Citizen Zero’s reunion is turning into a rebirth for the Oakland County-based band.
The quartet formed during 2010 in Rochester Hills and released its self-titled debut EP during 2011. Another, “Life Explodes,” came the following year and won a Detroit Music Award. Then the group signed a national recording contract for its only album (so far),” “State of Mind.”
The bottom dropped out quickly, however — into what guitarist Sammy Boller called “music industry cliches.” Citizen Zero’s label, Wind-Up Records, was purchased and dissolved shortly after “State of Mind’s” release. Offers from other labels didn’t make sense, and the group members, “burned out from so much touring,” decided to part ways during 2018.
Boller launched a solo career — and became a touring musician for Creed’s Scott Stapp and, as of this past summer, Goo Goo Dolls — and continued working with drummer John Dudley. And a chance meeting with frontman Josh LeMay at the Lager House in Detroit proved fruitful.
“(Dudley) and I had always kind of talked about maybe doing something with (the band), but I hadn’t seen (LeMay) since the band broke up,” says Boller, 33, who recently released a new EP, “Midnight Garden.” “It was like getting together with an old friend, like no time had passed. That was the catalyst that started the reunion talk.”
Citizen Zero will be on stage again for the first time in seven years on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Machine Shop in Flint — for what Boller says it thought was going to be a one-off. “Once we started hanging out again, it felt like the old days,” he says. “We were like, ‘We should get back together for real and do some new music.”
Boller says some of songs are drawn from a second album Citizen Zero had prepared at the time of its breakup. The band is hoping to finish an album during December for release during 2026, and while it gives Boller just one more thing to juggle, he says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“That connection’s there; we’re like brothers, and it still feels like that even though we lost touch for a little bit,” he acknowledges. “Getting back together and play those old songs has been amazing. And getting to work on some unfinished music has been incredible, too. We’re excited.”
Citizen Zero performs Friday, Nov. 14 at the Machine Shop, 3539 Dort Highway, Flint. Doors at 7 p.m. The Wholesome Boys and Moravian also perform. 810-715-2650 or themachineshop.info. Guitarist Sammy Boller will also play a show to celebrate the release of his new EP, “Midnight Garden,” on Jan. 3 at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
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