Photo by Matt Weinberger, Words by Marisa Whitaker
Mexico City-bred singer-songwriter Americo of rock ‘n’ roll band The Americojones Experience sat down with Alt Citizen at Dimes Square staple Le Dive to talk about his most recent music doings in both CDMX and NYC. Hanging in town for just two weeks, Americo snagged performances at two of the city’s most coveted venues, an acoustic set at Nightclub 101, followed by a late-night DJ set at Studio 151.
Americo talks about his early travels to NYC with family, the influence of noise rock on Mexican bands, his friendship with Alt Citizen editor-in-chief Nasa Hadizadeh, his experience acting in the new punk rock film Violentas Mariposas (alongside Nasa!), and his plans with the band back in Mexico.
Marisa: I love your music. It’s very Cramps, rock ‘n’ roll, experimental. How long have you been with your band?
Americo: It’s been seven years. The last album I recorded was with other friends while I was living in Berlin. It was a bit improvised.
Marisa: You’re DJing tomorrow night at Studio 151. When did you start DJing?
Americo: It’s been my job for the last year in Mexico.
Marisa: Why’d you pick it up?
Americo: I’ve always loved vinyl. In the last year, I saw the opportunity to get gigs in Mexico. I’m grateful to do it as a job because I get to be around music more often.
Marisa: All I know about Mexico City music is from Nasa. What’s going on down there in the music scene?
Americo: Mexico City is pretty interesting. I think there are a lot of new bands. From when I was a kid to now, it’s impressive the number of new bands there are. There are events all the time. It’s a bit too much sometimes. There are sometimes five gigs in a single day.
Marisa: There’s always been bands in New York City. Especially a lot of new ones after the pandemic. There was a big burst of creativity following the lockdown, and being so isolated.
Americo: I think right before COVID, in Mexico, it was going pretty well, and then the lockdown stopped it all. Like you said, I do think it helped creatively, though, and it got people to go in and make an album or whatever. I think you see people around you who are doing something, and you think it’s cool, so you just want to do it more and more.
Marisa: Are a lot of your friends musicians too?
Americo: Yeah. A lot of my bandmates and musician friends I’ve known for a long time. Some of them and others I know from playing music in Mexico City. You get to know a lot of people, so it’s a bit of both. I think we all just inspired ourselves to become a bit more serious. Actually record things and put them out.
Marisa: What made you want to become serious about music?
Americo: Well, eventually, you think, it could be a hobby and something not so serious. I think it’s something you have to put a lot of energy and thought into. Most of the time, you’re maybe not doing anything, but at the same time, you’re thinking about it. Art and music are a strange thing. You can’t really plan when a good song is gonna come. Being around music is important. You’re getting to know certain people, jamming, and getting to follow through with recording and gigs.
Marisa: Did you always want to make music?
Americo: I always loved music, but I didn’t want to make it so much when I was younger. I was first a big fan of the 60s and 70s, and a bit of the 80s and 90s. I’m not so much a fan of the new indie rock ‘n’ roll thing now, I prefer hip hop. Eventually, with playing and liking music a lot, I thought, I can say something new. I can still play rock ‘n’ roll, but do my own thing.
Marisa: What were some of the first bands you ever listened to?
Americo: I was a big Sonic Youth fan when I was little, and I still am. I went to a show in Mexico City when I was 12 years old. I bought all the records. Nirvana got me into making music and the guitar. Nowadays, I don’t listen to them as much. I listen to The Cramps, Suicide, and Television. Also, Isaac Hayes, Sly and the Family Stone … all kinds of music, but rock ‘n’ roll is my main thing.
Marisa: I told you earlier, I was listening to your music, and I hear The Cramps in there. I hear Suicide in there. Sonic Youth is such a New York band. What’s your connection to New York? Had you been here before you met Nasa?
Americo: My dad grew up here in New York. His parents and brothers all grew up in New York. I used to come here a lot when I was young. I didn’t have many friends; it was more for family trips. I’m coming back more often now, though most of my family moved out of the city. I hang with Nasa and certain people I know from Mexico City, and through them, I’ve gotten to know more people making music. I’m rediscovering the city now that I’m of age and going to bars and finding more music.
Marisa: How did you meet Nasa?
Americo: I don’t remember exactly when, but in Mexico City some few years ago. She used to play bass in a friend’s group called Niña Diablo. Through hanging with them, I met Nasa and started hanging with her. I came to New York around two years ago, and hung out with her a bit, went to some shows, and now we’re doing it again.
Marisa: Did Nasa introduce you to a lot of musicians and music spots here? Or did you already know about the music scene here?
Americo: I knew a bit about what’s happening now. I knew, of course, about Julian and The Strokes. And I knew about Promiseland because of the music scene in Mexico. I know Sara Azul, Juan Jueltes, I hang with him a bit, and Don Juan. There’s always been things happening here. It’s cool to know people who still dig rock ‘n’ roll, like The Ramones and stuff. New York has had so many changes in music, and while I don’t know about everything that’s happening right now, I know there’s still rock ‘n’ roll.
