“We’re the kind of people that are always creative and always writing or recording something,” he says. “Even if it’s not for Circa, we’re always writing and making music. When we get back together to write a record, there’s always something there – the process doesn’t really stop for us. It’s really important for us to keep both going at the same time – to have things away from the band that interest us musically, focusing on different projects. As long as that creative muscle is working, we’re out finding new influences and new ideas, and that all comes back to the music itself. It might seem as though we’re on a factory line, but we’re just always making music. It actually makes it easier.”
One of Green’s current outside endeavours is actually the very band he removed himself from originally – Saosin. In 2014, the band announced they’d reunite with their estranged vocalist for a run of shows to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Green’s sole release with them, the Translating the Name EP. The reunion has proved far more fruitful than any of them could have anticipated.
“Originally, it was just going to be a one-off,” says Green. “Then we had so much fun with the shows and revisiting that time in our lives, we decided to start writing music again. We’ve been working on a record that is going to come out next year, and we’ll probably tour it in Circa’s downtime. It’s great to have this in the back pocket. It’s something that we’re all having so much fun with. We’ve all grown a lot in the last ten years, and the record we’ve been working on is so great. I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
As for how the Circa camp have reacted to the reformation, Green assures us they’ve collectively approved. “I think they were a little wary at first,” he says. “I think they were unsure of my intentions. Ultimately, though, I think they’ve seen the world of good that it’s done me and the rest of the guys in the band. It’s really helped me to make peace with who I was at that point in my life, and be able to reconcile it with who I am now.”
Circa Survive will return to Australia this month for a run of headline dates backed up by Pvris, for which Green is audibly excited. “It’s always a kick down there man,” he says. “I am a huge Pvris fan – I can’t believe our luck that we get to watch them play every night.”
For the time being, however, Green is spending time with his literal family – his wife, Meredith, as well as his three sons James, five, Luke, three, and Willy, 11 months. Green has gained a notable following on social media for videos and photographs documenting nearly every step of the Green children’s young lives. It’s even moved into a clothing line, all of which was completely unexpected.
“When my wife and I got Instagram, I think our first son was really little,” Green says. “We just got it as a way to send pictures to each other. We never really intended to have a following or anything like that. I don’t even think of it like that – it’s just a great way to show people what you’re involved in, whether that’s music, family, design, fashion, whatever it may be.”
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
