All-over the place vocals with two- and three- part harmonies combined with smokin’ guitars topped with banjos, saxophones and out-of-tune sing-alongs from the crowd is nothing out of the ordinary for The Dirty Diamonds. For the last two years, when they’re not attending class at SRJC, The Dirty Diamonds lay country-rock and blues tunes at various bars and clubs in Sonoma County.

All six members of The Dirty Diamonds have played or are currently members of various Bay Area hardcore bands like Ceremony, Sabertooth Zombie, Steel Trap, Eyeballz and the list goes on.

Since forming The Dirty Diamonds, they’ve been writing songs ever since. In the midst of recording their first album, singer/guitar player Eric Enos, an energy management major at SRJC, took some time with The Oak Leaf to lend insight into these modern-day cowboys.

Oak Leaf: How did a group of early 20-year-olds, who have all had experience playing in punk-hardcore bands, come to form a country-blues band?

Enos: We have all heard our parents listening to old country-blues and rock since we were kids, so it’s been with us since as far back as we can remember. We just started jamming a couple years back, and this is where it took us. I guess it’s just what we like to play.

Oak Leaf: Your other band Sabertooth Zombie is a completely different genre of music in comparison to The Dirty Diamonds. Have you always been interested in playing country-blues and folk?

Enos: Like I said, I’ve heard country-blues and folk since I was little, between my parents and my friends’ parents. There have been times where I wasn’t into as much as others, but I finally understood what made it so good these last few years.

Oak Leaf: Some of The Dirty Diamonds’ influences include Hank Williams Sr., The Outlaws and Creedance Clearwater Revival, which gives the music that rustic-cowboy sound we’re used to hearing in country music. What are some of the modern influences that give your music that contemporary twist and unique sound?

Enos: Honestly, we don’t listen to too much modern music. The best music that’s ever been written, in my eyes, has been written a long time ago. That’s not to say there aren’t some good bands around today, like Justin Townes Earle, Jackie Greene and the local band Old Jawbone. It’s just most of our influences come from old time music.

Oak Leaf: When can we expect the first record from The Dirty Diamonds to drop?

Enos: We have been working on one recently in my bedroom and it’s turning out pretty decent, but we are all broke. So when it comes out it isn’t going to be anything glamorous, but it’ll do the job. I’m sure we’ll have a show to release it, and there’ll be flyers up, so you’ll know when we do.

Oak Leaf: Paint a visual picture of a Dirty Diamondts show, for someone who has never seen The Dirty Diamonds live. What can they expect to see?

Enos: Well, they can expect a rip roaring party vibe, with whiskey flowin’ like water, people dancing, young and old, basically an all-around good time, with a few slow songs that you can hug up tight with your special someone, if you know what I mean.

Oak Leaf: You have an upcoming show on March 5 at The Hopmonk in Sebastopol. For those under the age of 21 or those who can’t make it, can we expect anymore local shows in the future?

Enos: We are playing at the Tradewinds on Old Redwood Highway in Cotati on March 23. That’s the Wednesday of spring break, so if you’re under 21, sorry. Everyone else should come on down because it’s a free show. We’ll try to play some all-ages shows though, because we were all under 21 at one time and we liked to go to shows.