La Banda Skalavera

About the Artist

La Banda Skalavera is a Southern California Latin ska bandformed of 11 musicians with a variety of musicalbackgrounds. Each member’s distinct style can be credited totheir diverse musical upbringings ranging from Mariachi,Norteno, Banda, Salsa, and Cumbias. LBS (La Banda Skalavera) was formed in South Central LosAngeles in the Summer of 1998 by George (lead Singer) and Alex(bass). However, band members have come from as far away asSan Diego, Riverside, and Palm Springs. Since the summer of 98,LBS has performed everywhere and anywhere theopportunity has been presented. As one of the first Latin skabands in LA, initially LBS was not well received in the skascene. Booking was difficult due to the incorporation ofrhythms other than ska. Nonetheless, as exposure increased,this combination of music was easy for the youth of LosAngeles to relate to. Many of the youth, then and today,living in the blighted neighborhoods of Southern Californiafind expression for individual frustrations through thelyrics and sounds of LBS.Personal life experiences have enabled the band to writethese messages and express the injustices of class divisionswithin society. George has grown up poor in Los AngelesCalifornia and Monterrey Nuevo Leon Mexico; two verydifferent countries, both with very similar social issues. Allother band members have in one way or another experiencedoppression by dominant social groups, simply because of thesocially constructed realities of “race” and “wealth”.LBS’s lyrics are primarily driven by different issues withinthe working-poor and underclass. However, their passion forbringing life to music can only be felt through their liveperformance. La Banda Skalavera is Music and music is Life.