On a Friday night, the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet was filled with excitement. A large stage stood in the center, surrounded by picnic tables and food vendors. Typically, this open-air market hosts tribute bands that pay homage to iconic rock acts like Metallica or Jenni Rivera. However, on this particular evening in March, the crowd gathered to celebrate Juicebox, Southern California’s premier Strokes tribute band. The audience, consisting of people from different generations, was ready to honor the stylish downtown New York City rock of the early 2000s. Leather jackets were a common sight in the crowd.
As Juicebox continued their performance, playing lesser-known tracks like “50/50” from the Strokes’ album “Comedown Machine,” a mosh pit erupted, eliciting a warning from the venue. After playing an impressive 47 singles, album cuts, and B-sides over three sets, the crowd chanted for an encore, shouting “¡Otra! ¡Otra! ¡Otra!”
Although the members of Juicebox are predominantly Latino, their founder and drummer, Jason Wise, is a Jewish individual from Queens. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2010, Wise met a group of Latino musicians who shared his love for early 2000s rock bands. Six years ago, he formed Juicebox, with lead vocalist Edgar Rene Espino, guitarists George Campos and Renzon Sanchez, and bassist Tony Perez. The band regularly performs twice a month across Southern California.
Wise’s affinity for the Strokes dates back to his teenage years, and they remain his favorite band to this day. He says, “They are a big part of who I am as an individual, and to be able to spread the fandom and love for the Strokes to others is something I never tire of. If I weren’t in this band, I would attend these shows.”
The Strokes continue to be a major force in Latin America, where rock music enjoys significant support. When the band performs the song “Reptilia” at festivals, it is met with enthusiastic stadium-sized chants, reminiscent of fútbol games.
It comes as no surprise that Los Angeles County, with its large Hispanic/Latino population (49.1 percent), is home to many Latino Strokes fans. Jeanette Diaz, a journalist and publicist from Los Angeles, believes that the allure of the Strokes is particularly strong among first-generation American children of immigrants. These individuals may have complex feelings about their identities and the cultures they belong to. Diaz states, “The band ‘could just do what they wanted to do, and it was accepted, and a lot of people try to find that. It’s this idea of fitting in on your own terms, which a lot of Latin kids craved, maybe subconsciously.”
Some members of Juicebox feel a connection with the Strokes due to representation. For instance, drummer Fabrizio Moretti was born in Brazil, and guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s mother is from Argentina. Renzon Sanchez, Juicebox’s guitarist with a mixed Lebanese and Salvadoran background, says, “I see pictures of Fab, and I’m like, I play soccer with that guy, he looks like someone I know. And a guy like Albert, who has big curly hair, that’s my brother. I can see myself in the Strokes.”
The Smiths, the Manchester band known for their melodic and melancholic sound, developed a passionate following among Mexican Americans despite breaking up in 1987. This relationship has been extensively covered in articles, documentaries, and books for over two decades. Tribute bands like Sweet & Tender Hooligans, fronted by Jose Maldonado, who is often called “the Mexican Morrissey,” have emerged as a result.
According to José G. Anguiano, an associate professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, similar phenomena can be observed in the goth, metal, and rockabilly scenes in the region. Latinos in Los Angeles have taken the reins, not just as fans but also as frontmen of tribute bands and creators of their own music within these subcultures.
In 2022, the Red Pears, an up-and-coming band from El Monte, California, covered the Strokes’ “Automatic Stop” for Unquiet Live’s YouTube channel. In the video, their guitarist and vocalist, Henry Vargas, playfully introduced the song as “Los Estrokes.” The Red Pears never found it strange that they had many Latino friends who were into the Strokes because they discovered the band through their Latino connections. However, each band member’s individual love for the Strokes brought them together and influenced their artistic style.
A younger generation has recently embraced the Strokes through their 2020 album “The New Abnormal,” produced by Rick Rubin. The album’s track “The Adults Are Talking” became a hit on TikTok.
On a Friday night in late May, Knucklehead, a dive bar in Hollywood, was filled with a crowd. Juicebox was set to perform alongside the Arctic Monkeys tribute band, Polar Primates, for Room on Fire, a club night dedicated to early 2000s indie and alternative music. Although the Strokes’ time playing small venues in New York City was brief, it left a lasting impact on their history. Juicebox shows allow fans, who were either born too late or located on the opposite coast, to reimagine themselves in that moment.
Miguel Ponce, the DJ and promoter of Room on Fire, learned about the Strokes through a friend on his high school baseball team. It took a moment for him to truly appreciate their music, but one song, “Ize of the World,” sparked something within him. Ponce shares, “I didn’t know how they’re doing it, where they sound like they’re not trying, but they’re really trying.” After featuring Juicebox at the event in January, Room on Fire started gaining popularity. Ponce realized the true potential of what he could accomplish.
Before the pandemic, Ponce used to book shows with local acts in Downtown Los Angeles. He was well aware of the influence the Strokes had, with many indie bands emulating Julian Casablancas’ style. The love for the Strokes knows no bounds and continues to thrive among a diverse group of music enthusiasts.
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