In no particular order…Who’s Who at the LAMC 2007: Attendees, musicians, organizers, volunteers, meros colaos….these are the familiar faces that will be roaming around the showcases and panels for the next few days. We wanted to know what they are doing here and what’s going on in their minds, and here’s what they had to say.
Some of these individuals are featured in our LAMC Survival Guide, but here are the complete answers and even more LAMC-ers we surveyed, including members of Pxndx, Spigga, Todosantos, Monte Negro, Zigmat, Monareta, Machete Music, Volumen Cero, SourPop, BMI, Cookman Intl, LAMC Volunteers, Remezcla estaffers, MisRolas.com, Nacotheque…photos by everyone’s MySpace, in no particular order either, some are missing and order doesn’t match, guess who’s who!
Name: Josh Norek (Co-organizer LAMC, MC/frontman of Hip Hop Hoodios)
Provenance: I represent the great upstate: Albany, Schenectady, the 518
Goals this week? To survive; remember to eat a meal or two; respond to all 10,000 emails I’ll get that week with a smile.
What show are you looking forward to this week? In our 8 years of doing LAMC, this is actually the first where we’ve landed the elusive Tacuba. Also The Pinker Tones atProspect Park.I was motivated to sign them to our label Nacional after their manager handed me The Pinker Tones’ demo at LAMC 2005. So it’s nice to see things come fullcircle and have them co-headlining at LAMC two years later!
What’s your star crush? Yasmin from Mun2 “Chicas Project”. She’s got hoopearrings big enough for me to jump through
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? Yes. But that is a secret which will only be revealed to LAMC 2007 attendees.
Name: Salvatore Vitale
Band : Hummersqueal (DF)
Goals this week? Give a great show, and have some fun
What show are you looking forward to this week? mmm nothing in particular really
Star crush? mmm the girl that’s gonna play in our show, I think her name is Alejandra Alberti mmhhmmm
What band should NOT be here ? Cafe Tacuba, Chetes (He sucks), Alex Lora (Get over it man!)
What do you want to know about New York? I want to know in wich parts of the city The Warriors was filmed.
Name: Alberto, Peach and Ernesto
Band: Todosantos (Venezuela/NYC)
Goals this week? Finishing the mixes for the acid girlzzz EP that will be out this summer on flamin hotz records, and that you will all very generously buy.
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? Latin alternative is like the Special Olympics
What do you like about New York? that everybody loves New York but New York doesn’t love anybody
What do you want to know about New York? How many ATMs are there in the whole five boroughs??????
Name: Arturo Arredondo
Band: Pxndx (Monterrey)
Goals this week? To live the American dream
In 2005 everyone was talking about reggaeton, in 2006, everyone was talking about Myspace, what will we talk about this year? Rihanna
What do you like about New York? It was of of the 13 colonies
What do you want to know about New York? Mmm do you miss mayor rudy?
Name: Danny Baez, (NYRemezcla Street Team Captain, Los Amigos Invisibles #1 Fan)
Goals this week? Go to as many concerts as possible and get a freaking Schengen Visa
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative? Musica alternativa latina, todo los generos mezclados??? hehehe I dont know.
Star crush: Mala Rodriguez
What will we talk about this year? iPhone
Name: Monica Rodriguez
Band: Zigmat (NYC)
Favorite new act: Cherry Clan
Band that should’ve been here: Lulacruza
What do you like about New York? The madness
What do you want to know about New York? I wanna know all of its nooks and crannies
Name: Oscar, Issel (NY Remezcla Music Editor/Selector Monobichi/Monoluna Productions) Issel (Monoluna Productions)
Bands you represent: We have produced events at Galapagos and The Delancey (Sweet Electra, Monareta, Uli y los Gringos) in NYC. La Capilla (La Prohibida, Sweet Electra, Marcelo Cunning, Dixybait, Gatita, Estrellita mi Alegria) in Mexico City. Balazo Gallery (Afterparty for Zoe with djs Pedrogas and EKG) in San Francisco. And this week, Dapunto Beat at The Delancey.
Goals this week? Dejar de tomar
Star crush: Carmen Salinas y Alfredo Palacios
Band that should’ve been here: Chikita Violenta, Dixybait, Balún, Murcof
What’s your favorite new act this year? Zigmat
What do you like about New York? The cheap rents and moderate weather
What do you want to know about New York? Why are the 4/5/6 narrower than the N/R/W?
Name: Amylu Meneses (Nacotheque)
Favorite new act: Todosantos
What will we talk about this year? Baile-Funk
Band that should’ve been here: Los Dynamite, Quiero Club
What do you want to know about New York? How much longer it will actually stay cool and not turn into yuppy central.
