"Mission to Albuquerque"
“Nothing could be finer than a 49er,
start a fire with an old spare tire and a few pieces of coal....”
Here's the skinny on Episode #49, Dirt City Chronicles, the podcast.
Brought to you by the fine folks at Dirt City Chronicles, who's motto
is: “If it ain't from New Mexico, it ain't shit” Forty nine
episodes in and the irrepressible Henry's Dress make their Dirt City
debut. My bad. Also, Pilot to Bombardier checks in with a nifty
version of The Cars “Just What I Needed” Pilot to Bombardier, in
my opinion (and that of others, just ask Brett Maverick a.k.a. Capt.
America) was one of the best Albuquerque bands ever. They're
reuniting on Jan. 28th. 2017 at the Launchpad. (w/Leeches
of Lore Holy Glories & Nuzzzle) If you missed them the first time
around, here's a chance to atone for that mistake.
Pilot to Bombardier evolved from Roman
Candle Choir and Fever Hot (one of their songs is included on
Socyrmom's “Ouch! Welcome to Albuquerque “
compilation) The core of the group consisted of Travis Williams, Sean
McCullough and Miguel Villareal “Migs” augmented by a rotating
roster of bass players (Rhian Batson, Liam Kimball, Forest Agee) Two
former members of Fever Hot (Jack Sparacino & Rhian ) moved to
Chicago and formed the South of No North (don't mistake them for the
darkwave band from Greece or the band from Brussels that go by the
same name) Rhian eventually returned to 'Burque, teaming up with Sean
McCullough, Chris Moffatt & Nate Santa Maria in The Oktober
People. Described by the Dallas Morning News as “a well-oiled
Albuquerque outfit"
Pilot To Bombardier's discography begins in 2000
with the five song demo ep otherwise known as “The Pilot demo”
(Sean, Travis, Migs w/Liam Kimball) That was followed by a split 7”
with a Chicago based band, the South of No North, a band that took its name from South of No North a collection of short stories by Charles
Bukowski, the so-called "Poet Laureate of Skid Row",
originally published in 1973. (“Valentine” featuring Migs on bass
being Pilot to Bombardier's contribution) Between 2002-03 Pilot to
Bombardier recorded three tracks for a Science Project Records
compilation album. On the previously mentioned Cars cover “Just
What I Needed” (recorded in 2003,w/Migs on bass) they worked with
the Santa Fe wunderkind, Alex Rose, who handled the basic tracking.
A demo version of “Moving Day” was
recorded at Stepbridge Studios in Santa Fe in March, 2003. To my
knowledge, Pilot to Bombardier never released a full length album and
unlike so many other local bands of yore, they're not available on
Bandcamp or Soundcloud. Thankfully, the band does have a website
that's still active, complete with audio tracks http://www.pilottobombardier.com/audio.html
Can I get a woot woot? Beside The
Oktober People, Sean McCullough is or has been a member of Sad Baby
Wolf and The Bellmont. Not sure what became of the other members of
Pilot to Bombardier, though their web page does make mention of
Travis moving to Dallas to pursue his medical degree and Miguel
traveling to Bolivia “to witness firsthand the production of coca
plants.
I'll wait til the
weekend saves us all
Lucia Garcia in her own words is a
“singer, songwriter and inter-dimentional super deva” as opposed
to “diva” an operatic term used to describe a distinguished
female singer i.e. prima donna. Deva is a divine being or
god in Buddhism. A member of a class of divine beings in the Vedic
period, which in Indian religion are benevolent and in Zoroastrianism
are evil. Lucia is described as a renaissance woman, a creator and
traveler from the mysterious mesas of New Mexico. A musician on a
mission with a passion for creation. Ms. Garcia, Electric Grandma if
you please, explains her pseudonym: "I'm very like a
grandmother. I have traits that you would think a grandmother would
have. I have a very old soul." Lucia's recipe for creating music
is firmly planted in the thoroughly modern electric rave culture of
today's millennials, with a tip of the hat to the glittery disco
divas of yesterday.
Hailing from Albuquerque, Lucia is now
based in Savannah, Ga. along with her fiancé and musical
collaborator, Matt Duplessie- designer, songwriter and producer. A
trained pianist (check out her 2013 release, Piano Compositions Vol.
