NICK 13 OF TIGER ARMY 25 YEARS OF FIXED IDEA VIVA LAS VEGAS
SUN CITY ROLLER GIRLS JULIAN MENDOZA LISA LOVE’S HOMECOMING
IAN ROSEWOOD FUSION GALLERY | ORBEH STUDIO BALLROOM MARFA | TIERRA. SANGRE. ORO.
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ROCKABILLY RIOT
GEARS UP FOR 7TH YEAR TXT: FUSION MAGAZINE | PHOTO: COURTESY OF GARR
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hat began as a little ol’ car show at the Great American Land & Cattle Co. (in northeast El Paso) 7 years ago has exploded into a 2 day extravaganza that’s recognized as the city’s premiere end-of-summer bash. The Great American Rockabilly Riot storms in September 2nd and 3rd at the El Paso County Coliseum. It is an exciting celebration of the country’s love affair with all things 50s including cars, chicks and rock & roll. What began as a counter culture movement and embraced heavily by 1950s youth after the end of World War II, rooted itself firmly in American society and is still going strong today. “Kustom Kulture” embraces the self-indulgent. Pin up girls, greasers, hot rods, tattoosand rockabilly music are a few of the iconic elements of the movement, which glorifies the racier, hedonistic aspects of the 1950s. The Riot attracts hundreds of people from around the country. The bash includes a custom car show, pin up contest and live music. This year,
organizer Jake Baca, has ratcheted the festivities up a few notches with the addition of a tattoo convention and barber services. The live entertainment this year includes local ska vets Fixed Idea, The Paladins and Sorry About Your Sister. Psychobilly icons Tiger Army will headline the event on Saturday, September 2nd. A pin up girl contest will feature some of the area’s hottest ladies. Native El Pasoan and accomplished pin up model Lisa Love is presenting the show. Local pin up girl Miss Mozzy Dee will co-host the pageant. This plus-sized vixen’s tag line encourages all voluptuous ladies to “Rock Those Curves Girl.” Acclaimed model and performer Ruby Champagne, who’s awards include Miss Viva Las Vegas and Queen of Burlesque, is joining Dee for the contest. California artist Julian Mendoza (who’s also the spouse of Lisa Love) is one of the Riot’s featured artists. His brand of Kustom Kulture features zoot suiters, hotrods and lowriders, and is a unique blend of his Native American heritage and border culture roots. The Hard Knocks Car Club is hosting the area’s
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largest car show at this year’s Riot. Hundreds of custom, vintage rides, hot rods, trucks and motorcycles from the surrounding area, California, Arizona and Nevada will be showcased as they compete for prizes. The show also serves as a testament to the amount of time, money and love that goes into creating these mobile works of art. Rat rods are a primary feature of the show, as that vehicle style is a significant aspect of Kustom Kulture and the 1950s era. A rat rod is an exaggerated, bare-bones version of classic hot rods. While hot rods go through extensive, often expensive cosmetic restorations, part of the allure and charm of rat rods are the dings, rust and work-in-progress look that defines the style. The Great American Rockabilly Riot is much more than an event. It represents a movement and a lifestyle that has stood the test of time and continues to inspire and capture people from every generation. The Great American Rockabilly Riot September 2nd—3rd El Paso County Coliseum,Tickets: $20—$35 rockabillyrioteptx.com
NICK 13 OF
TIGER ARMY THE FUSION MAG INTERVIEW 10 | THEFUSIONMAG.COM
TXT: ISABEL ALEMAN | PHOTO: HELLCAT RECORDS
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os Angeles, Ca based psychobilly rockers Tiger Army blend the old school sounds of rock & roll and rockabilly with their own blend of punk. They will be headlining this years Great American Rockabilly Riot on September 2nd. Singer/guitarist Nick 13 spoke with Fusion about their success and how their cranked up good tunes have gotten them to this point. Did you ever think that Tiger Army would be where they’re at now, 5 albums in and with a very loyal fan base? It’s hard to predict the future! But I’m grateful these things are the case. I always felt there was something special about 5 albums—to me personally it represents the point where a band has a significant body of work, becomes sort of an institution in a way. The fact that there are people out there who’ve stayed with us through it all, as well as new people still discovering the music every month, is incredible. Can you tell us more about your fans and what they mean to Tiger Army? Can you give us an interesting story on weird stuff your fans have done for you? Well, I wouldn’t be able to do this for a living without them, but it’s a delicate balance, because I have to be true to myself as an artist as well. But we do try to look at things from an audience point of view. For example, I always look at previous setlists so that when we return to a city, even if it’s just a year later, people will hear different songs than the last time they saw us, or if we play cities that are close together or multiple nights in a row, there are always different songs. That was always exciting for me as a show-goer, so it’s important for me to do that in our sets. There have been paintings, poetry, too many tattoos to count… but I wouldn’t call these things weird, they’re just expressions of relating to, or enjoying something which is what we’re all about. Your latest album V •••– is very influenced by 50s and 60s rock & roll. What made you all want to explore different styles for this album? I’ve always wanted every album to be different, and while that era has always been an influence on our sound, we delved more deeply into it on this record. I was fascinated by the process that began at the end of the 50s when people started looking ahead to what was next after the first wave of rock & roll and began experimenting with new sounds, but before
