Alejando Escovedo found rock ‘n’ roll notoriety with Rank and File and True Believers.
Alejandro finds love south of the border
From his early years — first spent cutting his teeth on the initial wave of American punk rock with acts such as San Francisco’s The Nuns then in spinning traditional country yarns with Austin Tex. staples Rank and File and the True Believers — Alejandro Escovedo has had a long and eventful run as a musician. Plying his trade on stages across the continent for over three decades the San Antonio-born son of Mexican immigrants has earned a place amongst the legends of American rock.
One of several musically gifted members of the Escovedo family his brother Javier is in the The Zeros while siblings Coke Mario and Pete are all accomplished percussionists and Pete’s daughter is one Ms. Sheila E. For Alejandro’s part he has overcome numerous crises affecting both his health and his home life returning better than ever with a bushel of fresh material and a rejuvenated sense of creative inspiration.
“I just got back from a run” says the barely winded Alejandro. “I’ve been running more to stay in shape. I hardly have any time to myself lately and I find that running takes the edge off so to speak. It feels good and I’m really digging it; it’s getting more addicting.”
Eager to seek some quietude Alejandro who was dubbed the “Artist of the Decade” by No Depression magazine back in 1998 took some much needed time out to do some scribbling and relaxing in Mexico. The result of his off-the-grid soul-searching was scores of fresh material culminating in his latest full-length Street Songs of Love released last June. A repeat collaboration with main hombre Tony Visconti who also produced Alejandro’s critically lauded 2008 release Real Animal Street Songs resonates with hard-won wisdom and cautiously optimistic wit all wrapped up in a wholesome rock ’n’ roll tortilla.
“After I had spent a month or so writing tracks for Street Songs of Love in Mexico we booked ourselves in as musicians in residence at Austin’s Continental Club” he says. “There we’d roll out three acoustic songs a night just bringing the band in and arranging things on the spot as part of the “Sessions on South Congress” thing. We’d book a room in the Austin Hotel across the street and rehearse a little then on Tuesday nights we’d walk over and perform. It was totally organic; we were performing without a net. People were excited to watch a work in progress and in turn they the entire community became a part of the album.”
Alejandro’s strong familial connection to his band The Sensitive Boys was a key component to his continued success as a performer. Remarkably guitarist-keyboardist David Pulkingham has played guitar with the group for the past seven years while drummer Hector Munoz has been Alejandro’s loyal wingman for a quarter century. Acclaimed for his elegant acoustic guitar playing and passionate vocals Alejandro dives deeply into his subject matter and offers up pearls of introspective delight.
“Getting away to Mexico and the subsequent creation of this album was an amazing and incredible period for writing and personal cleansing for me. It was kind of frightening actually” he elaborates. “I was alone for the first time in my life. I’ve lived with women since I was 17! The songs that came out of that retreat represent me and the group and the people we care about in this world.”
Whether he’s analyzing the ties that bind as on the evocative “This Bed is Getting Crowded” or honouring his peers (Neil Young The Band The Rolling Stones) with generously rearranged cover tunes Alejandro obviously enjoys contrasting the elements of dark and light as he elevates emotive ballads into full-fledged boot-stomping rock-and-roll riots.
“As soon as we had completed our eight-week residency in Austin we went right on tour starting in Little Rock and working our way right to the doors of our recording studio in Kentucky” Alejandro says. “I think that momentum comes through on the album. We felt so confident just the four of us and Tony recording it was as basic as breathing. As quickly as it all came together for me and after making so many records I’ve never been more prepared than I was in that situation.”
“This album has songs about desire lust passion compassion spiritual love unconditional love…. We’ve covered all the bases without saying ‘I love you.’ I once wrote a lyric that went ‘I’m in love with love’ and as an old friend told me it was the most honest thing I’ve ever said.”
