We all need that extra push at times. Every person on this planet knows what it’s like to need encouragement to put themselves out there. That’s what Rik Krull, lead vocalist and guitarist for local indie-folk band Güero needed to put his music out into the world. If it wasn’t for friend and eventual bandmate Wes Davis giving Krull the push he needed, Güero wouldn’t exist.
“It took a while to get Rik interested in playing out,” said Davis. “It’s like, ‘Let’s take this out somewhere!’”
The friends and then roommates decided to play some open mics around the city and the band finally got started in the early 2010s.
Since Davis gave Krull that initial nudge, Güero has grown into a five-piece, and the band’s music has carved out a unique niche for itself.
Today, Krull and Davis are joined by Mike Ruiz on drums, Russell Volksen on bass and Shea Ritchie on keyboard. They are set to release their self-titled debut album and are celebrating its release Oct. 13, 2018, at Old Ironsides. It took some time for the music that appears on that record to be ready for wide release. The band had to go through a few changes that were nearly a decade in the making.
“Before [Ruiz, Ritchie and I joined Güero], it was Wes and Rik. It was different,” said Volksen about the original iteration of the band. “It was just acoustic and banjo. It had a totally different feel. You bring in bass and drums and it kind of gives it more of a pulse.”
Volksen was the first to join Davis and Krull after Davis kept insisting that Volksen needed to come play bass with them. Then came Ruiz because the three were interested to see what the songs would sound like with drums, and he became vital to the project. Ritchie joined after the four asked him to help with recording their music. He hopped on keys and has been with Güero ever since.
That different feel Volksen mentioned comes from the evolution of these songs. Before the band started, Krull had written a huge amount of songs that were never intended to be heard by anyone else.
“When we lived together, [Krull] brought out this archive of songs that he had written that hadn’t seen the light of day,” said Davis.
The guys in Güero say that Krull has even more—“a book full”—of songs that no one has ever heard. It’s easy to assume that some of the band’s debut is made up of those old songs that Krull has been keeping in his back pocket for years; but according to Volksen, the band is always working on new music. And sometimes, the lyrics are sung in Spanish.
“[Krull] has his degree from UC Davis in Spanish,” reported Davis. “He’s spent many a summer in Barcelona. That’s where the name Güero came from because his nickname was always Güero.”
The term güero is slang used in Mexico used to describe someone who is Mexican and has pale skin.
The song “Camino,” which appears on the album, is a six-minute tale about a Greyhound bus trip Krull once took from Northern Mexico back home to Sacramento. If the song’s description on Bandcamp can be trusted, Krull met a man named Red who used a vacuum to suck the change out of vending machines.
If you aren’t Spanish bilingual, and don’t understand all the lyrics from the band’s Spanish tracks, don’t worry; neither do Krull’s bandmates.
“We understand the meanings of the songs and some of the words,” said Davis.
“It’s funny, [Krull] used to [sing in Spanish] a little more because it’s easier to rhyme because a lot of the words end in a similar way,” said Volksen. “There are a couple of lines in that song that I don’t know what they mean, and I’ve been meaning to ask him. It’s been years now!”
The 11-minute epic “Stamp” is a definite highlight of what the band has released thus far. It’s a lush, vibrant composition and comes with more structure than is typical of the standard jam-band fare. It begs the question of where Güero lies in terms of genre.
Their Bandcamp page tags them as “baroque pop” and “synthpop,” while their Facebook will have you believe that the band plays “indie skate rock,” a term Davis and Volksen are pretty sure Submerge coined in a previous issue. None of that is enough to describe the scope of what Güero is employing in their songs.
Davis plays the banjo and the charango, but they aren’t playing bluegrass or traditional Colombian music. Volksen, like many musicians, played jazz band in high school, but that’s not the only influence on his playing. Krull’s voice has been said to be reminiscent of both Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate and Colin Meloy of the Decemberists.
That’s the thing about Güero; all those influences are evident in what the band creates because every member believes in experimentation and taking their own path. That alone, however, isn’t what defines the music. It has its allegiances in terms of sound and genre, but Krull and company made this music because it means something to them. Davis and Volksen would say that much of the focus for their music is on Krull’s voice.
“[Krull] just has a really unique voice and he has a really good ear for cadence,” said Davis. “He’s just naturally gifted.”
“He’s got such a great voice,” continued Volksen. “It’s pretty mind-blowing if you don’t know what you’re expecting. It’s like, ‘Damn, this guy can really sing!’”
Despite that bravado, Güero is a band full of modest members. The songs may start in Krull’s notebook, but the end result is a group effort.
“[Ritchie] is the most gung-ho out of all of us,” said Davis.
“[Ritchie] just wants to give it his all,” said Volksen.
“It’s funny because we have opposite ends of the spectrum,” continued Davis. “[Krull] is not on social media at all. He’s got, like, zero ego. He’s not trying to self-promote. I have to go over to his work to tell all his colleagues about our shows because he’s not telling them. On the opposite side, you’ve got [Ritchie] who’s trying to do all the promotion and the rest of us fall into the middle somewhere.”