what the 60s would become known for was really established. I related to that idea of exploring what was next. But as much as I love vintage rock & roll music, we’re not just recreating it, it’s sort of retro-future. How is V •••– different from previous Tiger Army albums and how is this album transcendent toward the future of Tiger Army? Progression in my abilities as a singer and a guitarist since our last record allowed me to explore influences that have always been there, but approach them in different ways. For example, I’ve always been inspired by Roy Orbison, but playing wise, that’s something I could’ve gone only so far with when the band started. As for the future, there’s always going to be a bit of evolution, but the core influences of early punk music and midcentury rock & roll will always be a part of it. You’ve said that you always switch up the set list so that your audience will always have a different show. When you’re performing how do you want your audience to feel at a Tiger Army show? The best feeling I can get from watching live music is the feeling of inspiration. It’s beyond words, it’s feeling the joy of being alive. If someone can experience that for one song or even one moment at our show, that’s huge. Since Tiger Army has been around for a while, how do you think the band has influenced the ever-growing and ever-changing psychobilly scene? The thing I always took from psychobilly was that it was rebel music, it was about breaking the rules, defying expectations and being true to yourself. I think there’s too much musical conformity within the genre at times, I’m always happy to see bands that break out and do their own thing without worrying about what people say. I understand you guys are also avid concertgoers, what have been some of your favorite shows that you’ve been to recently, also who are some of your influences? This summer I’ve seen Dick Dale, The Zeros, Big Jay McNeely, Lana Del Rey... Dick Dale is certainly a guitar influence. Artists who recorded in the 50s and 60s are sadly becoming rarer and rarer to be able to see live—Dale is 80, Big Jay is 90. Even the Zeros started 40
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years ago, in 1977. I try to see artists like this whenever I get the chance. Tiger Army has toured with lots of different bands including AFI, what has been your best touring experience? We just toured with a punk-rock band called The Broilers in Germany—they’re absolutely huge there, they had a #1 record. They treated us so well and welcomed us like family, it was my favorite experience supporting another band. Okay, here’s my wild card question—if you could place one of Tiger Army’s songs in a movie soundtrack, which movie would it be and which movie scene? Well, people have always said “Outlaw Heart” belongs in a movie, so I guess I’ll go with that. As for which scene and which movie, I’ll let someone else answer that, perhaps it’ll happen one day! “Carry My Body Down” from my solo album was featured recently in the TV show Kingdom, that was cool. You did an Amoeba YouTube series called “What’s In My Bag?” If you guys were to do a another one of those, what would be in your bag right now what are you listening to right now? I’m always listening to old music, it’s been a lot of surf and 60s garage in the past couple of years. Duane Eddy, who’s really more of a precursor to surf, Dick Dale, The Sonics, stuff like that. Newer music would be the Cactus Blossoms, Lana Del Rey, Grave Pleasures and Jay Reatard, who I unfortunately didn’t get hip to until after he was gone. Can you tell the Fusion Magazine readers something about Tiger Army that not too many people know about and that you’re willing to disclose? We filmed a new video recently, it’s for the song “Dark and Lonely Night.” We’ve mentioned the video existing on social media, but the song it’s for has never been revealed until now. It should be online anytime, it might even be out by the time this interview hits. We’ll announce it at tigerarmy.com when it does come out.
tigerarmy.com
PINUP STAR LISA LOVE’S HOMECOMING AT GARR 2017 TXT: CHANTEL BAUL | PHOTO: COURTESY OF LISA LOVE
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l Paso native Lisa Love first broke onto the rockabilly scene back in 2007 when she started entering pinup contests throughout the nation. Compelled by the glitz and glamour of 40s and 50s-era women, Love developed an affinity for vintage clothing, makeup and hair trends. Her remarkable beauty, refined stage presence and impeccable attention to detail made her a
predominant figure in the pinup world, earning her a coveted partnership with world-renowned rockabilly pillar Viva Las Vegas, and a revered place among the best models in the industry. She currently resides in Lomita, CA with her husband, celebrated artist Julian Mendoza and their family. In a homecoming befitting of the latin luminary, Love is honored to present The Great American Rockabilly Riot Pin-up Pageant.
