An Interview with Margaritas Podridas

Margaritas Podridas is a three-piece grunge and shoegaze band from Sonora, Mexico. Carolina
(bass and vocals), Erubiel (drums), and Rafael (guitar) opened up for Etran De L’Aïr at the
Lodge Room on October 12th with an electrifying performance–their screams and instruments
practically bouncing off the intimate venue’s walls. KCSB-FM’s Monica Gonzalez and Maddie
Ha set out to Los Angeles to have a conversation with the band.

 

 

 

Words by Monica Gonzalez & Maddie Ha

Photos by Maddie Ha

On October 12, Margaritas Podridas opened for Etran De L’Aïr at the Lodge Room in LA, and
Monica Gonzalez and I drove down to see them. It was way back in spring quarter when Monica
and I used one of their songs for our radio show demo, and now we had the opportunity of
seeing them live.

Margaritas Podridas originated in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, and has gained an international
fanbase over the years. Their performance on Seattle’s very own KEXP put them on the
Western radar for grunge, while previous projects of the members, such as Señor Kino,
established an already existing fanbase in Latinoamerica. Presently comprised of only three
members: Carolina Enriquez on bass and vocals, Erubiel Cuen on drums, and Rafael Armenta
on guitar, it was exciting to see how much energy was brought to the small stage of Lodge
Room.

The array of guitar pedals, distorted microphones, and flashing lights set the scene for what was
to be expected: a powerful, noisy show laden with screams performed with mind-bending
effortlessness by lead singer Carolina. The infectious tone of the guitar and drums made
head-banging a must as the crowd gathered closer to the stage to watch. Each member’s hair
whipped around their face in an act of passion. The commanding lyrics in Spanish rang true to
all ears – any possible language barrier dismantled by Carolina’s emotion.
It was not only Carolina’s vocals that carried such strength, but also her bass– a performance so
powerful that a string ultimately broke. While that was being dealt with, Erubiel charmed the
crowd with a short drum solo.

Margaritas Podridas is simultaneously on tour with the punk rock band Mannequin Pussy, and
they shared with the crowd that they rented a car to get to LA from Connecticut. With that
anecdote in mind, it made us wonder how many people in the crowd were surprised by
Margaritas Podridas’ grunge performance, as the main act, Etran De L’Aïr, is Saharan
psychedelic rock.

 

From left to right: Rafael Armenta (guitar), Carolina Enriquez (vocals, bass), Erubiel Cuen
(drums)

[This interview has been translated from Spanish to English]

Monica Gonzalez: Hello. You can take the microphone and tell us your name and what
instrument you play.
Carolina Enriquez: Hello. We are Margaritas Podridas and well I am Carolina. I play bass and
sing.
Rafael Armenta: And I’m Rafael, I play the guitar.
Erubiel Cuen: My name is Erubiel and I play the drums.
MG: What would be a song that you think represents you the most?
CE: The song that I think represents us the most or the sound that I like the most is Tornillo. I
don’t know, which one do you like? [to Rafael]
RA: Pólvora or Agujas. And you? [to Erubiel]
EC: Mmm, Pólvora, Pólvora.
CE: They are the newer songs.
MG: The new songs that just came out, right?
CE: Mmm-hmm
MG: I have noticed in other interviews that you have said that you wrote these songs with a lot
of pain and anger. I just wanted to know more about your creative process when you’re writing
those songs.
CE: Not much. Normally, when I have strong emotions, that’s when I have the best inspiration to
make new songs. When I live something that affects me greatly or has some strong emotion,
that is when I feel the need to express it the most.
MG: And how do you feel when you are playing powerful songs that are this emotional?
RA: Well, I don’t know, it’s different. I mean, I feel that there are two big contrasts in the band,
which is the rough sound, but it is the sensitive sound. And I kind of, I don’t know, I like that
contrast.
MG: Awesome
RA: It’s a lot of different things.

EC: It’s very hectic and exhausting, I think. But it’s fun.
MG: I imagine. How do you know each other and how long has music been a significant part of
your life?
CE: Well, the music, well has been a huge part of my life since I was a kid, but well, we’ve
known each other since we were in high school approximately. We’ve known each other since
2017/16. And since then we’ve had the band, I think maybe it’s been around 9 years, maybe.
MG: That’s cool. Do you have anything funny about high school or something like that, how you
met?
CE: Well, to begin with, I mean, I was looking for a female drummer and I couldn’t find
anyone… And there I was with a random girl and I told her, like, do you want to be in a band? do
you play drums? And I asked him [Erubiel] if he wanted to be in the band and he said no, I didn’t
play drums, but he did. And I no longer cared if he was a girl or not, you know, at the end of the
day she was a person who liked the same things as me. And the band was already assembled.
MG: Excellent. Let’s see. What does music do for you? Emotionally, physically, how does it help
you or what is it like as a release?
RA: Well, I think it helps channel the energy that any type of energy or emotion or whatever
brings.
EC: No, I don’t know what to say.
CE: A way to blow off steam?
EC: Well yes, but I think you express something that you cannot express in any other way.
CE: Yes, for me it is the same as you.
MG: What is your process when producing new music?
CE: Sometimes I vary, sometimes I do music and sometimes I make lyrics. But there are also
times when I have an idea and I make a song. Sometimes it’s very free, we both make music
from the beginning.
MG: Do you write together and all that?
CE: Yes and no, it’s like a separate process of each one. When we have time alone, each one
takes out their ideas. And then we put them together and we do something good.

MG: And then, I think we have noticed that your sound has changed between your new songs
and then the older ones. Would you say that your influences have changed in relation to when
you were first producing music?
RA: Yes, I think we made a sound a little more crude from the beginning. With more clean
songs, but then we listened to other types of music, and other inspirations. We wanted to vary a
little, it was like we felt at that time. But now we are trying to exploit the more noisy sound we
have to offer, like the most punk, sticky, that we can do.
MG: How do you describe your sound? Because I know that online many people say different
things about your sound and how it sounds like 90s rock or grunge or shoe gaze. What would
you say is your sound?
CE: Well, if it has a little of that, but in the end we are people who are not from the 90s. We
simply have new influences and also new influences, I think.
MG: Awesome. And then my final is for people who want to have a musical career, what advice
would you give them?
EC: I would say that they take advantage of all the resources they have, be it friends, be it
money. And in the end, they should give it a shot. Try it in their own way with their own style.
And little by little something will come out. That’s what I think
CE: Yes, they persist and not everything comes out first. You can do it! Simply put in the effort.
But also not everything depends on effort, you also have to have friends and contacts and get
involved and learn. I mean, never stop learning new things.
MG: Rafael, any advice?
CE: Have fun.
RA: Well, I think a little discipline about learning how to play the instrument and commitment, I
think it’s important.
MG: Thank you guys so much!
CE: No thank you!