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Zeros minus two equals '77
A partial punk reunion at the Casbah
Hector Penaloso and Robert “El Vez” Lopez as The Zeros ’77.
There has always been a crack in the foundation of The Zeros, whose story has passed into punk rock legend. In 1976, four teenage kids from Chula Vista got a call from The Nerves to play a gig at The Orpheum in LA, an event that would change their young lives. Those four kids were Javier Escovedo (guitar/vocals), Robert Lopez (guitar/vocals), Hector Penalosa (bass), and Baba Chenelle banging the drums. Then in 1977, the band released Don’t Push Me Around for Bomp! Records.
Then, somewhere in 1978, The Zeros disbanded. The first one to leave was Penalosa. He gravitated to LA. to be part of a more happening punk scene than what San Diego could offer at that time. Lopez (who later created the alter-ego El Vez, the Mexican Elvis) followed him north shortly after. “We were really active once we got our feet in the LA punk scene,” says Penalosa.
Fast forward to this past year, when Munster Records released the Bomp! 50th anniversary reissue of Don’t Push Me Around. Cool! But: Lopez says he and Penalosa were not informed of the new Bomp! reissue. So last year, they formed an offspring of The Zeros calling themselves The Zeros ’77. “The Zeros ’77 is a set format, a specific frame of reference. It’s easy, known, and fun,” Lopez says.
Escovedo has his own thoughts on The Zeros ’77. “I don’t really care what they do, but I wish they would write their own songs. Make a new record and rock on. Why do you have to be The Zeros when you didn’t want to be The Zeros? And everybody thinks it’s us. They don’t notice the ’77. One thing I want to emphasize is I have nothing against Robert or Hector. They can do whatever they want. At the end of the day, they’re promoting The Zeros — in a way.”
For his part, Lopez states that he isn’t trying to fool anybody by using The Zeros ’77 name. “I wrote a quarter of the songs,” he claims. “We always say who’s in the band, and we only put pictures of Hector and me, so it’s obvious you’re not getting Javier’s Zeros. It’s not a money grab or anything like that.”
Other members of The Zeros ’77 include Adam Remmers on guitar and Lety Beers (Schizophonics) on drums. About Remmers, Lopez says, “I first saw him play [when he was 16] at The House of Blues for a school of rock type of thing. He was great. I said then, ‘I don’t know when or where, but at some time we will work together.' And here we are. He is a great learn, a very quick study, versatile musician.” As for Beers, whose band has done overseas tours as part of his El Vez act, Lopez says “Lety is my rock. We have done so many side projects together. Had great times and bad times, and I love her so much. She inspires and we push each other to step out of our comfort zones and try new stuff.”
Penalosa shares his take on co-founding The Zeros ’77: “We kicked around the idea for a long time, but always felt like we didn’t need to do it. Finally, Robert and I put our heads together and said, 'You know what, we’ve got to claim our stake on what half of what this band is.' I admire Javier for his songwriting and guitar playing. He’s a great musician, don’t get me wrong.” Another catalyst that inspired Lopez to start The Zeros ’77 with Penalosa was an unreleased documentary about The Zeros called “Beat My Heart Out” . According to both Lopez and Penalosa, the plug on this project was pulled by Escovedo.
"Who wouldn't want to have a movie about their band?"
“We would like the documentary to come out,” says Lopez. “The documentary is about Javier, Baba, Hector, and Robert. The real Zeros of that period [1976-1978] that the filmmakers liked, which was the story of 1977 with four unassuming Latino boys out of Chula Vista.”
Penalosa concurs. “Who wouldn’t want to have a movie about their band? We’ve been really lucky like that. People come and offer us deals. I was mad at that.” However, Penalosa is still hopeful the documentary will see the light of day. “Right now, it’s in editing, and it’s definitely going to be done by the end of the year. Why would you want to spend all this time on something just to throw it in the trash?”
The Zeros ’77 appears at The Casbah on June 22. Penalosa will be pulling triple duty that night as his other band, the Hector Penalosa Gang, is set to play the same bill, which is headlined by San Francisco punk pioneers The Avengers. “We’re not going to get together all the time,” Penalosa says of The Zeros ‘77. “It’s rare that we’re even going to do the Casbah show.”
Here's something you might be interested in.
