What do you get when you cross Springsteen with Iggy Pop, Otis Redding, Texas garage-punk, and five Spanish rock stars with Australia’s drinking culture? The cult-like “five-headed rock’n’roll kangaroo”, Los Chicos.
Since the band’s inception in 2000, the group have tapped into their own niche market of country-punk-rock-soul-garage-gospel to produce six LPs, with another on the way.
No matter the band, 18 years is a long time – and keeping the tunes rolling out must be a challenge. The Los Chicos frontman, Rafa Sunen, has led the band through their early shows at Spanish university sports carnivals to the more nuanced shows on this year’s tour. After such a long period of playing with the same five guys each night, how do they keep it fresh?
“We go in circles every night at the after parties, but with the music we’re going where the songs guide us in each moment. We don’t really think about it too much.”
Despite not preoccupying themselves too much with the specifics, Sunen can provide an almighty list of inspirations – and with a sound this complex and genre-defying, it’s not surprising. Think Dr Feelgood, New Bomb Turks, Radio Birdman, Moho Nixon…the list goes on.
“Bands and musicians have always been our main inspiration. We come from punk-rock but we’ve always listened to a lot of blues, soul, country and everything else. We also source inspiration from kalimotxo – the drink that teenagers used to drink in Spain, which we still enjoy a lot.”
Los Chicos have become the poster-child of not letting the more serious aspects of the music industry rain on their parade. Their press bio is a wild ride – “Get ready to set your shoes on fire. Los Chicos are in town”. However, Sunen and the gang don’t treat their successes as a joke.
“We try to avoid the serious part of musicianship, although we take our band very seriously.”
The new album has been two years in the making, and is brought about by label El Segell del Primavera. While Sunen admits that innovation is not the band’s strength, the group know how to select producers who will bring new aspects to their distinguished brand of punk-rock.
“Johnny Casino produced the new album, and he got the guitars louder than the previous album. There are also some new arrangements, but not much. We’re not an innovative band, just R&R.”
By Medical Prescription is a jumpy, exciting, shotgun album with 14 songs featuring raspy guitars, gung-ho lyrics, and top-notch production. Los Chicos have a habit of using ironic album titles (You Sound Amazing But You Look Like Shit was a direct quote from Led Zeppelin’s former stylist after a show in Nottingham); this year’s title is less painful, having been plucked from a chorus that demands, “by medical prescription, everybody to the bar.”
The album’s reception has been explosive, with comments from fans all across the globe thanking Los Chicos for bringing more of their signature sound into the world.
“Everybody is loving the album and it’s always great that each person you speak to has a different favourite song. I think there are songs for everybody that wants to enjoy it.”
Reciprocating the love, Los Chicos are beyond excited for their fifth tour Down Under. When they take over The Tote, they will be supported by Money For Rope, James McCann & The New Vindictives, and Les Ye-Ye Girls. If you can’t make that one, they’ll be combining with Radio Birdman to take over the Croxton Bandroom as well.
What should you expect from seeing the Los Chicos gang live? Sunen provides elaboration: “Fiesta.”
