Civic was formed in 2017 by lead singer Jim McCullough and guitarist Darcy Grigg when McCullough was vacationing in Japan and he bumped into Grigg, a fellow veteran of the Melbourne punk scene, at a bowling alley. They agreed that the Australian scene needed more rock & roll bands in the tradition of Radio Birdman, the Saints, and the Celibate Rifles. After returning home to Melbourne, they recruited guitarist Lewis Hodgson, bassist Roland Hlavka, and drummer David Forcier, and set up at McCullough's practice space, located in a warehouse-turned-arts center. They quickly put together a few songs and played their first show as Diamond Dust before Hodgson came up with the name Civic. Bashing together '70s punk, pub rock, and power pop, the band soon had enough originals to cut an EP. Recorded and released by Billy Gardener on his Anti-Fade label, 2018's seven-song New Vietnam EP earned Civic plenty of early praise, and they followed it up later that year with another EP, the four-track Those Who No.
The 2020 single "Radiant Eye" b/w "Making Time" was Civic's first release for the Flightless label, founded by Eric Moore of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Flightless put out their first full-length effort, Future Forecast, in March 2021, and it was picked up for release in North America and the U.K. by ATO Records. After its release, Darcy Grigg dropped out of Civic, and Jackson Harry (who had played on the Future Forecast sessions) came on board as guitarist. The band also had problems with drummer David Forcier, who was living in Canada and stranded at home when the COVID-19 pandemic led to a variety of travel bans, and Matt Blach took his place for live work. Blach also appeared on the sessions for their second LP, 2023's Taken by Force; Rob Younger of Radio Birdman produced the album, and engineer Mikey Young, who'd previously worked with Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Sonny & the Sunsets, mixed and mastered.
Biography by Mark Deming for ALLMUSIC
There's another band in Japan with the same name:
2) Yasuhiro Hachisuka, who was a student at that time and loved GALAXIE500,THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN so much, formed the band with Mari Miyata, Kodai Terakawa and his younger sister Tomoko on 2004. Songs written by Hachisuka during a decadent period in his bedroom have changed by playing as the band which consists of a rhythm section by Miyata and Tomoko and a lead guitar by Terakawa. Though almost all of them are the beginners at playing instruments, the Civic sound was slowly formed. Once Terakawa left the band for his buddhism training, but he soon got back to the band.
The inarticulate and lazy vocal by Hachisuka, noise guitars, high-toned vocal and unskillful bass playing by Miyata, the colorful guitar by Terakawa and dreary standing drum playing by Tomoko are not so skillful actually, but their sounds is standing on the fragile balance and quite unique. Sometimes people amongst the indie pop and shoegazer scenes call their sound “miracle”.
Simple rhythm, simple chord progression and catchy melodies with the band’s melancholic and innocent mood are making civic popular underground.
http://civicmusicband.jp/
End Of The Line
Civic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From where you sit find confidence
In the blurring of the lines
At every station contemplating
Getting off the ride
Catch glances with glass passengers
Surrounded left to right
Off a horse's back
All windmills are at standstill
The flags are all half mast
All half mast
Time stands still as you come to realize
You're left out on your own
At the end of the line
Time stands still as you come to realize
You're left out on your own
At the end of the line
Your letters they won't reach in time
You can't afford a call
The trip from Scandinavia to the Berlin Wall
So ride the light into the night
'Cause times is on your side
There ain't no stop all stations
'Til the end of the line
Time stands still as you come to realize
You're left out on your own
At the end of the line
Time stands still as you come to realize
You're left out on your own
At the end of the line
The lyrics of Civic's song "End of The Line" explore the themes of isolation, uncertainty, and the feeling of being left behind. The opening lines "Catch a glimpse of anything that passes by your sight/From where you sit find confidence in the blurring of the lines" suggest a sense of detachment from the world. The singer finds solace in the ambiguity of their surroundings, seeking comfort in the blurred boundaries between reality and perception.
