Cultura

It’s Not News to Us

Punk pioneer Alice ‘Bag’ Velasquez tells all in ‘Violence Girl’ (videos)

by
Alice now
Alice then

Alicia Velasquez AKA “Alice Bag” — music scene pioneer in first-wave L.A. punk band The Bags — went on the road this winter to promote her autobiography Violence Girl. After a record store appearance, she answered a few questions for Punk Globe magazine.

Here’s the interview and the “trailer” for her book. Yes, books have trailers. And check out The Bags performance video and the vintage gurl-punk Cholitas footage — all below.

Mas…Punk pioneer Alice ‘Bag’ Velasquez tells all in ‘Violence Girl’ (videos)

Pocho Ocho ways Latinas emasculate Latinos

by

It can be hard to be a Latina, but it can be even harder to be in love with one. I will admit that I occasionally emasculate my Latino friends, love interests and acquaintances.

Given that Latinos and Latinas alike often contend with issues of machismo,  emasculation can sometimes happen by accident. Then again, for the same reasons, it can also happen on purpose. Whatever the case, here’s a list of eight occasions to watch out for:

8. Talking to his mother or female relatives about him.

Although this is a female ritual, it never ceases to cause discomfort.

7. Calling him by Spanish pet names in front of his friends.

He may be your “pedacito de bon bon” when you two are alone, but when you call him these things in front of his friends, somehow it makes him less of a man.

Mas…Pocho Ocho ways Latinas emasculate Latinos

Offensive? Skweezy Jibbs calls homie Jose ‘a crazy Mexican’ (NSFW)

by

There’s a fine line between an honest expression of one’s feelings and being a pendejo. Does YouTube rant-meister Skweezy Jibbs cross the line? Skweezy’s description of his homeboy Jose as “a crazy Mexican” offends a party-goer and sets Skweezy off on a three-minute rant. (Totally NSFW rude language and rude ideas.)

So what do you think? Are people today just way too gosh darn sensitive?
Tell it like it is in the comments below!

Meet America’s first Latino astronaut: José Jiménez (audio video)

by

Just around the time actual Latino astronaut José Hernández was born, actor and comic Bill Dana (not a Latino) got famous playing José Jiménez, a sweet but dimwitted astronaut with a thick Latino accent.

It was the beginning of the Space Race and astronauts were America’s new heroes, but the very idea of a Chicano in space was a joke.

Mas…Meet America’s first Latino astronaut: José Jiménez (audio video)

Mayan Doomsday (the video): ‘2012 The Mayan Word’

by


Here’s a novel idea: Why not ask some Mayans about the impending apocalypse? Undercurrents Alternative News did just that in 2012 The Mayan Word. In Spanish and English with English subtitles, this hour-long documentary takes a look at the impending death and obliteration of the world as we know it and beginning of our glorious metamorphosis into luminous beings of light in the Singularity to come. Or maybe not. The official writeup is below.

Mas…Mayan Doomsday (the video): ‘2012 The Mayan Word’

Photos: He’s a real nowhere man lost in paletero land

by
The Mexican ice cream man, or paletero (he sells paletas)

Artist Ramiro Gomez, Jr. makes the invisible visible as he inserts cardboard images of hardworking Latinos into the landscape of Los Angeles and documents his installation art with photos. At half-past midnight he emailed POCHO:

I went up to Hollywood Blvd. this afternoon and put up my newest cardboard installation. It is on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Curson Ave. I went back tonight and it has not been taken down yet, hopefully, the location I chose allows it to ride for a while.

The big versions of Gomez’ photos are below.

Shoutout to Hollywood peeps: Is the paletero still there? Please share your updates in the Comments section below. Gracias!

Mas…Photos: He’s a real nowhere man lost in paletero land

Around Our Town: Ñews from the Neighborhood

by

Basketball: The undefeated Pocho High Fighting Santos meet the Chupacabras of Don Fernando Valley High for the state hoops semifinals next week in Rancho Cucamonga. Booster Club president Cal Ifas wants to remind fans the vuvuzelas have arrived and you can pick up your order at his auto upholstery shop weekdays and Saturdays. Califas Tuck y Roll is in the Pocho Industrial Park behind the Tapatio plant.

Tourism: The El Rancho Pocho Downtown Historical District has once again garnered a mention in Zagat’s Off the Beaten Path Travel Guide: “A sketchy tattoo parlor, Lupe’s Mistic Yerberia and a car battery recycling joint take you back to an earlier time, a time that wasn’t really all that good, actually, but if that’s what you’re looking for, the El Rancho Pocho Downtown Historical District has it all.”

Mas…Around Our Town: Ñews from the Neighborhood

Time to boogie: Kid Ramos & the Fabulocos are ‘Burnin’ the Chicken’

by

Are you ready to boogie? Straight-up Texican boogie rocks the house eight to the bar in this 2009 Fabulocos show. The band is smokin’ — Mike Molina on drums, James Barrios on bass and Kid Ramos on guitar live in New Braunfels, TX. You can see in the video that it’s daytime in Texas. Luckily, damn daylight savings doesn’t mean it’s too early to boogie!

Ollin rocks your shamrock for Día de San Patricio

by

East L.A. pochos  Ollin channel Irish band the Pogues in Ollin’s Tenth Annual St. Patrick’s Day Pogues tribute at the Satellite in Silverlake tonight. And for us that’s a good excuse to feature this video as well as the super cool poster for the show (below.) Mira! The shamrock and the chile share the musical and artistic stage. Also we get to use this green font. Meanwhile, what is the deal with the Irish in Mexico?