It’s a balance that has become integral to the band. That balance and love can be heard in their tracks.
Like the band wrote on their Facebook page, “doesn’t matter where or when; garage or venue …as long as we are together we will continue to do what we love.”
Catch Güero live at Old Ironsides (1901 10th St., Sacramento) Saturday, Oct. 13 to celebrate the release of their self-titled debut CD! Also performing is Dylan Crawford, and André Fylling. Show starts at 9 p.m. $7 at the door and CDs are $8. Güero also hits the stage on Saturday, Oct. 20 at Bar 101 (101 Main St., Roseville) for free! 9:30 p.m. start time. Check out Facebook.com/guerotheband for more info.
**This piece first appeared in print on pages 12 – 13 of issue #275 (Sept. 26 – Oct. 10, 2018)**
Against Me!, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Joyce Manor
Ace of Spaces, Sacramento
Monday, Sept. 3, 2012
As the hot Labor Day sun set in Sacramento, a young and riled up crowd gathered in a long line up and down R Street surrounding Ace of Spades. Many of these teens were eagerly anticipating the inspiring angst-driven tunes of Naples, Fla.’s Against Me! before returning to school after a memorable Labor Day.
Opening the festivities was Torrance, Calif.’s Joyce Manor. The band wasted no time belting out loud pop-punk tunes that commanded the increasing crowd’s attention. Guitarist and vocalist Barry Johnson aggressively strummed power and octave chords and singing discernible vocals that were stylistically akin to ‘90s cult icon Jesse Michaels of Operation Ivy fame, or at times similar to Trevor Keith of Face to Face. Most of the songs were short and sweet, and they had to be since their set lasted only 20 minutes. However, songs such as “Constant Nothing” and “Midnight Service at the Mutter Museum” had lasting power beyond the two-minute tunes they were playing; pop-y bass lines were being delivered from Matt’s Fender Jazz, while the mid-tempo drumming was precise. For a band seemingly unknown, several members of the crowd were singing along to their catchy songs and had Johnson stating in between songs, “We’re so fucking pumped to be here.” It was certainly refreshing to get a little dose of some fun filled, throwback to my teenage years tunes.
The middle slot featured Phoenix, Ariz.’s Andrew Jackson Jihad. Having no previous knowledge of what this band was about, it was assumed that a group of hardcore political punks with plenty of swagger and stern messages would grace the stage. However, a slightly different cast of characters appeared. Two men came out from backstage individually carrying an upright bass and an acoustic guitar. An enthusiastic crowd cheered on before the duo played their first note. Guitarist and vocalist Sean Bonnette expressed much gratitude for being a part of the show and quickly began a set filled with punk-y/folk-y songs like “The Michael Jordan of Drunk Driving,” which included silly lyrics, “The Michael Jordan of drunk driving played his final game tonight / Burdened by his loneliness he wanted to feel alive / His laziness built the pyramids / And his solitude was a knife / The Michael Jordan of drunk driving played his final game tonight.” Other songs played were essentially mocking taking yourself too seriously with lyrics like, “Growing up fucking sucks / Got too much stuff / I’m afraid the older you get the more you forget things.” A sarcastic version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” featured the altered lyrics “Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson / No one will care if you live or die.” Although Andrew Jackson Jihad was amusing, its shtick got old quickly.
After a brief set change, Against Me! stormed the stage in unison and quickly filled the room with anthem driven punk rock tunes. “White Crosses,” which featured Laura Jane Grace’s commanding vocal hooks shouted in the chorus: “White crosses on the church lawn / I want to smash them all / I want to smash them all,” was accompanied by catchy lead guitar melodies and steady drumming by Jay Weinberg (son of legendary Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band drummer, Max). The group creatively transitioned into the popular 2011 hit “I Was a Teenage Anarchist,” which featured the infectious chorus hook “Do you remember when you were young and you wanted to set the world on fire?” Guitarist James Bowman and bassist Andrew Seward added nice touches with spot-on vocal harmonies and precise playing. Many in the crowd were dancing or moshing with their fists in the air singing along and fully appreciating the moment. “New Wave” conveyed a sense of optimism and hope providing head bobbing rhythms and Grace’s lyrics, “Come on and wash these shores away / I am looking for the crest / I am looking for the crest of a new wave,” had current believers enthralled and newcomers buying in.
The Golden Cadillacs Evoke Classic California Country Sounds on Their Debut Album
Friends who drink together stay together. That’s a saying, right? Regardless, it’s worked in the case of Nick Swimley and Adam Wade, who have been friends since high school. Two and a half years ago, they combined their shared love for music and formed The Golden Cadillacs, a Sacramento-based country outfit, which now stands as a five-piece band that includes James Neil on drums, Aaron Welch on guitars and vocals and Joe Davancens on pedal steel guitar and organ. Submerge spoke with Swimley and Wade as they were “just sipping on a few cocktails,” and they filled us in on the group’s origins.
