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Interview with
CHUCK SICS

(24th September 2025)

Interview with Dave Bruce

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Photo: Nikolaos Pirounakis

Watch the whole interview below:

Boom boom — I’m Dave from Amnplify and I sat down with Chuck Sics to chat about songwriting, procrastination, and his brand-new EP Slipstream (out as of yesterday). Chuck’s a 26-year-old multi-instrumentalist, producer and all-round music obsessive who started writing songs at about ten, picked up guitar at 12 and spent his teens learning how to make records the modern way: by doing. The result is a warm, slightly sun-dried brand of neo-psychedelic pop that wears its influences — Tame Impala, Radiohead, The Beatles — proudly, but sounds like Chuck.

From garage-band lyrics to producing in Logic

Chuck laughs when he tells the story: his first attempts at songwriting were “the world’s most horrible lyrics,” written on GarageBand with a piano teacher encouraging him along. But those early experiments stuck. “Maybe I started thinking about it seriously at 15 or 16,” he told me — the point where arrangement and writing for a band started to matter.

He’s essentially self-taught. A few piano lessons early on, some tips from his dad, then a lot of late nights Googling how to get things done in Logic. That DIY path is a through-line in how he approaches music now: write, record, produce, mix — and keep going.

“You just Google and AI everything… ultimately it’s your experience that drives you to make changes.”

Sound and influences

How would Chuck describe his sound? Think crunchy, pop-leaning psychedelia — sun-baked, a little overcooked, and melodic. He cites Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) as hugely inspirational — not just sonically but as proof you can do it all yourself. Radiohead, The Beatles and Beck also get name-checked when we dig into influences.

That production mindset is key for him: hearing a finished record in your head and then making decisions in the studio to match that vision. For Chuck, the studio is as much an instrument as the guitar or piano.

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The new EP — Slipstream

Chuck’s EP Slipstream landed yesterday and features five tracks: the previously released singles Redo, M.A.D. and I’ve Been Thinking, plus Slipstream and Alone on a Plane. If you only listen to one track from the EP, Chuck recommends Alone on a Plane — his favourite on the record and the song he says most closely matches the vision he had while writing.

Why that track? The lyrics were inspired by a dream and everything — melody, arrangement and production — apparently fell into place to make the song feel “really beautiful” and complete.

Procrastination, purpose and a no-nonsense philosophy

One of the standout moments of the chat was Chuck’s take on procrastination — a theme that crops up on the single I’ve Been Thinking. He told me the song came out of the realisation that he’d been planning his life instead of living it.

“You can think all the time and not do anything… everything has a purpose. Don’t worry about developing beliefs — just go out and fucking do your thing.”

That blunt little pep talk is part of what makes Chuck tick: he’s pragmatic about craft and big on action. Write the song, finish the record, put it out. If you wait for perfection, nothing ever gets released.

Live shows and what’s next

Chuck and his band are about to get back into the live swing of things. They’re playing Waywards in Newtown on 11 October, opening for The Tullamarines, and will be doing shows around the South by Southwest Sydney events that week — Lansdowne downstairs and Kyiv Social mentioned as stops — with another gig pencilled for the Enmore Theatre’s Trocadero Room in November.

He’s also planning to get a full album out next year and aims to keep producing his own records so he can stay nimble and keep releasing music. Collaboration’s on the cards too — he’s done writing sessions and mixes for friends and enjoys the way working with other people accelerates growth.

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Quickfire favourites (as told to Amnplify)

Favourite album (today): American Dream — LCD Soundsystem
Favourite artist (today): Cameron Winter (and David Bowie all time)
Favourite movie: Apocalypse Now
Favourite place to visit: Where his parents live — Byron Bay
Favourite venue to play: Trocadero Room
Favourite food / drink: Pasta and water
Craziest thing he’s done: Jumped out of a window at 3 pretending to be Superman — broke his arm.

Final thoughts

Chuck Sics is a reminder that talent is only part of the equation — the rest is time spent doing the work. He writes, produces, mixes and keeps releasing. He plays shows. He collaborates. He’s perfectly happy to keep experimenting, and if that means an album next year and “ten total crap albums” after that, so be it — as long as he keeps making stuff.

If you want to hear where Chuck is at right now, head to Spotify and check out Slipstream — it’s out now. And if you’re in Sydney, catch him live on 11 October at Waywards, and at the SXSW Sydney shows and Enmore date coming up.

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I’ve Been Thinking
Slipstream is out now

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Follow CHUCK SICS
TikTok – Instagram – Spotify

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Photo credit: Tilly Langford

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Watch the whole interview below:

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Press Release 16th August 2025 (below) HERE

CHUCK SICS
shares lush single
I’VE BEEN THINKING

New EP
SLIPSTREAM
set for release
September 23

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AMNPLIFY – DB