IE: Hey Carlos. How are you? You were telling me that PDE started in 1988. Who is still an original member from that time and have you had a lot of band member changes during the bands history?

Carlos: Exactly, the band began in 1998 as a teen fun project, and right now there are two original members in the band: me (vocals) and Dosantos (bass). Since then, we have had three different guitar players, two different bass players, three different  drummers, and another vocalist. Actually when the band begun, I was the guitar player and I still work on riffs etc. Some members have quit the band for a while and came back later on. Besides the music we are a big group of friends who love hardcore punk music. With this formation we have been playing for 4 years and I think that right now our sound is killer.

IE: Has PDE been together the whole time since 1988 without any breaks or have you split up at any point only to come back?

Carlos: Yep, making hardcore in a country like Ecuador is not that easy. So, we broke up in 2001, then came back in 2004 with three of the original members, then in 2008 we stopped playing for almost a year but since then we have been pretty active, making records playing gigs and helping our local scene.

IE: What does the name Punto De Encaje mean in English and why did you choose this name?

Carlos: It means "Point Of Union”. We took that name from Carlos Castaneda who is a guy that has done research and investigations from ancient indigenous knowledge. We really liked the meaning because "Punto De Encaje" is a state of mind where a warrior can watch and live other realities, in order to get spiritual and physical knowledge.

IE: You have a new album out titled “Hazlo Tu Mismo”. Can you tell us about it and how would you describe your bands musical style to someone who has never heard you before?

Carlos: "Hazlo Tu Mismo" is our second studio album. We are a band that is really influenced from 90's music and we try to make what we like, beside from any stereotypes. So put in a blender, a little bit of Sick Of It All, Bad Religion, Los Crudos, Motorhead, Madball, H20, Pennywise etc… and there we are. We are a band that likes to play loud and aggressive and our lyrics talk about different topics, from scene ethics to political issues and individual freedom. Another important thing is that we made this record by ourselves at home and we are really happy with the result..

IE: Can you tell us a little bit about what the hardcore scene is like in Ecuador? For example how many people do you think would show up for a show with only local bands and how many people would you guess showed up to your recent show where you opened up for Rotting Out from the US?

Carlos: The hardcore scene in Ecuador is really diverse. There are all kinds of bands with different styles and ideas which is great. A regular show with local bands in Quito is usually about 200 people. When an international band comes (like Rotting Out), it is almost the same people, maybe a hundred more because tickets are more expensive and not everyone is committed to pay, especially if it is a new band that not everyone has listened to. What we can say is that the hardcore scene in Ecuador is small but really intense. There are a couple of great local bands that work hard, and the energy that the crowd puts out is unforgettable. We are committed to make shows and help any hardcore and punk bands that want to come to our city.

IE: Who else have you opened up for as far as foreign bands who toured through your area?

Carlos: 108, We Ride, No Turning Back, Rotting Out, Maroon, Grito, Eutanasia, En Mi Defensa, and a couple of other Latin American bands that have been touring in the area.

IE: You were telling me that in 2008 you toured Columbia and played 10 shows. When you visit other South American countries do you notice that the other scenes are more similar to your scene in Ecuador or are they very different? Do the people in all the scenes down there generally get along and help each other out?

Carlos: Our experience touring Colombia was awesome. We really felt at home. All the bands, promoters and people were really excited with our music, and the DIY spirit was almost everywhere we went. I think that the Latin American scene is really committed and here in Quito we always open our arms for our brothers. We have made shows for bands from Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica and our local bands have travelled too, so I can say that in almost every Latin American country, there is someone who gets the clear idea about hardcore.

IE: I have talked with many European bands and one thing I noticed is that in Europe the bands can easily go from one country to another without any hassle like passports or documentation. It seems as if you can just drive to another country like you are driving to another town. Is this the same for the countries that border Ecuador?

Carlos: Not really, countries in South America are really big and it is difficult to get by bus to other big cities. That is the reason why not many bands travel in South America. If you want to make a South American tour you will need two and a half months, and a lot of money… but somehow we are gonna make it.

IE: About how many active bands that play hardcore and punk would you say are in your area? What are some of the better ones that you would like to mention?

Carlos: As I said before the hardcore punk movement is really diverse in Ecuador. There must be something like 30 bands that play at a good level. I’m going to tell you the most important ones in our point of view.

NOTOKEN (hardcore legends from Guayaquil, not only the oldest band, but also the most famous hardcore band in Ecuador). CUSTODIA (probably the most active and committed Ecuadorian band, many tours, videos, etc). TANQUE (Punk legends from Quito awesome music). MUSCARIA (One of the oldest bands great level, great records). ORGANIZACION CRIMINAL (Quite new punk band from Quito, awesome).

IE: What's it like growing up and living in Quito? What are some of the positive things about living there and what are some of the negatives?

Carlos: Quito is a really good city, almost 4 million people, not so big not so small and it is Ecuador's capital. It’s a beautiful place in the middle of the Andes mountains with a lot of contrasts…big ghettos and big money. Good food and nice music.

IE: When you were younger how did you find out about and get into hardcore music?

Carlos: We were punk metal kids who used to skateboard, so we began listening to The Misfits, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Agnostic Front, Sepultura, DRI, etc, with no real sense about any hardcore movement, and then we began to get more in touch, and more motivated by Latin hardcore bands such as NOTOKEN, IRA, RDP, LA PESTILENCIA, DAJ, LOS CRUDOS. In the 90´s the record collecting culture was big, and we managed to have tapes and LP's from our favorite bands. Personally I was a big fan of NYHC. That’s the reason why we are still here.

IE: Do you have good local record stores near you or do people rely more on the Internet and mail order to get new music?

Carlos: In the 90's it was possible to find some nice music, right now there are a few small stores that bring some nice hardcore, but now people are more focused on the internet and that is the way in which most of the kids get music. There are a few ones that buy music by mail order but mostly, I think that the internet is everything for the majority of the new generation.

IE: That’s about all I have Carlos, thank you for the interview. I s there anything else we may have missed that you would like to add?

Carlos: We want to thank Chris and all the In Effect HC crew, for the interest in the band. Visit our Bandcamp and Facebook pages. Big up for NYHC!

STREAM OR BUY THE NEW PDE ALBUM "HAZLO TU MISMO" HERE: 

https://puntodeencaje.bandcamp.com