What do you get when you get Mexican culture, Punk rock, and song parodies? Not only do you get an insane amount of comedy, but you get the brilliant group Manic Hispanic. Founded in 1992, Manic Hispanic blends Chicano culture and Punk Rock with humorous lyrics as well as a satirical insight into said Chicano culture. The name of the band itself is a perfect combination of what the band is all about. Manic Hispanic combines the Chicano identity of all the band members with a parody of a name often associated with the Punk scene, Manic Panic. Yes, the band got their name as a parody of the hair dye company.
Background:
Founded in 1992, the original lineup for Manic Hispanic was made up of members from various Punk bands. These members include Steve Soto of The Adolescents, and Mike “Gabby” Gaborno from Cadillac Tramps. The band originally formed to perform Doo Wop parodies of classic Punk songs but soon switched to performing Punk songs in “Spanglish”. Manic Hispanic’s members all came from other bands to form the band as a supergroup, with even an “in character” backstory of how they formed as a band. According to BYORecords.com, The story goes that the band’s Probation Officer from the OC recommended that they form a band to keep them from being on the streets.
Louie Perez III of Manic Hispanic said this about the band: “Manic began as, and will always be, Chicano punk rock friends playing songs that make our fans happy and laugh. None of that ideology has changed since our first day out of the pinta. In our not-so-humble opinion, an accurate description of Latino culture must represent the good and the bad.”
The band would eventually evolve into adding more members as well as release some albums under BYO Records that parodied the names of other Punk albums such as “Mijo Goes to Jr. College”, a play on Decendents’ “Milo Goes to College”. Some of their stand-out songs include songs like “Chancla Abuser”, “Rudy Cholo”, and “21st Century Vato Loco”, all of them being clever parodies of songs from The Dead Boys, Rancid, and King Crimson.
What Makes Manic Hispanic Unique:
Manic Hispanic is a band that incorporates humor into their music. They do this by using the slang and culture surrounding Cholos and Mexicans in their parodies, despite not identifying as Cholos themselves. However, their humor is not intended to insult. They, instead, aim to celebrate and bring attention to them through their fun songs. The band celebrates the Mexican and Cholo cultures in a unique way that reflects their pride in these cultures. They show pride particularly in a music scene where Latinos are often underrepresented. Alternative music genres such as Punk, Metal, and Hardcore often disregard the contributions of Latinos, despite the significant number of individuals who have been a part of these scenes. Manic Hispanic’s music is a breath of fresh air within the already limited Latino scene. Their infectious pride in the culture is a welcome addition.
The band said this about their music: “Our superpower is laughter. Be it the tragedy masks (Smile Now, Cry Later), or our Ofrendas on Dia de los Muertos. Laughter and celebration have been what makes us thrive as a culture. We are too busy getting the jale done to feel sorry for ourselves.”
Conclusion:
Manic Hispanic is a superb band that is worth giving a listen to. Their blend of humor and music makes them an underrated supergroup. They also show that there’s still Latino pride in the alternative music scene. In the words of the band: “Up the punx. Up the raza!”
