Sneak Peek: Louie Perez (Los Lobos) Podcast

Louie Perez: Our background was originally rock and roll. We left that to explore traditional Mexican music. It was important for us to bring this music. We built a cultural bridge across from East L.A. into Hollywood. And that was an important thing for us. So it was this scene that was really incredible. And when we started playing traditional Mexican music because we'd show up at a tardeada at a park and they would see us with our long hair and beat up jeans and flannel shirts and we'd start playing Mexican music. And it kind of confused them a little bit. When we played East L.A. College for the first time playing traditional Mexican music, the kids didn't know what to make of it. They weren't sure if they were supposed to clap or not, because isn't this the music we're supposed to leave behind and move forward and like this whole process of homogenization and that this country does so well? But no, we dug in and people and we opened up these doors. We didn't close any, we just kept it opened. And to this day, we still play music that is a mix of traditions. No matter where we do, we never censor ourselves whether it be Helsinki, Minneapolis or Osaka. This is what we are.