Interview: Guy Snowdon

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

 In Grammar school I wanted to study cooking but when I applied for the classes they had already filled up. So I decided music was a good class to mess around in. It just so happened that I was good at it. If I didn’t get in to music I would probably be a chef of some kind.

What do you like to do when you're not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I love to cook and garden, when I do either I have to have music playing, both are great escapes for me.

How long has your band been around?

The citizens have been around not for very long only since November 2019.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

We are based out of Cleveland ohio, which is the American capital of rock and home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Which means the city is a hive of diverse music. Coming to America has really given me the opportunity to explore different sounds and working with American musicians not just the band members has really allowed me to channel different ways to approach my songwriting.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you.

The origin of the band name was simply the idea that Guy is the only member who is not a US citizen.

Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.

All of our shows are good every opportunity we have to entertain we make sure we go all out and do our thing.

Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you haven't already?

Cleveland has to many to name them all but to name a few we love the Music box, the Beachland ballroom and the Grog Shop. We would love to play Blossom Music Center

If you could play any show with any lineup who would be on the ticket?

Any opportunity to share a stage with a big named band is a great experience. But to share a stage with Bad Company would be incredible.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band?

Make sure you can play and don’t suck.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

It’s gonna be a tough few years don’t let it get to you.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

I would say Giving Time as it was one of the first songs I had ever written.

Which songs are your favorite to play?

I enjoy playing all of them but to pin one down I would say Desert as the big high notes are always fun to sing.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

The creative process for our debut album was me giving the members the songs I had already written and making them our own. When writing songs I like to go in with an idea of style that I want to achieve, whether that’s a ballad or a straight out rock song.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

I am not really in to sending messages out through the music but I do like to write lyrics in a style that people can make up their own meanings. I think that makes songs a bit more personal to people.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

When you get four creative people together you are bound to have disagreements. But we all respect and love each other so they never last long and we move on.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that's coming up?

Our plans for the future is to just keep moving forward and grow our band. We have just released our debut album ONE which is available on all streaming platforms. We are also hoping to get a spring tour together throughout the Midwest.