1, available for streaming on Bandcamp) Lucia also plays keyboards
with eight-member Savannah band Word of Mouth. Bill DeYoung writing
for Connect Savannah, an arts & entertainment weekly publication
describes Word of Mouth's music as “an amalgam of styles, including
hip hop, electronica and straight-ahead rock” and Electric Grandma
as “synthesizer-driven dance music, soundscapes created from a
nuanced balance of software-crafted beats, an arsenal of keyboards,
guitars and other instruments, and Garcia's airy soprano vocals”
Lucia has released a series of solo
recordings on Bandcamp beginning with the aforementioned “Piano
Compositions Vol. 1” and a single “Gold” in 2013. Her solo
album “Electric Grandma” also released in 2013, was written,
played and recorded by Garcia and Matt Duplessie. Music scribe, Bill
De Young cut to the chase: “She's not nearly old enough to be
anyone's grandmother, but Lucia Garcia — who calls herself Electric
Grandma — certainly crackles with electric energy” "I
really wanted to make it dance-y, because I feel that dance is one of
the strongest forms of prayer that we can give," is how Garcia
explains it. "You're just fully immersed in the feeling of the
dance. And I think when you take your mind out of it, that's what
really brings you closer to God."
Since the release of “Electric
Grandma” Lucia has followed up with a pair of ethereal electronic
dream pop singles “Living in a Dream” and “What the Wonders”
Lucia continues to evolve as an artist.... "Growing up in New
Mexico there were so many outdoor raves and parties. My brother is
really big in the rave community out there. Electronic music was part
of my upbringing. It was a dream of mine to learn these electronic
programs, because they looked so alien to me, literally. It just
looked so foreign. And then when I met Matt, he'd already been producing for a while.
He really knew the programs. So he really helped me delve into it,
and start learning the intricacies. It goes so deep, I'm barely
scratching the surface of what these programs can do."
Here's an interesting tidbit: “Born
in the mysterious mesas of New Mexico, Lucía García has always been
inspired by the vast and colorful textures of her homeland. Since an
early age, Lucía has always had a heightened awareness to subtle
energies, and through this gift has made it a mission to help raise
the vibration of the planet through the sacred frequencies of music,
with analogous lyrics carrying a positive message of evolution,
human/god potential, and the science of spirituality.” Ain't
nothing but a party ya'll.... just with an evolved consciousness and
an unwavering sense of spiritual commitment. In Lucia's hands dance
becomes an avenue of atonement. That being the factor that separates
Lucia Garcia from the Cuylear sisters of Lindy
Vision, with whom she shares a musical genre if nothing else.
Wherein (stylistically speaking) the
ladies from Lindy Vision go down a hedonistic road to ruin, jaded and
faded. Lucia works a similar vein seeking spiritual enlightenment.
Making the world a better place with electronic music as a vehicle of
change. They're both living for the weekend, but Lucia preaches that
facing yourself in the mirror after tossing aside all your
inhibitions and giving in to your deepest desires is easier to do if
you're spiritually grounded. Either way it's all about perception and
image. Both Lucia and Lindy Vision favor slick music videos, high end
production adorned with glossy effects. Its an approach looked down
on by those who perceive themselves as “serious artists” Not that
there's anything wrong with using all the tools at your disposal. We
live in the digital age, get wise bubble eyes.
En serio homies, do yourself a favor, give this native
Burqueña a listen. Lucia isn't very well known in her home state and
that's a fucking shame. She's cutting edge, innovative and absolutely
adorable.... how can you go wrong? Lucia Garcia is available on
Bandcamp, CD Baby and YouTube (check out Lucia & Matt live on
Connect Sessions, which includes an interview conducted by Bill De
Young of Connect Savannah)
Ralph Rook ~ The Scrams
Heartless Death Machine ~
Rock Jong IL
Fantasma ~ Iceolus
Five Years ~ MHTH
Selfish ~ The Dying Beds
And Remember If I Attack You
(It's Nothing Personal) ~ Fukrot
Giant Green Ants ~ Black
Maria
Held Whole ~ Lilith
Sugar Bowl ~ Henry's Dress
Barnstorming Sleight of Hand
~ Roñoso
Brink of Reality ~ Electric
Grandma
Roll On ~ The Blackout
Disciples
I Wanna Be Your Dog ~ Sweet
Nothin
Just What I Needed ~ Pilot
to Bombardier
Down Again ~ The Elevator
Boys
Romantic Minds ~ Abandoned
Mansions
