Manic Hispanic
Encyclopedia
Manic Hispanic is a punk rock
/Chicano rock
band from Orange County and Los Angeles, California. They are a semi-parodic act that plays cover versions of punk rock and hardcore punk
"standards" by slightly renaming songs and adjusting lyrics to address Chicano culture. The band's members are all Mexican or part Mexican and use stage names further marking the Mexican/Chicano image of the band. Manic Hispanic is a punk supergroup
made up of former and/or current members of The Adolescents
, The Grabbers, Punk Rock Karaoke, The X-Members, 22 Jacks
, Final Conflict
, Agent Orange
, Death By Stereo and The Cadillac Tramps.
(aka El Hoakie Loco) from The Adolescents
/22 Jacks
, originally with the intent to perform doo-wop
versions of punk songs. Members later recruited are: Chino and Mo Grease (members of The Grabbers), Oso (from The Cadillac Tramps), Mad Ralphie (aka Ace a Sound Engineer and tour manager), and Sonny (aka Tio). According to their Myspace page, the band members have changed since their first album.
The name of the band keeps with their habit of mashing up Latin/Cholo culture with punk culture, the name being a play on Manic Panic
a brand of hair dye popular in the punk scene.
, Wire
, The Clash
, and others. These cover versions featured rewritten lyrics humorously reflecting the Chicano identity of the band and Chicano/Mexican culture as a whole. Tracks commonly include lyrics sung in Spanish, English, and Chicano "slang" aka Caló
. Examples include songs such as The Damned's "New Rose
" retitled "New Rosa", and Eddie and the Subtitles' "American Society" retitled "Mexican Society." The Menudo Incident also contains a version of Tejano
/country
musician Freddy Fender
's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls", a bilingual hit when released by Fender in the 1970s. The cover art mimicked the Guns N' Roses
release, showing a bowl of menudo
, the traditional Mexican tripe
specialty.
The band returned with a second album in 2001, The Recline of Mexican Civilization (spoofing the punk film The Decline of Western Civilization
) for BYO Records
. BYO also released Mijo Goes to Jr. College (aping The Descendents' Milo Goes To College
) in 2003, and Grupo Sexo (spoofing The Circle Jerks' Group Sex) in 2005. These albums modify the original cover art of the albums they are playing off of. The band's out-of-print debut album, The Menudo Incident, was reissued by BYO in 2003.
The band has also released t-shirts based on the Ramones
logo, Dead Kennedys
' graphics, and the Social Distortion
logo.
While most of the band's material is delivered with a sense of humor, political undertones do occasionally appear in their music, such as "Get Them Immigrated", a reworking of The Offspring
's "Come Out and Play". The track lampoons US border officials and urges immigration from Mexico into the US. Another track, "Poem" from The Menudo Incident, tells a first-hand account of fearing a potential drive-by shooting
, told over a doo-wop backing. In addition, their cover of Iggy & The Stooges' "I Got A Right" includes the lyric, "I got a right, got a right to speak/any language I want, yeah." The band also traditionally plays live in California on Cinco de Mayo
.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/Chicano rock
Chicano rock
Chicano rock is rock music performed by Mexican American groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. Chicano Rock, to a great extent, does not refer to any single style or approach. Some of these groups do not sing in Spanish at all, or use many specifically Latin instruments or sounds...
band from Orange County and Los Angeles, California. They are a semi-parodic act that plays cover versions of punk rock and hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
"standards" by slightly renaming songs and adjusting lyrics to address Chicano culture. The band's members are all Mexican or part Mexican and use stage names further marking the Mexican/Chicano image of the band. Manic Hispanic is a punk supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
made up of former and/or current members of The Adolescents
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. It is a punk supergroup, made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion. They are often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk scene....
, The Grabbers, Punk Rock Karaoke, The X-Members, 22 Jacks
22 Jacks
22 Jacks is an American punk rock supergroup, consisting of members of Wax, The Breeders, The Adolescents and Royal Crown Revue. They were active from 1995 to 2001, and again from 2007 on.-Career :...
, Final Conflict
Final Conflict
Final Conflict is a hardcore punk band from Long Beach, California formed in 1983. They have gone through various lineup changes since then with the only constant member being their original guitar player, Jeff Harp. Currently the band's lineup includes Shane McLachlan and Calum Mackenzie of the...
, Agent Orange
Agent Orange (band)
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Orange County, California in 1979. The band is one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music. They first gained attention with their song "Bloodstains" which they released on their own 7" E.P. An early demo of the song was presented to...
, Death By Stereo and The Cadillac Tramps.
Band Formation
Manic Hispanic was originally started in 1992 by Mike "Gabby" Gaborno (aka Jefe) from The Cadillac Tramps and Steve SotoSteve Soto
Steve Soto is an American musician. He was once part of California punk band Agent Orange, and joined The Adolescents in 1980.When The Adolescents broke up, Soto, together with Frank Agnew, joined the Los Angeles based band Legal Weapon....
(aka El Hoakie Loco) from The Adolescents
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. It is a punk supergroup, made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion. They are often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk scene....
