Toledo born-and-based punk rockers of the band Citizen are on the rise. Despite the fact that their youngest member is just 19 and their oldest 25, Citizen has managed to record both a full-length album and tour the United States coast to coast three times since the band's inception in 2010. Things are looking up for the young rockers with a new album on the way, a contract with Boston's Run for Cover Records, as well as a coveted spot on this summer's Vans Warped Tour, the sine-qua-non of major punk showcases.
Citizen's music sounds like a combination of Brand New and Nirvana, melding introspective lyrics and catchy melodies with distorted hard rock guitar and raw energy. We chatted with guitarist Nick Hamm about the upcoming record, how the band signed on for the Warped Tour, and the inspiration for their lyrics.
Your new album ‘Youth’ dropped on June 11th. Tell me about the recording process—where did you record?
We recorded it at Studio 4 in Philadelphia with a guy named Will Yip. We actually did a record with him a year before we recorded this one, and we loved it, so we decided to go back for a full length.
What topics does ‘Youth’ touch on lyrically? Where do you draw inspiration for your lyrics?
Matt, our singer, he had a pretty interesting year. There was a lot of transition, and I think the whole record touches on that. I think it’s a coming-of-age record — the shit you go through growing up. My friend described the lyrics as telling a story, which I thought was interesting. From an [outside perspective], he said if you listened to the lyrics it draws out a story as the album progresses.
This summer, Citizen will be joining a slew of other bands on the Vans Warped Tour. Is this the first time Citizen will be doing a coast-to-coast tour?
We have done three full US tours, but this is the first time we have done anything the size of Warped Tour. We don’t really know what to expect, but I almost like that better because every other tour we’ve done we kind of know going into it how many people are going to be at each show. And there are going to be thousands of people [at Warped Tour] everyday.
Yeah, it is definitely a great way for you guys to get exposed to new potential fans. How did you initially get on the Vans Warped Tour lineup?
Last summer we got a call from our current manager, Evangelia Livanos. She wanted to meet up and talk to us. So we drove to New York to meet with her, and she definitely helped a lot in pushing our band to be more professional and that played into getting on Warped Tour. About six months ago she called me and told me we got the offer to be on all of Warped Tour. It’s pretty crazy—we are the only band on our label to be on the tour.
What bands are you most excited to share the stage with during Warped Tour? Are any of your big influences playing the festival?
Man Overboard, Tonight Alive, and The American Scene are all playing, which is cool because we just got off tour with all those bands. It will be great to meet back up with them. I am also excited to see Billy Talent because when I was younger I always heard them on the radio; it is really cool to be on the same bill as them.
What are the plans for the band following summer tour?
As of now there is nothing set in stone, but we will definitely be touring off of the new album and there will definitely be a record release show in Toledo.
