Los Lobos C/D

I read the Los Lobos "Dream in Blue" book and learned so much, like how they never grew up particularly interested in traditional music, or even acoustic instruments, gravitating toward the usual jammy stuff in the '60s - Cream, Hendrix, the Dead, and so on - but then followed the lead of bands like the Band and Fairport Convention in embracing their own folk equivalent; they would scour the thrift shops for all these old traditional instruments that no one wanted. Or that they never really bothered writing their own songs until much later, maybe the early '80s, taking specific inspiration from the Blasters. Lots of other great stuff in there, too. Worth a read. Also discovered this fascinating document through it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfpdejgOBpk

There's that classic quote from Louie Perez: "If you were married between 1973 and 1980 in East L.A., we probably played your wedding."

An example of a band that got better with each album.

This is awesome---watch it while you can (although there was an ad for DVD version, maybe CD as well)(scroll down for bonus performances)

Dia de los Muertos
Special | 55m 36s

¡Dia de los Muertos! is a musical celebration of this much-anticipated and highly celebrated fiesta by people of Mexican heritage everywhere. Special guests include Latino rock greats, Los Lobos, the salsa-rap-reggae-funk of Ozomatli — both Los Angeles-based — and the all-female mariachi band Flor de Toloache from New York City.

Aired: 10/28/22

Expires: 11/25/22

Rating: TV-PG

actually just bought a ticket today to see them down the street in a couple of weeks! been a while.

xpost Just watched that, that was rad. We're going to miss Los Lobos when they're gone.

Seeing Los Lobos tonight. Pretty sure I'm the only one seeing them, the 1975 and Sunn O))) the same week, lol.

Man, this band is a national treasure. They were so good tonight I was practically jealous of myself.

I just checked the setlists, and holy crap they're crazy. A ton of covers, but also they're completely mixing it up each night - very, very few repeats, even when playing material from the same album. I already missed most of the New York residency (there's one more show tomorrow night, and I may miss that as well) but if I had the money it would've been worth going every night.

Yeah, I meant to follow up. They played four nights here. I saw them on a Saturday, the Sunday set was pretty much 100% different. And then Monday's set after that looks like it was 3/4 different from the previous two nights. I didn't check the set list for the fourth night, but I assume it was equally different. They have such a deep catalog. And the night I saw them a local blues guy sat in for a few songs, and needless to say Los lobos is so tight that pretty much they can back anyone, no sweat.

I almost want to say they're like the Band if the Band had their shit together and didn't self-destruct. (Musical differences aside, though the both do draw on musical traditions that pre-date rock, including some overlapping ones.)

I've probably commented before how well Los Lobos nail The Band on "When the Circus Comes to Town."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZUtkRDfmMk

Love that album, but I especially love that track.

They start to lose me with Kiko, but up till that moment every album was better than the last.

I do love that song, though.

Leave us not forget:

Desperado Soundtrack (1995)

"Canción del Mariachi" ("Morena de Mi Corazón") (Los Lobos and Antonio Banderas) 2:06
"Six Blade Knife" (Dire Straits) 4:34
"Jack the Ripper" (Link Wray) 2:31
"Manifold de Amour" (Latin Playboys) 2:03
"Forever Night Shade Mary" (Latin Playboys) 3:00
"Pass the Hatchet" (Roger & The Gypsies) 3:00
"Bar Fight" (Los Lobos) 1:54
"Strange Face of Love" (Tito & Tarantula) 5:51
"Bucho's Gracias/Navajas Attacks" (Los Lobos) 3:56
"Bulletproof" (Los Lobos) 1:42
"Bella" (Carlos Santana) 4:29
"Quédate Aquí" (Salma Hayek) 2:05
"Rooftop Action" (Los Lobos) 1:36
"Phone Call" (Los Lobos) 2:16
"White Train (Showdown)" (Tito & Tarantula) 5:57
"Back to the House That Love Built" (Tito & Tarantula) 4:41
"Let Love Reign" (Los Lobos) 3:22
"Mariachi Suite" (Los Lobos) 4:22

(Tito, of course, was a colleague of LL & Blasters and Flesh Eaters and Impalas when in The Plugz, then

Larriva teamed up with former Plugz bandmates Charlie Quintana and Tony Marsico to form the Cruzados. With the Cruzados, Larriva's music began to move in a different direction, straying from his typical punk rock to a bluesier 1980s rock sound.

Oh speaking of David Hidalgo guesting with Los Centzontles, as I did upthread in 2020, he's also with them a couple of times on the 2022 release Putamayo Presents--Songs From The Sonoran Borderland---Feels Like Home: Linda Ronstadt's Musical Odyssey, musical companion to her book of approximately the same title. This is my fave of all the non-LR tracks (by various artists), in terms of song, playing, and singing---DH only gets to pick on the other one with Los C., and it's good too, but

https://putumayo.bandcamp.com/track/voy-caminando

(He's not on the tracklist for this one, but gets credit in the notes, along with Taj Mahal.)

I’ve always struggled to find an entry point to LL, although I love I Got Loaded, and (the song) This Time, and this wonderful late cover that utterly trounces the Shins original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpcJ-8_Bxws

Any pointers?

Maybe this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Another_Band_from_East_L.A._–_A_Collection

Sorry, link didn't come up right.

Just Another Band from East L.A. – A Collection

Kiko seems to be the obvious entry point, and also their best album, but maybe it's just me that feels that way.

Chuck, I had the same problem. It took the pandemic to give'em the listen they deserve.

Los Lobos rules. They're here again this weekend, playing a benefit. Don't think I'll be able to go, but I know they'll be great.

I'd Koko was their best too, but for someone who is still trying to get into them, it may be worth exploring that compilation first before diving into the albums in their entirety.

That comp is a great, great overview of their career up to that point, and will in turn send you to the right starting place/album depending on what pops out at you.

Just saw the do a spectacular free show at a city park amphitheater up the road from me in Houston. They said Cesar Rojas was under the weather, so he didn't play, but they more than made up for it in a situation where you could understand them taking a sleepwalk. Encored with "She's About A Mover" & "La Bamba" -> "Good Lovin'" -> "La Bamba".

LEGENDS

Band is so good.

i was at the show tonight as well. beautiful weather, great set, my 80 yo parents were there too and they really dug it