L.A. Drugz – ‘Outside Place’ (Hovercraft Records)

L.A. Drugz – ‘Outside Place’ (Hovercraft Records)

Eleven years after it was originally released I think I might have picked it up from Wanda Records when I saw Buzzcocks, The Nerves, The Beat, and The Plimsouls influenced them it was a no-brainer. It featured Justin Maurer as the main protagonist. How could it fail? Well, you’ll be glad to know it didn’t, and it continues to sound fresh and exciting every time I decide to drop the needle in the grooves. Man, that title track is like Audio Heroine it’s so addictive and playing it once just isn’t enough.

Hell, Look at the record jacket these cats look like they know how to have a good time and get up to mischief and do it whilst writing the best in New Wave, Punk rock known to mankind.

The group, featuring Justin Maurer from CLOROX GIRLS and SUSPECT PARTS, James Carman of MANIAC, TELEPHONE LOVERS, THE REFLECTORS, and IMAGES, Cezar Mora from BAD MACHINE, and Johnny “JD” Reyes, formerly of IMAGES and BAD MACHINE, forms a punk/power pop outfit that has pedigree and oozes quality from every pore. ‘Vampire’ just rolls on by with the sweet Bv’s stopping it nodding out its so snotty it should have catapulted the band to big things.

Inspired by the dissolution of CLOROX GIRLS in 2010, Maurer, along with Cezar Mora, and James Carman, embarked on crafting original songs under the moniker LA DRUGZ. A 10-year anniversary edition reissue is always welcome. It’s classic power pop new wave and punk, from the likes of The Briefs and of course Cute Lepers and the likes of Duncan Reid from the Boys. Infectious tracks like “Ooh Ooh Ooh” and “Marina,” are two examples of effortless pop melodies with a rough and ready exterior. Produced by the band in Calimucho, Kevin Carle’s home studio, and mastered by Daniel Husayn at North London Bomb Factory it knows what it’s after and knows the people to deliver.

The only problem with this is still only has six tracks. I would have loved to see it expanded with more music but hey you don’t always get what you want and if you didn’t get on board the first time around then don’t miss it this time – you can’t say you haven’t been warned. It’s a stellar EP chanting the gang vocals on ‘Out On The Street’ is a classic that sounds like it should have been included in The Warriors soundtrack and then it’s done. Buy It! Essential EP Purchase trashy, snotty and a genuine punk rock earworm.

Buy Here

Author:Dom Daley

Jenny ‘Trajinero’ Video Exclusive & single links

Jenny ‘Trajinero’ Video Exclusive & single links

Buy the single Here
“Trajinero” music video was animated by Miguel Jara and Celestial Brizuela at Estudio Pneuma, Mexico City, 2021.
JENNY “Trajinero b/w Kids of Today” is the sophomore EP by Justin Maurer (CLOROX GIRLS, MANIAC, SUSPECT PARTS, L.A. DRUGZ) featuring a little help from his friends Jacobo Fernandez (LAS BRUSCAS, LES TRAGIQUES, DESOBEDIENTES) and Gabriel Lopez (ESPECTROPLASMA, SONIDO GALLO NEGRO) as well as his former bandmates in LA DRUGZ who play on the B-Side “Kids of Today”. “Trajinero” is JENNY’s debut Spanish language single with the B-side “Kids of Today” sung in English. “Trajinero” was conceived during Maurer’s visit to Mexico City in November 2020. Maurer, Fernandez, and his girlfriend Corey were enjoying a Sunday afternoon boat ride in the swamps of Xochimilco, Mexico City, and Maurer was fascinated by the rough and tumble trajineros who expertly manned their hand-painted gondolas in the canals.
Over a bottle of ice-cold Don Julio Blanco, Maurer and Fernandez envisioned a plot where a lovelorn working-class trajinero must commit crimes to keep his upper-middle class fresa girlfriend happy. Loosely based on the plot of Emilio “El Indio” Fernández 1943 film Maria Candelaria, our protagonist commits a crime of passion and ends up in jail. He makes a plea to himself for his own happiness and survival, a passionate cry of “Ni Carcel/Ni Ella/Ni Nerds” which translates to “Not jail, not her, not nerds.” (The Mexican Spanish equivalent of nerds, ñoños, is sung on the final word of the song.) Maurer has been a student of the Spanish language for a couple of decades with stints living and working in both Spain and Mexico. Native Spanish speaker and homegrown chilango, Fernandez, helped him with the lyrics – scrawled quickly during an acoustic rehearsal on the rooftop of his Mexico City apartment a few days before entering T-Vox Studios to record. Covid-19 was in full swing in Mexico City in November 2020 when “Trajinero” was laid down and Maurer, Fernandez, and engineer Gabriel Lopez all double masked in the studio which is attached to the Lopez family home in Aragon; near the airport where Maurer had his flight home a few hours later. He nearly missed his flight, but a stone-cold hit was recorded. Lopez’s uncle Miguel Angel was dancing around the studio throughout the session which the boys took to be a good sign. Along with engineering and mixing the single, Lopez also played lead guitar and Vox Organ. “Kids Of Today” is a catchy banger recorded by Grammy award-winning engineer Mark Rains at Stationhouse Studios Los Angeles. The up-tempo B-side features former LA DRUGZ bandmates Cezar Mora (THE BAD MACHINE, THE WAYWARD CHAPEL), James Carman (REFLECTORS, MANIAC, IMAGES), and Johnny “JD” Reyes (REFLECTORS) handily backing Maurer up. Both sides were mastered by Daniel “Hadji” Husayn (RED DONS) at North London Bomb Factory. The limited first pressing of 300 is the complete package with beautiful cover layout and design by Snake Davis.
JENNY “Trajinero b/w Kids Of Today” 300 first-pressing copies available now for pre-order. 100 on clear vinyl, 200 on black.  
Pre-Order “Trajinero b/w Kids Of Today” in North America from Dirt Cult Records: Here
Pre-Order “Trajinero b/w Kids Of Today” in Europe from Wanda Records: Here
Follow JENNY: Bandcamp:Here
Facebook: @JENNY.POWERPOP.BAND
Instagram: @JENNY.POWERPOP.BAND