Hello Rockstars!
Today’s Artist of the Week is Mexican American Alt-Rock Band SECOS!
Here’s their story in their own words, Enjoy!
Also, Please check out their new Songs and Music Videos called “In This Grave” and “Rendido a tus Pies” on Youtube now!
Photo’s Courtesy of: Arturo Pineapple.
VMS:
“When did you start writing and performing your music,
What’s your backstory and current lineup.”
SECOS:
“We started up back in 2020. We all had recently acquired more free time with the pandemic and decided to dedicate this time to music. What started as two friends jamming out led to finding two more completely new friends via Craigslist and Facebook Las Vegas Musicians Group and then the formation of the band. Initially we played covers but it didn’t take long before we recorded our very first single “Rewind” in the living room with only a few mattresses to get that raw SECOS sound.
With David Candelas on vocals and guitar, Jose Becerra on guitar, Sergio Ramirez on the bass, and Joshua Loeza on the drums, SECOS is ready to overcome any obstacles that may come their way.”
VMS:
“What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
SECOS:
“With almost a decade in age difference from our youngest to oldest members, our inspirations are all over the place. We believe this unorthodox collective of minds is the secret juice to our success. We most commonly have been compared to The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and Interpol, which honors us deeply considering how awesome those guys are.”
VMS:
“What’s your writing process and inspiration for your lyrics.”
SECOS:
“We believe that vocals itself should be considered another instrument of the band. Thus, we allow David to have creative freedom with the lyrics. He has a poetic nature that comes out naturally when he writes and though we all have contributed our own ideas before, David is the master key to our lyrical success.”
VMS:
“I love your songs “Lost Words”, “Moon” and “Don’t Cry for Me”. What is the inspiration or story behind these songs.”
SECOS:
“”Lost Words”, “Moon” and “Don’t Cry for Me” are all considered higher energy songs during our live sets, though all have a very different meaning. “Moon” being the oldest is a romantic song about that obsession one might get when heavily fantasizing about that special someone. “Don’t Cry for Me” is a darker song which discusses the final declaration of someone who has been defeated by their own choices and is stating that one should not linger on their mistakes as there is no point. “Lost Words” is a song about those “weak days” where morale is low and the solution seems out of reach.”
Listen to SECOS on Spotify:
VMS:
“Tell me about your 2023 EP: “Loveseat “, and the 2024 EP “Jam in the Van (Live Session, Las Vegas)” What was the inspiration and process of writing the 2023 one, and how did the “Jam in the Van” one come to fruition.”
SECOS:
“Our “Loveseat” EP was our latest batch at the time. We believe in always working, always thinking of what song we will create next. While some ideas develop more quickly than others, we felt that we had created enough music to break the silence that occurs between releases. We always try to stay productive and relevant, the “Loveseat” EP was our freshest batch that we couldn’t wait to get out to the people.
The Jam in the Van travels the country in search of art, and we happened to be there when it was coming through Vegas. We believe that making yourself discover-able is the simple key to getting discovered and hence our hard work had acquired the attention of the folks down at Jam in the Van. It was an amazing experience to be in that bus that so many had also worked hard to get in to.”
Listen to SECOS “Loveseat” on Spotify:
Listen to SECOS “Jam in the Van” (Live Session, Las Vegas, NV 2023) on Spotify:
VMS:
“Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
SECOS:
“We would love to work with The Killers. Growing up in Vegas they gave young musicians hope that they too can do something meaningful with their music. We also had the honor of recording at 11th Street records where they also recorded their “Wonderful Wonderful” album so we feel we are just out of arms reach from them.”
VMS:
“What’s your overall theme or message of your music.”
SECOS:
“We don’t currently have an agenda as to what the overall message of our music is. This is just something that we believe in and enjoy doing. its more than a hobby, its a lifestyle. Our message if any really depends on the individual song. From romantic fantasizes to angry heartbreak, our songs are ever changing in theme.”
VMS:
“Do you have a favorite song that you like to perform.”
SECOS:
“We love to perform “Rewind” the most currently. Its an instant classic that any SECOS fan can enjoy and vibe to. Its almost like an anthem at this point. We see a lot of bodies head towards the stage when we play that one.”
VMS:
“Do you have any crazy or interesting stories from working in the music scene.”
SECOS:
“We have SO MANY stories to tell. Its actually hard to pick just one. We will say that you should unload your gear asap, don’t let your gear cook in the heat. Do not attempt to grab your gear right before your set. Do not accidentally lock your keys in the car when grabbing your gear. DO NOT SPEED HOME. DO give gas money to the person who’s car you just borrowed and you left empty. And don’t feel bad if your set gets cut short two songs in after all that work. It happens to the best of us.”
VMS:
“What does the Future hold for SECOS.”
SECOS:
“SECOS recently had their palms read and the lady told us good fortune was coming our way so we’re pretty stoked about that.”
VMS:
“What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.”
SECOS:
“We want our audiences to feel the energy of a rock show, have fun with us, and enjoy not listening to the same songs from 10, 20, 30 years ago.”
Vegas Music Scene Thoughts:
What I love about SECOS is they have my favorite combination of 90’s garage rock, while still keeping a fresh perspective and making their songs modern at the same time. I appreciate that so many of them have multiple influences from so many genres and decades in music and they use all of those to find a cohesiveness that blends all of those sounds together beautifully. They touch on topics such as love, loss, and everything in between. Standout songs like “Don’t Cry for Me” which the wonderful Melissa Gill wrote a song review of for VMS, which talks about alcoholism and the struggles of addiction, or Song “Your Body is Communal” Which talks about mixed singles when you love someone and it’s not reciprocated.
Mixed into their wonderful songs are incredibly strong musicians as well, which they have a young but also wise beyond their years perspective. With their infectious grooves, lovelorn ballads and also genuinely rocking their socks off, they have a fun sound with songs that I feel could easily be hits on the radio right now. I really encourage you to go see them live as well, to get the full picture of their story. They will take you on a wonderful journey and give you an electric show full of hope, joy and a sense of euphoria in their songs.
Every time I listen to one of their songs I get a wonderfully feeling of hope, optimism and always overcoming anything that might be in their way. They give a very needed new perspective to rock music in general and I’m excited to see where the future takes this band. They have already accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, with highlight moments like playing at the 2022 Life is Beautiful Festival, that I just know they have the passion and drive to go as far as they want to as a band. The possibilities are endless, and I’m so ready to buckle up for this amazing musical ride.
———Vegas Music Scene.
For More information on SECOS, Please visit their Website.