Duane: Just to let our MusicTAP readers know, both Art and I have grown up in the Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles area of Los Angeles and in spite of what stigmatism or stereo types that these areas are perceived as musically, their always has been a vast amount of individuals who were knot enthralled by what the community was listening or just weren’t caught up in to big brother MTV telling you what you should or should not listen to, what was it that made you see the light their “Brother” to be hearing the good music we call Punk Rock?

Art: Well everyone starts off a poseur in some shape or form. Of course I was listening to heavy metal around 83 (My first record was Destroyer by Kiss when I was 5). I got tired of that whole scene and my Asian friend at Griffith Junior High started lending me stuff. My older sister had this friend named Herb that also got me listening to this is Boston Not L.A. comp along with some Vicious Circle. Everything back then was KMET and shit. I was happy to start with something not well known within my school. I wasn’t really a thrash head but I did buy my DRI Dealing with it record and Corrosion of Conformity’s Animosity.

Duane: Now back in the mid or late 80”s the music around the old neighborhood where were both from had a fair share of characters from various bands. Tell me about some of them and what has materialized from those bands and just where did Art fit in the picture and also any good pit stories?

Art: Well back then there were a lot of thrash shit going on but I did find a niche away from my areas long hair scene in the city terrace/boyle heights areas. What a relief! It seemed that every punk band had a long hair in it (what gives?!). But I went to a few gigs at the dustbowl and various backyard parties. My first playing gig was at my friend Gabriels house when I was 14; I think we were called Squirm H.C. It must have been embarrassing but I didn’t care. It was just me and the drummer. I played guitar and sang (even though I barely learned a power chord two weeks prior to playing that gig). Oh, Oscar De La Hoya was supposed to be in the band but his parents were strict back then and he couldn’t make rehearsals or go to the gig. What a good thing for him. And yes every scene has their token legends such as Batman and Johnny Boots. So many stories came about regarding those two. Very funny thing is that one of those legends crossed my path at a later date and it wasn’t pretty.

Duane: In our area that we are both from their wasn’t any local venue’s to play other than a backyard of some poor bastards house or if you had a fake ID you hook up at no talent night at Al’s Bar in the artist district of Downtown Los Angeles, what were your most favorable moments and where were the places you would hang out at? I bet you have some good ones their?

Art: Well back then I would replant myself at Fenders ballroom in Long Beach. From what you know there wasn’t any where such as a club in East Los Angeles. I went to a few shows that I managed to sneak off to without my mother knowing of them. I saw the descendent’s farewell show back then and saw a lot of shows with the big bands in the area at that time. For instance, 7 seconds, Uniform Choice, Instead, Final Conflict, DOA, 45 Grave, Corrosion of Conformity. I also went the few times they had shows going on at the Balboa Theatre and Hoover Park. It was hard though sometimes since the suicidals would chase every one away with broken bottles or swinging fist after the shows. I didn’t hang out at these places; they were just the only places to see the bands. I just hung out off of Whittier and Burger St. with the guys from Negative Image, it was the only place where everyone had the chance to get drunk and hang out with new punks. All my run-ins with long hairs made me switch schools though. So I hung out in Maywood since I was now going to Bell High School. That’s where my growing up really began. I started a new band called Barney’s Army and hung out with all the hangers on.

Duane: And oh man wasn’t Al’s Bar cool? I’m sure you have had some good staggering moments their?

Art: I went to Al’s Bar 3 times sad to say. I didn’t turn 21 until 93’. I saw UXA there when they decided to play again around that same year. The other two times are a blur. But I remember the bathroom door. The Shrooms never played there due to our laziness I guess.

Duane: How did you the Shrooms evolve? Where the three of you friends prior to forming The Shrooms?

Art: Well Barney’s Army had been defunct for 2 yrs prior and I was out of High School and didn’t know what the fuck I was going to do. So I kept working at my grandfathers market on Ford and Whittier and got a girlfriend named Lorena. We just spent that time with each other and I went to a few shows from time to time. Well like if you didn’t know anything about girls…..she dumped me. I had too much time on my hands so I started jamming out with Eddie from Negative Image. We had jammed a few times with Joe from Fishhead but he darted out to find the meaning of life. We were playing with a drummer named animal but he was horrible. I started wanting more than a weekly jam session so we started throwing names back and fourth. Eddie said how about driftwood. I told him “like the fucken milk?” I said how about the squids, then he said shrooms and that’s where the conversation ended. Within a week of canning animal a mutual friend introduced me to Coddie (that’s what they tell me since I was drunk, according to them, Coddie was going to shake my hand but then I just passed out drunk instead). So we got a show at the triple ‘s’ club in Pico. It was fun but Eddie didn’t want to play really. He always had an exuse. So Coddie offered his brother (who by the way ran circles around Eddie). We canned Eddie and really started playing. No more hobby, just a real band. Oh I’ve since married Lorena, go figure.

