Unbound from the confines of a specific genre, California’s Decent Criminal, combine elements of Punk, Alternative, Power Pop and even Surf to create a sound of their own. Always high energy and catchy, yet somewhat dark at time, their latest album Bliss is available on Wiretap (US) and Bearded Punk Records (EU). As good as this record is, it strangely feels like the start of biggest things to come, which is always a good sign. Sole founding member left in the band, Hunter Martinez was originally singer/guitarist before moving behind the drum kit in 2014, letting his brother Tristan take over his previous duties.
What have you been listening to lately the most lately?
Lately, I’ve been diving back into the 90’s. I’ve been listening to The CRANBERRIES lately. I’ve been really hooked on the new WHITE REAPER record. It’s called You Deserve Love, I love that record a lot. Definitely two bands I’ve been listening to lately.
What’s the album that you’ve listened to the most in your life?
Probably either GREEN DAY Insomniac, or AMY WINEHOUSE Back To Black. Those are two records I’ve listened to over and over again.
For different reasons, I guess? Different moods, right?
Yeah, totally. that Green Day record specifically, it’s a lot harder and I really dove into the lyrics. It’s pretty pissed off and great and I love how they work the songs and the structure and everything. Amy Winehouse’s record is brilliant front of back. The songwriting is really great, her voice is incredible. Then the band behind her is so good and I love that drummer so much. Being a drummer, I can even play along to that record sometimes so I really enjoy everything going on with that.
Can you name three songs that you would consider to be perfect in every way and say what what makes them so special to you?
One of them is definitely Modern Love by DAVID BOWIE. It’s one of those songs where it’s just so catchy. Right away that verse melody is so good and it kind of sounds very sad. I don’t really know how to explain that, that’s a song that took me in right away. Right when it kicks in, and the chorus is great and big. It’s something I try and do in our songs as well, to have that kind of bigger chorus. Really catchy, but sad sounding kind of songs, you know?
All The Young Dudes by MOTT THE HOOPLE. Also a very great, big chorus. The guitar lead is just undeniably one of the best I think I’ve ever heard. Again, another Bowie song but just great all over. When he gets in that chorus over and over again.
Then the third one I’d say, going back to the records I was just talking about, I’d say off Insomniac, Stuck With Me is probably my favorite kind of short, sweet, Punk, right to the point kind of song. Either that one or Jaded. The lyrics are very intense and the song itself is very intense, in your face. Those are a couple of tracks that I feel are perfect, in my eyes.
If we can go through your musical evolution, starting from the beginning, do you remember the first time music had an impact on you?
Yeah, absolutely. I think that at early age, we really got into Punk Rock music that our older brothers were listening to. It came at a point where growing up and getting into it, we had family separation kind of stuff going on so I feel like that was very key, something to kind of cling to. Music was kind of a separation from it all. It was freeing to listen to a record and then sit there and read through all the lyrics and the insert and see who played what, who did what. Those early NOFX records, RANCID, JUGHEAD’S REVENGE, stuff like that which my brother listened to and we kind of dove right in from there.
So it was pretty mutual between you and your brother in your musical evolution?
Yeah, I’d say so. From there, as we got older, we obviously got into different kind of styles and branched out. Like in school, I played in Jazz bands so I got more into Jazz and different kind of experimental music. I never really dove too far into a lot of artists though, it was more like if it was on or just anything out on the radio.
It was also different kind of experimental Punk Rock, the more technical stuff is what we also got into, bands like RKL
Keeping with the theme of musical evolution, can you name five records that had a really strong impact on you and tell me a bit about them?
One of them for sure was with T. REX, Electric Warrior. It was also one of the first records I heard when I was a kid. I think it was very simplistic in a lot of ways but it was kind of funky. I really got into the Glam stuff when we were kids, we kind of got brought up with that. But I remember listening to that record and I still listen to it all the time. It always meant a lot to me, especially the iconic cover, I always thought that cover is so cool.
The second one, going back to when I was a kid, I listened to JUGHEAD’S REVENGE, Image Is Everything. That one was a big record for me growing up, just kind of digging into that kind of Punk and it was one of the more popular records as well. The kind of slanderous lyrics towards people and their image and Punk Rock and whatnot was always kind of funny.
Keeping around the same time, The VANDALS with Live Fast, Diarrhea was a huge one for us. Technically in brilliant songwriting and hilarious lyrics and you know, listening to Josh Freese play, he’s such a great drummer. I always admired that.
Well, I mentioned RKL earlier, listening to Rock And Roll Nightmare when I was like 14 or 15 years old. That was a huge record too. One of those things where it’s like, “Okay, it’s time to step up your musicianship and really dig into what you’re playing and how you play it and just overall being good.” Those vocals were huge and we were really getting into Hardcore and the 80’s stuff. It’s still one of our favorite things to go back and listen to that record.
One more…I mean, I’ve listened to SUBLIME’s self titled countless times in my life too. I bought the tape when I was six years old. That one is brilliant. Every song is so good and I like how there’s so much different stuff going on throughout the record. There’s horns, there’s drum machines, there’s turntables, there’s samples here and there, different harmonies, different styles. I think that was very eye opening to thinking you can blend different styles and every song doesn’t have to be the same. Also, even watching live footage of them, it was cool to see a band jam on stage instead of be like, “oh, we’re just gonna play the song straight up.” I like how, a lot of that record -I watched a documentary about it- was just whatever was caught on tape at the time or whatever they’re doing. A lot of it was kind of freestyled anyway, and it was captured. I think that’s something really special. I don’t know, the songs have always carried. They’ve always been with me. I’ve loved that record so much since I was a kid.
What are some of the most memorable shows that you’ve ever seen?
Well, starting out, we saw GOLDFINGER in ’98. so I was six years old. They played at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, which is the next town over from where we grew up in Santa Rosa. That was one of the best shows, that made me want to play an instrument. Those guys had so much energy, jumping off stage and they all had wireless cord, so they’re just going for it. They brought people on stage, and that was just a lot of fun. I remember thinking, “Wow, it would be so cool to put on a show like that.”
Did I understand correctly? You were six years old?
I was six years old, yeah. Yeah. My dad took my brother and I to these shows when we were younger. That was one of the first Rock shows I’ve ever seen. Then also that same year, we saw ALICE COOPER play and that was also a mind blowing experience. That’s the thing, I can’t really pinpoint just a couple of shows but every time I’ve seen Alice Cooper, it’s always been incredible. All of his stage acts and the little stuff he does between songs and the band is so tight and good. So theatrical and that’s brilliant.
What was the best local band in your area, growing up?
Growing up, our older brother, his band VIOLATION was this Hardcore band that was so good and I watched them play 100 times, at least. Another band that we grew up on was called SNAG, which we met Brian, our guitarist, through and they were kind of the Santa Rosa local Hardcore Punk band. That band also inspired me to want to play. I’d go watch them practice after school or something and I would sit there and watch and it was like, “wow, this is the band.” That was a heavy influence for sure.
What are some up and coming bands artists that you’d like to recommend?
I think there’s a lot of cool bands that we play with as of late. We have friend bands that have been around for a while but I don’t think they have gotten as much attention as maybe they should have. There’s this band from Cincinnati called VACATION that we really like. They’re incredible. There’s this new band, a friend of mine is in, called L.A. MACHINA. They’re brand new and they’re going to get some attention coming up because they’re great. We have a friend from Minneapolis, he goes by the name RUPERT ANGELEYES. Another incredible artist. WESTERN SETTINGS is great. NEIGHBORHOOD BRATS is another really great band. Friends from Orange County, they’re called MELTED. It’s really, really awesome band. There’s a good chunk!
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