A MUSIC TRADITION IN EAST SAN JOSE

A MUSIC TRADITION IN EAST SAN JOSE

By Ivan Flores

Summertime in the East Side 1995. I can smell the carne asada, see jump houses down the street. Cars rattling as someone rolls through the hood bumping West Coast Rap through their newly hooked up system. You can feel the mufflers rumbling as one of the OGs would cruise by with their freshly shined up ride, playing oldies, Freestyle or Funk, up and down Alum Rock Avenue, and at home there was always a steady rotation of Romanticas, Soul & Oldies, Salsa, Cumbia, along with so many other genres.

“Cars rattling as someone rolls through the hood bumping West Coast Rap through their newly hooked up system.”

But for me, as a teenager walking ‘round East Hills and White Road, there was nothing better than my backpack full of mixtapes and my walkman. I felt that my music was my identity and image - something I placed a lot of importance on. This developed into a creative and artistic form of expression that would remain with me for the next twenty-plus years.

“..there was nothing better than my backpack full of mixtapes and my walkman.”

Like many others, I was that kid…every neighborhood had some: the stoners, rockers, played guitar or drums in a band, wore all black even in the summertime. In the late 90s, there were a lot of youngsters on that same tip, which birthed an underground Metal and Punk scene all throughout the East Side. With most performances taking place at a homie’s backyard or house party. Eventually, many of these bands started playing at clubs Downtown like the Cactus Club, among others. Some bands stuck with it or formed other bands and went on to have some success, while others went other directions in life.

“With most performances taking place at a homie’s backyard or house party.”