Guilty Hearts
Interview by: Christine Dunleavy

The Guilty Hearts will blow your brains with such a swamp, fuzz noise that even zombies won't touch them when they're finished with you. If you want music that intoxicates the body like some smashed up voodoo ritual electrified in the lab of Dr. Frankenstein, himself, then you've come to the right place! Don't be fooled, their hearts might be guilty but the booze in their veins leaves them howlin' in the moon. The Guilty Hearts are Leon Catfish, Edgar Rodriguez and Hermann K. Senac signed to the wonderful Voodoo Rhythm records.

What are some of your guys’ main influences, musical or otherwise?

Edgar: Oblivians, The Gun Club, The Cheater Slicks, Billy Childish, Mick Collins.
Making mortal errors and living to tell about it...spending all your money at a show...being honest.

Leon: Personally, it's a mix between all the bands I love to listen to and the things that go on in my life. A lot have to do with drinking and girls and going insane, but what rock ‘n’ roll song strays far from that anyways? “Life is Rhythm”, I always say.

Herman: ...too many to mention. Can't, it boggles the mind

Where are you guys from, and how has that affected your music, if at all?

Edgar: I grew up in City Terrace, East LA to the uninitiated. It made me dive headfirst into music. It's what saved me from a different life.

Leon: We were all raised in some part of East L.A., and fortunately, it didn't grasp our necks and make us into hip-hop lovin' homeboys. I think the city itself has an effect on everyone that breathes its dirty air, we choose to see it our own way.

What made you guys first decide to start The Guilty Hearts? And how long have you been together for?

Edgar: Leon and I were in The Rippers together...it was fun, the band smoked! But it wasn't what we wanted sound wise. So we started messing around with new sounds, and a few friends. The next thing I knew, I was quitting the Rippers to start a new band, and Leon came with me. We eventually found Herman, with a punk rock pedigree which we didn't know about, and then realized. It's going to be 4 years in September.

Herman: Cause we were bored to death

The Guilty Hearts

What's one of the best or most memorable things you guys have done as a band?

Edgar: Touring! It's been an absolute blast! It's awesome to connect with people in any country just because of Rock ‘n’ Roll...getting drunk in 11 countries ain't too shabby either.

Leon: For me, it's seeing cities and countries that I would have never seen, along with the people I’ve met in each one, if I hadn’t been with these guys. Europe was amazing.

Herman: Being on a label like Beatman with all his other interesting bands.

If zombie Jeffrey Lee Pierce (or as I like to call him, Zombie Lee Pierce) were to fight zombie Johnny Thunders, who do you think would win?

Edgar: uh...popcorn

Leon: I think after days of fighting, they'd realize that they are both cool and then write a zombie album together entitled "Dead Even"

Herman: A tie ... I think they would kiss and make up. And make action figures.

What made you guys choose the name, "The Guilty Hearts" in the first place?

Edgar: Well, it describes a feeling of DOOM from the night before...not knowing what you did, or said, but you know that it wasn't good.

Leon: It was what Ed and I felt in our hearts at the time, from all the drinkin’ and staying out all night and coming home, waking up hung over too many times. We were a mess sometimes... but I don’t regret it.

Herman: Waking up with a quarter in your hand and hair in your teeth... haha.

Where might one be able to purchase your album?

Edgar: From our Myspace page, or voodoorhythm.com or interpunk.com or at a show!

Leon: From our damn shows people. Give us a break, we need to feed ourselves.

Will you guys be touring in the future, if so, where can we expect you guys to hit?

Edgar: The plan is to finish the next record. Then do a proper tour of the States...then off to Europe again...then any place that will have us! Mexico City, Japan, Australia...we're talking to you.

So I hear you guys are working on a new album, when can we expect it to possibly be out and how's the working on it going? Is there anything different or new that we can expect to hear?

Edgar: It's almost done, just need to record it. HA! It's still us, but we sing about our lives, so I think it'll reflect that. Some things are better...some things are much worse. We'll still party with ya!

Leon: I think we want to definitely keep the same old fuzz trash swampy blues we are infected with right now and expand on that. Our writing process is slow sometimes, and other times we can write 3 new ones in one rehearsal. We hope to get something new out as soon as possible.

The Guilty Hearts Myspace
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