“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” —William Shakespeare
The band Silverada is best known as Mike and the Moonpies, the former name under which the group recorded and toured for some 20 years. Country music critics consider it one of the best live acts in America. As Mike and the Moonpies, the group performed everywhere from Abbey Road Studios (with help from the London Symphony Orchestra) to the Grand Ole Opry.
The band changed its name to Silverada recently to reflect their musical evolution from a Texas dance-hall act to a more multifaceted group. Their first album as Silverada (their ninth album as a band) was just released on June 28. It has already received rave reviews from such publications as Rolling Stone, No Depression, Saving Country Music, Holler, and Americana Highways.
Silverada will perform three times in Iowa this summer, including as a warmup act for the Wallflowers at the Capitol Theatre in Davenport in July, as headliners on August 9 at the First Avenue Club in Iowa City, and as part of the lineup for Benefit for Vets on August 10 at the Worthington Memorial Hall in Dyersville.
“We love playing in Iowa,” said bandleader and founder Mike Harmeier over the phone. “The first time we played out of state as a band was in Iowa. Audiences have always been very encouraging.” Mike and the Moonpies were originally from Austin, Texas.
The band has performed in the Hawkeye State as Mike and the Moonpies many times over the years. This year’s Silverada engagements will include new music from the recent self-titled album. “Nobody in Iowa will have heard these songs live before as we just started doing that,” he said. While Harmeier described the new music as country, he also said he doesn’t like to ascribe genre labels. “You tell me what it is?” he responded when asked to describe it. He acknowledged that there are some Americana, blues, rock and roll, and even disco touches on the album. While one might be able to discern differences from past releases, their other albums always reflected diverse influences. The band has continuously grown, but its roots have not changed.
As for the moniker Silverada, Harmeier admits he has heard some negative feedback from longtime fans about the name change. “We have evolved from what we once were, and even aspired to be,” Harmeier said. “We wanted our name to reflect that. After all, who wants to be a moonpie?” He let the question linger without comment as if the answer were self-evident. He then noted that the band kicked around hundreds of possible name changes over the years. This seemed like the right time. As for why they chose Silverada, he said that the word “silver” has always had a positive association with the band.
“We originally thought our new name would be Cheap Silver,” the bandleader said. “It was a proposed group name before we wrote a song with that title, which became the title song of our 2019 album Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold.” He joked that the new name honored his Chevy truck (a Silverado) and western movies (there is a well-regarded Kevin Costner movie from 1985 called Silverado). While the band understands why some people are upset about the conversion, he says he and his mates are glad to have done it. The word’s enigmatic meaning is part of its charm. “It means whatever you want it to mean,” he said inscrutably. There was a laugh in his voice when he spoke, which suggested he had been asked that question too many times and wanted the new name to maintain its mystery.
Harmeier said he would not know what he would do if he weren’t a musician, but it would have to be something in the music business. “I can’t imagine living a life where music was not central to my existence,” he said. He has expanded his musical horizons and produced records by other artists, including fellow Texan Rob Leines and singer-songwriter Darby Sparkman. He enjoys going out to hear what other performers are doing and has a special place for Austin-based acts.
“I still consider our band to be 100 percent part of the Austin scene,” Harmeier said, and proclaimed that Austin’s official motto, the Live Music Capital of the World, is an accurate description.
Success has propelled Silverada to tour all over the country from June until November, but playing in Austin endures as a hometown gig with a special vibe. Harmeier’s proud to say that the town remains the place where plenty of artists come to perform for appreciative audiences. Recently, both the Lone Star State blues band Shinyribs and Texas legend Willie Nelson joshed about changing their names to “Mike and the Moonpies,” and the Austin crowd got the joke—one that’s made with affection and respect.
“Most of our fans don’t care if we call ourselves Mike and the Moonpies or Silverada. They come out and support us. We presume that will be true in Iowa as well, as people there have supported us from the beginning. That’s why we keep coming back!”