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Hosted by Mexican burlesque star Ruby Champagne and El Paso’s own Miss Mozzy Dee, the pageant will be on September 2nd as part of The Great American Rockabilly Riot held at the El Paso Coliseum. Pinup starlets from around the world are encouraged to come out and compete for the title of “Miss Great American Rockabilly Riot Pinup-Queen.” In addition to the title, the crowned pinup will receive a bounty of gifts from GARR sponsors including a curated
collection of gifts from Lisa Love herself, and a sizeable cash prize.
recognizes that pinup is more than appearance and popularity: it’s about passion. Her advice:
Love is elated to present the pageant and is always pursuing opportunities to help train up and inspire the next generation of pinups. She’s looking for a title-winner who’s a graceful go-getter: “Try your hardest . . . and really enter to win.”
“Do this for yourself. Focus on what you love and what you believe in. The followers, the likes and attention will come after you’re doing what you love. That’s just the icing on the cake.”
Properly-fitted clothing, well-paired accessories, stunning hair, polished makeup and crisp presentation will earn high marks in the contest. Love believes that anyone can be beautiful with the right execution, and the GARR pin-up queen has her execution down pat. Still, Love
The pinup pageant is only part Love’s itinerary for the Rockabilly Riot. Both Love and Mendoza will host booths throughout the festival vending an impressive selection of merchandise. Pachuco and Pachuca art pieces and Lisa Love totes, puzzles and beauty products are among some of the offerings. But the prized items available for purchase are definitely Love’s iconic cultural prints.
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Love’s Chicano heritage and borderland upbringing are resonant themes in a lot of her images. “I’ve always been proud of being Mexican,” Love said. Over her career, Love naturally gravitated toward more cultural work. Through striking imagery embedded with history and tradition, Love aims to celebrate her Mexican heritage while educating and inspiring her “fellow brown people.” The majority of her work follows this mode, creating artwork of communal pride. It’s about heritage, culture and family. She tells new pinups to do the same, “Do what makes your family proud because that’s what keeps you in line.” lisalove.com
JULIAN MENDOZA TXT: FUSION MAGAZINE
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ulian Mendoza is a Native of southern California. Born in the late 1950s this mostly self-taught artist has spent many years putting in work perfecting his technique. Julian has worked in the commercial art field for many years. Although it was a solid living, it did not satisfy his desire to create the “fine art” pieces that he always felt were within him. He began painting the subjects that reflected his true interest. Images related to his culture and heritage became his main inspiration—from his Native American Aztec Indian roots, to the zoot suiters and vintage Chevrolets of the 1940s. The detail and accuracy of Mendoza’s work speaks to his knowledge of the subjects he paints. Whether it’s a 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan from the Blvd., or a Golden Eagle from Father Sky up above, Julian’s paintings reflect his admiration and respect for both. When it comes to his art, Mendoza says, “This is not just what I do, this is who I am. These paintings come from my heart, not just my hand.” Mendoza’s clean lines and smooth blends may have some people assuming his pieces are airbrushed or computer generated, but they’re not! His originals are all done by hand with a combination of ink, paint and prismacolor. “I get the result I want and the feeling that comes along with hand made art,” Mendoza says. “In my Native culture, it is believed that anything done by hand carries the spirit of the person who created it.“ fleetlinefineart.com
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SUN CITY ROLLER GIRLS READY TO RAM AND JAM TXT: CHANTEL BAUL | PHOTO: GINGER LAMBERT
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ince 2008, the Sun City Roller Girls have been bringing beauty, brawn and all-around badassery to the El Paso sports scene. Known for its rough-and-tumble nature, roller derby pretty much eviscerates the stereotype of women as docile and passive. These women are hell on wheels. “You’ll be amazed at the hits that go down,” said league co-founder Teresita Lopez. “The girls are coming at them, and they’re not gonna care. They’re going to ram them against the rail. They’re gonna knock ‘em on their ass.” Lopez and Josefina Herrera, better known as Frida Krueger and China tu Madre by the players in the league, started the SCRG as a way to corral camaraderie among women looking to do something different in the area. “There’s girls out there that probably never felt like they fit in or they were just different. That’s what pushed me to do it in my own hometown,” said Lopez. “Basically, you get
to hit each other for fun, and they’re all your friends. They’re all your sisters.” Today, the league has grown to 5 home teams— Las Catrinas, Chuco Town Chulas, Las Diablas, Las Viudas Negras and the SeXecutioners—and one travel team made up of all-star players from the league. After almost 10 years on the track, the Sun City Roller Girls are about to take on a new arena: The Great American Rockabilly Riot. Skating on a newly-built track on the El Paso County Coliseum grounds, the SCRG will play 2 fiery bouts at the Rockabilly Riot—the first at 6pm on September 2nd, with the second following at the same time on the 3rd. The roller girls are looking forward to a little friendly competition at the weekender. They’ll be playing against members of Austin’s iconic Texas Roller Derby League, which pioneered modern-day roller derby. In
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addition to the bouts, the SCRG will host an information booth with plenty of merchandise available for sale. Lopez is sure that their Rockabilly Riot debut will pack a punch: “People are gonna be shocked to see how these women are so athletic and so fierce.” As hard-hitting as these women are on the track, it’s easy to forget that they’re everyday people. “They’re moms, they’re teachers, they’re nurses, different professionals, hairdressers, students, grandmothers. It’s all walks of life,” Lopez reflected. She encourages everyone to come out and see these ordinary women do extraordinary things. “It’s fast. It’s hard and you will enjoy it.”
