L.A. OGs WAR (the ORIGINAL band): ‘Cinco de Mayo’ (1981 complete)

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This 1981 single from WAR was the first time many non-Latinos heard of Cinco de Mayo. This photo shows the original guys at the Sunset Grill (7439 Sunset, next to their offices (Far Out Productions) at 7417 Sunset. The Guitar Center swallowed up 7417 a while back.

L-R: Charles Miller (sax, RIP), Lonnie Jordan (keyboards, the only original member in the new  WAR), Howard Scott (guitar, Lowrider Band), Harold Brown (drums, Lowrider Band), B.B. Dickerson (bass, RIP), Lee Oskar (harmonica, Lowrider Band). Not pictured, Papa Dee Allen  (RIP, percussion).

Mas…L.A. OGs WAR (the ORIGINAL band): ‘Cinco de Mayo’ (1981 complete)

The San Patricio Batallón: Aztlan’s Irish heroes (4 music videos)

🇲🇽 ❤️ 🇮🇪

This corrido by Orange County Celtic-rock homies The Fenians tells the tragic story of the San Patricios, the St. Patrick’s Battalion.

The unit of 200 mostly Catholic Irish immigrants deserted the United States Army and fought with the Mexican Army against the U.S.A. in the Mexican–American War.

Scots-British post-punk The Wakes Band offer their version of the story next. The video’s not much to look at but the lyrics are killer, so read along below:

Mas…The San Patricio Batallón: Aztlan’s Irish heroes (4 music videos)

Happy Valentime’s Day! Lessons in Love from Ramón Ayala

Ramón Ayala

[A Tia Lencha and Aunt Lily Production]

Orale raza! How ju bean?

HAPPY VALENTIME’S DAY! TIA LENCHA IS BACK TO TALK ABOUT LUFF TO YOU POCHOS.

Tia Lencha

Have you heard songs by Ramón Ayala? He’s bigger than Chicano Batman and he knows all about luff. He talks to all of us who no have luck in luff. His songs teash us all about the lessons you learn when jur Corazon (thas heart for ju pochos) is not like the fairy tales on Valentimes Day.

Dis article is written by me, Tia Lencha, and my proper-English-speaking alter ego, Aunt Lily.

Mas…Happy Valentime’s Day! Lessons in Love from Ramón Ayala

58 Years Ago in East Los: ‘Happy New Year Baby’ from The Sisters


Fifty-eight years go – 1965 – big hair and girl groups were all the rage with the cool kids in East Los Angeles.

Sisters Rosella, Ersi, and Mary Arvizu believed they could be the next Supremes — even before there were Supremes. They called themselves The Sisters.

Mark Guerrero, son of Chicano music legend Lalo Guerrero, tells the story:

Mas…58 Years Ago in East Los: ‘Happy New Year Baby’ from The Sisters

It’s A Mexican Hat Dance, But It’s Metal: Del Castillo Shreds ‘El Sombrero’

According to Tejas rock veteranos Del Castillo, all a guy needs, really, is his boots, his guitar, and his sombrero. And if his lady leaves, well, he’s still got his boots, his guitar, and his hat.

Brothers Mark and Rick Del Castillo are hard rockin’ up front, and those are our amigas Mariachi Las Coronelas you see in the background.

Check out the band at Annafest (Anna, TX) this Saturday, October 7.

In East Los, They Call It Puppet L.O.V.E.



They’re folks we all know, in a barrio near you. Will El Triste and La Smiley (puppeteer Cain Carias, and his wife, artist Mayra Plascencia) ever find the true meaning of L.O.V.E.?

The answer comes into focus in this silent short from our amigos at Lone Stars Entertainment Jeremiah Ocañas and Gabriela López de Dennis.

Happy May Day 2023 from the Workers of the World (video, lyrics)

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Enjoy the Internacional, the world-wide (Get it? It’s international!) anthem of those commie cabrones in Russia and Cuba and Venezuela and China and North Korea (and lurking in secretive LGBT drag queen story hour grooming cells here in the Homeland but the lamestream media won’t tell you that).

Today, May 1, is May Day AKA International Workers’ Day, when the comrades sing this stirring appeal, with its hummable melody and a vague vision of making the future great again that’s hard to disagree with, except maybe the LUCHA FINAL aspect.

Mas…Happy May Day 2023 from the Workers of the World (video, lyrics)

57 Years Ago in East Los: ‘Happy New Year Baby’ from The Sisters


Fifty-seven years go – 1965 – big hair and girl groups were all the rage with the cool kids in East Los Angeles.

Sisters Rosella, Ersi, and Mary Arvizu believed they could be the next Supremes — even before there were Supremes. They called themselves The Sisters.

Mark Guerrero, son of Chicano music legend Lalo Guerrero, tells the story:

Mas…57 Years Ago in East Los: ‘Happy New Year Baby’ from The Sisters

Always Look for the Union Label: Music vids for Labor Day Weekend 2022

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It’s Labor Day Weekend!
¡Orale!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Sing along with the music that celebrates the ordinary working people who keep this country — and the world — in business: 9 to 5 from Dolly Parton, Look for the Union Label, Workin’ in a Coal Mine, This Land Is Your Land, and Solidarity Forever.

Mas…Always Look for the Union Label: Music vids for Labor Day Weekend 2022