I was on a mission looking for just the right bands to play a show on February 3rd at Los Globos.. Former White Trash Debutantes guitar player Jake Goldman contacted me and suggested a kick ass band who he had just seen the Turbulent Hearts... I checked out their video's on YouTube and made contact with Suzi.... We did the following interview and found out just how small of a world it really is... Turns out Suzi was also in the all female band called Civet whom The White Trash Debutantes has shared the stage with many times... I love Suzi's energy ... I hope you enjoy the interview and suggest you come see Turbulent Hearts kick some ass with Motorcycle Boy, The White Trash Debutantes along with some very special guests TBA at Los Globos located at 3040 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, California. The show is 18+ and doors will open at 7PM...
PUNK GLOBE: Thanks for doing the interview with Suzi. So Liza, from Civet is your sister! What a small world we live in. White Trash Debutantes and Civet played some cool shows together. It was my ex guitar player, Jake who turned me onto your band. He had no idea about you being Liza's sister. I heard Civet is signed to Hellcat Records. What is up with Civet?
Suzi: Hey Ginger! Thank you for interviewing the band! We are psyched to be featured in Punk Globe! Yes, Liza Graves is my big sis, and I owe her a lot of credit for getting me into the punk scene when I was very young. I don't think we ever played with WTD while I was in the band... I didn't join Civet until 2006 when I was 16 years old, but I definitely remember hearing your name and about the shows Liza had played with you!
Yes, we were signed to Hellcat between 2008-12? We released two albums with them and got to tour A LOT! It was a great time in my life and I learned so much about being a professional band at a young age. We are still friends with all the people at the label and who knows... Maybe a reunion in the future! Right now there is an indefinite hiatus going on...
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us about your band Turbulent Hearts? Who is in the band and who plays what?
Suzi: Turbulent Hearts is my baby! After Civet disbanded, I needed a new project to put my energy into, so I just started writing some fun, punk love songs with my friends. We have been through some line-up changes, so there have been quite a few different players in the group. For the last few years I was playing solidly with Mark Johnson on bass and Jay Skowronek on drums. These are the guys who I recorded three EP's with, but we recently parted ways and I am re-formulating the band with new members and a shiny new sound! I do have a new drummer, his name is Jeff Garrison and he used to play with another LA band called The Katellas! He actually came on tour to England w/ us this summer as a fill in... Now he's permanent but we haven't recorded anything new yet. He deserves to be mentioned!! He's my new "ride or die" in the band and we share the same vision for its new inception :) I can't give too much away yet, but 2018 will see the rise of Turbulent Hearts 2.0!
PUNK GLOBE: It is so hard to keep everyone happy In what year did you form the band?
Suzi: 2015
PUNK GLOBE: How did you come up with Turbulent Hearts for your band name?
Suzi: It comes from a book called "Spirits Rebellious" by the Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran. It's a story of unrequited love and the struggle we face as humans to love and be loved. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, amiright? I think most of us can say we've had a turbulent heart at one time or another...
PUNK GLOBE: Who writes your lyrics and music?
Suzi: For the most part I come up with a general idea for a song, and then bring it to the guys and we build it together. My lyrics tend to be very autobiographical, so I usually write those in private. I don't think you can write a really great song on your own though. Ok, well if you're Bob Dylan you can. I believe in the power of collaboration, though, and I personally love to be motivated by my band mates to try new things.
PUNK GLOBE: How long have you been playing guitar for?
Suzi: I've been playing since about 15 years old!
PUNK GLOBE: Who are some of the bands influences?
Suzi: Lets go with 1969-1977 punk rock n roll. I am deeply influenced by the first wave of punk rock, and strive to bring some of that raw energy to my music. Also, keep it simple! The Ramones had it right the first time.
PUNK GLOBE: Am I correct that the band is signed to a label? Who are you signed with and how many releases have you released?