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FIXED IDEA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS TXT: TANYA TORRES | PHOTO: JOSHUA MENDOZA
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l Paso ska band Fixed Idea is preparing for its 25 year anniversary celebration party which will be held at the Tricky Falls entertainment venue this month, and will also be playing at the El Paso Rockabilly Riot on September 2nd. In preparation for the celebration, the band will be re-releasing most of their albums that been out of print, also including a new release entitled The Early Years. “We have just been really focusing, visualizing and working on these songs without any distractions,” said Pancho Mendoza, 41, the lead singer and original member of Fixed Idea. “It’s gotten us this far and this year we are celebrating 25 years with a 12-day tour in the west coast.”
Will Munoz (lead guitar), Raul Espino (tenor saxophone) and Salvador Alex Valdez (bass). Keeping the music relevant is not an issue for the band because they believe that having grown up in the city has allowed them to keep their culture alive, and helped them to develop their Chuco ska style of music. Not only does the culture in the Sun City inspire their music but also has kept their lyrics connected to the community and relevant for younger El Pasoans. Although some followers question the group’s love for ska music at their age, band members
When Fixed Idea first began playing more than 2 decades ago, the band consisted of Mendoza and a group of skater friends getting together to make noise. Eventually, the improvised jam sessions turned into backyard shows for the punk-rock band that later turned to ska. Fixed Idea calls its brand of music “Chuco ska” to reflect border culture. “Pancho Mendoza started the band back in 1992 with a couple of friends from high school,” said Angel Gonzalez, 38, the current drummer for Fixed Idea. “They played a lot of backyard shows back in the day when the punk-rock scene was very much alive here in El Paso. They were just a bunch of kids banging instruments trying to be heroes, and little did I know that later we would all be connected at one point.” In the 25 years that Fixed Idea has been playing, they have had 60 different members join and leave the group. The only original and current member of the band is Mendoza, but as the bash approaches, Mendoza is tracking down previous members to see if they will join in the festivities by playing with them during the anniversary show. So far, 28 past, present and future band members will be playing at the anniversary show. Right now, the band consists of 7 members— Pancho Mendoza (lead vocals and guitar), Daniel Villasenor (keys and vocals), Angel Gonzalez (drums and vocals), David Gallegos (guitar),
feel that it is necessary to continue playing because it is a part of who they are. “So these dudes were just like skaters like me, playing music just to do something between skating and dealing with life like school, parents and girls and all of that,” said David Gallegos, 37, guitarist for Fixed Idea. “Music was just something to do, but when you get to our age and you’re still doing the same thing and most people are like, ‘Well, why are you still doing that? Why haven’t you done this? You have a degree,’” said Gallegos. “But it’s not even because I want to anymore. It’s that I have to do it. It’s like my life. It’s like breathing.” Although the band continues to be popular, it has not always been easy for the members to keep it going because they usually have to fund their travel and touring expenses, according
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to Mendoza. Some band members have also had personal and professional challenges; their fortunes began to improve a few years ago, when they began to see advertisements for “Battle of the Bands” shows where they could potentially win money. They then began a GoFund Me account and used the money to take tours to Los Angeles, Austin, San Antonio and San Diego. Not only has the band played in various cities and states, but they have also played at festivals in El Paso and at local benefit concerts, baby showers, quinceñeras, birthday parties and weddings. A special challenge for the performers comes at Christmas time when they sometimes have to travel to perform and often have limited funds to celebrate with their families. “Sometimes we don’t see our children during Christmas,” Mendoza said. “So instead of being sad about it, what we did was that we went to the children’s hospital and played for the children who are stuck in the hospitals.” Giving back to the larger community is especially fulfilling to group members, says Mendoza. “It started with a positive mental attitude,” he said. “Once we started doing that, things really started happening. Whatever has happened, personally, we have been able to shift it to something positive.” For the band, performing isn’t just about being known, but about bringing value to performance, which is why they say they continue to attract new fans ranging from the older generations to even kindergarten students. Mendoza also teaches at an elementary school in the Ysleta Independent School District.