Mariachi Por Vida

The Bronx’s side project brings mariachi to the world
Words by Anthony Giannotti

Mariachi El Bronx is the mariachi side project of Los Angeles hardcore punk band The Bronx. No you don’t need to reread that. It’s not a typo. The Bronx, which is known for its hard-edged, balls-to-the-wall punk rock, has a traditional-style mariachi side project. It’s not unusual for a band to have side projects: The Green Day guys have Foxboro Hot Tubs, Jack White of The White Stripes has The Dead Weather, and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie has The Postal Service. However, it is unusual and awesome when a band does a sideways double back flip into a completely different genre for a side project.

After having played many acoustic shows as The Bronx, Matt Caughthran, lead singer of both bands, explains how the band was looking for something different, “We always knew [The] Bronx was supposed to be fast, loud and in your face. We never liked playing stripped-down, just a singer and acoustic guitar. It’s not as fun… We were looking for something creative fun and lighter than full-blown hardcore.”

To combat the lackluster acoustic punk format, the band re-worked a few of their songs mariachi-style. From what I gather from the Spanglish conversations I’ve had with Mariachi musicians at Mexican restaurants, mariachi is a regional Mexican music. The lyrics have been influenced by the development of Mexico but mostly the lyrics are a bearing of the heart and soul of the Mexican people. Mariachi bands generally consist of violins, trumpets, an acoustic guitar, a guitarrón (a large acoustic bass), a high-pitched five-string guitar known as a vihuela and sometimes a harp. Musicians dress in silver studded suits known as traje de charro with wide-brimmed hats–a look that is quite the departure from a five-piece punk band. Mariachi El Bronx doesn’t disappoint on any of the aesthetics. They are a full band dressed in full charro gear. Even going as far as including bongo drums, ukulele, accordion, a smaller, higher-pitched guitar called requinto, not to mention the standard mariachi instrumentation to get the right Latin flavor to all the songs.

After having smashing success playing the rejuvenated songs at a few local L.A. shows, the side project snowballed into its own full-fledged creative outlet. “We just followed the music down the rabbit hole; so to speak. It was a part of us that we didn’t realize was there.” Caughthran says with a great deal of inspiration in his voice. He talks loosely about writing some of the songs on the Mariachi El Bronx album, “It was a natural progression and very liberating. It freed up an entire new creative avenue.”

Caughthran’s enthusiasm about the creative process is undeniable. You can feel the excitement in his tone. He continues to speak about the complex process The Bronx went through reinventing their music by saying, “Some days we wrote two even three songs, lyrics and all. It was one of the funnest albums we’ve recorded, because it went so smooth and easy.”

According to Caughthran, The Bronx never thought anything would actually come of the new project, or that they would record an album–let alone tour the world on its merits.

The mention of touring the world brings up an interesting subject. Any Californian knows that mariachi is abundant in this state; and if you’ve ever been to any of the other states that border Mexico, you know they have even larger mariachi scenes. But what about the rest of the country? “We were worried that people outside of California wouldn’t get the music,” Caughthran says. “Especially in Canada and Europe, they don’t have hardly any Latin influences there. But it’s been quite a relief and surprise. People are diggin’ it ‘cause it’s different!”

When I ask Caughthran if a mariachi traditionalist has ever been offended that a bunch of white guys were playing mariachi and singing it in English, he artfully sidesteps my question. “I mean, being from Los Angeles and, you know, growing up and surrounded by Mexican culture, it just kind of happened,” he laughs. “We can’t help it. We are Southern California boys, and we love mariachi.”

Thankfully for Caughthran and the boys, they have had very positive reception everywhere they have been. “This band has been so great,” he says. “Everyone has been so constructive. We have had so many doors opened that The Bronx would have never been able to do.”

The first big door was opened last summer when the boys got to play main support on a stadium tour with The Killers. “Those guys where so great,” he says. “They put us in venues we’d have never been in.” He even has some kind words about Sacramento. “I remember playing Sacramento on that tour, I think the place is called ARCO? Anyway, that crowd was one of the best on the tour. You could feel the love and support.” They also had the honor of touring Europe and the United Kingdom with the gypsy punks Gogol Bordello. Most interesting, they had the chance to tour with themselves–Mariachi El Bronx opened for The Bronx. Matt says, “That was one of the greatest, most grueling tours we have ever done. Playing twice in a night doesn’t sound that hard but it thoroughly drained us.” Putting forth the energy, let alone the emotion, to play two sets every night for an entire United States and European tour will put the hurt on anyone. “It was very rewarding to see all the people get into two very different types of music at one show,” he says. “The crowds put out the energy that recharged us for the second set.”

Mariachi El Bronx has some exciting stuff coming up, including a small California tour with Primus in September, according to Caughthran. After two shows in L.A., they’ll play Sacramento on Sept. 14. Matt explains they didn’t want to tour too much this fall, because they are in the process of recording the fourth Bronx album and second Mariachi El Bronx album, with the hope to release them as a double album next spring. With two new albums coming out and as much fan support as any band or bands could ask for, it seems The Bronx has this side project thing figured out pretty well. With their irrefutable lust for music, it’s certain we will be hearing more about Mariachi El Bronx in the near future.