Los Angeles quartet Los Abandoned puts the pop sense of Weezer and Fountains of Wayne through a bilingual, Los Angeles melting-pot wringer and the result resembles Mexican Rock en Español faves Café Tacuba covering the the Rentals. With their new full-length Mix Tape out on Vapor, Los Abandoned are making their debut visit to Detroit. Guitarist Don Verde laid out his monomanias:
5. For money: I got this sideman job playing guitar with the Bay City Rollers. Well, it was one guy who had played with them at one point; him, a bunch of dudes from Beatles tribute bands ... and me. I left after two gigs.
4. ¿Cuál es él? People will ask, "Are you indie? Garage? Alternative?" and list 29 other meaningless subgenres. We just say we're Los Angeles music. My friend actually made up the best meaningless genre ever, 'Pop-core.'"
3. Tarnish-pop? Los Abandoned aren't polished. We tried to make ourselves sound proper, like power pop, and it just didn't ever fucking happen. It's not natural. We need to be loose and smiling.
2. Trumfio! Los Abandoned started out as just me on guitar with Lady P. singing. The Pulsars, Dave Trumfio's old group, started out the same way. So he was perfect to produce Mix Tape. I listen to a ton of hip hop and dance music; I like having those random elements in our music, and Dave got that.
1. Killer venues: Mr. T's is an L.A. bowling alley with fried pickle sandwiches that also books shows. It's not pretty, but music thrives there, and those are the places we're playing on this tour. I'm looking forward to our Detroit gig for the same reason.
Monday, Oct. 27, at Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; 313-961-8137. With Birdmonster and La Rocca.
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