Editing The Exploding Hearts (section)

==History==
The band rose to prominence in the US [[Pacific Northwest]] scene shortly after they formed in 2001.  The band drew  influences from early British punk bands such as [[Buzzcocks]], [[The Clash]], [[The Jam]], [[The Boys (UK Band)|The Boys]] and [[The Only Ones]], and Irish band [[The Undertones]], as well as power pop acts like [[Nick Lowe]].<ref name="AMG"/> Adam Cox invited New Orleans musician [[King Louie Bankston]] into the band's lineup after Cox heard Bankston's song "I'm a Pretender" during a telephone conversation.<ref name="P4Kbank">{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=King Louie Bankston, Louisiana Garage Rock Mainstay of the Exploding Hearts, Dies at 49 |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/king-louie-bankston-louisiana-garage-rock-mainstay-of-the-exploding-hearts-dies-at-49 |website=Pitchfork |access-date=14 February 2022 |date=14 February 2022}}</ref> Cox and Bankston formed a songwriting partnership that would produce many of the songs that would appear on ''Guitar Romantic''.<ref name="P4Kbank"/>

The Exploding Hearts led a revival of 1970s-era power pop and [[New wave music|new wave]] in the [[Seattle]] and Portland area along with bands like [[The Briefs]] and the [[Epoxies]] on the then-Seattle-based [[Dirtnap Records]].  Their combination of punk rock and power pop influenced melodies and their energetic live shows brought them attention on the West Coast and from magazines such as ''[[Maximumrocknroll]]'' and ''Shredding Paper'', which featured them on their covers.<ref name="portlandmercury1">{{cite web|title = Death in the Family - City - Portland Mercury| url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/news/death_in_the_family/Content?oid=29450|publisher=Portlandmercury.com| accessdate = 30 August 2010 }}</ref>  They released their debut studio album, ''[[Guitar Romantic]]'', in April 2003. Bankston left the band shortly after the album was released.<ref name="P4Kbank"/>

===July 2003 accident===
On July 20, 2003, the band was headed home to Portland on [[Interstate 5]] after having played at the [[Bottom of the Hill]] in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]].  It is believed that Fitzgerald, who was driving, fell asleep and lost control of their van near [[Eugene, Oregon]].  Cox, 23, and Gage, 21, were thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene and Fitzgerald, 20, died at a hospital.  Guitarist Terry Six, 21, and manager Rachell Ramos, 35, sustained only minor injuries.<ref name="portlandmercury1"/><ref>{{cite web|title = Punknews.org - Adam Cox, Matt Fitzgerald, and Jeremy Gage of the Exploding Hearts| url=http://www.punknews.org/article/6618|publisher=Punknews.org|accessdate = 30 August 2010 }}</ref>  The band disbanded in the aftermath of the accident.

A [[compilation album]] was released by Dirtnap Records in 2006.  In 2009, their song "Modern Kicks" was listed as the 290th greatest song of the decade,<ref>{{cite web|title = Pitchfork: Staff Lists: The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 500-201| url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7685-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-500-201/5/|publisher=Pitchfork.com| accessdate = 30 August 2010 }}</ref>  and their album ''Guitar Romantic'' deemed the 60th best album of the decade by ''[[Pitchfork Media]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title = Pitchfork: Staff Lists: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100-51| url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7708-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-100-51/5/|publisher=Pitchfork.com| accessdate = 30 August 2010 }}</ref>

===Post-Exploding Hearts projects===
Terry Six joined former members of the Portland-based band [[The Riffs]], Gabe Lageson, Colin Jarrell, Alan Mansfield, and established the Portland-based power pop band, [[The Nice Boys]]. They released a 7" single on Discourage Records entitled "You Won't See Me Anymore" b/w "Lipstick Love" and a S/T full-length album on Birdman Records. Six and former Exploding Hearts member King Louie Bankston formed the duo Terry & Louie in the 2010s and released the album ''...A Thousand Guitars'' in 2015.<ref name="P4Kbank"/> Bankston died on February 13, 2022.<ref name="P4Kbank"/>

===Revival===
In 2023, Six began to play Exploding Hearts material again live, with a lineup featuring himself on lead vocals and guitar, drummer John Tyree and bassist Chad Savage, who had played with Terry & Louie, and guitarist Murat Aktürk.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Garber-Paul |first1=Elisabeth |title=Their Band Ended in Tragedy. 20 Years Later, the Last Surviving Member Is Ready to Talk |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/exploding-hearts-guitar-romantic-interview-1234818866/ |website=Rolling Stone |access-date=14 November 2024 |date=6 September 2023}}</ref> Six's band will play under the Exploding Hearts name at the Mosswood Meltdown festival in Oakland, California in July 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Abby |title=Kreayshawn To Play First Show In Over A Decade At Mosswood Meltdown 2025 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2287622/mosswood-meltdown-announces-initial-2025-lineup-with-devo-osees-kreayshawns-first-show-in-over-a-decade/news/ |website=Stereogum |access-date=14 November 2024 |language=en |date=14 November 2024}}</ref>