American pride, soccer, and beer are just some of the ingredients that create the street punk that’s “in your face” or simply known as The Booked, out of Corpus Christi.
For about nine years, these hooligans have been creating havoc and good tunes, while traveling all over the Lone Star state and U.S.
Members Trey Garcia (vocals), Bryan Garcia (guitar and vocals), Danny Chapa (drums), Mikey Campos (guitar), and “The Deuce” (bass and vocals), seem not unlike your average guys with a rebellious heart dedicated to punk.
To get and understanding of their sound, front man Trey Garcia has said “Hard to describe, kind of like putting Pantera, Agnostic Front, and Cocksparrer into a blender. I guess we would be the result.”
Having recorded their debut album in 1999, “A Case of Pride” in New York, with Radical Records own Don Fury of “Helmet” and “Agnostic Front” (which you can purchase through www.squigtone.com), The Booked have traveled with well known bands of punk rock such as Blanks 77, Dropkick Murphy’s, and Lower Class Brats. Needless to say these guys have gotten around.
Asking Trey what has kept the band going for these nine-some years, “because were all friends, we play a form of music we believe in, while other bands have members that jump around from band to band with no passion, with every one of our songs we have a personal connection to it.”
In early February, The Booked stopped by the dusty city of Laredo along with Mark Linksey of Hudson Falcons and played a set at the local establishment, The Cold Brew. Although it was a small crowd, those who came out were impressed with the presence that these boys brought with them, and since have been asking when they would return.
When I asked Trey about returning, “We’d love to come back to Laredo, if they want us to.”
Understanding these fella’s is easy. They are “veteran” Street Punk at its finest. Their love of music, family and friends gets to the heart of many rockers who feel that main stream punk rock has left them out in the cold and disappointed. Trey had this to say about current punk rock, “it’s good, but it’s two faced, today you have the kids that follow the fashion and not a movement they believe in for themselves.”
Bands like The Booked, remind us and still let us hold on to the good ol’ days of punk rock. When it wasn’t a fashion statement to annoy parents, when those who challenged you, made you turn around and “gave it right back at ‘um,’ and the unity all the while.”
Now that your adrenaline is pumping, your boots laced tight and your fists raised up high, run by and see what the rebellion is about at www.myspace.com/thebooked. Ya’ bunch of Hooligans!