By Andrew Valdez
Young, energetic and do-it-yourself three-piece band are three ways to describe Hello My Name is Red from East Los Angeles.
This self-proclaimed underdog, is a band that if Elans don’t know now, they should. Known for their impromptu generator-shows at places like The Palladium, the recent Pixies concert, The Smell, Mika Miko’s last show, and Venice beach. This band really lives by their guerillaesque, self-empowerment attitude.
Musically, their style is an eclectic mesh of local sounds dominating venues throughout the Los Angeles area.
It’s not quite rockabilly. It’s not quite punk and it’s not quite cumbia but a little bit of all of the above. This strategy is done by the band to keep each set fresh, and the audience engaged.
Going to one of their shows, audiences might find themselves dancing, moshing, or covering their ears trying to block out the blues driven guitar solos and catchy choruses blasting all around them.
The band is headed by lead singer/guitarist David Pacheco, a quiet, scruffy looking front man, who one might not expect to rock-out the way he does onstage. Pacheco often ends shows by breaking his guitar.
He is the band’s main songwriter and is backed by his little brother Rene Pacheco, a drummer who may remind listeners of a heavier sounding John Densmore of The Doors. With his many intricately placed drum fills he finds a way to balance his catchy blasting 4/4 drum beats.
Felipe Aguirre, the newest member of the band, is on the bass. Together the three of them make a sound so full that listeners might think they’re listening to a four piece band, instead of a three.
Although Hello My Name is Red has a great sound, and is 100 percent committed to their music, they also haven’t lost sight of the importance of an education. They’re all full-time students at East Los Angeles College, with aspirations of transferring to four-year universities.
Pacheco, a political science major, said, “Your education can never be taken away from you; it’s in your head.”
That plays a big part in the way they manage the band. There is no naivete here. They won’t let themselves be abused by promoters, club owners, or other predators trying to make a quick buck off of aspiring musicians.
If they’re going to make it, it’s going to be done their way.
That’s the real spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s not about drugs, sex and depravity. It’s about standing up for something.
That is what Hello My Name is Red is all about.
Listeners can catch Hello My Name is Red performing on Oct. 10th at 5p.m. on 88.9 fm KXLU, or at KXLU.com.
Those interested can also see them on Sunday Oct. 16th at MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art) for the Day of the Dead festival, admission is free.