The Bronx are a DIY band in every sense of the word. Having been picked up by a major label after only 12 shows, they recanted the offer and decided to release their first recordings on their own label, White Drugs. After a brief affair with Island Def Jam, they decided it's more fun to do things independently, and have no regrets. yourGigs speaks to guitarist, Joby Ford.
yourGigs (yG): Was it at all scary leaving the major label support of Island Def Jam?
Joby Ford (JF): Absolutely not. It was a completely amicable split. We're a very simple band. We make records and tour. Island's in the business of selling tonnes and tonnes of records. We're not one of those bands.
yG: So for those out there who don't know, tell us what a mariachi band is.
JF: Mariachi as most people probably are familiar with is the very circus-ey style. That's not what we did. I'm gonna make up a dumb category called 'old world.' It's very lush, it's very beautiful. It's definitely not funny or comedic at all, it's very serious music and is wonderful to play.
yG: What was the inspiration behind recording a mariachi album?
JF: We had done a TV show where we were supposed to play acoustic. I don't think anything sounds good like that so we grabbed a bunch of friends and did a version of one of our songs in that style. That sparked it. Our new bass player, Brad, is an incredible trumpet player so he plays all the trumpet stuff. Once that was in place it took off extremely fast. We finished writing [the mariachi album] in three or four weeks.
yG: Do you wear the mariachi outfits while performing as Mariachi El Bronx?
JF: Yes ma'am. Have you ever seen a mariachi outfit? Wouldn't you wanna wear one of those? Any excuse we can get to put those things on, we wear 'em. I wear mine to bed.
yG: What sort of feedback have you been getting from the Mariachi El Bronx shows?
JF: Great; it's different in LA than anywhere else in the world. There's so much of that music around that I don't think it seems that different or left-field, whereas for a country or state that doesn't have a massive influx of Mexican or Latino people, it's probably a little bit off-centre. Much as Irish music would be very strange in places other than Ireland: enjoyed, but not a local commodity.
yG: What are you looking forward to most about coming back to Australia?
JF: Everything is incredible every time we come down there. I'm looking forward to being warm and not having to wear a huge jacket everywhere. The Meredith Festival sounds like a really, really exciting time. A buncha people getting together in the woods: what could be wrong with that?
yG: I found an interview you did in 2003 in which you were quoted as saying, "Touring is a piece of cake. I had never toured before and heard all these bands complain about it. It really is cake." Do you still feel that way five years later?
JF: Absolutely. The way I look at touring is, not having a nine-to-five job is probably the greatest thing that could ever happen to you. So as long as that continues your life is a piece of cake, because that is the worst thing in the world, that nine-to-five job. It sucks your soul.
(Some commotion and shouting is heard in the background)
yG: What was that?
JF: That was our singer, Matt. He's practicing his stripper moves. He's got a move called The Eliminator. It's kind of like a sideways push-up. He's started dancing at this place called Encounters.
yG: A new career path perhaps?
JF: I think it's always been a life goal.
Aimee-Lee Curran
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