Marisa: I think there always will be. What other New York bands do you like?
Americo: New York is my favorite music city. Also, salsa was born here. Willie Colon and shit like that. And hip hop. Television, Suicide, Richard Hell, New York Dolls. Johnny Thunders is one of my favorites.
Marisa: Tell me about your upcoming shows in New York.
Americo: I just got one set up at Studio 101, I think it’s called.
Marisa: Nightclub 101. It’s the cool kid spot.
Americo: Right, Nightclub 101. Cool. I’m just gonna play two songs with my acoustic guitar. I bought it at Guitar Center here. I’m happy about it.
Marisa: Are you gonna fly it back with you?
Americo: Yeah. One way or another, it’s coming back with me.
Marisa: Aren’t you DJing too?
Americo: Yeah, I’m DJing at midnight that same night. I think at Studio …
Marisa: Studio 151. It can be confusing.
Americo: 151. It’s confusing. But yeah, busy night. It’s gonna be fun. I’ve been to Studio 151 before, and it’s pretty cool. Pretty good sound system. There are always a lot of people on a Tuesday.
Marisa: You’re playing at two of the coolest spots in town that a lot of people wanna play at.
Americo: That’s pretty cool. All thanks to Nasa. And my music, I hope.
Marisa: Nasa really uplifts you as a musician, and I know y’all are good friends.
Americo: We’re just down to hang out. I like her energy and her taste. When I’m here, I’m down to hang with her, and we try to do the same in Mexico. She liked the band early on and wanted to sign us to Julian’s label. It didn’t end up happening, but eventually we got signed to a pretty good one. We got our first record pressed. We’re trying to make a new album now, but it’s taken a bit more time than it should.
Marisa: What are your plans for the band when you go back home?
Americo: Maybe get a gig in the city. We haven’t played in Mexico City in a while. Eventually, I think the band is gonna disperse in August and September. So before then, I wanna book more shows and finish the album, hopefully. Work on new shit.
Marisa: What’s the new album gonna be like?
Americo: It’s been a lot of time since we started working on it. We have about eight or seven songs. I’m trying not to be really critical about it, but I am, so it’s taken longer. It’s heavier with synthesizers, and, of course, some rock ‘n’ roll. I want to try to make it more jam-like with the band. I try to make each album different, but I also try not to overthink what I want to do or put any tags on it.
Marisa: What can you tell me about the music scene in Mexico City?
Americo: In Mexico, it’s good, but I don’t think there are enough bars that sound good. It’s difficult to get good deals. But there are so many things happening. It has its good and bad. It’s very DIY, do it yourself. The places are weird. The spirit is good. Rock ‘n’ roll is pretty big, but right now, there are a lot of noise gigs going on in Mexico City. People are trying to be more experimental. It’s such a big city, and there are so many people, I think every genre is probably being played.
Marisa: What American bands or genres do you think have the biggest influence on music being made in Mexico today?
Americo: Sonic Youth has a big audience in Mexico. A lot of underground things have a big audience in Mexico. At the same time, the biggest audience in Mexico is still for bands like Interpol, The Kooks, The Strokes, or whatever 90s or 2000s band comes through on tour. People are really into nostalgia.
Marisa: You and Nasa both acted in a new film, Violentas Mariposas. It’s about a punk band and social injustice. What was that experience like?
Americo: I haven’t seen the final cut, but it was a good experience. I think it happened because of the band Nasa was playing in, Niña Diablo. They have a scene where they’re playing one of their songs in the movie. I got cast to be in the band in the movie. I’ve been in acting roles before. I played the guitarist. It wasn’t my first job as a rock ‘n’ roller, 80s, Mexican punk guy. I also did another movie called This Is Not Berlin.
Marisa: What has it been like for you to work with other creatives?
Americo: In the history of music, and in my own experience, everything is a bit magical. You’re always meeting people who lead you to other people, or give you the means to do what you want to do. It just started with me playing with my friends. Then you get to know like-minded people. Eventually, you meet a producer, and he likes the music, so we collaborate. It hasn’t been so much as me coming in with money and ideas. You’re meeting people and saying, “I want to do this,” and they come in and start helping. Eventually, good shit comes out of it. It’s really cool to meet cool people and cool places through music.
Marisa: I was just talking about that at my last meeting with a musician. The rhythm of making things happen and the chain of events are really magical in music. What else do you want to say about your music?
Americo: You should listen. I hope you dig it.
Marisa: I dig it. It’s so sick. What are you gonna spin tomorrow night?
Americo: I brought some records from Mexico.
Marisa: You traveled with vinyl? You’re a champ for that. What’d you bring?
Americo: Some funk, rock ‘n’ roll, and some funky disco shit. I don’t even know the playlist yet.
Marisa: I’ll hear it tomorrow. Tuesday is my favorite night of the week to go out. I always end my Tuesday night at 151.
Americo: It’s gonna be a perfect night to get to party in the city and leave for Mexico the next day.