Gonna be in town early next month and I'll likely be interviewing them next week. Such a sprawling, multi-layered group it's kind of intimidating.

I guess I'm not looking for direct questions as much as topics to explore, stuff to talk about, etc. I'll do plenty of reading and listening up over the next couple days, but if harry, DumpJack or anyone else has anything really good I can throw out there, I'd be most appreciative.

Thanks y'all. I'll post the end product here after the fact.

Several variations on the same theme:

Garfield High School... East LA... their youth... now they live in the suburbs (Whittier?) but what ties to they still have to the old neighborhood(s). Rivalry with Roosevelt High School.

As youngsters.... lots of guys I knew in East LA in the 60's and early 70's loved the Rolling Stones, the Brit Invasion... in addition to the "oldies Lowrider Culture"... in addition to the Mexican traditional music and Mexican pop music that was in the air. What did they listen to as kids? What made them fall in love with music? Keith Richards, Richie Valens, Tony Camargo.... Related: David has such a distinct singing style... who are his favorite singers? Who influenced him.

They began as "Los Lobos del Este".... which as a neo-traditional Mexican folk-music group in the 70s was in some ways associated with Chicano power movement... do they still have that sense of culture as politics? What do they think about current Latino politics... immigration reform, Latinos demonized by Tea Party.... the future Latino majority... are they still political?


On a lighter note.... where did Cesar get "thank you music lovers" his stock ironic patter in concert.

Oh, and thank them for making guys like Harry love roots music for 40 years and for being the best fucking American rock group ever. Their concerts (at least in California) have the most mixed crowd of any rock concerts and it's a pleasure to see "la familia" always turn out and mix with rockers of all flavors and ages... they are truly "an American band."

Love it. Thanks harry!

I dig that they're streaming their new record on their website if you sign in via facebook.

My question would be--on the new record they cover a Grateful Dead song (West L.A. Fadeaway), and have collab'd both live and on record with the Dead. What are their personal favorite Dead songs, and what do they think their [Dead's] legacy stands in American music?

They've covered so much stylistic ground over the last 30 years.
Is there style of music that they want to touch on that they haven't yet?
Is there anything (again, stylistically) that somebody has brought up or tried to play with the band that met with resistance?
Did they wind up doing it?
If not, will they revisit it?

Is there anyone that they would want to collaborate with that they haven't yet? (I have always thought, and have said before that Prince is a natural.)

And, again, as Harry offered: just thank them for being so fucking great and making so many of us happy all these years.

Just saw them in Chicago, and it was one of the best shows I've seen this year (I'd put them up against anybody!). Nothing better than a gracious band. They acknowledged some kid celebrating his bar mitzvah, who does that?

Ask them if they'd ever consider doing an all hard rock or punk-style album. Songs like Mas Y Mas & Viking all the way through. I'd love that!!!

Good luck

Oh, this one might get a little personal, but:
As an established touring band, with the big drop in album/CD/whatever sales over the last few years, have they seen their income drop significantly? Has internet file trading and all of that really hurt them (or anyone they know) in a significant way, or has touring always been more of their bread and butter?

WILL the wolf survive?

rob deer never met a hanging curveball he didn't like