We were lucky to catch up with Adam Silvestri recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Adam with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Work ethic is not something you are just born with, you learn it over time. Sure, you can have an aptitude to focus, or be predisposed to like a certain activity to the point where you do it all the time but one’s work ethic is sometimes that is 100% developed, usually by the environment we find ourselves in.
I’ve found the only way a good work ethic develops is if there is a purpose for the discipline – an overarching goal you wish to achieve. Something you set your sights on that is worthy of what you sacrifice in being committed to a cause. Then and only then can a good work ethic be developed.
The first instance I can remember where I developed a worth ethic was when I started playing baseball. I had a desire to be good, to be in the starting lineup. And further to be on a winning team. Through this competition my desire to be an important member of a winning team set me on a path of practice. My father was really important in guiding me along, showing me how to put the pieces together – that hardwork through practice led to achieving what I sought to achieve. And also that those who practiced harder and dedicated more were the ones who were better and got farther. To see this metamorphosis in action – to see for myself that work ethic really was the deciding factor in achieving a goal -that was a lasting concept that I would always hold onto. Today I don’t consider myself a more talented musician than most, but a harder worker than most.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I write songs and perform them with my band Radiator King. I’ve been playing under the name since 2012 and the project has taken many shapes – I’ve toured solo, as a duo and full band. However, the current incarnation of Radiator King is Brian Viglione on drums and Alex Burke on keys. We just released a new single called “Ghost of Elvis” that we recorded here in LA with producer Ted Hutt and have some more songs we recorded with him on the way. We are really excited about the new work we are doing with Ted and excited to see how it develops.
The special aspect of the current state of Radiator King is that everyone involved is here for the same overarching purpose – to make lasting music that has integrity. We are all led by our love for music and have an understanding that our work together is important. When you dedicate yourself to music early on in life, its because you have been touched in a profound way by the power it can have and to dedicate yourself to that lineage is a meaningful and worthy pursuit.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I’d say resourcefulness, exercising gratitude and adaptability
Resourcefulness – For most everything I’ve done in music the budget has been extremely tight. Figuring out ways to be resourceful has been imperative. Yes, you can make a video for $20,000 but you can also make one for $20 that can be just as effective. Figuring out what you have access to and utilizing it in creative ways is not only a necessity but it also makes for a more interesting product. Sometimes those limitations are what gives a product it’s unique character. Like that first Bad Brains album that was recorded for next to nothing in an abandoned storefront in the Lower East Side or Alan Lomax’s field recording of Lead Belly at Parchman Farm Penitentiary in Mississippi. They don’t sound “good” in the traditional sense but they sound right. The limitations came to define these pieces of art and helped make them what they are. Let your life shape your art in every way possible.
Gratitude – Being a musician means that you will deal with rejection more often than not. If you focus on this rejection, let it fester in your mind, you’ll come to believe that it is the result of the work you are putting out. Maybe it is but I assure you it probably is not. Most times people aren’t even taking the time to give your music the time it deserves to properly judge it. But when someone does and they recognize it’s worth you should be damn grateful. To be sustainable in this journey you must reshape your perspective on your music once you put it out there into the world. Look at what you DO have and where your work HAS brought you. I’ll admit it’s easy to slip up and get down about where you’re at especially in this age where the industry tends to put everything else before quality. But we must be reacquainted with the purpose of why we are doing this in the first place. Instead of looking around the club you’re playing and getting down because there are only 20 people there, instead focus on the impact and connection you have with those 20 people and be grateful for their interest in your music. No one owes you anything.
Adaptability – In this industry things rarely go as planned. Actually, I think this is true of life in general. So to be able to adapt without losing your head is key. I can’t tell you how many times on tour plans go awry and I’ve needed to figure out a solution quickly. In fact on my last solo tour of Europe a show fell through leading up to the date and through some quick thinking was able to land a show opening for another band which ended up being one of the better shows of tour. There’s always a solution to every problem, you just got to learn how to adapt to the reality of the situation and keep an open mind that everything will work out.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
“Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck was an important book for me. From that book I learned that there’s only two types of paths to follow, there’s only two kinds of roads to walk, there’s only two types of people to be in this world. And we make that decision everyday, our whole lives. You either live for people or against people and like it or not, that shall be our legacy.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://radiatorkingmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radiatorkingmusic
Image Credits
Michelle Shiers
