Mariachi El Bronx: The Clumsy Scientists
With the summer well underway, and festival season spread wide open, a little bit of sunshine is duly needed on the decks. Lucy Tesco catches up with The Bronx frontman Matt Caughthran to discuss the band's double-up, Mariachi El Bronx, set to release their debut in a couple of weeks. Caughthran lets us into the brighter side of Bronx rough.
Posted 5th August 2009, 1:47pm in Interviews, by Lucy Tesco
With the summer well underway, and festival season spread wide open, a little bit of sunshine is duly needed on the decks. Lucy Tesco caught up with The Bronx frontman Matt Caughthran to discuss the band's double-up, Mariachi El Bronx, set to release their debut in a couple of weeks (17th August, pre-order it here). Caughthran lets us into the brighter side of Bronx rough.Well hello there, Matt El Bronx. Is it necessary to make the distinction? Am I talking to The Bronx's alter ego?
Matt: It's far beyond an alter ego. And like twin brothers we are very competitive with our other self. One of us is the shy, smart one who wins in the end, the other is the party machine that takes what it wants and dies doing what it loves.
Obviously, the fact that you choose to put out your Mariachi stuff under a (ever so slightly) different name leads to the assumption that you want to keep your two penchants in music seperate. Is this a result of external pressure or a choice you made as a group? Had you originally considered incorpoarting Mariachi into the hard rock you make otherwise?
M: No pressure here. The choice was made to separate the two because musically they are completely different. The common thread between Bronx and El Bronx are the members and the mission.
Fantastic outfits, by the way, where are they from?
M: Our outfits were made by hand in Boyle Heights, a superb slice of east Los Angeles. They were crafted by an angel, known to men as ELIAS.
So the new album is being released over here in a couple of weeks, are you planning on doing any mega tours to promote it, like the Shred Yr face tour you did over here around the time of your other release?
M: Of course, that's what we do. We make records and we tour. El bronx live is serious fucking fun. We're gonna be playing (along with Bronx) all over the globe.
Do you feel the crowds you pull to your Mariachi El bronx shows differ to those at The Bronx shows? When I saw you play in March, it was on the Shred... tour and there was no Mariachi-ing about. (Although I must say, I personally would have enjoyed it!)
M: I think Bronx fans are thirsty for it. Our fans respect what wild idiots we are. We have to keep evolving. I promise you the next Bronx record is gonna be the most fucked up thing you've ever heard.
The fact that the two styles you go for are so extreme and distinct really singles you guys out as doing something few artists venture into, let alone achieve so successfully. Do you feel that it helps you all to master what it is you do in the two seperate areas?
M: We are merely clumsy scientists, we are masters of nothing. Music is like science: artists are often given a lab coat, keys to the laboratory, access to every chemical imaginable; what you make is up to you. A lot of bands play it safe and stick with the chemicals they know; all this does is create more "liquid smoke". Bronx and El bronx are two bulls in the science lab: drunk with power, we mix chemicals that have no business being mixed. If we lose an eye or grow an extra leg along the way, so fucking be it.
Are there other areas in music you'd be curious to look into? Any other central to south American genres that tickle your fancy? There's this great compilation out at the moment, the second in a series, called 'Panama! 2' which I think could serve as some inspiration...
M: Unfortunately, we are not in control. Things have a way of presenting themselves, call it a vision, or a dream, maybe even a nightmare, but our next move will be dictated by a source far more powerful than man or god. One thing is for sure though: we will not stand still in the meantime.
Could you point out any new and upcoming bands you think have the potential, or even the motivation to do what it is you guys are doing- whether they be on the hardcore scene, or Mariachi?
M: Trash Talk are a blast from the future. Los Lobos, a gift from the past
Are you looking forward to playing Reading festival? It's a young'un, with a very heavy line-up. Do you reckon you'll be able to get all these rock-kids jigging to your rhythm?
M: It's been a huge dream come true just to be involved with Reading and Leeds. Bronx has been blessed and fortunate enough to play a couple times. El Bronx will debut on the main stage! Trial by fire type shit. I love it. Vin Diesel is on our guest list. We're gonna fuck shit up.
Vin Diesel? Shit. That's gonna be one hell of a show...
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