INTERVIEW // CIVIC is Taking the US By Force

Photo: Assignment Studio

Sometimes, it feels like America got the short end of the stick when it comes to rock music (and frankly, most things.) I’ll be the first to hail the legendary late-70s punk scene in NYC’s Lower East Side or the 90s grunge nirvana (laugh) that was Seattle, but in terms of contemporary rock ‘n’ roll exports, no country is doing it quite like Australia. One of the bands fueling my jealousy is CIVIC, a snarling, chaotic act out of Melbourne who find their unholy sound at the crux of garage rock and punk. Earlier this year, they put out Taken By Force, a weighty, dynamic record that feels just as hazy and spectral as it does fiercely pointed and restless. It’s a reverent nod to the great sub-genres that thrived in days past, but it never feels overly nostalgic or dated – somehow, they’ve grasped onto everything that transcends time and packaged it up into a Molotov cocktail of electric riffs and trenchant lyricism that could only exist right now. 

Lucky for us, CIVIC has embarked on their first ever US tour, and are making a stop at Zone One in Brooklyn on October 7th. (Tickets here!)

The Lamb sent out some burning questions to CIVIC frontman Jim McCullough, whose answers are below.

Bella Savignano: You’re embarking on your first ever US tour, how are you feeling? Any specific expectations, excitements, or fears on your mind?

Jim McCullough: Feeling great. It’s been a long time coming for us on this tour. We’d planned to tour the first EP and now we are on our 2nd LP so we have some stuff in the tank. Excited to meet new people, hear new bands and meet the President.

BS: Punk is a genre fraught with legacy. What draws you to that kind of music? What does it mean to you?

JM: I guess if we speak more specifically about Australian punk. It is something we all grew up on and still love. Speaking for myself here but as a kid it just made sense to me, it was exciting and still is. I think right now we are in a pretty interesting time for punk, it seems like a new wave is on the horizon. That’s what I love about it, it’s always moving forward, for better. 

BS: The music video for Hourglass is unexpected; it shows you guys in a far more laidback state than how you’d play that song on stage. What was the inspiration behind the video, and why did you choose to make it like you did?

JM: Roland and I had this idea to have someone dancing in the clip. The riff tends to lead to that kind of behaviour, we felt. I messaged Jarrod from “lost animal” (a very important Australian artist if you don’t know him.) He was keen to dance. Our friend Oscar had  just opened a gallery, called MoM. He also made the clip. We just decided to just set up the camera in that room and fuck around. It was definitely a nice contrast to our normal approach to our visuals. 

BS: Taken By Force is a little over half a year old. Now that you’ve had a few months to sit with it, how do you feel? How has the reaction been? Are there ideas cooking for the next record? And did Taken By Force teach you anything about how you want to approach the next album?

JM: It’s always weird when your record comes out because it’s always been months in the works and by the time it comes out it either feels new again or you’re emotionally done with it. I’m happy with Taken By Force still, and we are all extremely proud of that record. We are always looking to push on and grow in CIVIC. You take notes on board and apply them to your next performance on the next record. That’s the game. Always growing and always trying to do better. 

BS: Some of the most exciting music right now is coming out of Australia (and has been!). How has it been coming up in the Melbourne scene, and what does it feel like to make it out to the rest of the world?

JM: We have all been pretty lucky, all coming up on Melbourne punk or hardcore in some aspect. All our other bands would play together early on. We love our home scene, its core. Heading out and meeting new heads is always on the top of our list. You can’t really get a grasp of a scene in 24 hours but it’s always sick seeing what each city has to offer. 

BS: What’s your pre-show routine?

JM: We stand a in circle, sometimes a triangle. We count to 3 and then we say BOB MARLEY ! But not out loud. In our minds. 1,2,3 ….. that's the voice of reason. 

BS: If you could put together your dream bill, who would you be playing with and where would the show be?

JM: The cast of Home and Away doing a stage show but it’s CATS.

BS: What’s one piece of media (music/movie/book/etc) you think everyone should consume?

JM: S&M (Metallica) 

BS: What’s next for the band?!

JM: Touring the world before we get home to wrap presents. Then it’s back in the toy shop to finish off the next record.

Catch CIVIC at Zone One on 10/7, follow them on IG, and stream on Spotify or Apple Music.