glenn who owns the Corvette). That song has become the workhorse of our live set. It never fails to get the crowd worked up no matter the setting, and I feel like each time we play it live we make it more our own.

5. As a band on the rise, how do you navigate the modern music industry's demand for online presence while staying focused on creating great music?

It's hard because I feel like I struggle very much with social media. I can safely say if I wasn't doing any of this I wouldn't be on it. I'm not good at holding up a phone and going "HEY GUYS," and as you pointed out that feels like it's become the most important part of being a musician in this day and age. Though there are two things that have been helping me lately. Firstly, I've improved a lot at video production (mostly through the podcasting), so we now have a lot of high quality footage of us on stage with audio straight from the board. That's great because it saves me from having to film bedroom covers (never again will I do that haha). Then my podcast helps cover the remaining content gaps, and that's awesome because it fills my feed with legendary figures in music along with myself. I think for me I have to just continue to work on the music first and foremost, because if people don't like that then it doesn't matter if your social media is top notch.

6. Looking back, what has been your most memorable live performance experience to date, and what made it so significant for the band?

Definitely our most recent show opening for Nazareth on October 18th at River Cree. It was our first time on the road, our first time in a major venue, and our first time in front of a truly huge crowd. We've been chasing a show like this for a long time, and it was a huge burden off of our shoulders to finally land this opportunity as it should hopefully help to open more doors. I've always known we have the kind of exciting performance that would work on a big stage, and it was reassuring to know that we pulled it off. The guys in The Silverbirds did a great job. And even better, after our set a few of the guys in Nazareth came up to share their compliments. Then the lead singer gave us a shoutout on stage during their set, calling us "the next big thing." Overall, it's just so cool because no matter what happens, by playing this show we got to do something that most bands and artists will never achieve.

7. With the success of your recent single and your podcast Guess That Record, what are the next big goals for Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds? Can fans expect an album of new original material soon?

On the podcast front, our newest episode just launched with Phil Manzanera. Phil is the guitarist for Roxy Music (who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and in particular I was excited to speak with him about his work with David Gilmour and Pink Floyd. With the Floyd, Phil worked on the albums "A Momentary Lapse of Reason," and "The Endless River." Then he was involved with David's solo albums "On An Island" and "Rattle That Lock," producing and going on tour with David for both albums. David Gilmour is a huge influence for me as a guitarist, so it was really cool to speak with Phil since he worked with him so closely. Not to mention Roxy Music has some great tracks too. We have more episodes on the way throughout the fall and winter so be sure to follow Guess That Record to stay up to date.

For the music, we do have some new material in the works. I can't share anything yet, but I'm hoping we'll have something to announce soon. In the meantime, if you follow us on Instagram, you'll be the first to know when we'll have something new to check out!

Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds Instagram: @jacksonreedofficial

Guess That Record Instagram: @guessthatrecord