Duane: Now you guys have been around for a while and with a recording band who are performing for the pure love of just playing it’s obvious that the three of you have to earn a living aside form the music business, what may those occupations may be and who is the biggest whiner of the band who hates his job?

Art: I haven’t heard much complaints in money making area. We all sell drugs. Ha. I’m a buyer for a candy manufacture in which I have a lot of freedom. No dress codes, tattoos are ok. Shit I’m doing this interview while on the clock. Coddie is a medical assistant at St. Francis in Lynwood and has been in that field since I’ve met him about 10 yrs back. Bob does body piercing at the Electric Pencil in Santa Fe Springs, I guess he surely can’t complain.

Duane: What’s the largest venue the Shrooms have ever played and do prefer just small gigs as opposed to large gigs

Art: We played the Showcase theatre, the Whiskey au go go, and a benefit for the Hollenbeck youth center. They were fun to play but it’s way too much room for a three piece. I prefer the smaller clubs since they are more close knit and shit we don’t have to carry all the equipment 5 feet of the ground.

Duane: Well from are previous conversation you had mentioned that you were in the Studio just recently are you finished with the new Shrooms CD when can we expect it?

Art: That got pushed back. After we complete our show on September 6th we are going to dedicate the remaining month to record a solid 6 songs. It should be ready by the early part of October.

Duane: Collage Radio has been giving the Shrooms some much needed air time tell us about your last in studio session in UC Irvine and as you as well as I know being Hispanic was your family like Mi hijo is on the pinche radio and I cant even hear it because he’s all the way in Irvine “I’ye” he thinks he’s so special!

Art: That day went off ok. When we got signed to Cool Guy Records the label head Danny had friends from UC Irvine. We did maybe 4 songs (that are around on dat somewhere) and they interviewed us afterwards. But they asked retarded questions such as “What do you think about the bacterial content of our ocean waters” now what the fuck does some frowned upon Chicano from East Los Angeles care about that. I was more interested why the police were taking away all the carts from the local palleteros. Funny thing about that radio performance was that I had my wife stay outside and listen to the broadcast from our car. At least she heard her husband on the radio. I’ve heard us played a couple of times on KXLU as well.

Duane: In all actuality how has your Family and friends revered you Guys being involved with the Shrooms? Or are they like Pendejo quit this masa and get your ass in truck with your Tio and go cut the pinche grass cabron!

Art: Some are positive and some are negative. I’ve given myself many a time limit to when I will stop but It’s hard. I am going to stand back and take a look to see if this love of music will ever be lucrative before the New Year starts and decide if I want to continue. So far it’s been a great year though. People are now knocking on our doors for us to play instead of us doing the knocking. Of course our mothers love our stuff. Brothers and Sisters bust our balls.

Duane: The bands you shared the bill with on your live venues who have they been, and it seems to be with your genre of music that all of the bands have a some what tight niche with each other, almost to the point where they will actually help each other out could you elaborate on that.

Art: We’ve played with a lot of bands that have made it. Back in the early 90’s we played with Union 13 and they used to borrow equipment from us. The Thrusters always helped out. That’s one thing about the East Los Angeles scene (We all help each other). Now a days since regrouping we’ve done a lot with Eddie from Its Casual. Now they are currently my favorite local group. We’ll be doing more shows with them the end of this year. We all help each other with shows and referrals. I’m having a lot of fun right now, and the brotherhood is still there. We’ve played with Sublime, Blink 182 before they had the 182, UXA, China White, Greg Ginn, DOA, Go Betty Go, The Nicoteens, Regal Beagle, Schleprock, Das Klown, Union 13, Total Chaos, Devils Junction.

Duane: On some of your songs such as Joe Rockhead or just Mine from your MiniHaHa CD are actually well polished songs that actually build to a nice crescendo and remain in the pocket, what are your thoughts in the current music that’s out right now such as the morbid lyrics and gothic howls where you cant even define what lyrics are being sang as opposed to what the Shrooms are creating?

