The world was bleeding. Profusely. And it looked as though this well-meaning country was about to dodge a hollow-point bullet aimed for our collective soul. Then we didn’t. Shellshocked, we stumbled about the debris of a shattered psyche, wandering through the stunned silence like the unblinking walking dead. With the realization that the darkness was looming over us like the immense, growing shadow of a fork-tongued flying demon, we retreated. And in the case of Fernando Viciconte and his long-time musical cohort Luther Russell, entered Luther’s four-track shack, dubbed the “Mirage Garage”, to see what could come from the ashes of nothing. Co-written and recorded in the space of a week, Traitors Table is their massive missive, a record aimed at a very wary world tired of the division, hate and cynical snipping at the golden circuitry that once made us hope for the future. Luther and Fernando tried to turn their despondence into a daydream, coming up with a feeling of understanding for the right, the left and the left-outside-in-the-rain. In the extremely personal “I Don’t Know”, Fernando wails about coming to the U.S. as an immigrant child and how—after growing up identifying as a proud American—he felt the acute, nauseating fear of being sent back to a country he never really knew. This is the trauma the DACA kids face, and we all face with them. “Hey Darlene” tells the story of a small-town couple from a one-and-a-half-horse town who feel shut out of the American dream, but like many among us, also feel it’s just within reach. So they vote against their own self-interest for those worm-tongued, two-faced chameleons who say what they so desperately want to hear. “The Company”, a bouncy, impassioned plea to the so-called “millenial” generation to not shoot down bold ideas in the name of political-correctness, is in Viciconte’s words: “about the concept that even though we are more connected via technology, we are more isolated and divided than ever.” In the final track on the record, “Turned Away”, a stark acoustic guitar announces the beat-up story of a soul that was judged before he was born, a man whose very spirit was shot—execution-style— simply because of how and where he was born. Perpetually shunned, he finally snaps, the whirlwind of pain swirling with slashing, thrashing guitars, snarling and howling in writhing agony. As the final note of feedback dies, everyone dies, and what’s broken remains broken, repair seeming ever out of reach. Traitors Table tells a multi-faceted tale of an unspeakable, palpable shadow that rests laden across our souls and heavy on our hearts. Luther and Fernando began their musical collaboration twenty years ago with a reminiscence of days gone by called Pacoima. They now file this new chapter as an angry warning about an wobbbly, uncertain future. Pre-Order and preview single “I Don’t Know” at Fluff & Gravy Records.
Fernando is scheduled to release his 10th full length album “Traitors Table” on June 21st 2019 via Fluff and Gravy Records. The album was recorded in Pasadena, CA in Feb of 2018 and was produced and co-written by Luther Russell( Robynne Hitchcock, Those Pretty Wrongs, Liam Hayes, Richmond Fontaine, Sara Beth Tucek). Due to Fernando’s recent throat surgery there will be no tours or record release shows for this record but we will be holding an advance listening party for the first 100 people that pre-order. We will he posting a pre-order link soon so please sign up to our mailing list to receive first notification.
Fernando underwent throat surgery on February 12th at OHSU to correct damage to his vocal folds. Dr. Joshua Schindler performed the procedure to remove scar tissue and to repair pits in the vocal folds that were discovered during procedure. Fernando is currently resting at home and on complete voice rest. There are no shows scheduled for the foreseeable future, so If you would like to help with living expenses during this time, please visit our bandcamp page and support Fernando by purchasing his records.
