D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
February
2009
Bugs Salcido
Page: 2
But then there is also the chance that you will hear his album called "Juarez Murders," a sort of concept album, loosely based on the killings of several hundred women across the border from El Paso.
He says, "It has a number of 'borderesque' references, it is dark, and it came about after I saw the documentary (Senorita Extraviada/Missing Young Women) by Lourdes Portillo. We did some benefit shows for Amigos de las Mujeres, and donated some CDs for that." Amigos is a support group for the families of the victims of femicide.
Salcido had help on the album from Sheryl Crow's engineer, Jeff Trott, along with Lowery of Cracker fame. Resignedly, Salcido adds that the album is probably "too dark" to be any kind of a commercial success.
His first album was "Bug2000," which is a bit more of a rock-and-roll offering, is splendidly produced, and is effortless to listen to. "I made it in Portland (Ore.), and it took almost two years to do," he recalls.
Salcido worked on the album with a number of talented and experienced people who had worked with artists such as Tom Petty, Crow, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Some of the songs were inspired by local writers in Portland.
He followed a suggestion that he make "Bug2000" a numbered, limited edition, which turned out to be a good idea. A quick look at Amazon.com finds that the CD is now a collector's item and ranges in price from $27 to $70. It is a fine piece of work, and the backup work by members of various other bands of note gives it a unique quality and sound.
Salcido was also honored several years ago by Paul McCartney (yes, that Paul McCartney), when the former Beatle chose one of Salcido's compositions, "Everyone Needs Some Love Now," for a compilation album called "The Garland Appeal's Familiar Mysteries."
"It was all work by unsigned songwriters, and was for a charity (Garland Appeal) that McCartney started in honor of his late wife, Linda," Salcido explains. "Any money it makes is used to buy MRI machines for rural areas around the world. McCartney really believes in the healing power of music."
Salcido is slightly shy, but now he offers full eye contact and a fleeting smile when he says, "McCartney chose it because of it had 'Lennonesque' qualities" — in reference of course to the great John Lennon.
Salcido's current project, a compilation of music and poems in collaboration with poet Quincy Troupe, is now his all-consuming passion. The project, which will become both a CD and a DVD, has taken all of his time and energy."And money," he adds.
"This is a responsibility of a lifetime," Salcido says. Troupe, a prolific writer, has numerous published books of poetry, many of them utilizing his skill of "poems in jazz," and has written a biography about Miles Davis. He is also the winner of two American Book Awards, and his father played in the Negro baseball leagues of yore. Embroiled in controversy a few years ago after being named California's first poet laureate, when it was discovered he didn't actually have a college degree, Troupe has put that behind him and continues to be a strong voice in the world of poetry and literature. Troupe has been an influence on Salcido in many different ways. Salcido refers to him as "the black grandfather I never had. He has the same birthday as my paternal grandfather."
Salcido has had Troupe in the studio, where the poet gave him a new nickname, "Slavedriver," Salcido says with a hint of pride and humor.
"On some sleepless nights I would go through his poems, and one night he called me. 'How are you picking the poems?' he asked. I said, 'Oh, it's based on the number of teardrops on the page.'
"I'd do it all again," Salcido says. "He's been a most vibrant force." Salcido relates how Troupe and his work helped to give him the courage to contact his ex-wife. "I finally called her and said, 'Thank you for loving me enough to marry me, and I am sorry that I was not mature enough to be with you.' All of that came through Quincy."
Bugs Salcido has not made a fortune on his music, but that will never stop him from continuing to write, perform and play. Salcido says he is always writing, and has a future plan to make video blogs of poems. He is hoping for an endorsement from Troupe and to work with him on the project.
His latest collaboration is with the dance company Project in Motion, directed by Hilary McDaniel Douglas. “They do aerial dance—silk fabric hanging from the rafters,” Salcido says. “Think Cirque du Soleil. Pretty amazing stuff. We will be doing a tribute to Nick Drake as well as some of my songs. We start a Midwest tour that ends up in New York City in March.”
As for albums, Bugs adds, “I’ll sell some, there is stuff available on archive.org, but I believe that it is important just to share music.”
As Quincy Troupe says in one of his poems set to music, backed by Salcido and a local band, “Music is language. Music is everywhere, everywhere is music.”
You can hear several of Bugs Salcido's songs at www.myspace.com/bugssalcido or find out more about him and his travels at www.bugssalcido.com. When not on tour, he plays Saturday nights at Vintage Wine in Las Cruces.
Jeff Berg
dabbles in writing in Las Cruces. He thanks
Patricia Gonzalez for the inspiration
for this article.