Art: The current music is okay I guess. It’s not like punk is being broadcasted around the radio anyways. KXLU doesn’t count because that’s our sanctuary. KROQ is playing shit now. Supershit! They’ve pushed back Rodney’s show to an hour no one will listen to. I thought it was over when they pushed Metallica a few years back but now they’re playing Eminem. What the fuck has happened. Music doesn’t mean dick anymore as long as you have a record company putting the payola in the pockets of the program managers of certain radio stations. Some good stuff does seep through though like the White Stripes and The Hives. What a breath of fresh air. But we’re still being forced by big brother to listen to Good Charlotte who is a Christian punk band. I guess any kid that can buy something at hot topics is punk. Punk is very dead in my public eye, but very alive within the underground view.

Duane: And as of lately Art what have you been listening musically and do you still go out and buy CDs?

Art: It depends. I do sometimes buy CDs but get most of my stuff from usenet. I change my listening moods everyday. New stuff: Rilo Kiley, Queens of the Stoneage, Its Casual, Fantomas, The White Stripes, The Hives, Weezer, Autolux. The rest would be your basic punk 101 along with a lot of Ska (60’s strictly) Rocksteady, early reggae, Garage from the 60’s and a lot of 80’s Kroq type music.

Duane: And now for geeky tech questions on you bands gear set up, what type of Guitars both you and Bobo use and hard ware (effects pedals, Amps etc).

Art: Bob uses a Fender Jazz bass with a Fender bass head and cabinet. I use a couple of Jay Turnser guitars along with a Strat that has a Carvin pick guard assembly. I use a Flextone II at times but lately my Marshall JCM800 with a boss overdrive has been sounding sweet again lately. I should have always stuck with tube amps. Coddie the drummer uses two kits, one a Sonar, another is one that he built himself, and it looks pretty choice, homeboy.

Duane: Your web site at http://www.theshrooms.com, you have a really good following on your message board that talks about your previous and current gigs could you elaborate on that and who does that for you guys, cool site buy the way.

Art: Joey Aguilera is our website creator and moderator. You might remember him from Hepcat in which he did the guitar duty for about a year in the mid 90’s. He also played with Six Feet Deep, that was a ska band from OC in which a few people from the band went off to Save Ferris. He’s doing some cool shit with his new group Crapehanger. The site needs to be updated with new media but for now it’s what it is and has everything that you need to keep up to date with us. The message board is funny. A lot of ballbusting.

Duane: Tell us about Cool Guy Records how did your ever hook up with them and who also plays on the same label?

Art: Played is more like it. The Label Head, Danny is doing some time in Jail (weed needs to be legalized!). Around the mid 90’s Danny caught us playing a gig at a cemetery head stone lot by the cemetery on Eastern and Whittier. He wanted to sign us to his start up record label. We went ahead since it was so cool being all DIY. The label mates we had were CO-ED, Everready, EX-Fork, Fifteen (yes fifteen), Coleco, The Nobody’s to name a few. I don’t know what happened with the inside workings with the label but they had to close shop. We were set to record the follow up to mini ha ha. The record was to have two versions, one Spanish, one English. Even though my Spanish isn’t that good. Cool Guy Records might start again once Danny comes out later this year.

Duane: Well I really want wish you and the boys the best of luck with the Shrooms their Bro and we here at Music Tap just want to say thanks for taking the time, any final thoughts for the readers of this website and while in Boyle Hights or in ELA where's the best after hour grub place?

Art: There are so many classic places that I would wish would be after hours like Lupe's on Third St, Crones, La Parilla on Caesar Chavez, Tacos Claritas, El Tepeyac but we're talking about after hours right. I guess since the choices are so few it would have to be King Taco or Jack in the Box for stuffed jalapeno's. I've been weary to try it but maybe I'll hit up one of the many taco cart vendors that I see at all hours of the night. Shit those vendors have a packed house sometimes, even more people than at one of our shows. Ha. It's funny though, I would go to La Parilla and Lupe's and see Oscar De La Hoya's pictures on the wall. If they only new the stories about him when he was punk in JR High. He was a good friend back then but since I changed schools I lost touch. When the guy started making a name for himself a lot of people started to hang around him for the cash. I didn't want to be seen as such even though the guy owes me $50.00. How many people can say their mom gave Oscar a ride home in the hatchback of a 84 mustang. He was cramped. Thanks Mr. Duane.

Search Tour Database by: Artist City Venue