“We just try to bring value to our shows,” said Mendoza. “We put our heart and soul into it. It’s always going to be a good show no matter what.” For information about the event at Tricky Falls entertainment venue go to: trickyfalls.com
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ROCK & ROLLMALDITO DEL DESIERTO TXT: ALBA GARCÍA | FOTO: CORTESÍA DE VIVA LAS VEGAS
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úsica imposible de catalogar que define en un sentido un tanto abstracto al desierto y a una de las bandas más talentosas de la frontera. Al igual que Ciudad Juárez, Viva Las Vegas se sumerge en una creatividad inspirada en su entorno. Distintos elementos, sonidos e instrumentos que funcionan en armonía para entregar un sonido rebelde y divertido. La ciudad, su calor, la gente, el cruce de fronteras y el desierto se vuelven la mayor influencia de la banda. Viva Las Vegas está integrada por Juan Pedro en la guitarra, Ricardo en la batería y Danny en el upright, desde el 2007 se han dedicado a expander la escena de rock & roll en la frontera. Los 3 integrantes encontraron una conexión inquebrantable en su música, el alcohol y las mujeres. Para Juan Pedro, guitarrista de la banda: “Un
sonido en la mente, se desarrolla hasta que se vuelve realidad y lo transmitimos por medio de música.” Catalogar su música e identidad como banda en algo que no los definía completamente los obligó a crear su propio género que define en esencia su concepto como artistas y músicos.
bandas organizada por el mismo festival. Esta aparición en el festival fue su última presentación antes de irse de gira por Estados Unidos.The Rebel Legion Tour tuvo lugar los meses junio y julio en alrededor de 11 ciudades entre ellas Dallas, TX y New Orleans, LA.
Rock & Roll Maldito del Desierto es un género árido, tajante, fuerte y caliente, al igual que Viva Las Vegas y su música. Referencias de géneros musicales como el blues, swing, rockabilly y country, con un toque clásico de movimientos de los 60’s y 70’s, son los elementos característicos que generan una presencia fuerte en cada una de sus canciones.
En sus próximos planes se encuentra un EP de 5 canciones, presentaciones y próximas giras. Rock & Roll en el Desierto está en diversas plataformas digitales como Spotify, Itunes y Google Play. Viva Las Vegas tiene planeado tocar Rock & Roll Maldito del Desierto el viernes 4 de agosto en American Cattle Co. en El Paso, TX, el 26 de agosto en Don Burro en Chihuahua y el 2 de septiembre de vuelta a El Paso, esta vez en El Coliseo.
Más allá de ofrecer música de calidad a la frontera, la agrupación ha logrado ampliar sus sonidos fronterizos. Recientemente se presentaron en la segunda edición de JRZ Music Fest, después de haber ganado la batalla de
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LEYENDAS, HISTORIA Y ROCK & ROLL TXT: BJÖRZH ZNCHZ | FOTO: ENGEL MARÍN // SCHÖNE FOTO
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on las tres con quince y la mesa donde estamos sentados Ian, Johnson (Nopal Desert), la tremenda (y adorada) July y yo pareciera un escritorio de juntas ejecutivas con laptops y demás gadgets, claro sin contar los platos de aguachiles, la cerveza y la cara de crudo que más de uno traemos. Nos reunimos para charlar de su nuevo LP, de su gira y sus planes que como siempre son ambiciosos. Cuando platicas con Ian, líder de la agrupación que lleva su nombre, Ian Rosewood, es inevitable ver cómo se le escapa la pasión en sus palabras, más ahora que recién regresa a México de su exitosa y reveladora gira por nueve ciudades de Estados Unidos. Y es que no es fácil subir a siete cabrones en una van teniendo como compañera de viaje a la chinga de montar, tocar y desmontar por más de quince días. Sin embargo la gira por el sur de Estados Unidos era necesaria para esta banda que sigue a paso firme haciéndose de un nombre y un prestigio que pocos han logrado en Chihuahua, México.