Mas…Ollin rocks your shamrock for Día de San Patricio

Video Triple Feature! Cheech’s art + braceros + ‘Margarita’

by
Cheech Marin's 'Chicanitas'
'Harvest of Loneliness'
'Margarita'

Sabado Pochonte Triple Feature! Cheech Marin’s collection of “small Chicano paintings” lights up the documentary Chicanitas, the black and white history of braceros comes to life in Harvest of Loneliness and the classic poem by Ruben Dario shimmers in the wordless animated Margarita.

Mas…Video Triple Feature! Cheech’s art + braceros + ‘Margarita’

KPCC radio billboard ‘Occupied’ by KPFK radio listener

by

Much L.A. radio hay was made over the placing of a KPCC 89.3 FM billboard advertising its “Ideas not ideology” slogan practically on top my radio station’s studios at KPFK 90.7 FM, where I host the Pocho Hour of Power every Friday at 4 PM.

As I walked in today, I was alerted that someone had replaced the KPCC billboard with our own KPFK billboard. Didn’t know we had such a substantial advertising budget. 

Nice job! (above photo by KPFK’s Ernesto Arce) Here’s the before picture:

Mas…KPCC radio billboard ‘Occupied’ by KPFK radio listener

Los Brioles: ‘Hombres muertos no hacen ruido al caminar’ (videos)

by


TGIF Music Videos: Los Brioles are a crazed psychobilly trio from Spain. Dead men, like dead puppies, probably don’t have much fun, but they sure do rock!

But wait — there’s more! Dig this local cholobilly music video from Los Bandits who describe themselves this way:

Psychobilly, Rockabilly, Punk, Spanish guitar, Cumbia, and Mexican music that has an infiltration of Chicano based lyrics.

Mas…Los Brioles: ‘Hombres muertos no hacen ruido al caminar’ (videos)

Will Ferrell sings? In Spanish? ‘Yo no se’ from ‘Casa de Mi Padre’

by


Of course he sings in Spanish! The movie is IN Spanish! Wikipedia:

Casa de Mi Padre (English: My Father’s House) is an upcoming Spanish-language American comedy film. The film stars Will Ferrell, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Génesis Rodríguez with Matt Piedmont directing a screenplay written by Andrew Steele. The film has been described to be in the style of an “overly dramatic telenovela” and tells the story of Armando Alvarez, who must save his father’s ranch from a powerful drug lord. Casa de Mi Padre is set for release next week.

Here’s the trailer:

Mas…Will Ferrell sings? In Spanish? ‘Yo no se’ from ‘Casa de Mi Padre’

Tia Lencha’s Cocina: It’s Michelada time!

by

Hola. Is Tia Lencha here. My recipe today is inspire by a gringo who saw me drinking a Michelada with my comadre Mari Carmen cause it was Comadre’s Night Out. The gringo tole me, “Escuse me, is that a margarita?”

I wanted to say: No, is a Michelada, menso! But I think thas not classy and I put my hair all spray so I look classy. So I no say the menso part, even though I know he don’t know what menso means.

And you know what? In that momen, I had a revelation, like when Dios or tequila speaks to you…and I know… is my responsibility to teash the pochos about Micheladas.

Mas…Tia Lencha’s Cocina: It’s Michelada time!

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Pocho Ocho unsolved mysteries

by

Now that  Sheriff Joe Arpaio has evidence there’s something uppity with Pres. Barack Obama’s birth certificate, what’s next on his unsolved mysteries list?

8.  Star Trek crewmen in red shirts who die early in the episode are also wearing pink chonies, but the Liberal Hollywood Establishment covers this up.

7. Every time you install a solar energy panel, a Texas oilman dies.

6.  Wonder Bread actually builds bodies in 11 different ways but they won’t tell you that because those people want you to eat bread with stuff in it, like grains.

Mas…Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Pocho Ocho unsolved mysteries

Around Our Town: Ñews from the Neighborhood

by

Girl Scout Cookies: Troop 112, sponsored by the Pocho Estates Women’s Club, will set up a table next Tuesday after school outside the Safeway on Ritchie Valens Drive. Thin Mints are in short supply so quantities are limited, with only two boxes per person. Cash only, no layaways.

Band Concert: The Edward Olmos Middle School Concert Band invites you to their first performance of the New Year Thursday at 3 PM in the school auditorium. The program includes Stairway to Heaven, LaLaLaLaLa Means I Love You and Turn the Beat Around .

Mas…Around Our Town: Ñews from the Neighborhood

We’ve got your Pocho Ocho cures for la cruda right here

by

We all know it’s coming. It’s only Thursday, but THE WEEKEND is right ahead of us — a sign post up ahead that spells PARTY. And somebody is gonna get her drink on.

If that means you, perhaps we can help with the Pocho Ocho cures for your hangover (la cruda.)

8. Menudo. In my social circles, menudo is the go–to method for scaring away that nasty cruda. The power of the Aztec gods? Meat? Corn? Who knows why, but word has it that it works.

7. More alcohol! Hair of the dog, as it were. This method is perhaps one of the oldest cures for cruda. Does it work?

Mas…We’ve got your Pocho Ocho cures for la cruda right here

+ Load More Posts