Tribe of Gypsies
TRIBE OF GYPSIES
The members of The Tribe of Gypsies grew among the gangs in the most difficult districts of San Fernando and east Los Angeles. It was the universal language of music which made them deviate from the ways of drugs and the crime. Together, they form a group with a mission, a precise goal and a particular vision. They are a kind of gang to their manner. A musical gang where the only goal is to combine their distincts and varied talents in a musical style which does not reflect only their rich personal cultural heritage, but which can also be appreciated everywhere in the world.
It all started when the guitarist and producer Roy Z started a solo project which gave him the desire for forming a group. The group is his vision. His Hispanic heritage attracted towards his native rhythms. He lengthily studied the origin of the percussions as well as the various forms of rhythms. After it, Roy found his old school friend Eddie Casillas who was a bass player, bringing an explosive latino-funky style. Then, a powerful rhythm section with Doug Van Booven (percussion), Mario Aguilar (percussion) and David Ingraham (drums) was made. The group had already started to record and, when Dean Ortega, the so much coveted singer, decided to join them, The Tribe of Gypsies took-off. Later, Doug Van Booven was forced to leave the group which was then replaced by Elvis Ballatares and Rey Gonzales with the keyboards.
The Tribe of Gypsies quickly built a fan base in the local clubs, and it was on a particular concert in Palamino that they were first noticed. A rock journalist had invited some of his friends to see them playing. Shay Baby, which at this time was recording the new solo album of Bruce Dickinson for Keith Olsen, was also invited. He was so impressed that he also wanted to mix their album. With a small budget, which did not seem to be a possible option, Shay insisted to lsiten to their material. Whereas Shay had finally dealt with them, The Tribe of Gyspsies quickly found a new fan and friend. “I remember that, one night, I went in the Goodnight studio”, said Roy Z, “to listen to some tracks, and in front of the console I saw a silhouette which was amazingly singing our songs. When I entered, I saw that it was Bruce Dickinson “. Shay, which finished producing Bruce’s album, had made him discover The Tribe of Gypsies.
Bonds of friendship were tied between Bruce and the group. Bruce invited Roy Z to co-write songs for his second solo album, “Balls to Picasso” and The Tribe of Gypsies recorded with him in London. After his work with Bruce, Roy produced and contributed to the writing of Downset’s first album, the new feeling hip-hop/metal. And also managed to produce “Feel punk lucky” by Klover, for Mercury records. Finally, after having almost spent a year in the studio with other groups, Roy and The Tribe of Gypsies had had the possibility to write almost two complete albums. The Tribe of Gypsies have an impressive musical vocabulary based on the various influences of the members of the group. There are keys of Latin music, funk, jazz, pop, rock’n'roll & folk, but also with metal elements metal which are worked in a single combination. “We all bleed red” is a seven minutes epic, sometimes delicated, sometimes just furiously metal. The chorus “Brothers and sisters we all bleed red” gives you a sudden desire to sing. The at the end of “El barrio” (”The neighbourhood is my world, my world is my neighbourhood”) you can see the personification of the band’s musical conscience. “In semi barrio” the listener is introduced into the streets where the group grew by a great metal riff, but still very dancing, “Party” begins with a great slapping bass by Eddie Casillas, with an incredibly involving rhythm , which made a journalist write: “It is the best song than Sly Stone never wrote!”. “Mero mero mambo” is a traditional mambo arrangement which was mixed with incredible guitar lines. The picking flamenco technique of Roy Z, mixed with furious riffs, linked two forms of music which one would never have thought that they coul be mixed (metal and mambo).
The Tribe of Gypsies started to tour the United States, therefore they could not play on Bruce’s Balls To Picasso tour. This forced Bruce to look for new musicians, and then, this is where the guys from Sack Trick enter the story.
After 1996 the Skunkworks band split and Bruce had the idea to invite Roy and the rest of the Trybe of Gypsies to record a new album, which would have a back to the roots approach, which was pure heavy metal. Bruce also had in mind to ask for an old friend help and this was when invited Adrian Smith to get together with him and the Tribe.
So in 1997, Bruce released “Accident of Birth” which was a success. They were so happy with the result that they stuck together for a new studio album (The Chemical Wedding) in 1998.
Bruce and Roy Z have such a strong bond, that seven years after his last studio album, Bruce once again, gets together with Roy to record and produce his new solo album (Tyranny of Souls) in 2005.
Unfortunately, the Tribe of Gypsies are no longer a band, but as long as Bruce and Roy keep their friendship we can always count on some great music from them.
Text translated from the french Bruce Dickinson fan club site with tiny bits added by Nando
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