Pisar escenarios en las ciudades icónicas para la música como Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee y Alabama es cosa sería; compartir escenario con auténticos representantes de la comunidad rockabilly, músicos tocando banjos y kazoos, acompañados de artefactos tan poco comunes como los son las cucharas, botellas vacías y un tallador; estamos hablando que aquí nació el country, el blues, el jazz, y donde el rock & roll tomó la fuerza para revolucionar la historia.
como Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis y Carl Perkins. Las fechas siguen llegando, su nombre en los festivales sigue apareciendo y Rosewood nos grita que está en su mejor momento. Un documental dividido en varios episodios es el que da fe de sus impresiones y opiniones sobre su posición en la escena musical actual, siempre poniendo en primer lugar su energizante propuesta.
Canciones como “Into my Own Vooddoo”, “I´ve Lost & I´ve Found” y “Hurricane”, contenidas en su nuevo álbum de Live Sessions, inundaron recintos en sitios que significan mucho para la cultura musical mundial. La visita al legendario Sun Studio en Memphis o haber tocado el piano que acompañó a Etta James han sido experiencias que marcaron a los integrantes de esta apasionada banda.
Siempre he pensado que la música alimenta eso que muchos llaman espíritu, apacigua a muchos de nuestros monstruos y libera nuestra mente. Pero, ¿qué tiene el rock & roll que fascina a tantos? No lo sé, pero si es lo que transmite Ian Rosewood al tocar en un escenario, lo entiendo perfectamente.
Ahora que están de regreso, su sonido rockabilly está impregnado de la energía que queda al haber pisado los pasos que dejaron leyendas
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TATTOO ARENA FABIAN COBOS Fabian Cobos was born and raised in El Paso and has been practicing the fine art of tattooing since 2002. He opened Golden Goose Tattoo in 2011 and it is considered to be one of the cities premier tattoo parlors. He is known for his ability to tattoo in multiple styles.
GUSTO
Gustavo Pimentel is an award winning artist currently working at Pumping Ink Tattoo in El Paso, Tx. Born and raised in El Paso, he is also known as “Gusto.” He found his passion for art through years of watching his own artist father Mr. Pimentel (RIP). Gusto began to draw at the early age of 5 and continued honing his skills over the course of his young adult life, until he finally discovered the amazing art of body modification. Pumping Ink has been his home shop for his entire tattoo career; he prefers to work in realism portraits and black and grey.
OMAR MACIAS Omar Macias, owner of Wyze Guyz Tattoo Parlor in El Paso, Tx has a unique and diverse talent. Coming from the streets of South Gate, CA, with over 20 years experience, Omar is skilled in grafitti and homemade tattoo machines. He has also done European Tattoo Tours with Unauthorized Ink. Omar and the crew at Wyze Guyz are dedicated to the originality and creation of every piece of art. From street art, cultura art, photorealism and black & gray, they know no boundaries.
SERV.ONE Ernie ‘SerV.One’ Rojas first experience to develop his career as a tattoo artist was at Pumping Ink in El Paso,Tx The creation of his art spans from aerosol to acrylic and has also done body art in multiple different states and countries. He currently owns a studio which also doubles as an art gallery in Peoria, Az called Top Rocker Tattoo. “I am proud to say I grew as a multi-cultural artist in El Paso.”
WEST TEXAS TATTOO
CRIMSON VEIL TATTOO
INKED UP 24/7
FOX LABYRINTH
Ralf jauregui Eric Melendez
Michael Aragon
RENEGADE TATTOO
Orlando Rodriguez Manny Silva Saul Favela Raul Frias
DONE N CANE TATTOO
Joshua Kassner Sarah Castillo
Viviana Contreras Dario Contreras Lally Budgen
BLOOD LINE INK
SOLDIER MIKE
IMMORTAL TATTOO
NOTORIOUS TATTOO GALLERY
Mark Perez Buzz Royale Ochoa
WYZE GUYZ TATTOO
TATTOO DANS
Jorge Calderon
Fred Murphy Klutz
Javier Landeros Johnny Salgado
Alex Bexfield Jorge Barron
Crubes Gerry Mylow
FOREVER INK TATTOO
BLUE PANDA TATTOO
INK XPRESSIONS TATTOO
David Alcalas Joel Avila
INK THERAPY STUDIO Veronica Lee Andy Zapien
INSANE ASYLUM TATTOOS Amy Mitchell Ryan Egnatoff
PUMPING INK TATTOO
Daniel Gonzales
DO’S & TATTOOS
TEXAS INK SLINGER
HORIZON BLVD TATTOO
Enrique Miguel Kurtis
Parlor Lil Alex Gusto Pimentel Horse Hernandez Vegas Perez Pablo Arguelles Gibby Martinez Angel Barrios Enrique Smallwood Meteor Dozal Mat x3r0 Gilbert Hernandez Pete Ybarra Harley
Victor Anzaldua Matthew Craig Jose Herrera Parlor Omar Danny
OTTOMATIK
Robert Martinez Steph Guiterrez Gorge Medina
TINTA REBELDE TATTOOS Rockabilly Ray Los Angeles, California
THE SIDE SHOW STUDIO Rafael Robles
Michael Lance
Pelon Chino
INKLINATION Luis Romo Rick Uribe
SUN CITY TATTOO
Eduardo Borunda Samantha Sena + MORE
SPECIAL EVENTS