Zeros minus two equals '77
A partial punk reunion at the Casbah
Zeros minus two equals '77
A partial punk reunion at the Casbah
Hector Penaloso and Robert “El Vez” Lopez as The Zeros ’77.
There has always been a crack in the foundation of The Zeros, whose story has passed into punk rock legend. In 1976, four teenage kids from Chula Vista got a call from The Nerves to play a gig at The Orpheum in LA, an event that would change their young lives. Those four kids were Javier Escovedo (guitar/vocals), Robert Lopez (guitar/vocals), Hector Penalosa (bass), and Baba Chenelle banging the drums. Then in 1977, the band released Don’t Push Me Around for Bomp! Records.
Then, somewhere in 1978, The Zeros disbanded. The first one to leave was Penalosa. He gravitated to LA. to be part of a more happening punk scene than what San Diego could offer at that time. Lopez (who later created the alter-ego El Vez, the Mexican Elvis) followed him north shortly after. “We were really active once we got our feet in the LA punk scene,” says Penalosa.
Fast forward to this past year, when Munster Records released the Bomp! 50th anniversary reissue of Don’t Push Me Around. Cool! But: Lopez says he and Penalosa were not informed of the new Bomp! reissue. So last year, they formed an offspring of The Zeros calling themselves The Zeros ’77. “The Zeros ’77 is a set format, a specific frame of reference. It’s easy, known, and fun,” Lopez says.
Escovedo has his own thoughts on The Zeros ’77. “I don’t really care what they do, but I wish they would write their own songs. Make a new record and rock on. Why do you have to be The Zeros when you didn’t want to be The Zeros? And everybody thinks it’s us. They don’t notice the ’77. One thing I want to emphasize is I have nothing against Robert or Hector. They can do whatever they want. At the end of the day, they’re promoting The Zeros — in a way.”
For his part, Lopez states that he isn’t trying to fool anybody by using The Zeros ’77 name. “I wrote a quarter of the songs,” he claims. “We always say who’s in the band, and we only put pictures of Hector and me, so it’s obvious you’re not getting Javier’s Zeros. It’s not a money grab or anything like that.”
Other members of The Zeros ’77 include Adam Remmers on guitar and Lety Beers (Schizophonics) on drums. About Remmers, Lopez says, “I first saw him play [when he was 16] at The House of Blues for a school of rock type of thing. He was great. I said then, ‘I don’t know when or where, but at some time we will work together.' And here we are. He is a great learn, a very quick study, versatile musician.” As for Beers, whose band has done overseas tours as part of his El Vez act, Lopez says “Lety is my rock. We have done so many side projects together. Had great times and bad times, and I love her so much. She inspires and we push each other to step out of our comfort zones and try new stuff.”
Penalosa shares his take on co-founding The Zeros ’77: “We kicked around the idea for a long time, but always felt like we didn’t need to do it. Finally, Robert and I put our heads together and said, 'You know what, we’ve got to claim our stake on what half of what this band is.' I admire Javier for his songwriting and guitar playing. He’s a great musician, don’t get me wrong.” Another catalyst that inspired Lopez to start The Zeros ’77 with Penalosa was an unreleased documentary about The Zeros called “Beat My Heart Out” . According to both Lopez and Penalosa, the plug on this project was pulled by Escovedo.
"Who wouldn't want to have a movie about their band?"
“We would like the documentary to come out,” says Lopez. “The documentary is about Javier, Baba, Hector, and Robert. The real Zeros of that period [1976-1978] that the filmmakers liked, which was the story of 1977 with four unassuming Latino boys out of Chula Vista.”
Penalosa concurs. “Who wouldn’t want to have a movie about their band? We’ve been really lucky like that. People come and offer us deals. I was mad at that.” However, Penalosa is still hopeful the documentary will see the light of day. “Right now, it’s in editing, and it’s definitely going to be done by the end of the year. Why would you want to spend all this time on something just to throw it in the trash?”
The Zeros ’77 appears at The Casbah on June 22. Penalosa will be pulling triple duty that night as his other band, the Hector Penalosa Gang, is set to play the same bill, which is headlined by San Francisco punk pioneers The Avengers. “We’re not going to get together all the time,” Penalosa says of The Zeros ‘77. “It’s rare that we’re even going to do the Casbah show.”
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