Fernando Viciconte y Los Cochinos will be celebrating the release of their very first live album Pacoima Radio Sessions by performing two shows! On April 21, the original members of the band will be reuniting for first time in 4 years to perform a free, all-ages mini set at Music Millennium at 9pm. The band will be selling and signing copies of this new release after the show. The official record release party will be taking place at The Star Theater on Cinco de Mayo ( 5/5) with Special guest Sávila (voted Best New Band in Portland by the Willamette Week) and Trujillo which is fronted by Richmond Fontaine, Delines and Fernando bass player Freddy Trujillo. Fernando and Secret Sound Recordings will be selling a limited edition( 100 copies), white vinyl of Pacoima Radio Sessions with all profits going to benefit The Oregon Music Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund. Commerative show poster and T-Shirts featuring the art of legendary Portland artist Gary Houston will also be on sale at the show. 21 and over $15 in advance/$20 day of show. Get tickets here:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Fernando y Los Cochinos would like to officially invite you to our Pacoima Radio Sessions Record Release Party and Pacoima’s 20 Year Anniversary! This Latino extravaganza will take place on Cinco de Mayo (5/5) with doors at 8pm and show starting at 9pm. Los Cochinos and I will be converging on the Star Theater stage to perform Pacoima in sequence from beginning to end for probably the last time…until it’s 25th anniversary ha! We are very happy to officially announce that one of the best new bands in Portland Sávila will be joining us for this show! They mix Latin cumbia, world and r&b together to make something completely new and all their own so I think that ya’ll are going to really dig them! Also, kicking off the evening is one of my and Los Cochinos favorites… Trujillo! All profits from the sale of our first ever live record “Pacoima Radio Sessions that will be sold at the show ((CD and Vinyl) will go to provide music scholarships to local high school students. I have an inkling that this show might sell out so we highly encourage you to pre-order tickets ASAP. This is going to be one hell of a party!
Fernando and Secret Sound Recordings will be releasing “The Pacoima Radio Sessions” which was recorded live from KBOO Studios on Marc Baker’s Church of the Northwest Radio Program in April of 1998. This will be Fernando’s first live record and it features raw and passionate performances by Los Cochinos (Luther Russell, Warren Pash, Joe Chiusano, Dan Eccles and Clayton Jones and Fernando). All profits from the record will be donated to The Oregon Music Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund which provides music Scholarships to local high school students. Fernando and Los Cochinos will be playing Music Millennium on April 21st at 9pm to celebrate its release and the record’s official release show will be at The Star Theater on Cinco de Mayo on 5/5.
My pal and legendary songwriter Dan Stuart ( Green on Red) asked me about my thoughts on the current DACA situation and my history and experiences as an undocumented immigrant in the US. Read it here http://marlowebillings.com/musings/
Fernando Band, Trujillo and Edna Vazquez will be performing a concert on Feb 1st 2018 at The Mississippi Studios to raise money for The Virginia Garcia Memorial Medical Clinic. All three artist are donating their services so that 100% proceeds can go to the clinic. Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center is a nonprofit community health center serving the communities of Washington and Yamhill Counties, with a special emphasis on serving migrant and seasonal farmworkers. They were founded in 1975. That summer,six-year old Virginia Garcia and her farm worker parents traveled from their home in Mission, Texas to California and Oregon to work in the fields. Along the way Virginia cut her foot, and by the time they reached Oregon, it had become infected. Due to economic, language and cultural barriers to health care, Virginia died from what should have been an easily treatable wound.
Moved to action by Virginia’s unnecessary death, the community quickly rallied together to open the first Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center in a three-car garage, determined to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
Today, Virginia Garcia provides healthcare services to more than 45,000 patients a year in Washington and YamhillCounties at our five primary care clinics and pharmacies, five dental offices, six school-based health centers and women’s clinic. They provide outreach to schools, community health fairs and to migrant and seasonal farm workers at local camps and commercial nurseries through their mobile clinic. They don’t turn anyone away if they don’t have money.
This benefit concert is an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for Virginia Garcia in support of their mission to provide great health care to those who need it most. Please help us spread the word of this concert and please come down to the show on Feb 1st to show your support.
Big thanks to the Willamette Week and to Matthew Singer(music editor) for our show preview and for exposing that I once used to snort cocaine off of public bathroom toilets ha! I guess there goes my political career!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Fernando y Los Cochinos would like to officially invite you to our Pacoima Radio Sessions Record Release Party and Pacoima’s 20 Year Anniversary! This Latino extravaganza will take place on Cinco de Mayo (5/5) with doors at 8pm and show starting at 9pm. Los Cochinos and I will be converging on the Star Theater stage to perform Pacoima in sequence from beginning to end for probably the last time…until it’s 25th anniversary ha! We are very happy to officially announce that one of the best new bands in Portland Sávila will be joining us for this show! They mix Latin cumbia, world and r&b together to make something completely new and all their own so I think that ya’ll are going to really dig them! Also, kicking off the evening is one of my and Los Cochinos favorites… Trujillo! All profits from the sale of our first ever live record “Pacoima Radio Sessions that will be sold at the show ((CD and Vinyl) will go to provide music scholarships to local high school students. I have an inkling that this show might sell out so we highly encourage you to pre-order tickets ASAP. This is going to be one hell of a party!