Mexican-American singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo is one of 12 children, eight of which went on to be musicians: two were members of Santana, and his niece is Prince protege Sheila E. Kim Hill spoke to him ahead of his NZ tour.
Alejandro Escovedo Photo: Nancy Escovedo
Alejandro Escovedo has had an eclectic career across a variety of genres, including punk with The Nuns; roots rock with The True Believers; and alt-country with Rank & File. The latter had an underground following in New Zealand in the mid-80s with songs including 'The Conductor Wore Black'.
In the early '90s Escovedo eventually launched a solo career, which has seen him work with everyone from John Cale to Bruce Springsteen.
He recently toured Europe with Italian rock band Don Antonio, and collaborated with the group's leader, Antonio Gramentiere on a set of songs about two young men - one from Italy, one from Mexico - who come to America to follow their dreams. The songs were recorded on his 2018 album The Crossing.
“It’s definitely a statement about, not only immigration but the dreams that young boys have, that we all have actually, and how they can easily be… stepped on sometimes.”
Escovado says he drew a lot from his own life as the child of Mexican immigrants when writing the album. “There's a song on the record called ‘Rio Navidad’, where an older, retired Texas ranger meets up with Diego and starts insulting him and his name, and that experience was actually my experience.”
Escovado is also in the process of writing a memoir with his friend the writer and documentary maker John Phillip Santos and has no shortage of stories from his life as a musician. An early example is the time his band the Nuns opened for the Sex Pistols at their final show.
Later, on tour in New York, he came across Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen at the infamous Chelsea Hotel.
“I remember one morning there was Jerry Nolan, Johnny Thunders and Sid and Nancy in the lobby and they were checking Sid in. Sid had hung out with my band in San Francisco so they were like our neighbours. It was just a very crazy time.”
Two months later Nancy Spungen died in the hotel. Vicious, her boyfriend, was charged with murder but died of a drug overdose before the trial, which was abandoned.
Going it alone
After the demise of Escovado's band The True Believers in the late 1980s, he found himself adrift and struggling to maintain his relationship with music.
“I found myself working in record stores again and really not having any desire to continue in a way. And then slowly but surely I got back on my feet and began doing solo shows.”
Escovedo's first two solo albums Gravity and Thirteen Years were very deeply influenced by the suicide of his wife. So when he plays songs from those records now, does it take him back to that difficult time?
“Not as much as it did. There's a distance that I’ve been able to keep from that experience in a way. Not that it’s gone and not that I don't honour it and not that I don't respect it. But now with performing I can see it from another place...I can see it from a distance and not still interpret what it was like.”
“I feel very, very lucky. I’ve been through some pretty devastating physical and mental experiences. There was times where I didn't think I’d make it another day but because of music and because of my family, my kids and now my wife... Everything has turned out pretty well for me.”
Music did quite literally save Escovado’s life following a near fatal Hepatitis C infection. Left with huge medical bills which he was unable to pay, his friends and colleagues from across the United States organised benefit shows and an album, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which featured a veritable who’s who of Americana.
Despite these and numerous other setbacks, Escovado still tours extensively. Following his visit to New Zealand he will continue on the road around the United States before heading back to the studio. So what can we expect from the follow up to The Crossing?
“I’m going to collaborate again with Peter Buck (R.E.M) and Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, Minus 5). Basically t,he same crew who made (2001 album) A Man Under The Influence. That’s gonna be my band.”
- Friday 15th March - Tuning Fork, Auckland
- Saturday 16th March - Caroline, Wellington
- Sunday 17th March - Blue Smoke, Christchurch
