More Punk Than You Zine: Hey! What`s new with you guys?
PETE:
Well, we made it through our first year as a band as
of last January.
We got a late start to playing shows, but then again,
we wanted to make sure the music was fine tuned and
able to turn heads. Looks like it was worth the
wait..lol Now in 2007, we hope to get our name out
there more and get Down & Dirty.

Mat:
Just trying to get over the stomach bug.

MPTY:The band is relatively new (2006), in what other
projects were
you involved before HBH?
PETE:
Before moving to California from New York City in
2005, me and James
were in a band called "The Truents" for close to 10
years, and also a Band from New Jersey called
"Polyabuse". Both great Punk bands with some awesome
musicians.

MAT:
Where to Start!! "3XP" sounded like NOFX then "The
Ned's" and "The
Boneheads" sounded a lot like Screeching Weasel and
The Queers then to the bigger sound of 1982 Hardcore
punk with "Code Of Silence" Which sounded a lot like
Capitol Punishment, that lasted for 5 years and we
were starting to get out there and really do some
damage till somone came along and stole our Guitarist
and Drummer. I moved on to better things myself.

MPTY:You put out a demo "Unlawfull City". Any
full-length soon?
PETE:
I hope so...lol We've been talking about going back
to Avalon
Studios where we did the demo, bust out a few more
tracks, then package it ourselves. But if there's a
label out there that likes us enough to do it for us,
then thats even better...lol

JAMES:
Full length or EP, its always nice to have music
recorded to put out
there for people to hear.

MAT:
I'm ready, I'm always writtin new stuff and trying to
get some great
volume to our music collection!!

MPTY:You guys have many influences, from punk to
psychobilly. What
bands have influenced HBH? What are you guys listening
to?
PETE:
I'm the biggest Metal-Head, yet I play in Punk
bands...haha. I
listen to so much stuff, from 80's Hair
Metal,Thrash,Rock,Death
Metal,Oldies,New Wave,Industrial,Goth,Disco,Punk,
Psychobilly, even New Age. I take bits from
everything I like, and try to add them where they fit
in my playing.

JAMES:
I grew up listening to 50's & 60's Rock n' Roll. I'm
also inspired
by Blues, Jazz, Funk, 80's Metal, Motorhead, & The
Stranglers.

MAT:
I grew up with a hippie mother and a biker for a
father so I didn't
really know what I grew up listening too. So I tried
finding stuff all on my own. That's when I first
heard the sounds of Punk rock. I go in waves of
music. For a month or two it'll be Hardcore, than to
old school punk rock then to Pop Punk then to
Psychobilly, then maybe some old school southern rebel
rock. I don't know, I'm into certain stuff, just not
too much country, Disco (electronica), and rap. Right
now I'm in the pop punk mood of The Queers and
Screeching weasel.

MPTY:The punk scene from California has given big names.
Make me a
little description about the punk scene from CA.
PETE:
I will leave that to Mat, since he's the West Coast
Guy.
Me and James are New Yorkers still getting used to the
California
life...lol

MAT:
It's live fast die fucked up and young, and if you
don't have the skills
to pay the bills, then it's good luck and good night
to you. Growing up in Fresno (the Central Valley in
California) We'd see some really cool and good stuff
come through so I don't know it's all different it
depends on the taste you acquire. I just know that
you got to watch your ground cuz there's a ton of
drugs (I know I've been there and done that) and most
of the time it's d.i.y. or die cuz people have the
attitude that if you can't do nothin for yourself than
why the fuck should they help you. I'm use to it so
things don't bother me like they use too.

MPTY:An off topic question. I know there are a lot of
surfers in Cali.
Have you ever thought about surfing?
PETE:
I have thought about it. You really don't want to
swim in the New York beaches, but out here in Cali,
I'd give it a shot.

JAMES:
Surfers taste like chicken.
Mat:
Yeah, but it's not my style so maybe some other
lifetime.

MPTY:Seems like more and more bands make their own label
in which they
autoproduce themselves. Thought about this for the
near future?
PETE:
That would be awesome, that way we could bust out
records as much as we want. It just comes down to
having the money to do it.

JAMES:
It's all about the BUX.
MAT:
Once again, need the skills to pay the bills!

MPTY:A trendy question: what are you trying to change
with your
music, with all this new bands popping up? What do you
bring new?
JAMES:
We just want to get people's attention by writing
music that slaps
you in the face, punches you in the throat, and kicks
you in the balls.

PETE:
I think it all comes down to what you do with what
your playing. We
like Punk, Rock, Metal, and Psychobilly, ect.. So we
take that and blend
it together to make what works for us, "In Your Face
Punk n Roll".

MAT:
I try to bring a different aspect of the streets and
what I saw go down
right before my eyes. My vocals aren't the best and
probably won't be
ever, that's what is missing in todays punk scene.
You have these
guys that feel they need to be the next American Idol,
that's not me and it's never gonna be. I'm a straight
forward guy, what you see is what you get, if you
don't like it piss off. I'm not here to please
people, I'm here to send my message, my style.

MPTY:A personal question: haha i saw in your non-musical
influences,
porn. Hmm, are you friends with a porn star? i think
it will be en excellent featuring, dont you think?
It`ll raise up the audience.
PETE:
I met a few porn stars back when I worked at a video
store. Hey, if
we can get a porn star to promote us, then I'm all for
it. Blink 182
had a porn star on the cover of their album, and they
got huge....lol

JAMES:
Yeah, I like porn.....

MAT:
Shit if Blitz... the most ugliest gnarliest oi! band
can get Misty
Anderson to promote them, then where the hell is
ours????

MPTY:Hey, thanks for the interview. we expect you in
Romania when
you finish the Lp. I leave the last words to you.
PETE:
Thanks for having us. Next stop, Passports.
Cheers!!!

MAT:
Many Thanx for the opportunity of exposure!!

JAMES:
Take it easy.

Pete Truent-Drums/Vocals
James "JJ" Strangler- Bass
Mat Pinto- Vocals/Guitar

Thanks to Honor Bound Heroes and Diana

web:www.honorboundheroes.com

Interview by:Mircea