User talk:Pepechango
Pepe Gomez (born March 19, 1944 as Jose Andres Gomez Ugalde Pozo y Valle) is a Cuban born singer,writer ,composer and percussionist. He has played in many different styles of music but is recognizad in the hard-latin rock of the late '60s and throughout the '70s. Pepe Gomez's career began in Miami,FL. In 1963 he formed a local band called The Drones, the group played all the local scenes until 1965 when they got a contract to play at the American Palace, playing to sold-out crowds with groups like Wayne Cochran and the C.C.Riders, Tommy James and the Shondells, and the Young Rascals. The Rascals' manager Arthur Aaron signed them to an exclusive contract with the William Morris Agency and moved to New York City. In new York City they obtained work at Cafe Wha, Ungano's (where they played with MC5, Three Dog Night and a host of other unknown groups at the time). By 1967 Pepe married his highschool sweetheart. At this time the group disbanded. In 1967 Pepe started to form a group called Chango. He was also blessed with the birth of two daughters, Raquel and Dawn. After countless auditions Pepe met future guitar player George Tacktikos. The chemistry was incredible; they blended the Cuban rhythms with the hard rock of the times. His influences were Spooky Tooth, Cream, Hendrix {whom he used to go see play at the Cafe Wha and the Philarmonic Hall), Stevie Winwood, and from his childhood, Orchestra Aragon and Beny More. His cousin Reinol "dino" Andino came to N.Y.C from Woodstock, N.Y to see them play and fell in love with them. Dino was playing with the Fabulous Rhinestones where they were recording an album with Kal David, Harvey Brooks and Marty Grebb. When the Rhinestones disbanded Pepe moved upstate with his group and Dino joined them their debut at The Joyous Lake Saloon caught the eye of well-known producer Albert Brooks who owned the famous Bearsville Studios (Bob Dylan, Foghat, Janis Joplin and The Full Tilt Boogie Band). They signed a deal to record their first album self-titled "Chango." While they played the Catskill mountains circuit, they decide to leave New York in a caravan that included 6 members, 3 roadies, wives, children and pets. Arriving in sunny California and settling in Ojai, they soon started playing to local crowds and gained a cult following. while playing at the Starwood in Los Angeles, they signed a managerial contract with Johanan Vigoda(Stevie Wonder's manager) who quickly signed them to a contract with ABC Dunhill Records and a U.S Tour with the APA Agency supervised by David Bendett. As the opening act of Ike and Tina Turner, they played Los Angeles @ Pitschel Players April 30 to May 3, Denver's Hobart's Field with Larry Corryel, Dallas Travis Field with Gino Vannelli, Houston & Austin, TX May 10th, Atlanta Munnicipal Auditorium May 15th with Robin Trower, Jacksonville Coliseum with Bob Seger, Miami Jai Alai, May 17th with Ike and Tina Turner and May 19th at West Palm Beach Auditorium,Tampa, FL, Nixon Hall with Rush, Baton Rouge Independent Hall with the Neville Brothers and Birgminham, Alabama, Auditorium with The Doobie Brothers. In 1976 the group had personnel changes and signed a deal with Mercury Records and Chango's second album "Honey is Sweeter Than Blood" was released, although it did not fare as well as the first one it is still in the market. In the year 2000 an european label re-released the first album "Chango." In 2001 The soul of 81 winkles released Chango's "Mira Pa'Ca" and was well received throughout Europe and Asia. Two other releases, Chicano Power: Latin Rock in the U.S. A 1968-1976 and Chicano Revolucion-The Chicano Spirit(France) with Malo, Santana, Sapo, Tora as a compilation.
Pepe has 3 daughters and a son and now lives in California and continues to write music, and a novel/screenplay titled "Killer Predators."
The Soul of 81 Winkles
[edit]Actually I think it was released 1998 or 1999. Kirsten Taylor sang lead vocal. Backing vocals were sung by Sahara Evans and Kirsten Taylor. Keys by Adam Carpenter, bass by Buster Cottam, percussion by Ed Frith, guitar by Vid Cousins. Alan Fish and Dec Hickey produced it. THE ORIGINS OF THIS GROUP STARTED IN THE 70S IN BROOKLYN NY WER MYSELF AND JOSE PEPE GOMEZ AND I GOT TOGETHER ONE DAY IN HIS APT OFF OF EASTERN PARKWAY IN BROOKLYN NY, IAM HENRY SERRA AND I WOULD FOR PEPE GOMEZ TO LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME I DIDNT WRITE MIRA PA CA! I CAME UP WITH THE TITLE AND THE MELODIE.I HAD DIFFERENT WORDS.THEY WHERE CHANGED AND MUST SAY THE WORDS ARE BETTER. THE INTRO " MIRA PAC CA YO QUIERO VERTE MAMA THAT RIGHT THERE IS 100% MINE. I KNOW THE REAL STORY OF HOW CHANGO STARTED AUDITIONING IN MANHATTAN FOR I BELIEVE MICHAEL LANG AND ANOTHER GUY THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION. I MIGHT BE WRONG WITH THE NAMES BUT I RENEMBER BEING TOLD BY THE GUYS THAT WE AUDITIONED FOR TO PACK UP WE WER GOING TO WOODSTOCK. IMAGINE LEAVING ME OUT! BEFORE GEORGE TACKTICOS, I HENRY SERRA WAS!!! ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME dauofmiamifl24@gmail.com is my email. 615 556 5938 There's nothing in this life that is hidden that wont come out In the light! CASE IN POINT!! HENRY SERRA.....GOOGLE THE WARLOCKS MIAMI BAND AS IN 1969-71 I WAS THE LEAD SINGER OF SAID GROUP. PEPE HAD A GROUP IN MIAMI AROUND 1963-64 CALLED THE DRONES WHO DID BEATLES COVER TUNES ETC. COME OUT COME OUT WE'RE EVER YOU ARE PEPE EL MONO AS HE WAS NICKNAMED!! MERRY XMAS