Interview By: Ginger Coyote

I had lost contact with Louie a few years back.. I was happy to do a Google search and find out where he was working. I was a bit shy about calling but am glad I did because it was so great to catch up. If you are looking for ink work and are in or around Orange County,CA contact Louis he does great fuckin' work and is a great guy....

Punk Globe: Thanks for taking the time from your busy schedule to answer these questions Louis.. Can you tell the readers a bit about your musical background.

Louis Perez III: I grew up in a musical family. My dad and uncle are both members of Los Lobos...

Punk Globe: How did it feel having such strong musical talent in your family?

Louis Perez III: Its a blessing and a curse. Obviously my families talents and accomplishments will continue to overshadow anything I will do musically. Not to mention devalue any accolades I have legitimately made on my own.. The blessings are growing up around such an amazing, influential and underrated band that continues to contribute on so many levels...

Punk Globe: I know that you excel on Bass and Guitar. any other instruments you play?

Louis Perez III: I play a terrible version of piano, drums , and a little accordion...

Punk Globe: Who are your musical influences?

Louis Perez III: Thunders, Grant Hart, Chris Bailey , early Bad Brains, most of the early Slash discography for obvious reasons...

Punk Globe: What was the name of of your first band and how old were you then?

Louis Perez III: Villains which I started at 14 but that can be argued to even as young as 12 but I think my dad named us Youth Authority haha

Punk Globe: What came next?

Louis Perez III: Getting in trouble alot and playing a shit load of backyard parties everywhere from the San Gabriel Valley to eventually South Orange county and further..

Punk Globe: In what year did you form Los Villains and tell the readers about what you did in the band?

Louis Perez III: I think the name Los Villains started some time after the re addition to my cousin David and then later Vincent(circa 1998) then making us a six piece.. I then sung and tried to avoid playing guitar as much as possible..

Punk Globe: Who else was in the band?

Louis Perez III: William Harrigan who now works for Edwards Air Force Base,Tony Todaro who is pursuing a filmaking Carreer , Dave and Vince Hidalgo who are now in a band called Spinerrette, and Fredo who plays in Red Exiles as well as Tito and Tarantula and the Beastie Boys...

Punk Globe: Can you tell us about filming the video for the song " Goo Zoo Dee" ?

Louis Perez III: We used a video shoot as a lame excuse to convince our buddy Sammy to build a skate ramp and throw a rad party and have my cousin Jino film it.. It was actually an amazing achievement.. Jino Savaglio is extremely talented and I would put that video stand alone against any of the big budget shit you see flooding the flat screen...

Punk Globe: Tell us about some of your best shows that the band played?

Louis Perez III: Looking back I'd say our best shows were our worst.. The Villains were a beautiful disaster.. Like a Jackson Pollock made out of LA's punk rock guts...

Punk Globe: Memories go back to a show in Oakland that Los Villains and White Trash Debutantes played at Top Ramen.. The crowd was going off the hook for Los Villains

Punk Globe: When did you stop playing with Los Villains?

Louis Perez III: I'd say maybe 2005 ? I can't remember...

Punk Globe: I remember that you drew a Caricature that was a combination of the late Anna Nicole Smith and myself for my Birthday. Oddly enough that was exactly 4 or 5 years ago in October. Did you know we used the image for a T-Shirt?

Louis Perez III: Yeah that was awesome.. That was tragic what happened to her... Hollywood Fuckin Babylon..

Punk Globe: At what age did you realize your talent as an Artist?

Louis Perez III: I have talent?

Punk Globe: Did you ever enter any of your artwork into any contests when you were young?

Louis Perez IIII: Alot of important people have believed in me my whole life.. My grandma was the first. She sent a drawing when I was like seven to the Disney Channel and it got shown on TV.. I won Scholarships and contests and grants because teachers and professors wanted to see me avoid fucking off my life and saw potential. Some of which I think still feel I did by using my talents in tattooing but that could be no further from the truth..but really if it was not for my grandmother Edith Lillibridge I might have never done anything with my art....she is still my inspiration till the day I die...

Punk Globe: What got you involved with doing Tattoo's?

Louis Perez III: I've been drawing as long as I can hold a pencil and tattooing just became the natural progression in the life I have lived...

Punk Globe: Tell us your design specialties?

Louis Perez III: I'll do close to anything that does not seem like it will compromise the person getting tattooed..

Punk Globe: Who were some of your mentors or influences?

Louis Perez III: Yeah I'd say my influences are my friends and people I have worked with who have mentored me.. One of my best friends in the world Danny Dringenberg who has made me a better tattooer since day one. Also guys like Rick Walters, Kore Flatmo( who also gave me a huge start to say the least),Tommy Brenna from Dublin, Joe Kowalski,Charlie at Spotlight,.. Solid dudes ya know?

Punk Globe: Tell us about your first tat that you gave?

Louis Perez III: Besides needle and thread on punkers?(haha).. It was on myself the way it should be...

Punk Globe: Who's ink do you sport?

Louis Perez III: Too many to mention but mainly Pat Bronowicki,Jason Grant,Kore Flatmo , Danny etc...

Punk Globe: The last time we were in contact a few years ago you were working at a shop in Silverlake. Can you fill us in on from then?

Louis Perez III: A downward spiral.. ... Then I got my shit together when I met Danny and started at Inflictions for a hot minute till I ended up at my present spot in Fullerton...

Louis Perez III: Yeah, but it's all smoking mirrors ha ha!!!! But yeah I'm really only booked out three weeks max so I won't get tied down at home and I can run wild and be a wanna be globetrotter...

Punk Globe: How many other Artist work at the shop? What is the going rate for work?

Louis Perez III: Rates very among artists and we currently have seven..

Punk Globe: You recently were over in Europe working. Tell us about it?

Louis Perez III: I was given the opportunity to work at a great shop in Edinburgh called Love/Hate as well as Classic Ink in Dublin where Tommy The Truth works..

Punk Globe: Would you wanna do a Reality Show at American Tat?

Louis Perez III: I think reality TV has convoluted the reality of anything it exploits so I might choose to avoid that's stuff but I congratulate anyone who has become successful through it.. It's just not appealing to me personally..

Punk Globe: Tell us about your current musical project?

Louis Perez III: Myself, Alfredo Ortiz (from Los Villains), and Carlos Guzman (Villains roadie), have a band called Red Exiles..

Punk Globe: Do you have any Websites, My Space site you would like the readers t check out?

Punk Globe: Thanks so much for the Interview Louie.. Do you have any last words for the readers of Punk Globe?

Louis Perez III: Thanx for staying true to what you believe in Ginger. You're contribution to good music is necessary to the Planet Earth as well as Punk Globe!!!!!

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