Mariachi el Bronx was probably conceived in August of 2006 in Los Angeles’ infamous “Downtown Rehearsal.” The Original El Bronx line up, or at least as it appeared on TV. featured guest appearances from Zander Schloss ( Wierdos, Circle Jerks) and Keith Douglas (Mad Caddies). The project triggered something inside all of them that was unexpected. They instantly started writing new songs. The body of this record was written all over the world. As the Bronx played, El Bronx wrote.
Once they were home the territorial pissings of punk once again worked their way into our lives as we completed writing what was to become Bronx III and Mariachi El Bronx. They discovered that they had more than enough songs for a record, now it was time to cement the sound. Vincent Hidalgo, son of David Hidalgo (Los Lobos, Latin Playboys) joined El Bronx in late 2007. Vincent really helped bring everything together. As a unit we poured our heart and soul into every song, musically and lyrically. Jon Avilla (Oingo Boingo) was picked out of a prison line up to produce the record. It was at his studio in the San Gabriel Valley where they put the finishing touches on the record.
What had started as an act of rebellion had become something bigger than the sum of its parts. Alfredo Ortiz (beastie boys / money mark) plays percussion and an unnamed string quartet that did them a “solid” but wouldn’t give them their names due to contractual obligations to the television show “American idol.” Mariachi El Bronx touches on many facets of mariachi music, the most well know being norteno as well as jorocho, juasteka, bolero and corridos.
It may seem strange for a band that blasts the audience into outer space every night to take this direction, but mariachi music is every bit as much of a soundtrack to southern California as punk. They are seamlessly intertwined. The band will perform in a variety of different ways, sometimes incorporating mariachi into their punk set, sometimes 2 nights at a venue performing each band respectively, often times having one band open up for the other.
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Mariachi El Bronx
Fox Theatre
