“I THINK WE HAVE FINALLY FOUND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR” | CULTURE WARS
INTERVIEW | CULTURE WARS – ALEX DUGAN by Anne Kelly
Last month, Austin, Texas based Culture Wars unveiled their latest anthem, ‘Typical Ways’ marking a significant step up in their game. With powerful, arena-ready choruses, their emotionally charged rock ‘n’ roll captures a sense of nostalgia that seems to be fading in today’s music scene. Already sharing the stage with internationally celebrated artists such as Maroon 5, The Script, LANY and most recently, Keane across the globe, it’s only a matter of time before Culture Wars carve their own path for world domination.
With their debut album teased for release later this year, we had the pleasure of a quick chat with frontman Alex Dugan.
“We’re Culture Wars from Austin, TX. Circa 2017. I’m Alex – along with David (drums), Dillon (bass), Caleb and Josh (guitarists).”
How would you describe your latest single ‘Typical Ways’ in three words?
“Energetic, Raw, Organic“
Okay, so now you have some more words. What can you tell us about the track?
“I describe it as an angry letter to myself. It was started by our bassist Dillon who wrote the music and brought it to me. It instantly grabbed me and we finished it within 24 hours.“
How do you feel your newer music compares with your earlier works?
“Well this is our first album, but from the previous EP, we’ve grown and developed a lot. For this new album, I think we finally have found what we were looking for and have found something that is unique to us.“
What inspires your writing?
“Anything. Good ideas can come from anywhere – but right now I think we’ve hit our stride, so it’s fun. I just enjoy it for the fun of it.“
Supporting such names such as Maroon 5 and The Script to name a few, how do these big opening slots compare to having your own headline shows?
“I think it’s crucial. Rock bands are made and broken on the road and in person. We’ve continued to be lucky enough to have opportunities like this, and hope to keep making the most of each situation and coming in overprepared to give each opportunity the respect it deserves. We hope to headline our own shows some day soon, but opportunities to open in arenas and stadiums are invaluable.“
Do you have a favourite band that you have supported? Or any special memories you can share about these shows.
“I would say I have two favorite shows… the LANY in Manila was absolutely insane. The fans and the energy were through the roof (of the largest indoor arena in the world). A testament to what LANY has built there in the Philippines.”
“Second – Maroon 5 in Jakarta. We had always wanted to play the Jakarta International Stadium since being their previously with LANY. We referred to it as the death star for a long time, because of the way it looks from the outside and it did not disappoint. I was given access to the cat walk for their tour, which isn’t typical in our experience and it was off to the races. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had playing a show – ever. Like a kid on a jungle gym.“
You seem to have travelled to some amazing places, but do you have any ‘bucket list’ countries to visit still?
“To play as a band – the UK and South America. They’ve been big targets on our list for a long time as a band.“
What is the local music scene like in Austin? Did you feel it was a supportive place to grow as an artist?
“No – “Live Music Capital of the World” is a great slogan for the banner at the airport, but what used to be an expansive scene of venues has been shutdown, tore down, and replaced with hotels. We didn’t really ever get much support from a “scene”, but then again – like an only child, we don’t play well with others. lol“
If you could bring one local band on tour with you guys across the world, who would you bring?
“Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.”
What else can fans expect from Culture Wars this year?
“More touring. More songs from the album. More fun.“
Finally, if you could only pick one of your songs to keep, which one would it be and why?
“‘Slowly’ – it was the first song I wrote fully on acoustic guitar on my own so I have a bit of a weird attachment to that one.“
While UK fans may need to wait a little longer before they can see Culture Wars in the flesh, the band have lots of exciting new music planned this year for us to enjoy.
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