Getting It Straight:
Louichi Mayorga
Former Bassist For Suicidal Tendencies And Present Bassist For Luicidal Speaks
Interview By: Ginger Coyote
I had never met Louichi prior to this interview.. But I am very impressed by his open candor and how nice he is.... He wrote some of Suicidal Tendencies best songs and kicks major ass on bass... I am now on Team Louichi.... You Rawk!
Punk Globe:
Thanks so much for the interview... Can you give the readers some background on yourself?
Louichi Mayorga:
Hi everybody Im Louichi Mayorga former bassist for Suicidal Tendencies and present bassist for Horny Toad ,HR of the Bad Brains and LUICIDAAAAAL LOL
Punk Globe:
How old were you when you first started playing bass?
Louichi Mayorga:
I started playing bass and guitar at the age of 13
Punk Globe:
Tell us about your first band?
Louichi Mayorga:
The first band I joined, at 13, was "HIGH VOLTAGE" w school mates , "Nelson Elwell "on drums "Paul Hood" on guitar "Mike Clark" on guitar and eventually "Grant Estes" would join later and myself on bass.....We played backyard parties ,even our jr.high in Santa Monica , all over "Dogtown" in the mid 70's..
Punk Globe:
Tell us how you met Mike Muir?
Louichi Mayorga:
I Remember him as far back as the 9th grade then we ended on the same football team , our freshman year, in high school, and if I remember correctly I had the starting position as 1st string guard position and he was 2nd string... Then the next year I remember he kinda was just "gone" ...Later I remember people sayin, he was into this new wave of music, called "punk rock"..
Punk Globe:
As I remember Mike Muir started Suicidal Tendencies in the early 80's were you part of the original line up?
Louichi Mayorga:
No, I wasn't I'm pretty sure they started around 79'. I joined the summer of 81'
Punk Globe:
You were involved with writing Institutionalized right?
Louichi Mayorga:
Yes I wrote the music , it was my first contribution to the band..I wrote it at the foot of my bed...
Punk Globe:
How many records did Suicidal Tendencies do with Lisa and Frontier Records?
Louichi Mayorga:
1
Punk Globe:
Tell us about those early days playing in the band?
Louichi Mayorga:
I remember it was real refreshing to play w a band w a seen and were so active in hangin out, going to, and setting up gigs , no body was doin' what we were doin', we were kids ..And my previous bands had gone stale , it seemed like we just practice alot. Now w this new band "Suicidal Tendencies" we were makin our tshirts, gigin, I mean the seen was fresh and new and exciting...
Punk Globe:
Did you hang at Dog Town?
Louichi Mayorga:
lol yea I lived in "Dog Town" didnt know it at the time though ,I was jus a grom . We had a house on 3rd n Strand in Santa Monica, we moved there from Venice in 68' and the house would end up being my musical domain for writing and practicing , and trying out musicians like Grant Estes and RJ Herrera for "Suicidal Tendencies"............
Punk Globe:
While you were in Suicidal Tendencies you also played with Los Cyco's.. When did you start playing with them and did it ever interfere with playing in ST?
Louichi Mayorga:
Los Cycos , if I remember correctly, was put together for the 1st "Welcome to Venice" LP I think the ytak was "Its Not Easy" a song I wrote that I "did not" recieve credit for, and no it did not interfere w ST.
Punk Globe:
Is it true that you started a label with Muir. Tell us about that?
Louichi Mayorga:
No I didnt ....We had a skate board shop together called "STREETS OF VENICE"
Punk Globe:
You were responsible for co- writing alot of the bands signature songs.... Tell us about that?

Louichi Mayorga:
I think my background w "rock n roll helped alot ..When I joined the band I had already playin bass and guitar for 5,6 years "intensively" soooo when I started writing for the band everything fell into place u know... My hooks n' riffs were tight n' fast and most of all were "catchy" perfect for Mike to lay vocals over ...Yea Im proud of those trax.
