Cult & Culture Podcast Episode 19 feat. Karlos Paez of Sonido de la Frontera

Episode 19 is a conversation with San Diego-based Karlos Paez of B*Side Players and Sonido de la Frontera. Karlos is a “musician, DJ, producer, songwriter, activist, and thrift store hustler” whose music incorporates elements of cumbia, funk, acid jazz, soul, Latin groove, Afro-beat, and hip hop, among others. With a career spanning over 25 years, this episode touches on many of Paez’s early musical influences, even drawing connections to the less obvious straight edge and hardcore communities he grew up around in the 90s, where he would meet punks that would end up in the rhythm sections of his bands. Karlos reflects on his personal history, from sharing a rehearsal space with P.O.D. when both were just starting out, to B*Side Players playing 180 shows a year as a successful 9+ piece party band and getting to travel the world. Luke, Justin, and Karlos also discuss the dynamics of playing in a 3 piece band versus a 9 piece, the visual aspect of performing with regards to style, and the importance of acknowledging and embracing where you come from.

The concept of Cult and Culture began as a short segment created by Justin Pearson, an internationally known musician, record label owner (Three One G Records), author, and actor. He is perhaps best known as bassist for bands such as Dead Cross, The Locust, and Some Girls as well as vocalist for Deaf Club, Swing Kids, and Planet B. Having traveled the world touring in hardcore and punk bands since age 15, Justin has come to know and work with a broad spectrum of captivating personalities and brilliant minds, many of which are key figures in the realm of popular culture and cult followings alike-- from being on the soundtrack to John Waters’ Cecil B. Demented, to acting in an Asia Argento’s Incompresa, to playing in Dead Cross with Mike Patton and Dave Lombardo. Cult and Culture arose as an opportunity to document bits and pieces of the DIY-driven, subversive world of art Pearson identifies with- one that many are not aware of or perhaps have misconceptions about.

Eventually, Pearson joined up with producer and bandmate Luke Henshaw (Sonido De La Frontera, Planet B, Satanic Planet, First Power Crew) to build the idea into a proper podcast, now recorded at his own PengOne Studios in San Diego. Henshaw has collaborated with hip hop legends such as Invisible Skratch Piklz’ D-Styles and Q-Bert, Kool Keith, in addition to being immersed in the world of Cumbia alongside Sonido De La Frontera bandmate Karlos Paez (B Side Players). He also recently scored the music for upcoming documentary Sk8face, which tells the history of skateboard graphics. In this way, both Justin and Luke are influenced by a diverse array of subcultures that all have connected roots. John Waters was one of the first people interviewed for the podcast- an icon of both cult and culture. Since then, guests have included a broad scope of musicians, producers, authors, and anyone passionate about what they do-- anyone from Grammy-winning musician Juan Alderete (Mars Volta, Racer X, creator of Pedals And Effects) to actor Michael Malarkey (Vampire Diaries, Project Bluebook), from San Diego Black Panther Party members to longtime partners Nicola and Adam in electro-punk band ADULT. or The Satanic Temple cofounder Lucien Greaves (who would go on to form Satanic Planet with Luke and Justin as a direct result of their podcast conversation). The focus is not intended to be solely on people in any one realm, and because guests are friends and family, the conversations are frank, informal yet well-informed, and genuine. Pearson and Henshaw seek to achieve a casual openness, blurring lines between traditional guest and host. Cult and Culture is part of Ruinous Media.

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