This time around we feature the collection of Ricardo Mendez, guitarist and vocalist in the Austin based band FireWalkWithMe.
The first record I ever bought with my own money was…
A Black Sabbath album. The jacket was blue and there was a picture of the group on the front. There was no title to it and very well may have been a bootleg. It was a compilation album with songs from Master of Reality and some others. I’m not sure what happened to it! Lost in the chase that is life I suppose. The one song that really stuck out to me was the tune “After Forever” that seemed to me at the time to be an anti-organized religion which truly spoke to me and validated my own questions I had about religion at the time.
The record that made me want to make music was…
I’d have to say Testament. Specifically the album “Practice What You Preach”. Hearing Alex Scholnick murder those leads all throughout that album really made me take a look at myself as a musician and a writer. Although I never really reached that level it did inspire me to be a better musician and writer *And I’m not just saying that because this is a Metal type interview. I really do love Testament. I don’t really play metal but I have always recognized genius when I hear it.
The record I’ve played more than any other is…
It’s a toss up between three albums. I’d have to say I’ve listened to “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” by the band Jawbreaker more times than I can count. That album EASILY is one of my top 10 desert island pics for sure.
The record that always make me feel good is…
There’s an album called “Lend You A Hand” by a band called Tight Bros From Way Back When that completely and immediately takes me to my happy place whenever I crank it. The album ultimately is a solid nasty Rock n’ Roll album. Beginning to end it’s an absolute masterpiece of what a Rock n’ Roll album should sound like. It has a very MC5 vibe to it while still maintaining a new school feel. Then band broke up years ago and till this day I still regret never catching them live when I had the chance. The band features members of another band called KARP whom I adored as well and who are themselves a very seriously intense band.
The record I turn to when I’m feeling down is…
Theres and album by this singer songwriter named Jaymes Young called “Dark Star”. Whenever I’m feeling down I tend to listen to electronic music. This album in particular was an album I listened to everyday around the time my son Dezi was born. Theres a track on the album call Moon Dust I used to sing to him when he was 3 months old. So whenever I listen to it really REALLY takes me back to the time my son Dezi was a baby. It was such a surreal, nostalgic and beautiful moment in time for me. So that would be the album I listen to when I’m down.
The record with my favorite cover art is…
OH MAN….without question the album art for “Expanding The Hive” by Logical Nonsense. Post apocalyptic imagery. Very dark. All done by hand. It’s easily one of my favorites album covers of all time. The music is BRUTAL. The band was from Sante Fe NM. I’m not sure if they are still active or not.
The strangest LP I own is…
I seriously don’t think I own any strange albums. If I had to pick one though I guess I was have to pick the band Chicano Christ. They put out a 7″ record made back in 1991. The word on the street was that Chicano Christ was an all star band which featured members of Fear Factory but that was never confirmed nor denied. The record has such hits as “Comé Caca” “Chanklas Y Chades” “Jesus was a Vato” “Brujeria Goes to Hell” “Dirty Choneez” and “I Hate Menudo” amung others. Obviously this is a parody band and play on words naming themselves after the angry underground and political band ICONO CHRIST. ICONO CHRIST: Slightly more serious and political. Chicano Christ: Not so much, hahahaha
The rarest LP I own is…
I own a 7″ 45 rpm record from a band called Mohinder which was recorded live at Gilman Street Project in Berkeley back in the mid 90’s. Mohinder was a hardcore “Screamo” band who’s members consisted of suburban teenagers from Cupertino, Ca. but made INSANE and ridiculously intense hardcore that knocked everyone sideways at the time. The 7″ sounds like crap. not mixed very well but is considered in many underground circles to be somewhat or a rarity. Now do yourself a favor and go listen to Mohinders discography called “Everything” on GSL Records
The last LP I bought was…
“Tomb for Two” by Lebanon Hanover. This is a really dark album and will immediately make you think 80’s goth wave/goth rock. Everything about this album is beautiful and all the songs are exceptionally well written.
FireWalkWithMe’s debut album, The Eternal Black Rainbow, is available now as a digital download on Bandcamp.
https://www.firewalkwithmeband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/firewalkwithmetheband/
https://www.instagram.com/firewalkwithmeatx/
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