Feb 29, 2016 8 Questions with: Louie Perez III
Louie Perez III and Bob Forrest at Save Music in Chinatown 4 (October 19, 2014)
I met Louie Perez III when his old band Evil Hearted You played a Save Music in Chinatown show a couple of years ago. He and I had a few mutual friends and were familiar with each other’s previous bands and magazine, respectively, but I had no idea he was a giant in the world of tattoo art. We became quick friends, have stayed in touch, and I’ve been keeping tabs on his new project, LP3 & The Tragedy, which features EHY drummer Eric Fuller, his cousin/Bongoloidz contributor/fellow Los Lobos cub Ruby Rojas, guitar shredder Carlos Guzman, and Mike Berault playing everything else. The band’s great new record, which seems equally inspired by Gun Club and Elvis Costello, comes out this spring and seemed like a perfect excuse to hit up my pal with 8 questions.
How would you describe your job to someone who has just met you or even your mom?
Dang, homey!Why do you gotta bring Moms into this! Haha, okay. Some joking aside, my mother’s description of my occupation definitely vary according to the social acceptability of tattooing in the time period and place she is described it. In the late ’90s when I got into tattooing, I don’t think she would’ve mentioned it at all–associating the gig with unconventional jobs like porn and stripping (which are both equally respectable hustles, in my opinion). In the 2000s, she may have said, “He is an artist.”
Nowadays, with tattoo reality shows and damn near every hypocrite I can think of sporting new ink, she would say, “He tattoos movie stars and Hollywood.” In all fairness, I really don’t have that many movie star clients, but I’m sure it sounds cool to a bunch of old women in a Catholic School break room. As far as how I would describe my occupation, I see myself as a proficient working-class tattooer, and I’m very grateful for that.
Is there such thing as an average work day?
My average work day usually starts with waking up, wiping saliva off my mouth, and jumping on to the freeway. There is always plenty of gridlock traffic comprised of indiscreet drivers to alter my mood for the first half of the day. Once I get to work, I usually stay busy for 10-13 hours. I end my shift around 2 a.m. and jump on the freeway. I usually deal with a freeway closure on the I-5 that lets me off on Firestone Ave. and detours me through Santa Fe Springs. I get home between 3:00-4:00 a.m. and then crack out on music until about 6:00 or 7:00 a.m., be it writing, recording, or jus doing necessary protocol stuff. I go to sleep and then repeat the process all over again.
Oh, and there’s probably some web surfing for Star Wars spoilers between all these phases…
Sampling of LP3’s Instagram feed
How do you balance tattooing, leading the band, and collecting Star Wars stuff?
Well, Martin, by now you probably should have come to the realization there there is absolutely no balance in my life whatsoever. Not unlike a dog chasing a car, I usually pursue whatever comes my way. Tattooing pays the bills, and fortunately it’s what I’m usually doing. The band stuff is a hard second, and after a year we have gained a great deal of momentum. As far as Star Wars collecting goes, you and I may or may not belong to an underground action figure collector fight club… But if anyone out there happens to see us with black eyes giving each other a nod from across the room, search your feelings and you will know this to be true.
Where do you find inspiration to stay creative and not burn out?
I feel like the creative journey is always a series of highs and lows, and I’ve gone through periods of my life where I feel like I’ve exhausted all my hope and options. I guess some people just quit entirely. But while I don’t feel like anyone can stay creative indefinitely, neither will someone burn out as long as he or she keeps chipping away.
Art and songwriting have always saved me from the darkest places in my life, and I get inspiration daily through the characters I meet and memories of life experiences that flash by in a haze. Old samurai and Western movies always seem to provide a creative drive for me to draw from as well. I feel like I owe it to the struggle to never quit. Or as HR once said in a great song: “Never give in, Never give in.”
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?
Well, the first person I ever wanted to be when I grew up was Indiana Jones. But I just wanted to get chicks, swing over cobras with a whip, and discover some chill-ass artifacts. Then I found out he was an archaeologist, and that those guys mostly write papers. Too bad I was pretty much allergic to homework until I was 20…
Concert posters by LP3
Got a favorite post-work destination?
My favorite post work destination would be anything open at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, but seeing that those are most likely wretched hives of scum and villainy , I forfeit to the comfort of my couch.
I know the pre-sale already started, but when does the record actually come out?
May 3. It will be a vinyl-only release at least until the first repress. We want to encourage the process that made us all fans of buying and hearing music in the first place. People who don’t have a record player, should go buy one already–not just for us but for themselves! Even Target has them now for like 50 bucks. Vinyl just sounds alive and the art on an LP is bigger to better. Who likes appreciating art at 4.75 inches? Size does matters.
Do you have some sort of deal with the devil to only play with legends like X, Blasters, Los Lobos, or some combination or what? Can’t wait to see you on tour with all of them.
We have been so fortunate! We have received respectful nods from so many of our idols and predecessors.
When Alejandro Escovedo asked us to be his back-up band in LA , that was a high enough honor already . Being included to these upcoming shows is nothing short of completely humbling. I really could not ask for more at this point because we are overpaid in full as of now and we haven’t made crap.
As far as a deal with devil goes, I reckon Tony Todaro, Nathan Carrillo, and I signed with no hesitation the minute we heard Black Sabbath’s We Sold Our Soul For Rock N Roll on cassette in 5th grade. I just hope LP3 & The Tragedy continue to stoke people out as much as their support has done for us. Thank you, brother!
LP3 & The Tragedy at Tatuaje (September 12, 2015)
Check out Louie’s tattoo work on instagram.com, pre-order the new record at maplewoodrecords.com, and follow Imprint on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.