/22 Jacks
22 Jacks
22 Jacks is an American punk rock supergroup, consisting of members of Wax, The Breeders, The Adolescents and Royal Crown Revue. They were active from 1995 to 2001, and again from 2007 on.-Career :...
, originally with the intent to perform doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
versions of punk songs. Members later recruited are: Chino and Mo Grease (members of The Grabbers), Oso (from The Cadillac Tramps), Mad Ralphie (aka Ace a Sound Engineer and tour manager), and Sonny (aka Tio). According to their Myspace page, the band members have changed since their first album.
The name of the band keeps with their habit of mashing up Latin/Cholo culture with punk culture, the name being a play on Manic Panic
Manic Panic
Manic Panic is a store chain based in New York City. The company is run by Tish and Snooky Bellomo.-History:Manic Panic opened its doors for the first time in 1977, with a store in New York. Since then, the store has opened establishments in many other places, including Japan...
a brand of hair dye popular in the punk scene.
Recorded Material
Their first album was released in 1992 on Doctor Dream records. Entitled The Menudo Incident, a reference to Guns N' Roses' The Spaghetti Incident, it featured cover versions of songs by The Buzzcocks, The Damned, X, Black FlagBlack Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Wire
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, and others. These cover versions featured rewritten lyrics humorously reflecting the Chicano identity of the band and Chicano/Mexican culture as a whole. Tracks commonly include lyrics sung in Spanish, English, and Chicano "slang" aka Caló
Caló (Chicano)
Caló is an argot or slang of Mexican Spanish which originated during the first half of the 20th century in the Southwestern United States. It is the product of zoot-suit pachuco culture.-Origin:...
. Examples include songs such as The Damned's "New Rose
New Rose
"New Rose" was the first single by British punk rock group The Damned, released on October 22, 1976. It was the first single by a British punk group, and was released in the Netherlands, Germany, and France in 1977....
" retitled "New Rosa", and Eddie and the Subtitles' "American Society" retitled "Mexican Society." The Menudo Incident also contains a version of Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
/country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
musician Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender , born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, United States, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados...
's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls", a bilingual hit when released by Fender in the 1970s. The cover art mimicked the Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
release, showing a bowl of menudo
Menudo (soup)
The soup Menudo is a traditional Mexican dish, made with beef stomach in a clear broth or with a red chili base . Usually, lime, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro are added, as well as crushed oregano and crushed red chili peppers...
, the traditional Mexican tripe
Tripe
Tripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
specialty.
The band returned with a second album in 2001, The Recline of Mexican Civilization (spoofing the punk film The Decline of Western Civilization
The Decline of Western Civilization
The soundtrack was released in December 1980 by Slash Records on LP. In the late 1990s it was released on CD as well. It is currently out of print. Germs singer Darby Crash appears on the soundtrack album cover. He died shortly before the film was released, though the promotional images for the...
) for BYO Records
BYO Records
BYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
. BYO also released Mijo Goes to Jr. College (aping The Descendents' Milo Goes To College
Milo Goes to College
Milo Goes to College is the debut album by the Manhattan Beach, California-based punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1982 through New Alliance Records...
) in 2003, and Grupo Sexo (spoofing The Circle Jerks' Group Sex) in 2005. These albums modify the original cover art of the albums they are playing off of. The band's out-of-print debut album, The Menudo Incident, was reissued by BYO in 2003.
The band has also released t-shirts based on the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
logo, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
' graphics, and the Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
logo.
Chicano Identity
The band's biography information from BYO Records is written in a humorous style, alleging in jest that forming the band was suggestion by one of their parole officers. Although this may be interpreted as tongue-in-cheek, the band has declared in an interview for InMusicWeTrust.com that, "we're not cholos or gangsters, but we come from that heritage and we're proud of it."While most of the band's material is delivered with a sense of humor, political undertones do occasionally appear in their music, such as "Get Them Immigrated", a reworking of The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's "Come Out and Play". The track lampoons US border officials and urges immigration from Mexico into the US. Another track, "Poem" from The Menudo Incident, tells a first-hand account of fearing a potential drive-by shooting
Drive-by shooting
A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
, told over a doo-wop backing. In addition, their cover of Iggy & The Stooges' "I Got A Right" includes the lyric, "I got a right, got a right to speak/any language I want, yeah." The band also traditionally plays live in California on Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla...
.
Lineup
- Mike Gaborno (aka Jefe) - Vocals
- Steve Soto (aka El Hoakie Loco) - Guitar, Vocals
- Chino - Drums
- Mo Grease - Guitar
- Oso - Bass
Discography
- The Menudo Incident (1992, Doctor Dream Records; Reissued in 2003, BYO RecordsBYO RecordsBYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
) - The Recline of Mexican Civilization (2001, BYO Records)
- Mijo Goes to Jr. College (2003, BYO Records)
- Grupo Sexo (2005, BYO Records)
External links
- Manic Hispanic at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
http://www.myspace.com/ilovemanichispanic - Interview with Mad Ralphie and Tio http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/20h04.html
- Manic Hispanic at BYO RecordsBYO RecordsBYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
, includes biography http://www.byorecords.com/index.php?page=one_band&aid=26 - Manic Hispanic at AllMusic []
- Official Site (currently offline February 12, 2009) http://www.manichispanic.net/