Calexico had its origins in 1990 when Burns, who was studying music at the University of California, Irvine, met up with Convertino, who was playing drums with Howe Gelb in Giant Sand. Burns joined them, after first playing upright bass on a European tour.
Giant Sand moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1994. John and Joey formed the Friends of Dean Martin (later the Friends of Dean Martinez) which scored a record deal with Sub Pop. However, the pair split up with Bill Elm, the co-founder of The Friends of Dean Martinez in 1996. The band subsequently became a kind of indie rhythm section for hire, working with the likes of Victoria Williams, Barbara Manning and Richard Buckner before forming Calexico.
Calexico first recorded Spoke in 1995 for German independent label Hausmusik with a limited edition of 2,000 copies. At that point the band was still called Spoke and the album was technically self-titled. After the band signed with Quarterstick Records (a subsidiary of Touch and Go Records) and changed their name to Calexico, Spoke was reissued by that label in 1997. Burns and Convertino also collaborated with Gelb and Lisa Germano on the album Slush released under the name OP8 that same year.
Their second album The Black Light was released in 1998. This was a concept album about the desert of Arizona and northern Mexico and received excellent reviews, with the critic from the Wall Street Journal rating it as one of the best records of the year.
The band built their profile by touring as support acts for bands such as Pavement, the Dirty Three and Lambchop. Calexico has regularly played festivals such as the Bonnaroo Music Festival, the Hurricane Festival and All Tomorrow's Parties. The Road Map album was a limited recording released in 1999 for sale only at Calexico's live shows.
Calexico released its third album Hot Rail in May 2000 featuring the addition of horns and violin to their sound. The duo was busy in 2000 as they also appeared on a Giant Sand record called Chore of Enchantment as well as a tour only record Travelall.
At the end of 2000, Burns and Convertino joined with two French friends Naïm Amor and Thomas Belhôm to record "Tête A Tête" (Wabana Records, 2001) released under moniker ABBC (Amor/Belhom/Burns/Convertino). Calexico released two collections of rarities during 2001. Even My Sure Things Fall Through collected outtakes from previous albums, B-sides, remixes and material previously unreleased in the US. The album also featured Mariachi Luz de Luna who frequently played live with the duo. The Aerocalexico album was sold exclusively at their gigs in 2001.
The Scraping live album was released in 2002. Their next studio recording Feast of Wire was released in 2003 and made the charts for the first time appearing on Billboard's Heatseekers and Independent album chart. They made their first video for "Quattro (World Drifts In)" which was a single from Feast of Wire. They released a live DVD in 2004 called World Drifts In: Live at the Barbican. The song "Güero Canelo", from Feast of Wire, was featured in Michael Mann's Film, Collateral, starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, in which the band appears.
Calexico contributed the song "Burnin' Down the Spark" to Nancy Sinatra's self-titled album in late 2004. The album featured artists who cited Sinatra as a musical influence. The song was released in the UK as the second single from the album in early 2005.
In 2005, Calexico joined up with Miami-based band Iron & Wine. Howard Greynolds of Overcoat Records was responsible for bringing the two bands together having previously been responsible for Tortoise and Will Oldham recording together. The In the Reins EP was released in September 2005 and received a positive reception with an MSNBC review giving it honorable mention. It also made an appearance in the Billboard 200 album charts, becoming their first recording to make the album charts, and No. 12 on the independent charts. In October 2005, they commenced a US tour with Iron & Wine to promote the record.
Released in 2006, Garden Ruin is Calexico's fifth studio album and was produced by JD Foster. The sound strays slightly from earlier works, focusing less on the horn section, and placing more emphasis on guitar and vocal tracks, giving the whole album a more mainstream sound.
In 2007, Calexico was invited by Arcade Fire to record a cover of their "Ocean of Noise." This recording was used as the B-side for Arcade Fire's "Intervention" single, originally released on vinyl on May 21, 2007. Also in 2007, Calexico recorded a revamped version of the Bob Dylan song "Goin' to Acapulco" for the Dylan biopic "I'm Not There". The song featured Jim James of My Morning Jacket on vocals and was featured on the soundtrack of the film.
Several of Calexico's songs, usually their shorter instrumental pieces, have been used as interstitial and background music on Public Radio International's This American Life. Their songs "Ballad Of Cable Hogue" and "Service And Repair" were featured in the 2001 German comedy movie Lammbock.
Their sixth studio LP is called 'Carried to Dust', featuring Sam Beam of Iron & Wine, Douglas McCombs of Tortoise and Pieta Brown. It was released in the USA via Touch & Go Records on September 9, 2008. The album enjoyed solid reviews, with hometown paper the Arizona Daily Star praising the band's "ability to sweep you into its world, taking listeners to the American Southwest. This is one of the reasons Europeans love Calexico and others in this country are beginning to come around."
On October 16, 2008, a three-song live acoustic video performance premiered on LiveDaily Sessions, featuring Joey Burns performing the songs "Two Silver Trees," "Writer's Minor Holiday" and "Man Made Lake".
In 2009, the song Banderilla was featured in an episode of AMC's Breaking Bad.
