In the early to 1960s to about 1968 there was a big East LA music scene, later called the The Eastside Sound, with public dances every weekend and sometimes during the week, and bands also appearing at high schools, junior high schools and church halls. The sound was R&B and Soul based, with British Invasion and Doo-Wop thrown in.
The bands and followers were mostly Mexican-American. It was our scene and our sound - I used to go to the dances even though I lived in South Central.
Bands included Thee Midniters, The Premiers, Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals, The Slauson Brothers, Cannibal and the Headhunters, The Blendells, The Jaguars, The Romancers, The Salas Brothers and many others.
Venues include the Montebello Ballroom, Big Union - pictured above, Little Union, St. Alphonsus - the ones I recall, but there are others.
It was a wonderful, vibrant scene, with great music, kids dressed up and going out and dancing.
Cannibal and the Headhunters and The Premiers made it nationally - having charted hits, touring and on television. Thee Midniters were extremely popular, appearing several times every week in various venues and making real money. I remember girls getting their arms and other body parts autographed by Little Wille G, their lead singer.
The scene died out, I think, due to the Vietnam War taking many young men into military service, the rise of Chicano Power, the school walkouts and political consciousness, cultural shifting toward hippies, and teenagers growing up.
Link to Mark Guerrero's page - he was there in bands:
http://markguerrero.com/main.php
Here's a link to some show flyers:
http://www.markguerrero.com/flyer_12.php
Prev
.
Linear Mode