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MAKING THE EARTH ART
TIERRA. SANGRE. ORO
“There is a complexity of working with land but there is a complexity to working with something as alive as adobe is” -Rafa Esparza
TXT: ISABEL ALEMAN | PHOTO: PAUL MARCUS RODRIGUEZ
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here is a beauty that resonates in the southwest area of Texas—the pinks and blues of the sunsets, the calming landscape of the desert and the symphony of sound the wind provides as you drive your car through it. The organic beauty of the scenery is what motivated Los Angeles artist Rafa Esparza to construct his vision of beauty, and to create art using organic matter such as adobe. Esparza’s project Tierra. Sangre. Oro. is his expression of cultural, ecological and political investigation, through the art of making adobe brick art. When asked about how the project came about, Esparza said, “Laura Copeland (standing intern director at Marfa Ballroom gallery) told me about the kind of presence that adobe takes up here in Marfa, and I was in the mix of making adobe to pave a gallery floor, and so the entire process has been very collaborative with Ballroom. I proposed a situation where I could invite 6 artists to be a mini residence with me here in Marfa and I can make the work here so I’ve been here since July, and I’ll be here till August to install and to work.” The project made Esparza reminisce back to the
reasons why he started making adobe with his father 4 years ago, having this unfound urge to connect with the land, especially in the way Marfa’s land is vast and open. He said, “I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much time in a landscape where space is so abundant, and yet still so inaccessible in a similar way (due to much of the land being private).” The title of the project Tierra. Sangre. Oro is short and bold. Esparza said, “The title came from that of having to think about value systems, to think about how you are placed on land and how we navigate the economy or structure or violence’s, and the effects of that sort of matrix.” Esparza is big on binding the elements that bring together the surrounding environment and the people. Esparza said, “Tierra. Sangre. Oro. became words, these 3 things that I feel are connected to each other when I think about colonization and when I think about the history of this region, how property was acquired stolen, how it’s sold, how it’s bought, but also to leave it open as a prop on other ways of thinking of space other ways of imagining not of new value systems.”
So what’s next for Esparza? “I’m a person who is very invested in thinking about new forms and thinking about new ways of creating, a creative practice for new audiences that haven’t experienced art or new art spaces. I’m very invested in different histories that have been neglected from art history. I’m having such an incredible time having the opportunity to engage with other artists that I wanna be in conversation with, and it makes me happy to be doing this work. There is a lot of hard work going on here, and I feel privileged and honored of what is going on, and in a way in which I want to present it,” Esparza concluded. Esparza provides foundation for collaborative discourse with labor and art. He manages to engage his personal and cultural beliefs and fuse them with other artists to make the earth art. With this project he wants “to make the visibility of brown people in Marfa.” Check out this labor intense earth, mind and soul binding project at Ballroom Marfa, running from August 25, 2017 to March 18, 2018.
ballroommarfa.org
THEFUSIONMAG.COM | 31
O C TO B E R 0 4 Special Guest: Joey Purp Tr i c k y F a l l s Price: $17/$20
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SHOTS FIRED: ACID PIE RETURNS WITH WATERGUN TXT: CHANTEL BAUL | PHOTO: ANGELINA JUAREZ
orderland band Acid Pie first came on the scene in 2012 with their debut EP It Make Me Feel Like . . . Wooh!. With their gritty chords, swift percussion and gripping vocals, the group quickly gained a following in Juarez.
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Their latest album reflects that diversity. On Watergun, listeners will perceive layered elements of punk, pop, that iconic 60s sound and even “this surf, western-y what-the-hell-is-this”—as Romero so quaintly put it.
Their unabashedly retro-yet-relevant feel earned them a nomination for “Best Garage/Punk Album” at the 2013 Indie-O-Music Awards, as well as record deal with El Paso’s own Electric Social Records in 2014.
The title Watergun is a also a multifaceted allusion, recalling both The Beatles’ Revolver album, while poking fun at the national debate over gun control, all at once. The title serves as a worthy epigraph for the collection it describes; it evinces the same thoughtful intention from which each song in the album arose.
