Paul Koehler

Paul Koehler
Koehler in 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Paul Adam Koehler
Born	(1983-09-09) September 9, 1983
Origin	Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Post-hardcore, Hardcore punk
Occupations	Musician, Graphic Designer and Web Designer
Instruments	Drums
Years active	2000-present
Labels	Hopeless, Victory
Associated acts	Silverstein
Website	www.paulkoehler.net
Notable instruments
A custom Udrum drum kit with Meinl Cymbals.

Paul Adam Koehler (born September 9, 1983) is a Canadian drummer in the band Silverstein. He is also involved in several business ventures, most notably a clothing company named Liars! Manifesto.

Early life

Koehler was born in Kitchener, Ontario. In 1996, at the age of thirteen, he started playing the drums; primarily self taught, he took various lessons. Koehler plays the drums using matched grip. He has been playing in bands since he learned to play drums. He started a band with some friends because he wanted to become a famous musician like the bands he was listening to then.^[1] He attended Lester B. Pearson High School in Burlington, receiving his high school diploma in 2002. Paul then attended McMaster University to get an engineering degree, but when the band signed with Victory Records he dropped out to pursue a career in music.^[2] Koehler's influences include Gorilla Biscuits, Cave In, Daft Punk, Hayden, Kraftwerk, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, The Replacements and Wilco.^[3]

Musical career

Koehler is the drummer and founding member for the Canadian rock band Silverstein. His other bandmates include Shane Told, Bill Hamilton, Neil Boshart(no longer in Silverstein- position now occupied by Paul Marc Rousseau) and Josh Bradford. He found the rest of the band through the scene.^[4] Koehler has been with the band since the beginning in February 2000.^[5] Koehler's first show with the band was on June 28, 2000 at the Glad Tidings Church in Burlington, Ontario. The line-up for the show was Shane, Josh, Richard McWalter and Noah, who only played that one show with the band. They played five songs during their set.^[6] In the music video for "Smile in Your Sleep" on the Discovering the Waterfront album, Koehler played Professor Plum for the game Clue, where he is seen holding the rope in the billiard room and then later holding a candle stick in the conservatory. It was filmed in the same mansion as the movie Billy Madison. Also in the same album for the music video of Discovering the Waterfront, Koehler is the only one not lying down on the ground.^[7] During the recording of Arrivals & Departures, Koehler lived in California with the rest of the band. They recorded the album at Capitol Records, where they were surrounded by other musicians.

Equipment

Discography

Personal life

Koehler currently resides in Burlington, Ontario where there is large music scene with other bands such as The Fullblast and Boys Night Out. He is married to Jessica Koehler (née Schnell) and is a self proclaimed to be part of the straight edge lifestyle and has been since the age of sixteen.^[10]

Activism

In 2006 Paul went to Capitol Hill to speak about teen suicide. He was joined by two congress members Democrat Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island and Democrat Grace Napolitano of California. They asked for government funding for two charities that help prevent teen suicide. He is a vegan and has been for over 6 years. He enjoys finding new vegetarian food while touring with the band. He was on the ballot for PETA's "Sexiest Vegetarian" contest in 2007. In 2007 Brofest a charity for Nicholas Hurlbut hosted by Paul raised $12,301. Nicholas had cancer and later died because of it.

Companies

Liars Manifesto

Liars! Manifesto is a group of friends, Paul Koehler, Danny DelPrincipe and Kenny Fletcher founded in 2006. The three friends design unique apparel for the label, when they are not busy. The company, while still young, states on its website that it has plans for bigger things. Paul is in charge of wholesale orders, advertising and designing the website for the Liars! Manifesto.

Rock and Roll Design Company

Rock and Roll Design Company is a website design made by Koehler himself. He creates various web design layouts for various sites many of which are either his or related to his band and clothing line. The websites that give credit to Rock and Roll design are such websites as Silverstein's, Brofest (Charity Event), Udrum, Verona Records (Shane Told's Record Company), Invisible Ninjas (Photography) and Paul's Personal Page (The Paul Koehler Network).^[11] He is the Webmaster for his hometown YMCA, the website of which also has been developed by Rock and Roll Design Company.

Invisible Ninjas

The website under the direction of Paul features various portfolios with designs created either by him or his own friends. Paul is listed as a Designer while Silverstein bandmate Billy Hamilton is a Photographer. Paul has various photos of his travels with the band and things in general.^[12]

Quotes

"I've watched my favorite local record store shutdown after 10+ years of operation and dozens of purchases. For me, there is a big emotional connection between the purchase and first play of a record. I own a lot of music and most of it tells a story of how I found it and what part of my life it relates to. The quest for new and exciting music is only possible at a place where true talent influences the records that are being pushed. For myself, I tour all over the world and make a point to hunt down an indie store in as many places as I can. There is nothing more self-gratifying than discovering a store and making a rare purchase of something you have been searching for." - Paul Koehler ^[13]

References

External links

• Koehler's official website