El Tule Interview: SXSW 2010

El Tule are five men and a funky bass playing gal out on a mission: to make people shake their hips while educating them on Latin American culture. Even though most of this Austin, Texas-based Latin rock sextet is North American by birth, all are well versed in Hispanic folklore. Their colloquial goulash of traditional salsa, merengue and cumbia with rock flourishes has gained them a huge following in Central Texas. Now, with its second billing at industry shebang SXSW, the band hopes to spread its message of history, art and culture set to an infectious Latin beat. Spinner catches up with the band's frontman John Dell and rhythm guitarist Bobby 'Miklo' Baca to chat about the prospects of playing in the big showcase happening in their own backyard.

Describe your sound in your own words.

Baca: This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. I'm always tempted to say "why don't you take a listen?" I would have to say it's Latin traditional with a rock influence.

Dell: Music for those who love to dance, feel good and enjoy the positive expression of music.

How did you guys get together?

B: I moved to Austin in 2003 to pursue music. I was so impressed with how receptive the city of Austin was to all forms of music that I called my musician brother-in-law John [Dell] and convinced him to move from New Mexico where he was living at the time and come to Austin to spread his wings a bit. When he moved here, we put together a small group with him, my sister-in-law [bass player, Tracy Chavez Dell] and I and began playing coffee at bars.

What are your musical influences?

B: Some of us listen to jam band stuff like the Dead, Disco Biscuits and others to jazz standards. And then there are the diehards who listen to the traditional stuff like Willie Colon. When it comes down to it, we are truly an American hybrid -- a hodgepodge of music, even incorporating Jimi Hendrix, especially in the first album ['Volumen I'] where you can hear lots of blues-style soloing.

How did you come up with your band name?

D: El Tule is a tree in Oaxaca, Mexico which at 2000 years old and is one of the oldest living trees in the world.

B: I think the tree is a metaphor for us, with its deep roots embedded in Latin America culture. The tree is so ingrained in the local folklore of Oaxaca that it made quite an impression on us.

So what are the band's feelings going into the SXSW showcase?

D: Ready to have fun ATX style!

B: We are feeling really positive to have been asked back for the second year in the row. We played a showcase at the Copa Bar and Grill last year and it was really fun. This year we are hoping to increase our fan base. We don't necessarily want to become multi-millionaires. We'd just like for more people to bear witness to our musical and cultural experience.

Since you guys are a local Austin band, perhaps you can shed some light on how Austin natives feel about the whole SXSW festival with all the record industry types and unruly rock bands taking over your city for an entire week?

B: SXSW has been nothing but positive for the city of Austin. Not only does it bring in so much revenue, but it exposes the entire world to the city.

D: We are proud of it. Even if you don't participate you just have to be proud.

We noticed that you guys book a ton of weddings. Are there are a couple of wild stories there?

B: Haha, actually we are playing a wedding pretty soon. The people that ask us to play are already fans, so they are receptive to our music. They are really excited to have us as a house band. We do get people from time to time that want to play the instruments and we let them join in. It's all in good fun.

D: The last one we played one was really different. Only one person spoke Spanish and that was the groom's father. There were 300 non-Spanish speakers and they all loved it.

How did you guys get involved with the Spanish indie flick 'Pepe & Santo Vs. America' where your disc 'Volumen I' serves as its sound track?

D: We are friends with producer Javier Chapa. Hopefully, it will become the Mexican American 'Napoleon Dynamite.'

B: The motion picture industry, just like the music industry, is all about who you know.

Why did Austin's Mayor Will Wynn proclaim January 17, 2008 El Tule Day?

D: The release of 'Volumen I' must have made its way to someone in City Hall!

B: That was a great honor. Austin, being the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world, has a large amount of resources devoted to helping the music community. The governor's office has an office dedicated strictly to Texas music right here in Austin. Someone in that office must have been a fan.

Musically, how does your latest album 'Volumen II' differ from 'Volumen I'?

D: The latter is representative of the live show and dance oriented. The first was a studio album.

B: 'Volumen I' was more rock-influenced and experimental, largely because it was our first and an eclectic mix of songs we had been writing for years. 'Volumen II' is more dance-oriented, which is the latest focus of our band. We are really trying to appeal to the dancers that come out to our shows.

Who would you guys want to jam with the most?

D: Celso Pia from Monterrey, Mexico.

B: We would love to play alongside heavy hitters like Los Lonely Boys and Groupo Fantasma.


Alex Rendon is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.