The next lines "At every station contemplating getting off the ride/Catch glances with glass passengers surrounded left to right" evoke a sense of contemplation and introspection. The singer is constantly considering whether to disembark from their current path or continue on the journey. They observe the other travelers around them, perhaps feeling disconnected from them despite being physically surrounded.
The following lines "Screams bouncing from the sun off a horse's back/All windmills are at standstill, the flags are all half mast" introduce a somber tone. The imagery of screams and still windmills suggests a sense of stagnation or despair. The flags at half mast further emphasize a mood of mourning or loss.
In the chorus, the repetition of the line "Time stands still as you come to realize you're left out on your own" reinforces the theme of isolation. The singer feels abandoned or forgotten, as if time has ceased and they are left to navigate their life without support or companionship. The mention of the end of the line symbolizes a final destination, suggesting a sense of reaching a point of no return or a dead-end.
The following lines "Your letters they won't reach in time/You can't afford a call/The trip from Scandinavia to the Berlin Wall" add to the feeling of distance and separation. The singer is unable to communicate effectively and is physically distant from someone or somewhere important to them. The mention of the Berlin Wall evokes a historical context, emphasizing the barriers and divisions that exist in the world.
The closing lines "So ride the light into the night/'Cause time is on your side/There ain't no stop all stations 'til the end of the line" offer a glimmer of hope amidst the desolation. The singer suggests embracing the unknown and taking a leap of faith into the darkness. They believe that time is a companion, and the journey will continue without interruptions until the ultimate destination is reached.
In conclusion, "End of The Line" by Civic explores the themes of isolation, uncertainty, and the search for meaning in a world full of blurred boundaries and detachment. The lyrics paint a picture of a solitary journey, where the singer grapples with the feeling of being left behind and seeks solace in accepting the unpredictable nature of life. The song ultimately encourages embracing the unknown and finding strength in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Catch a glimpse of anything that passes by your sight
Observe anything that crosses your view briefly
From where you sit find confidence
Gain assurance from your current position
In the blurring of the lines
In the ambiguity of boundaries
At every station contemplating
Reflecting at each stop
Getting off the ride
Choosing to exit the journey
Catch glances with glass passengers
Exchange looks with fellow travelers through windows
Surrounded left to right
Encircled from all directions
Screams bouncing from the sun
Echoes reverberating from the source of light
Off a horse's back
From the saddle of a horse
All windmills are at standstill
All windmills have stopped moving
The flags are all half mast
The flags are all lowered halfway
Time stands still as you come to realize
Time appears to stop when you comprehend
You're left out on your own
You are abandoned on your own
At the end of the line
At the final destination
Your letters they won't reach in time
Your correspondences will not arrive promptly
You can't afford a call
You are unable to afford a telephone conversation
The trip from Scandinavia to the Berlin Wall
The journey from Scandinavia to the Berlin Wall
So ride the light into the night
Therefore, embrace the illumination into the darkness
'Cause times is on your side
Because time is in your favor
There ain't no stop all stations
There is no end to all the stations
'Til the end of the line
Until reaching the final destination
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jim McCullough, Lewis Hodgson, Jackson Harry, Roland Hlavka, Matt Blach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Oatzfactor
It's so awesome that someone is making kick ass punk rock again!
@Reboundfifty
Absolute tune👌🏼
@underheatrecords
these guys just keep getting better
@beatsyleefierce1081
Thank you guys, this is fire 💥💯💥
@tonyunatin3287
I heard this on the radio on my way to work. I can't believe how few subs they have, is this really their official YT page?
@joshnorek7183
Just heard "End of the Line" on WEQX (Albany, NY).....WOW, that guitar solo!!
@dognougat
This rips!!
Radio birdman vibes.
@ZIALANDER63
This reminds me of underground LA club scene around 1986 - 87. Anyone else remember Raji's in Hollywood? So good.
@johnmcarthur8730
Great song👍
@australiakavashop
Ripping gig at Vinnies last night lads - bunch of 50yr old war pigs that came and saw ya had a great night. Can't wait to catch you then go round on the Goldie!