Civil Discord - Shrooms - Super Star Central / ECMD Radio, TV, & Film

Alt-rock band Civil Discord quickly becoming a global influence, thanks to new hit singles

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Fresh off the rousing success of their Christmas single “I Wanna Wish You Merry Christmas,” Philadelphia-based alt-rock band Civil Discord is dropping new music that is already creating buzz around the globe.

Two recent singles in particular are gaining attention with fans. The first is “Shrooms,” an alt-rock “psychedelic” track that talks about the “hijinks people get into when they’re younger,” according to lead singer and guitarist Bill DeSpirito.

“It’s one of those songs where we were just jamming and someone played a riff and I started making up lyrics right there on the spot,” DeSpirito said. “We were in the studio and there was a disco ball type thing shining blue and red lasers around the room at the time, and we had a dog in there that was chasing the lights, and it just made me think about the trippy things that happen when you try psychedelic substances. However, the song in no way promotes using drugs. It’s more of a story-based vibe that fans of rock will love.”

That organic creativity is how the band formed in the first place. About five or six years ago the five members of the band were all performing either independently or with different bands and session musicians. There was an open mic night at a place called The Ribhouse which is notorious for having a lot of musicians come in and play and make guest appearances. After the evening’s entertainment, the five musicians started talking outside of the establishment and found they were all in similar places in their lives and were all interested in trying something new creatively. They decided to start a band and sealed the deal by drinking a pint that night.

It’s appropriate then that now, six years later, one of the biggest singles they’ve created together is a song called “Pints.” It’s the most recent song from Civil Discord and after only a few weeks of availability on digital distribution sites, the song is already grabbing some major attention – including from major brands like Guinness which has initiated inquiries with the band about possible usage of the song.

“We create good, fun rock and roll and every one of the songs we create tells a story,” DeSpirito said. “We have some songs that are heavy, and some that are country rock, and some that are alternative. I think ‘Pints’ is a great song to get us in front of some new audiences, especially here in the U.S. We’ve had some success overseas – particularly in Europe and Australia – and we’re hoping to expand that into some notoriety here in the States.”

According to DeSpirito, Civil Discord is a band that exemplifies the concept that raw talent, ambition and honesty can still prevail in an ailing music industry. By aligning their unwavering dedication to the do-it-yourself work ethic with a signature sound, the group is helping to redefine the landscape of today’s Indie-Rock music scene. The backbone of their work is Stylistic Rock that can only be described as eclectic – suggesting a range of influences from many genres over many years.

“It’s a fierce world out there and unless you’re Civil Discord, you might get swept up before ever getting your feet on the ground,” DeSpirito said. “We not only know where we’re going but we have a rock-solid history that has brought us to where we are today. Our music shows that substance, style and spirit.”

In addition to DeSpirito, the band includes singer/guitarist Jay McKelvey, singer/drummer Chuck Mancini, bassist Al Gianchetti, and keyboardist Richard Canaris. Civil Discord performs regularly in venues such as Legendary Dobbs, Connie’s Ric Rac, The Ribhouse, Chaplin’s, Finnegan’s Wake, The Fire, and more. Their music is also available across all streaming platforms.