Suzi: Yes! We are proud to be a part of the Headcheck Records family, based out of England. They signed us in 2016 and did a re-release of our three EP's as one deluxe ThreEP / 3P / ThreeP ? We toured out there in the summer and got to spend time with label owner Mark Sesin and his wife, Lynn, who are both absolute angels and are doing so much for the punk rock scene in the UK. We love them!
Our next release will be a 2-song 7" vinyl out in Spring 2018. Side A is "If It's True" and Side B is "I Don't Do It For U" which has been receiving a lot of play on Rodney Bingenheimer's new Sirius XM radio show!
PUNK GLOBE: I have checked out some of your killer videos on YouTube. Have you released any videos recently?
Suzi: Thanks! We love making videos! We will have two new videos out very soon to coincide with the release of the 7-inch!!
PUNK GLOBE: Has the band toured?
Suzi: Yes, we have done a couple of small tours. The first was a 5-day stint on Vans Warped Tour in 2015, this was literally right after the band formed, we were very grateful to be asked to play on my friend ShiraGirl's stage. That was really fun. Then a 10 day tour with our pals The Two Tens in 2016, that went up the West Coast to Seattle and back, and most recently we did a two week tour with pals The Last Gang all across Europe which ended at the Rebellion Festival. I LOVE to tour and want to be on the road as much as possible, so you'll be seeing more T-Hearts out there on tour soon.
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us about some of your favorite shows that you have played?
Suzi: I've been extremely lucky to play shows with some of my idols. With Civet, we got to open for Rancid, Social Distortion, Dropkick Murphy’s, & Bad Religion many times. And I love those bands to death, and those are surreal moments as a little band. It's tough to say because they are all special in their own way, even the shitty ones... I do remember and epic night in Paris in 2010 when Civet headlined and there were actually like 300 people there just to see us in a very small, sweaty club. It was so crowded I practically just walked onto these guys’ shoulders and then crowd surfed while playing my guitar. There was a fan there that we lovingly referred to as "French Lemmy", because he looked just like him! It was my first time crowd surfing ever, and the fans were so sweet. I do love Paris...
PUNK GLOBE: What are some of your favorite venues to play?
Suzi: In LA it would be The Whisky A Go Go, Cafe Nela, Lucky Strike Live, Maui Sugar Mill Saloon, The Echo... In OC definitely Chain Reaction and Doll Hut... And Seattle El Corazon!
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us what is in store for Turbulent Hearts in 2018?
Suzi: Good, good things. We've got big plans. By we I mean me. It's all happening. Working on our first full-length album to be released on a really cool local LA label, I'm getting some new awesome players, we're gunna play some cool shows with some cool cats. The summer will be very busy because we are gunna be back on Warped Tour for its final year thanks to ShiraGirl, as well as going back to England and for the first time, mainland Europe! Woohoo. Plus many more music videos and all kinds of fun stuff.
PUNK GLOBE: Any thoughts about the turmoil that the USA is in with the tangerine terrorist in office?
Suzi: Well, I certainly loathe his existence and am horrified by how he is attempting to run our country. It's very scary to have him in office, with his idiot minions behind him. I think there are a lot of really good people here who want to see America do better, and it feels like we are getting closer to a revolution. If they take away our Internet, the people are gunna have to react to that. We totally have the power to create change. So basically everything is fucked but I try to stay positive for the future.
PUNK GLOBE: Describe yourself in three words?
Suzi: Ambitious, Optimistic, Brazen
PUNK GLOBE: Do you have any Internet addresses that you would like to share with the readers to keep up to date with you?
Suzi: Oh Ya! You can listen to our 15 song 3P on Apple Music or Spotify, which is really cool! If you wanna purchase a physical copy you can go to headcheckrecords.co.uk annnnnd follow us on Instagram @turbulenthearts or the 'ol Facebook.com/TurbulentHearts or Twitter @goturboheartsgo or if you want the BTS action follow my personal account @thesuzimoon !
PUNK GLOBE: Any last words for Punk Globe readers?
Suzi: Don't settle for shit. The Universe will serve what you believe you deserve. Much love & thank you for reading! xo