Name: Jason
Band: Monte Negro (LA)
Goals this week? To get laid as much as we can. With dolphins.
Star Crush? Pili from MTV Puerto Rico
Band that should’ve been here: Madrepore
What show are you looking forward to this week? Volumen Cero
Name: Maria A. Cerda, (NYRemezcla Street Team, LAMC Volunteer)
Star crush: Manu Chao
What will we talk about this year? Dailymotion or Youtube
Band that should’ve been here: Leticia Servin or Alejandro Chavez
Name: Yeyo
Band: The DEY (NYC-Miami)
Provenance: Cupey, Puerto Rico
Goals this week? Have fun, perform, promote music, meet the press
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? The term defines itself, it’s an alternative to typical Latin music, which has been stuck with the same genres and artists for many years so emerging Latinos in music have evolved their sound into new fusion-heavy genres
What will we talk about this year? There is a lot of new refreshing music being recorded by latinos that is sure to revolutionize the music industry as we know it.
Band that should’ve been here: Locos por Juana
What do you like about New York? I always feel like I’m in a Batman movie when I’m in Metropolis, I mean, New York.
Name: Renzo
Band: R-tronika (NYC)
Favorite new act:Something in Spanish, JODA
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? We need to figure out what is Latin Alternative ?
What will we talk about this year? 4-piece bands VS Laptops
Band that should’ve been here: There is no NY representation in the LAMC indie showcase
Name: Mariluz (SourPop Records)
Band you represent: Hummersqueal (DF)
Star crush? Pepe Panda
Favorite new act this year? Lipstick Terror (Mexicali)
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? Nope, people are still a bit confused or some are just taking advantage of the genre’s ’cool’ vibe …but at this point who really cares. We are still fighting against the tide, we have NO RADIO, our main foe.
Band that should’ve been here: Los Planetas
What do you like about New York? Oh yeah cuz Marcelo Cunning lives here! ’el chico mas cotizado’ de NYC
Name: Ximena Acosta (Machete Music)
Artists you represent: Mala Rodriguez & La Sista (Chetes will always be in my heart)
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? No, we never will
What will we talk about this year? How to lean like a cholo
What band should’ve been here that isn’t? Molotov
Name: Andres
Band: Monareta (Colombia)
Favorite new act: none
Band that should’ve been here: La Portuaria
What do you want to know about New York? The real, underground, alternative music scene
Name: Claire Frisbie (NYRemezcla.com)
Band Name/Artist you represent if any: la banda nuyorquina! (jeje)
Provenance: most immediately: Jackson Heights, Queens
Goals this week? To not lose my voice (bad LAMC habit), and to still have energy left to be in the front row for Cafe Tacvba (and then to shower and make it fresquita como una lechuga to the million after parties)
Show you’re looking forward to? La Mala, Cafeta, Silverio, Circo, DaPuntoBeat, Cinema Salvaje
What’s your star crush? DJ Papichulo. Silverio (the Nacotheque flyer is really what did it for me. Yum.). ;). Oh, and DANTE SPINETTA (JA!). A huevo.
Favorite new act this year? Todosantos. Porter (not new, but new to me)
What will we talk about this year? Latin Alternative en inglés. Are record labels necessary anymore?
What band should’ve been here that isn’t? PORTER.
Name: Pili Montilla (MTV Puerto Rico, Toca de to’ 107.3
Goals this week? Conocer a gente que me inspire, comprobar que el rock en español is here to stay y llenarme de buenos recuerdos pintados con deliciosa musica.
Show are you looking forward to this week? Circo en el Museo del Barrio. . .supporting los boricuas. YEAH!
Star crush? Brandon Flowers (The Killers). . .the sexiest mormon alive!!!
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? It’s ever changing. . . that’s what’s so beautiful about it!
What band should’ve been here that isn’t? Babasonicos
What do you want to know about New York? Why hasn’t given me work?!!!!!!
