Terry Six talks about the Exploding Hearts

Here.

Great article. I lived in Portland at the time. I don't think I ever saw them, but wow does Guitar Romantic have incredible energy even 20 years on.

Thank you for sharing the article, Michael. I didn't hear about the Exploding Hearts until after their demise. I found a CD of Guitar Romantic, going for (what turned out to be) a shockingly cheap price in the used bin. Holy jeez, that album is great.

I'd heard of them, but I didn't get around to listening until well after the tragedy. Frankly, I wasn't too impressed, as it seemed to me there were a million bands drawing on the same influences at the time, and there were other bands who did as well or better. (Hell, for a while here in Austin, it was a small cottage industry.) But the record has held up quite well over the years - moreso than many of the bands I liked better at the time - and I don't regret springing for the Third Man reissue.

Plus I think this is just a good story, regardless of my feelings for the band, and I know a lot of folks on this board love them.

I did see them here in Portland a few months before the accident and it was a fun show. They definitely came across as the kids that they were and that was part of the charm. I similarly think the album is a lot of fun, but not earth-shattering by any means, but I too was happy to pick up that recent reissue. I'll check out that article later today.