and yes we are a surf band, but I think he picked up on the fact that we have a lot of Chuck Berry, Link Wray, Little Richard. Jason also knew about King Pelican and what we do. Jason had already been working with Rudy T on booking and promoting shows, including a very successful trip to the Ponderosa Stomp in the Spring of 2015.
approached me about the idea in late 2015, early 2016. Hernandez explained that the collaboration came about as a result of conversations with Jason Saldana (aka DJ El Westside Soundsystem). To gain more perspective on this show, which follows up a few other out-of-town dates by the Gonzales/King Pelican collaboration (billed as Gonzales y los Pelicanos del Rey), the Current spoke with King Pelican guitarist Ernest Hernandez. Recent interest in Westside musical luminaries (like The Royal Jesters and Sunny and the Sunliners) has helped coax Gonzales into a renewed interest in sharing his songs live. But, his tunes, fantastically new hybrids in their time, are also arresting for their compositional excellence and their historical magnitude (besides just being damn enjoyable to listen/groove to). In the great American/Mexican tradition of cry-singing (see John Jacob Niles and the Mexican ranchera and corrido styles), Gonzales' appeal arises from (in part) his ability to move listeners (emotionally and physically). Whether you call it Westside oldies, rock 'n' soul, or cruisin' classics, Gonzales' music is a timeless and touching reminder that, not too long ago, being outwardly emotive in song was the most macho thing you could do. Great bands and unique sounds were born from this commingling, this cross-pollination, but so were important movements, empowering connections and bridges, and a whole bunch of absolutely beautiful mixed-race babies. This smorgasbord of humanity would gather for cold longnecks and music that somehow satisfied their multi-varied senses of the ineffable (unachievable?) ideal scene they all (in their own ways) pined after. The Squeezebox, at its best, hearkens back to bygone San Antonio hang-outs (of the 1950s, 60s, and early-70s) that, coolly and accidentally, almost, drew kickers and vatos, flat-tops and mop-heads, boozers and stoners, crooners and screamers, bikers and debutantes, diggers and hangers-on, lovers and fighters, and everyone in between. Have you been to The Squeezebox yet? The new-ish little cantina on El St Mary's Strip has fast endeared itself to many San Antonians (including us) with its no-frills gravel/picnic table patio, its respectably dingy-chic (and dark) dive interior, its noticeably diverse clientele, and (especially) its music.
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