In 2010, a new album of Calexico was released: the soundtrack of the documentary "Circo". The band also spent part of 2010 touring with Arcade Fire along the west US coast.
In May 2011, their song "Slowness" was dedicated by Gabrielle Giffords to her husband astronaut Mark Kelly as the wake up song aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flight.
Algiers was released 11 September 2012 on ANTI Records and CITY SLANG (Europe).
In April 2014, the band began referring to a new album on Twitter in posts from Mexico City, Coyoacan, Mexico, and Athens, Greece. Edge of the Sun was announced on 27 January 2015, and released on April 14, 2015. The album features guest appearances by various artists such as Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Gaby Moreno, Carla Morrison and members of the Greek instrumental group Takim.
The current members of Calexico are:
Joey Burns – vocals, guitars, bass, cello, piano, keyboards, accordion, percussion, vibraphone
John Convertino – drums, percussion, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, marimba, accordion
Paul Niehaus – steel guitar, guitars
Jacob Valenzuela – trumpet, keyboards, vibraphone, vocals
Martin Wenk – trumpet, guitar, keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel, vibraphone, theremin (occasionally harmonica & French horn)
Volker Zander – standup bass, electric bass
Live tour 2013:
Joey Burns - vocals, guitars
John Convertino - drums, percussion
Sergio Mendoza - Keyboards
Jairo Zavala - bazouki, baritone guitar, vocals
Jacob Valenzuela – trumpet, keyboards, vibraphone, vocals
Martin Wenk – trumpet, guitar, keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel, vibraphone (occasionally harmonica & French horn)
Ryan Alfred - bass, vocals
The Guns Of Brixton
Calexico Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton
The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell
You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row
You can crush us
You can bruise us
Have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton
Spanish Lyrics
You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun
You can crush us, bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh-the guns of Brixton
When they kick out your front doors
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
You can crush us, bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
The Guns of Brixton is a song by Calexico, a group from Tucson, Arizona, that covers the iconic song by The Clash. The lyrics describe the personal struggle that happens between individuals and authority, in a constant power struggle. The song opens with the question of how one would react when their front door gets kicked in, with authority barging in. The lyrics create a juxtaposition, asking whether the individual would come out with their hands on their head, giving into authority or with their finger on the trigger, ready to fight back. The song continues to question how one would react when law enforcement breaks into their lives, whether they would be shot down on the pavement or waiting on death row. The song's final lines provide a chilling warning to those in power, stating that they can crush and bruise those under them, but they'll ultimately have to answer to the Guns of Brixton, a reference to the neighborhood in London, known for its high crime rates.
Line by Line Meaning
When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
When someone enters your home illegally, how will you respond? Will you comply with their every demand in fear or stand up for yourself with force?
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row
If law enforcement breaks into your home unlawfully, will you resist and potentially get shot or comply and face legal punishment?
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton
Those in power may try to oppress and harm us, but they will ultimately have to face the consequences of their actions.
The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell
If you choose to profit and enjoy life at the expense of others, karma will catch up to you eventually.
You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come
Ivan, likely a person of color living in the Brixton area, feels he must constantly fight to survive in a harsh and oppressive environment.
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row
Reiteration of the earlier question - what is your response when faced with unlawful actions from those in power?
You can crush us
You can bruise us
Have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton
Once again, oppression and harm will not go unanswered and those responsible will ultimately face justice.
You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun
An individual is caught with a gun, likely facing legal repercussions and a goodbye to their freedom and way of life.
You can crush us, bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh-the guns of Brixton
The title of the song and refrain - oppressive actions will ultimately lead to rightful consequences.
When they kick out your front doors
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
Final reiteration of the initial question - what is your response when faced with unlawful aggression?
Contributed by Liliana L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ceren Akça
“When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting on death row
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell
You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come
You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
But oh-the guns of Brixton”
Michael Schwager
I love good, original covers of outstanding classics, and this one is excellent! A great interpretation of a great tune.
David Campbell
For historical context when recording the lead vocals for the Clash’s original Paul Simonon sang while staring directly at a CBS executive who had visited the studio during the sessions, giving Simonon the desired amount of emotion in his voice.
iesus68
lovely band, timeless song.
systemfailure101
Απίστευτη διασκευή!!!!
Unbelievable !!!
Ceren Akça
“When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun
When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting on death row
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell
You see, he feels like Ivan
Born under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come
You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun
You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
But oh-the guns of Brixton”
Erick Chávez
Y si una bala rozándote
Doblas la vida, matas el tiempo
Gracias a ella María Negra
Que te protege de este mal tiempo
Nunca te rindas piensa en tu gente
María Negra seca tu frente
Santa María, María Negra
Cuida tu tiempo, cuida tu suerte.
SkopTeocratico
Sweet song!
ᴋᴜʀᴛ ᴄᴏʙᴀɪɴ'ꜱ ꜰᴀɴ ɢɪʀʟ
This sounds nice 🎸🎸🎸🎸
levediagyermeke
Ez iszonyat zene. Kösz hogy megosztottad ! Thanks for sharing it !
TerrorBear
John Convertino for drummer of the year, all years.