That same year, Acid Pie released their self-titled record and started spreading out in the El Paso scene. After a 3-year album hiatus spent performing, composing and growing, the band is back to present their third album Watergun which will release on August 5th. Acid Pie is a four-man ensemble with Rolph Zehntner and Adrian Romero on the vocals and guitars, Edgar Santiesteban on bass and Jesus Avila aka “Chuy” on drums. Each member has their own musical influences and style that amalgamate to compose Acid Pie’s signature sound. “It’s rock & roll, but it deviates from that a little bit here and there, as we explore ideas,” said Zehntner. He describes their style as down-to-earth with a quintessential garage vibe. With influences ranging from The Beatles and Blink-182, to Radiohead and Eric Clapton, Acid Pie’s music is fairly eclectic all the while managing to stay to true to their own unique brand of rock & roll.
Unlike their debut and sophomore releases, this new album is not a product of stream of consciousness nor a random assortment of unrelated songs. There’s a theme here, and it’s steeped in the band’s experiences through the years living and learning in the border’s twin cities. “As you get older, you learn to speak of what you know,” Zehntner explained. He describes the album as a conversation, a chance to have a dialogue with the listeners about heavier topics like the political scene and socioeconomic stratification, and other things as light as love: “We want people to think a little bit, to agree with us or disagree with us. Just don’t come shoot me at my house,” he added. Still, other songs like “Lovers” for example, offer solace. A particular standout, “Shine,” exemplifies the notion of saving the best for last. In an album that brazenly takes social anxieties head on, finale song
offers that bit of hope so needed in times like this. Zehntner and Romero both identified this song as an album favorite. Romero relishes the song’s bold arrangement and psychedelic feel, while Zehntner’s favorite part is the closing lyrics, “I can wait forever, I’ve got time.” While the political landscape is conspicuously bleak, Acid Pie finds resolve in the fact that “those fuckers are old . . . so the one thing we have that they don’t is time.” A comforting thought. In addition to the real-life experiences from which Watergun was born, time is a unifying motif that threads the album songs together. “Time is referenced in most of the songs one way or another,” Zehntner explained. “It’s either, ‘your time is running out’ or ‘all the time’ or ‘I’m waiting for something’ . . . and at the end, it’s ‘I’ve got time’. And that’s sort of the wrap up for the album.” Anyone with an appreciation for real, raw local music should make the time for Acid Pie’s album release party on Saturday, August 19 at The Lowbrow Palace. Fans know, an Acid Pie performance is loud and fast with verve and nerve. Doors open at 9 pm with tickets just $5 for patrons 21 and up, and $8 for those between 18 and 20. Acid Pie will be joined by The Other Half, Foxy Mojo and Soul Parade. The party is a special opportunity to hear the new music unmediated while supporting the local music scene: “It’s an experience, a catharsis. You’re going to dance . . . shout, cry and sign along . . . It’s something that was written here. It might speak to you.” THEFUSIONMAG.COM | 33
FUSION GALLERY
ORBEH STUDIO TXT: ÁNGEL CERVANTES
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s una tarde de calor tropical, manejas una bicicleta con los ojos vendados mientras una chica guía la ruta con su voz cálida, escuchas un pequeño torbellino que te rodea, trae consigo hojas, flores y pájaros pequeños y ruidosos, huele a café molido y entre todos los sonidos se mezcla “La Vie en Rose”, que sale del gramófono en tu canastilla. Suena a la descripción de una cita perfecta, pero también de la obra de Orbeh Studio, que imagina escenarios surreales y los presenta en sus collages digitales, la técnica ideal para darle vida a estas imágenes. Orbeh Studio se localiza en la ciudad de Guadalajara, Jalisco y es manejado por el diseñador gráfico Guillermo Flores. Su trabajo ha aparecido en diversas publicaciones nacionales e internacionales como Bikefriendly Imagination, Fahrenheit, Oh! Dear, Expansión y en esta edición de Fusion Magazine colaboró para nuestra portada celebrando el Great American Rockabilly Riot Fest 2017.
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Al igual que su apellido, las flores son parte importante del trabajo de Guillermo, pues hacen aparición en la mayoría de sus creaciones. Al ver estos collages es inevitable pensar en esos momentos de la niñez en la que nuestra fuente de información principal eran las enciclopedias ilustradas, después de cansarte de tanto estudiarlas empezabas a concentrarte en las imágenes botánicas, de fauna y personajes históricos, haciendo un mix en tu cabeza de todas las posibilidades de universos paralelos en los que un astronauta descubre un planeta donde peces y nopales flotan en el ambiente, en donde los pájaros crean máquinas complejas y las manejan ellos mismos, y otro en el que en lugar de cabezas tenemos cámaras, que en realidad es una muy buena idea.
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