Punk Globe:
Tell us about some of your favorite shows you played back then?
Louichi Mayorga:
There were sooo many , but my fave was when we opened for "MINOR THREAT" we did alot of shows at Ruthies Inn in Berkeley, the Olympic shows were great, shit everything was good ...But my all time favorite show was w MINOR THREAT" at the Cathay De Grand....82'
Punk Globe:
You had music in the movie Repo Man. How did that come about? We interviewed Olivia Barash recently.. Did you get to know her and Emilio?
Louichi Mayorga:
Repo Man hmm they were punx all around they were doin' pre- production down the street from my house and it happened to be right around the time the record came out and we walked in , cus there were punx everywhere , we introduced ourself and they were already into the song and that was that and as far as Emilio Estevez , "Charlie Sheen's bro" he went to my ole' high school , but we really didn't kick it..
Punk Globe:
I preferred ST as a punk band more than a metal band. How did you feel about the change of style?
Louichi Mayorga:
Me too I like the early stuff , I always thought it was like "hardrock n' punk" with an emphasis on "rock"
Punk Globe:
How is your relationship now?
Louichi Mayorga:
There is no relationship
Punk Globe:
Tell us about some of the other bands that you played with?
Louichi Mayorga:
"Cypress Hill",,,, "Kid Frost" basically a hired gun
Punk Globe:
Luicidal have hooked up with DC-Jam Records. Tell us about that?
Louichi Mayorga:
Yea we recording at a studio and we posted pictures and Darron the president of DC-JAM rec. saw the pics and inquired , its something were very grateful for .... I had been wanting to do my "punk thing" for about a year and I had a new son at 48 and my girl gave her blessings to do it and it kinda snowballed with doors opening
Punk Globe:
Are you playing some of the tracks you co-wrote in Suicidal Tendencies?
Louichi Mayorga:
Yes ,when I was ask to leave ST I tuned my back on the whole scene ,and my music, consumed with depression and being ashamed ,embarrassed etc .I stopped listening to my songs and joined a ska reggae band w a bunch of friends called "Horny Toad" in saying when my son was born I found myself in debt and I started workin' w "Fishbone" as a stage manager w Rocky George playin' guitar for them it blew my mind cus they would do a medly w "Institutionalized"in it and the fans would go nuts hmmm, I thinkin I wrote that "I could do that" .....So I got into listening to my music as wall as playing it ...Remember I said I turned my back on my music and the scene well now I wasn't hurt anymore and I felt that I could embrace my music again.....
Punk Globe:
You have teamed up with former Suicidal Tendencies drummer R.J. Herrera. How does that feel?
Louichi Mayorga:
It feels great to play w RJ he also left ST under a cloud. We had mutual friends and I would see him at parties in Venice and would ask him about Horny Toad he would eventually team up w us soo actually since the mid 90's we've been playin' so when this thing came up about Luicidal it was a go.....
Punk Globe:
Have you played alot of shows?
Louichi Mayorga:
We've done about 50 shows up n down California, Washington ,Arizona...fun fun fun
Punk Globe:
So are you in the recording studio now?
Louichi Mayorga:
In the studio now
Punk Globe:
When can we expect the release on DC-Jam?
Louichi Mayorga:
We're hopin' the first quarter of next year
Punk Globe:
Do you have any Internet addresses that you would like to share with Punk Globe readers?
Punk Globe:
Besides a new release what else is in the works for Luicidal?
Louichi Mayorga:
We just wanna work!
Punk Globe:
We have a friend in common Louie Perez. Are you a fan of Los Villains?
Louichi Mayorga:
Uh yea! Louie's a good dude and Los Villians fock!!!!!
Punk Globe:
Describe yourself in three words?
Louichi Mayorga:
Ambitious, Thriving , and "Under a cloud", I guess that's more than 3 words
Punk Globe:
Any last thoughts for Punk Globe readers?
Louichi Mayorga:
Shoulda done this shit 15 years ago!!!!