By Jennifer Olguin
Contributing Writer
East Los Angeles College students take their love of ’60s music one step further and form their rock ‘n’ roll band ‘The Zoo’.
Lead vocalist and drummer, Edgar Fernandez, 22, and guitarist Martin Rodriguez, 21, started the band, in 2008. Bassist, Andrew Ramirez and guitarist Anthony Gonzales were also welcomed to the band along with Anthony Medina from The Delirians on the keyboard. Most of the members went to school together. “As time went by, we started up with a garage band,” Ramirez said.
“We always loved music,” Fernandez said. The band plans to tour in the upcoming year. They plan to tour around United States. The Zoo wants to share their sound of the ‘60s to the people. They had their struggles when they were starting up.
It was hard to afford instruments, finding a place to practice, booking shows, finding a singer and transportation. With the help of friends and family, the band was able to resolve their problems. From the start, The Zoo knew what sound they were aiming for.
Fernandez and Ramirez said that the band’s sound has changed over time. The music that the band expresses is to make “people move, set the room on fire, jump back, and kiss yourself,” as stated on the band’s Facebook page. The band’s name was originally for a different band that Fernandez and a friend came up with. “It’s simple. It speaks for itself,” Fernandez said.
The inspiration behind the psychedelic, funk and soul sound from the band are classic idols and legacy’s such as The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Big Brother, The Holding Company and The Doors. “There’s definitely not a lot of bands, at least here in Los Angeles, that try to incorporate the funk and soul like back in the day.
“Not a lot of bands are open to that sound. We are,” Fernandez said. Everyone in the band has input to each part of the song including the lyrics and beat. The songs on their EP, available for a free download from their Facebook page, is mainly about girls, love, heartbreak and the personal perspective as well.
As of right now, they are playing locally and working on new material. The band’s soul and heart for music won’t let anything or anyone from stopping them of their unique sound.
Their music and live videos can be found on their Facebook page: The Zoo Foundation.