Tribe of Gypsies is the debut album by San Fernando Valley

San Fernando Valley

The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

-based Latin Rock band Tribe of Gypsies

Tribe of Gypsies

Tribe of Gypsies is a San Fernando Valley, California-based Latin rock group, best known for band leader/guitarist Roy Z who has produced, written for, and played with such well known artists as Judas Priest, Rob Halford, and Bruce Dickinson who has used various members of Tribe of Gypsies to...

.

It was initially recorded for German indie label Dream Circle Records, then bought out by major Mercury Records

Mercury Records

Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...

 after the band landed a management deal with Sanctuary's Rod Smallwood

Rod Smallwood

Rod Smallwood, co-manager of the British band Iron Maiden and co-founder in 1976 of then Smallwood-Taylor Enterprises, today Sanctuary Group which is the world's largest music management company. The company was named after the Maiden song by the same name...

 after being introduced by Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...

 vocalist Bruce Dickinson

Bruce Dickinson

Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....

. Eventually, the band got dropped by Mercury after a regime change at the company without the album ever seeing the light of day before a licensing deal was struck with Japan's JVC/Victor Entertainment

Victor Entertainment

is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...

 who finally released Tribe Of Gypsies in 1996.

Notable guest musicians on the album include legendary harmonica player Lee Oskar

Lee Oskar

Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...

 of War

War (band)

War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...

 fame, current War

War (band)

War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...

 drummer Sal Rodriguez, former Santana

Santana (band)

Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...

 keyboardist Richard Baker, future Queensryche

Queensrÿche

thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....

 guitarist Mike Stone

Mike Stone (musician)

Mike Stone is an American heavy metal guitarist, best known for his previous involvement in the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. He joined Queensrÿche for their 2003 Tribe tour, and made his first appearance on the 2003 album Tribe, with writing credits for the song "Losing Myself"...

, and Dee Dee Bellson, daughter of drum icon Louie Bellson

Louie Bellson

Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni , better known by the stage name Louie Bellson , was an Italian-American jazz drummer...

.

A promotional video for the song We All Bleed Red was shot at the band's first and to this date only European show at the Borderline club in London, UK while the members of Tribe Of Gypsies recorded the Balls To Picasso

Balls to Picasso

Balls to Picasso is a Hard rock album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released in 1994. It is the second effort in Dickinson's solo career and the first released after he had officially left Iron Maiden....

album with Bruce Dickinson

Bruce Dickinson

Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....

in the fall of 1993.

Track listing

1. En Mi Barrio (3:03)
2. In The Middle (4:52)
3. Death Song (5:46)
4. Guajira (4:40)
5. Walking On The Water (5:17)
6. Mero Mero Mambo (2:45)
7. Party (Eddie's Thumb) (4:13)
8. Fire Dance (5:31)
9. Thinking Of You (6:18)
10. We All Bleed Red (7:07)
11. Crazy Love (4:25)
12. I'm So Close (5:51)
13. Conjuring Of The Soul (1:49)