The Golden Cadillacs’ roots spread as far as Placerville, where Swimley and Wade are from. The small town on the doorstep to the El Dorado National Forest may not be known for much; but like any town, it had a bar, which turned out to be an important landmark in the band’s history. Poor Red’s Bar-B-Q, located in neighboring El Dorado, is housed in a building that dates back to the mid-19th century. Both Swimley and Wade remember frequenting the establishment with their fathers while growing up.
“It was down the street from where I grew up,” Wade says. “It’s this real historic, funky old country kind of place.”
It was there that he and Swimley decided to form the band, while sipping (what else?) golden Cadillacs.
“We were drinking The Golden Cadillacs at the time, and all we had to do was basically look down and get that band name,” Wade says. Listening to the band’s music, it would seem like Jim Beam or Budweiser would be more apt alcoholic beverage complements as opposed to a frou-frou concoction of crème de cacao, Galliano and cream; however, as Wade says, it could have been worse. “We didn’t want to be the Buttery Nipples,” he quips.
Poor Red’s wasn’t only The Golden Cadillacs’ birthplace, but it also served as inspiration for the band’s de facto first song. On Nov. 27, the band will release their first album, a nine-song self-titled effort, of which the opening track is titled “Poor Red’s.” Wade says he wrote the song while battling a bout of homesickness.
“It’s the first song I wrote,” Wade says. “I was living down in San Diego at the time, and I was kind of missing my hometown and wrote that song.”
Wade and Swimley have a long history of playing music together, even prior to that night at Poor Red’s. In fact, Wade reports that they played music together the first day they met. The two were introduced by friend and band mate Joe Davancens.
“I guess three of us”¦started jamming as early on as high school,” Wade recalls. “We all went our separate ways during our college years and went to schools in different states.”
Wade and Swimley reunited to play a show at the Cosmic Cafe in Placerville, and The Golden Cadillacs were born later at Poor Red’s that same night. However, at the time, the band was in a different form, performing as a three-piece.
“When it started out, it was just Adam, myself and my brother on drums,” Swimley says. “We made a little demo so we could get gigs. Joey was going to school in New York, but he moved back, so we added him to the band, and my brother kind of moved on to another group, and we hired our drummer, James, and then Aaron came in.”
Swimley says the current lineup has been together for about a year. He says the addition of the new pieces was “huge” in filling out The Golden Cadillacs’ sound, allowing them to do things that were difficult to pull off as a trio.
Their debut CD was recorded together as a five-piece over the summer in a barn on Davancens’ parents’ property in Placerville. Davancens had converted the barn into a studio, and the setting turned out to be a great place for the band to work. Without having to keep one eye on the clock and the other on their wallets as they would have at a traditional studio, The Golden Cadillacs were free to create at their own pace.
“They have a bunch of acreage, and they have horses out there and the whole nine,” Wade says. “We’d just go up there and drink beer and make music. Whatever came out, came out. They had a pool, and we barbecued. We got to hang out in the sun. It was a really relaxing experience. We just wanted to make sure that we got the sounds and the parts that we wanted.
“It was cool not worrying about who we were paying or who we’re working with or how much time we had.”
Having a band member who doubled as an engineer was a great boon as well.
“It helped to have Joey engineer all of it,” Swimley says. “He’s got a great ear, and I trust his judgment more than anybody’s.”
The result was a sun-baked country album that pays homage to the classic California country sound, a rich tradition that Wade and Swimley take very seriously. However, The Golden Cadillacs realize they have some way to go before they can be mentioned in the same breath as their heroes.
“We look up to”¦Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam—all those guys who came out of California and played honky tonk country music,” Swimley says “We hope our next record will be more straight up country sounding. I think we’re just trying to find our feet with our first record.”
Maybe they’re still working out the kinks, but The Golden Cadillacs are off to a great start. In fact, they’ve already caught the attention of notable California country songwriter Dave Gleason. The Golden Cadillacs have recently become Gleason’s backing band, a major compliment considering Wade and Swimley were big admirers of Gleason’s music before ever meeting him.
“Nick and I used to practice in Oakland, and we’d drive to Oakland and back every week,” Wade says “Nick turned me on to Gleason about three years before we ever knew him, and we were listening to Gleason the whole ride down and the whole ride back every week. It’s a mind bender to be in his band now.”
Despite their work with Gleason, and though their first album hasn’t been even released yet, The Golden Cadillacs are already at work on their next release. Though their self-titled album was mostly a product of Wade and Swimley “boozing and writing songs” together, their next release will be more of a true band effort.
“The thing we’re trying to go for is the less-is-more vibe,” Wade says. “The whole vibe of the songs that we’re all so fond of is the real lyrics and the real life aspect of it. It’s like being a great chef, right? You don’t want to get too crazy on it. You just want to make something really simple and good.”
If their early returns are any indication, it would seem that The Golden Cadillacs have the right recipe for a strong future. At the very least, they should find bright skies and good times along the way.
The Golden Cadillacs will celebrate the release of their first album at The Fox & Goose on Nov. 27, 2009. The cover will be just $3, and Leroy Virgil of Hellbound Glory will also perform.
