What would you say your bands music is about- What are the most important things about the music that your making i.e. the aims of your music in big bad wide world.
We’ve realised the importance of having an impacting live set, because that’s the only way people are really gonna listen so that’s the direction our music is going in at the moment, heavy delivery-something that’s really gonna stick with you a sound you can’t ignore and leave the more mellow songs for a time when people actually want to listen to us. Most importantly we just try to write good music that like minded people will enjoy. I guess it depends how many of those there are in the big bad wide world.
Who are your inspirations?
I fell in love with grunge when I was younger and I guess that’s always stuck. Bands like Sonic Youth or Nirvana, Mudhoney etc. Radiohead completely changed the way I think musically. We try not to dwell on the past because it leaves little space for originality so we do try to keep in touch with the contemporary and always try to look ahead. Bad music inspires us too, to get the band off the ground and show people what can still be done.
Can you particularly relate to any other artists on the main scene at the moment? If not what makes The Civics different?
A few. I really like The Cribs. I don’t dismiss the whole new rave/electro indie stuff but for me it’s just enjoyable music and not much else. It lacks soul which makes a big difference for me and it can be too gimmicky for my liking. That has been a problem for our band, finding an identity in the contemporary scene is that there are just too many genres and not much room for a band to unite or inspire them as punk or grunge once did.
Are you consciously making steps towards getting a break or it more of a rolling along situation?
We’re definitely making conscious steps. To be honest it did take a while to get to grips with how this whole thing works and really it is a case of shameless self-promotion and ruthless overhaul of old songs in order to refine our set. We’ve also had to embrace the whole myspace thing and exploiting as many connections as we can.
For you, is success, producing loads of albums and becoming really famous or is it more of an underground scene that you are heading for?
In terms of careers there is none I admire more than Sonic Youth, sticking to their underground roots over all these years. But you do end up facing the dilemma over whether you want as many people to hear your music as possible and hope you can convert them or leave it to the hard core music lovers who will actually seek it out. Obviously I would love to produce music without compromising my ethics or values.
Modern music, especially mainstream music is often accused of being artificial and crap-do you agree and if so where do The Civics fit into this?
A lot of bands have fallen into a trap of signing onto a major label and having their rights desecrated. I personally don’t like them, you can tell when music has been polished and it becomes what can only be described as pop and has lost all the resemblance of the original live sound. I’d like to think we will always keep our sound how we like it.
Which modern day artists do you listen to or admire?
Strokes, Decembrists, Bright Eyes, Spinto band, Mogwai, Shy child, The Cribs.
Do you appreciate these modern bands as much as older artists like The Beatles or Bob Dylan?
I think it impossible to compare so I will have to say no, but I do think that bands like The Strokes will be remembered for a long time.
Quick-fire sesh…
Choose One of Sex, drugs or Rock and Roll?
Beer.
Bob Dylan or Neil Young?
Gotta be Bob.
Smoking ban Yes/No?
Yes although I am a smoker.
Tea or coffee?
Tea
Nirvana/Beatles
Beatles