Name: Marthin Chan
Band: Volumen Cero (Miami/LA)
Goals this week? Shoot three shows for Indie 101, make video for “El Mar,” hang with friends
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? Me
What show are you looking forward to this week? Ceci Bastida
Name: Porfirio Piña (BMI)
Artists you represent: Way too many to name
Provenance: Don’t know the meaning of the ord, I did look it up
What show are you looking forward to this week? My showcase; Circo at Museo del Barrio
Star crush? Julieta Venegas
Name: El Vatito
Provenance: Pues vengo de una fiesta en el D.F
Goals this week? Hijole…my goals osea metas..pus divertirme con mis compas yy tambien conocer a la gente esa que trabaja en disque la industria del rock Latino (haber is es cierto que son muy fregones jejej) , quiero ir a ver tambien al Leon de Zoe ese guey esta re loco y pues tambien a los Tacubos por morbo inches rucos jjajja
Star crush? Hijole pues de las morras que van a participar en el LAMC no me gusta ninguna,,,osea que pex con la morra esa Pambo que hueva eh hasta el nombre pobrecita… Pero is tengo que mencionar una morra pos es la XOXA es mi amigaza eh solamente
Favorite new act this year? Pues la verdad no hay nada nuevo en este LAMC, osea todas las bandas que estan participando ya tienen un ratototeee tocando en Mexico…igual ya las habia visto a todas en el Vive Latino en Mexico y luego en el SXSW 2007 ese evento estuvo muuy chido…
What do you want to know about New York? pues porque cerraron ya el CBGBs chale que tristeza y pues porque hay tantas ratas en el metro???
Name: Nuria Net (NYRemezcla.com)
Provenance: Barcelona, San Juan, Brúglin
Goals this week? multitask, multitask, get rid of this cold
What’s your star crush? Gael, Emilio Valdés from Drama/Mex
What’s your favorite new act this year? Zigmat, Todosantos, Anita Tijoux…list goes on…
What show are you looking forward to this week? La Mala, Circo, Austin TV
What will we talk about this year? Calle 13, the demise of record labels, yet we wont do anything about it
What band should’ve been here that isn’t? Porter, Fusssion, MiMa
Name: Raúl Usieto Aquilué aka Pecker
Band: Pecker (Barcelona)
Goals this week? I’m promoting my new album (Nacional), and I’d like to find a label for other countries
What will we talk about this year? If this is a Latin alternative music conference, why are we talking and writing in English?
What do you want to know about New York? Last year I didn’t go to Brooklyn and I would like to visit the places that appear in Paul Auster’s books
Name: Yuzzy Acosta (Eclectic Media)
Goals this week? getting the word out on some of the new artists Im currently working with: Latonera, Pernnet and the Caribbean Ravers and Bomba Stereo from Colombia; Upground from Los Angeles & Jose Gonzalez from Sweden/Argentina, who has his new record coming out in a few months, I will also like to get the word out on our LAMC Official Unofficial afterparty which I have been producing for the last 4 years
What show are you looking forward to this week? The Acoustic showcase, Prospect park, and summerstage for Pacha massive they are like family and of course the afterparty on Saturday
What band should’ve been here that isn’t? Capri from Srgentina, The anjas from Chile they were awesome live, Bomba Stereo and Pernett the last two even though I work with them, i can say my opinion comes from a total fan stand point ..some of the best live acts i have seen in a long time… maybe a come back from Todos Tus Muertos
What do you want to know about New York? where the hell is it hiding all my dates???
Name: Grant T. Goad (MisRolas.com)
Provenance: I’m from San Diego, CA, and our company is based in San Diego and Mexico, D.F.
What are your goals this week? Produce a lot of great video interviews for MisRolas TV, make contacts, meet with NYC based partners, promote MisRolas.com, check out some cool music!
What’s your favorite new act this year? They’re not new, but they’re new to MisRolas.com: Fauna, from Venezuela
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? I’m not sure – I’m just a music lover….
What will we talk about this year? The changing face of the music industry and media…things are so different now compared to when we launched our site in 2005 that I almost don’t recognize the business any more.
Band hat shotuld’ve been here ? There are lots of great Cuban artists that I would like to see here, such as La Fres-k. Also, a lot of indie bands can’t come because of the costs involved – I’d love to see both Fauna, and Pornomotora (from Colombia) , San Pascualito Rey (Mexico) at the conference.
Name: Giovanny Blanco
Band : SPIGGA (LA)
What are your goals this week? A Gozar! (capital G small z)
Star crush? Xoxa
Favorite new act this year? Mad Marionetts
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? No, but it’s been fun tryin’.
What do you like about New York? La vida perra, it’s honesty (though that’s fading) and the food.
What do you want to know about New York? Why is she betraying us?
Name: Kinksi Gallo
Band: Monte Negro (LA)
Goals this week? To waste as much time as possible
Show are you looking forward to this week? Zoe
What will we talk about this year? My beautiful underwear that says “give me love”
Band that should’ve been here? Almendra (Spinetta’s first band)
What do you like about New York? The attitude and the noise
Name: Paul Dryden (LAMC Volunteer)
What’s your favorite new act this year? Chikita Violenta
Have we figured out what is Latin Alternative yet? all the music that is not ’pop’ enough for the radio
Band that should’ve been here: No Te Va Gustar
What do you like about New York? free outdoor concerts