Singled Out: Cash Bribe's ICBM

Keavin Wiggins | 12-01-2023

Brooklyn hardcore rockers Cash Bribe have just released their new EP, "Escape From New York", and to celebrate we asked Kirk to tell us about the song "ICBM". Here is the story:

The music for 'ICBM' was something that we had kicking around at the time that Joe and Brian (vocals and bass) joined the band. I think we might have shown it to them as an example of what our songwriting was looking like at that point, to make sure they were down for what Larry (drums) and I were doing.

Musically, it's definitely Black Flag-influenced. The main riff would be something I came up with on my classical acoustic that I got when I was a teen. It doesn't have a brand or anything, it's just this beat-up nylon string that my Dad got me off of eBay for super-cheap. But I do most of my writing with it - I like just picking it up and plunking on it until an idea comes out. I'm just really comfortable with that guitar.

The song is also an example of us trying to write aggressive music without relying much on stuff like blasts and d-beats on drums. Left to my own devices that's what I'd go for, and that'd be the whole song. I'm joking, but I love that sh*t. When I work with Larry, it's a little different - his sense about what drums should do are different from mine, so the challenge becomes can we write something we both think is good and we're both satisfied with?

Lyrically, I think this is the first Cash Bribe song Joe wrote words for. I don't want to speak for him on what the lyrics mean, but I know that the song was influenced by the apocalyptic theme seen in other songs like 'Escape From New York'. That idea of New York City getting smacked with armageddon is - loosely - the theme of the whole record. It's almost like two different views of an event destroying the city - one that we inflicted upon ourselves, and one that was inflicted on us.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the EP here