Combing grungey riffs with catchy choruses Cruel Hearts Club are bringing back those 90s punk vibes that instantly make us think of Courtney Love and Hole. Having supported the legendary Sting and The Libertines, as well as racking up a celebrity fan base which includes the likes of Iggy Pop, Cruel Hearts Club is one club we definitely want to be a part of!
Ahead of their upcoming single release later this week, we caught up with Gita Harcourt
Edie Langley and Gabi Woo to get the lowdown…
It’s a crazy time in the world right now, how are you all coping?
Edie: We’re good mostly! I go up and down quite rapidly with my emotions so I have some amazing days where I get everything done and some where I just can’t wake up properly for the whole day.
Gita: We’re doing good out here but it does get boring, I miss sitting in a pub, and the cinema.
Gabi: I’m good. It’s weird, I have way less to do in a day yet I’m always so much more exhausted. I can’t complain though, I live in a tiny village with only 400 people, surrounded by beautiful countryside. It’s been nice going out for walks every day and I don’t think I’ve ever been so active. I have a chalet in the garden where I’ve set up my drums and turned it into a music room. I love going there to escape and it’s good I can keep up the drumming
Can you tell us the story of how you came to make music and became Cruel Hearts Club?
Edie: Well, me and Gita are sisters and we’d been singing together for a few years in other bands before Cruel Hearts Club.
We met Gabi through a mutual friend and we were won over by her bold and quirky charms. It’s really quite hard sometimes to work within family units as you already have such a strong connection there, but Gabs just fit in perfectly, and the rest is history.
What does Cruel Hearts Club represent as a band?
Edie: I love the idea that other girls will see us with kids and know that it’s possible to be a mother and in a band.
Life does not stop after having kids! In fact, it gives you more drive to go for what you want in life.
How would you describe your sound and what music have you been influenced by?
Edie: I guess you’d say we were guitar driven, grunge-pop?! I am influenced by mostly 90’s music like Hole and The Breeders.
You just can’t beat that raw sound.
Gita: Yeah, It’s pretty heavily influenced by the 90’s, Elastica and Garbage are great bands that have incredible front women I admire.
Who are your music icons?
Edie: I’m in love with Brody Dalle, I just think The Distillers have so many amazing songs and her voice is insane!
Gita: Kate Bush and Gwen Stefani are Queens!
Gabi: I love Karen O. Some people say I am her doppelganger which is the best compliment. The energy she gives off when she performs is just awesome. I try and do the same when I drum. Normally I’m this really shy person but behind the drums I turn into an animal from the muppets or something like that. 😜
You supported The Libertines last year and have supported Sting this year, those are some big names to be opening for. How did you find it?
Edie: I LOVED it. All the crowds (so far) have been really amazing and we had such badass feedback. I was told I might have piss thrown on me in Glasgow but I was pleasantly surprised I came away piss free.
Gita: Sting was a sweetheart, he made a point of coming to wish us luck before the show and hung out with us afterwards. Gabi saw him hug an ancient rock that was at the back of the amphitheatre, I mean… legend!
Gabi: It’s honestly the best feeling in the world opening for such awesome artists. The gig we did with Sting in France was probably my fave gig ever. I was heavily pregnant and Sting just made us feel so welcome. It was a great night.
We hear you’ve gained some big celebrity fans including Iggy Pop, how does it feel to know that your music reaches such people?
Edie: Well if Iggy is a fan I think we’ve done our job. Can’t really beat that can you? I like the way that all kinds of people seem to get our music. I like having an eclectic fan base.
Gita: Yeah, we have noticed a diverse age range at our gigs which is really cool.
How do manage making music and mothering?
Edie: It’s intense sometimes, totally different worlds colliding, but I love it. We wouldn’t have it any other way. They are part of my music and they hear all our new songs and my eldest even takes photos for me bless him. It’s amazing being able to join my two biggest loves: family and music.
Gita: It takes a fair bit of planning and juggling but we make it happen because making music and performing is like therapy, an escape from the world. I like to think I’m setting a good example to my kids that I’m following my heart and working hard at my passion and that in turn makes me happy and therefore a happy mum who’s fun to be around. It is totally a family business though, the kids are always getting roped in to help.
Gabi: It can be pretty hard especially as I had two babies so close together but you just get on with it and make it work. I have played music since I was 6 years old and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.
Your recent release Suck It Up actually features your kids in the video, is music a big thing for you and your family?
Edie: Yes totally. We listen to a lot of music in the house and everyone has different taste so we have to take turns choosing songs.
I’m always singing loudly in the house to my youngest’s annoyance.
Gita: There is rarely silence in our house, we have a 1970’s juke box in our kitchen which is crammed full of amazing vinyl and we are always switching it up when we find rare beauties in the charity shop or on eBay. We just won Mercury Rev Goddess On A Highway and The Cardigans Carnival. My son is big into The Beastie Boys but we all love them so there’s no arguments there.
Gabi: We all love music, even my seven month old loves it. I love having days where you listen to music all day and dance around the house with the family. There has been a lot of that during lockdown.
Watch the video for Suck It Up below:
You next single Blame Me Too is out this week, what‘s the story behind it?
Edie: It’s about a girl being so in love that it drives her mad. It’s basically what most women I know have experienced once in their lives, where it takes over your whole body and you’ll do anything to stay with the guy no matter what they have done. We recorded it at The Libertines’ new hotel and studio in Margate called The Albion Rooms which was a lot of fun.
Other than supporting Sting, what else have you got planned this year (pandemic permitting…)?
Edie: We will keep releasing our new music, hopefully get in the studio as soon as this is all over.
I can’t wait to start gigging again too, I’ve really missed that.
Gabi: Even though we aren’t with each other at the moment, we have been recording a collection of ‘stay at home’ sessions. We each record our part in our own homes and then put them altogether so depending on the lockdown rules, we will keep those up until we can get back together as a band. It’s great ‘cos it means we still get to play even though we aren’t in the same room.
Cruel Hearts Club new single, Blame Me Too, will be out on Friday 22nd May. Listen to more from Cruel Hearts Club below:
