I THINK BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER, SOMETIMES IT GETS A LITTLE LIKE PEOPLE SAY, ‘I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT! YOU’RE LIKE A BUNCH OF CRAZY PEOPLE!
to be exciting, time permitting.
Going back to the Mariachi aspect of things, I think sometimes it can be seen as a novelty genre, but it’s far from it – it’s rooted in history and part of many people’s rites of passage. I imagine it’s a genre you deeply respect… Oh absolutely, very much. I mean you’re completely correct, even myself as an Anglo - it’s definitely portrayed that way in white America. It’s so 100% the opposite of what people think it is; it’s very, like you say, very rich in history and there are so many stories and important historical events that have been passed down through songs about them and some of those guys are some of the best musicians I’ve ever seen. I think because of the language barrier, sometimes it gets a little like people say, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about! You’re like a bunch of crazy people!’, you know, which it probably sounds like when we play it!
Now you’ve had some great touring opportunities, and one that I’m really interested in was when you toured with Gogol Bordello, I mean, there’s not many bands who can do fusion better – how was your tour with those guys? It’s really interesting, ‘cause that band is like no other, I mean that many different cultures just compressed into one outlet… it’s just very interesting how everybody comes from such a different place and I think it’s very evident in their music. Like nobody sounds like that
band! But they’re a prime example of playing what they feel, rather than copying a trend, you know what I mean, and I really respect that band. I think from touring with them I can say that audiences really respect that, you know, they celebrate their differences rather than complain about them and I think that’s really cool.
Tinking of Mariachi El Bronx in relation to Te Bronx, it’s always said that a little bit of role play can spice up a relationship… do you think that’s fair to say of Te Bronx?! Absolutely, you know and I think as a musician there’s so much that you want to delve in to and so much that you want to do, that somewhere along the line, deviating from your sound has become a bad idea for record labels, like, this record doesn’t sound like the last one, it won’t be as successful… there’s kind of this mindset of sameness which is self- imposed, like ‘oh, we can’t do that because x, y and z won’t like it’, you know, and things like that, so you kinda get to a place where you’re trying to jam all this stuff and change it when you shouldn’t do that. You should just do – like I said earlier – just do what you feel, and you know, that’s what we did. I think it’s been really healthy for us to switch gears and not get bogged down with certain things and I think it makes you be a lot more open and not try to force a square peg into a round hole and things like that. When it comes to creating, for
us it’s been so healthy and so fun because you’re not doing the same thing every day.
Has it reinvigorated your creativity with Te Bronx, because I’ve read that you’ve got new material in the pipeline? Yeah, we’ve carved out some time and we’re going to cut a new record and hopefully it’ll be out by the summer. Spring is what we’re aiming for and it’s back on the horse.
I really hope you keep producing in both respects in equal measures, because it’s just so much fun to psychotically flit between the two bands! I do too, you know; this band has far exceeded what I ever thought it could and I’m enjoying the longevity we’re having and hopefully that will keep continuing because we’re all enjoying what we’re doing.
Now Joby, I often ask this, but you artists promise to bring us a kick ass show, but what as an audience can we bring to you? Oh… cigarettes. Nah, I’m just kidding. I don’t know, I’ve never thought about that before, but probably the same thing that I get out of going to a concert, being entertained. I hope people walk away with that, but at the very base of it, if people come and have a good time and go home fulfilled, I think that’s a good goal to shoot for. Just show up!
Emma Garwood
Mariachi El Bronx come to the Waterfront on November 28th. For tickets, go to
www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk. Read the uncut version of this interview at
Outlineonline.co.uk
outlineonline.co.uk / November 2011 / 25
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