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:::::: ELVIS - LEFT ALONE ::::::
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THE BASICS Name : Elvis Cortez Band : Left Alone Job In Band : Singer,guitar player,booking agent, merch designer, merch maker,driver and a whole lot more. Website : www.leftalone.net // www.myspace.com/leftalone Hometown : Wilmington, California THE BAND What's the story behind the name? we'll its pretty much the story of my life everyone I let into my life always leaves me from my father to all the girls I've loved. So it was the best honest name I could come up with. How did the band come together? I went to a backyard punk show in wilmignton in 1993 and saw a band play. I was instantly hooked and started a band the next week even thou I had never played any instrument before. How long has the band been around? playing actual shows since may 5th 1996 so I guess 9 years Briefly describe your sound… um well we pretty much rip off all the bands we love and listen to like the clash, rancid, elvis costello, opivy, swingin utters but we add our little flavor to it like signing in spanish and we try to have our own sound. But I guess its straight up ska punk from the streets of wilmington. A few influences… Anything good I take from music I can relate to lyricaly. Also bands that have balls and do whatever they want and never compromise like Rancid or The Bouncing Souls. We have much respect for those 2 bands. What's your current release? Tell us a little about it… Our new record is called 'Lonely Starts And Broken Hearts'. It just came out on Hellcat Records june 21st. It's a punk rock record from start to finish. The LP version has the first 300 on pink wax and a different cover and 3 extra songs. OFF THE STAGE When did you decide you had to be a musician, and how did you go about it? The day I saw that band play in 93 was the day I realized what I wanted to do and since then its been non stop. No one told me how to do it but I always would read band interviews and put things together. minor threat and fugazi and their whole diy thing was very important to me bands like that made me feel like I could do it myself and have control and keep my integrity. we have always been and will continue to be DIY. What was your first band name and what style did you play? Left Alone, and i sing and play guitar Tell us three albums you couldn't live without in your collection… Rancid - And Out Come The Wolves The Clash - London Calling Elvis Costello - My Aim Is Ttrue Best piece of musical advice you've been given… Don't wait for anyone to do things for you get off your ass and make it happen. I've followed that and its work day in and day out. Two groups/artists you'd love to take out on the road… Rancid and Swingin' Utters but of course we would open the show... Favourite song of your group? 'My 62', cause every time I play it I remember my car The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is… visiting all the cities and our friends across the US. The thing you least look forward to before a tour is… leaving my english bulldogs, lars and ruby home while I tour. Those are my kids and I miss them a lot when I'm on the road. When your not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? I'm always doing band stuff sorry, that's just how I am but I like going to the movies a lot cause I get to forget all my problems for a few hours. ON THE STAGE / ROAD What gear do you use? I use a marshall jcm 900 that jake from the casualties hooked me up with on last years warped tour. I use 2 marshall 4 10 speaker cabs and a gold top les paul. I have a few other guitars I use as back up but they are all the same gibson les pauls just in different colors Favourite place (city/town/country) you've played… and why? San Fransisco, cause its a very music oriented town and it respects artists. Favourite venue to perform at… and why? The Allen Theatre cause there's no place like home Who hogs the stereo in the van the most? I do cause I'm the one with an ipod but we all listen to the same music and its never been a problem. Who in your group has the worst "bad habit" on tour, and what is it? Rick, our bass player snores like a motherfucker. Most embarrassing moment on tour? One time at The Roxy in Hollywood in front of a sold out show I was on top of ramrods kick drum during a song and i lost my balance and fell back. I kept playing and I guess the kids thought it was planned or somthing cause they really didn't care about it but I just remember feeling like a dumb ass. Hahahah I think we might have video of it Give us a good quick 'on the road' story, funny, embarrassing, memorable, whatever… A few weeks ago we were driving thru the arizona desert and a tire passed us on the highway going about 80 mph well it was our trailer tire that broke off and kept going and I guess it was in a big hurry to get to LA and was not gonna wait for us.. The whole axel broke and we had to get it relpaced. RIGHT NOW What's getting the most spins in your stereo right now? One Man Army, right this second Tell us a band or artist everyone should check out and why… Left Alone cause we are crazy hard working punk rockers. A word of advice to those slugging it out in empty pubs on Tuesday nights… Keep going and put out your own records make your own merch and don't stop. So manny times I should have stopped but I didn't and I'm very glad that I didn't now we are on the label we have always wanted to be on and and honestly its a great feeling. Hard work pays off!!!!!!! |
