SoCal rock group Alternative Citizens released their first EP, Nothing but Hard Feelings, in March of this year. We asked them a couple questions about their start as a band, the music that’s been playing through quarantine, and future projects.
How did you all meet and start the band?
Mason: High school! We all met in high school.
Aidan: So essentially Zach was playing with some dudes at some show and their drummer dropped out so he asked me to play with him. Then the guitar player basically dropped out as well so I was like, “You know my brother plays…” So Mason joined in playing bass. And then we sort of clicked from there and we were like, “This is something.”
Zach: The honest answer is that we met during Hairspray the musical.
How do you get/stay inspired to make music?
Mason: I don’t know if it’s the same way for Zach, cause we do most of the writing in the band, but for me at least it happens when shit goes on in my life? I just write off of what’s going on.
Zach: So breakups.
Mason: Yeah breakups, stuff with family, weird moods I get in…
Tell us a little about your EP.
Delaney: It’s called Nothing but Hard Feelings. It’s like a coming of age EP I would say. Different emotions, different feelings all coming together.
Zach: It has fast stuff and very slow stuff, which we found out people are not too big of a fan of but it’s okay.
Delaney: We tried.
What’s your favorite of the songs you’ve recorded?
Zach: “Stuck on You” just because it has so many aspects, it’s always fun to play.
Mason: For me it also has to be “Stuck on You,” just because it means more to me than a lot of the other ones. When I wrote it, it was pretty much right after a breakup–which is what the song is about–so I connect with it the most.
Delaney: I like “Pathetic” just because the ending is really cool.
Aidan: I really like playing “Pathetic” since it is really really fun to play on drums, but my favorite song on the record has to be “Don’t Tell Me Shit.” I love vibing with that song while we’re playing it.
Zach: Depressing lyrics and happy chords…that’s our music. That’s what we should call our next album.
Who would be the dream band to go on a tour with?
Zach: We were gonna go on tour. We were going to take Fockstail (now known as Verum) with us and try to get the Lacker boys to play some local shows. At the moment that’s my dream.
If you could describe your music in one word what would it be?
Delaney: Gay.
Aidan: Booze.
Mason: I don’t know…
Aidan: That’s more than one word buddy.
Mason: Party.
Zach: Depressing. There we go.
Do you have any artists/songs you’ve been listening to a lot through quarantine?
Delaney: Cherry Glazerr.
Zach: Lot of Mac Miller.
Aidan: I pretty much just go on Spotify and press ‘Fidlar radio’.
Zach: Lots of White Stripes obviously.
Mason: I’ve actually been listening to a lot of Harry Styles and Hobo Johnson.
Where did you get the name for the band?
Delaney: We love air conditioners.
Zach: I don’t know. I don’t think I used a random generator… I don’t know.
Is there anything coming soon?
Mason: We’re working on writing a full length.
Delaney: And a mystery project coming soon!
Zach: That foreshadowing…
Follow Alternative Citizens on Instagram here and listen to Nothing But Hard Feelings:
