NICO VEGA Ro c k
A friend of mine once remarked, “I don’t see the point of singers who aren’t women.” While I don’t agree with Jimmy “I Hate Musicians” Pham, when I found Nico Vega, I immediately wanted to share their tunes with him. I mean, is there anything sexier than a female singer who can rip the notes out of her throat like an incredible, animalistic howl? I didn’t think so. Nico Vega is fronted by singer/lyricist Aja Volkman, but don’t let her incredible presence distract from Rich Koehler on guitar or Dan Epand on the drums; every part of this trio is impressive. The band originally formed in 2005 when Koehler and Mike Pena (the group’s original drummer) saw Volkman perform at L.A.’s Universal Bar & Grill, and they were immediately blown away by her voice and charisma. In the wake of the release of their first album in 2009, they began touring with such groups as Blondie, Metric, Manic Street Preachers, and Shiny Toy Guns, just to name a few, and their song “Beast” has been used in the soundtrack for major films like Jack Reacher and Pacific Rim. Their sound employs lots of blues-driven guitar, with
Aja Volkman, Rich Koehler, Dan Epand
a good dose of synth. Add in Volkman’s Joplin-inspired vocals, and you’ve got one hell of a rock band. The songs are fast and hard; they’re songs that you can dance to, rock out to, and build your life around. Nico Vega has just released their second album We are the Art, so be sure to check it out!
LOS ANGELES