Music Review: Turbulent Hearts’ Suzi Moon’s punk rock aim is true

Singer-guitarist Suzi Moon works her original strain of high-velocity punk ‘n’ roll with a joyous, near demonic zeal. It’s a highly spiced, low-slung, gutter-bred barrage of hard-hitting punk rock realism that combines deeply personal expression with irresistible rabble rousing. As leader of her aptlymonikered Turbulent Hearts, who appear Saturday at Eagle Rock’s All Star Lanes, Moon is fulfilling a surprising obligation which began when she was still in junior high.

Raised in a resolutely offbeat Long Beach household by her mother and stepfather, Moon at first rejected the outlaw lifestyle. “It was a very rock ‘n’ roll upbringing: they had that ‘80s Fresno biker Bonnie and Clyde thing going for them,” Moon said. “My moment of teenage rebellion was when I decided I wanted to be ‘normal,’ unlike my family, but then my older sister Liza decided that she had to save me from the cheer team.”

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The intervention was successful. Under the nom du rock Liza Graves, Moon’s sister was already established as a local bandleader. “We always had a few guitars and drum set in the living room, which sparked Liza’s interest and she had started Civet, an all-girl punk band, a few years earlier,” Moon said. “My first time on stage with them was at an all-ages venue in Lynwood called Our House. I was 14. I got to play there on Halloween and was so nervous I shook the entire time. My costume? Dead cheerleader!”

“Right after I joined the band, it felt like good things started happening. Liza had already built up respect around the town so it was go time. My mom fully supported the band, which meant financially a lot of times as well. We recorded our first album, ‘Massacre’ in 2005, and after that it was right onto the road. Those early tours were big lesson learners for me, a dream come true for any punk, and it was all kind of a whirlwind. But I kept it under control because Liza always told me I’d be sent home if I screwed up, so I never did — because touring was it for me.”

Civet went the full route, releasing another album, touring North America and even Japan, but eventually burned out, called it off and went into hibernation. Moon, of course, almost immediately started her own group, Turbulent Hearts. Her distinctive, soul-baring songs are delivered with an intense, high-velocity bite and her ferociously capable bandmates treat each number with dazzlingly tight, brash ensemble momentum.

“I would describe my style as pure punk. Pure as in my aim is true. I’m really doing this because it is a good release for me and I want to bring a tingle to your spine,” Moon said. “I’m not faking it. I like to do punk stuff with my punk friends. To us, punk rock is not just a genre — it’s a lifestyle. And I feel like the scene is alive and well, in a new era, ready to be relevant again.”

Their recorded output, a pair of EPs titled “Panic” and “Rage” are an impressive, thoughtful collection that nobly upholds Moon’s “pure” designation, and leaves no question that Turbulent Hearts are at the forefront of a fast-moving, punk rock renaissance underway in Los Angeles clubs. It’s one where veteran 1970s trailblazers and audacious 21st-century upstarts are, side by side, redefining and enhancing this DIY musical tradition.

“I have high standards. My internal struggle is writing stuff worthy of people’s music library,” Moon said. “While driving or walking or whenever, really, Radio Suzi is always on in my mind. For the most part I write the skeleton of the song in private, on my guitar. Song ideas come to me all the time. I will write what comes to me and then usually take it to the band, play it a bunch of times, shoot ideas around when they pop up. We try every idea once, that’s the fun of being in a band. Everyone gets to play what they want, and we play it with everything we’ve got.”

“You really have to believe in yourself, and it might take a long time to get there but perseverance is key,” Moon said. “I just feel like rock ‘n’ roll chose me, and denying it would be to live an unnatural life. So, I’ll play on.”

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Who: The Turbulent Hearts, the Katellas, the Blitzkats, the Bloody Psychos

Where: All Star Lanes, 4459 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock

When: Saturday, Jan. 30, 9 p.m.

Cost: Free before 10 p.m., $5 after. All ages.

More info: (323) 254-2579, allstarlanesbowling.com.

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JONNY WHITESIDE is a veteran music journalist based in Burbank and author of “Ramblin’ Rose: the Life & Career of Rose Maddox” and “Cry: the Johnnie Ray Story.”