Tito & Tarantula are a Chicano Rock / Stoner Rock band formed in Hollywood,… Read Full Bio ↴Tito & Tarantula are a Chicano Rock / Stoner Rock band formed in Hollywood, California, USA in 1992. The band is best known for its songs, "After Dark", "Back to the House That Love Built", "Strange Face of Love", and "Angry Cockroaches", as well as for its role in Robert Rodriguez's film From Dusk Till Dawn as the band performing at the "Titty Twister".
Latin rockers Tito and Tarantula are headlined by singer/guitarist Tito Larriva, previously best known for founding the seminal Los Angeles punk band the Plugz. Larriva was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico but spent his early years living outside Fairbanks, AK; his family later relocated to El Paso, TX, where he studied violin and flute as a member of his school orchestra. After high school he flirted with attending Yale University before landing in L.A. during the mid-1970s; there Larriva formed the Plugz, which in 1979 released their debut LP Electrify Me, the first album to emerge from the city's thriving punk scene. Shortly after scoring Alex Cox's 1984 cult classic Repo Man, the Plugz were rechristened the Cruzados, signing to Arista to release a self-titled 1985 LP; After Dark followed two years later, and the group disbanded in 1990. From there Larriva continued writing film music, also turning to acting; with guitarist Peter Atanasoff and a host of other L.A. session vets he eventually formed Tito and Tarantula, which quickly emerged as a major favorite on the local club scene. Among their most vocal supporters was filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who not only enlisted the group to contribute material to his movies Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn but also found small roles for Larriva in both; Rodriguez additionally helped produce 1997's Tarantism, released on the band's own Cockroach label.
Since the release of Andalucia, Tito & Tarantula have made numerous personnel changes, starting with the departure of drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez. Achim Farber was hired in his place, but left the band later on as well. One of the most notable changes, however, was the loss of the band's valuable founding member Peter Atanasoff. Little is known about his departure, but on the band's myspace blog, it says, "...So if ever you find yourself in Switzerland you want to make your way to the Moonwalker and say hello to Peter..." Io Perry quit the band to pursue a solo career, but stayed in business with Larriva by having him produce her first solo album. Along with Atanasoff, Perry, and Hernandez, the band lost multi-instrumentalist Marcus Praed, eventually leaving Larriva and Steven Hufsteter as the only remaining members who had played on the last album. Dominique Davalos (who had played bass on Little Bitch) took over on bass and Rafael Gayol took over on drums. The only members from the previous line-up were Larriva and Hufsteter. With this new "fab four" incarnation, they toured Europe thoroughly. At some point in mid-2007, Davalos left the band, and was replaced by Caroline "Lucy" Rippy. With her, the band has continued to tour its usual areas in western Europe.
In late 2006, the band promised an album out in early 2007 on their myspace blog. In early 2008, the band finally announced the approaching arrival of their next album, titled Back Into The Darkness. The album was released on April 18, 2008.
Discography:
*Tarantism (1997)
*Hungry Sally and other Killer Lullabies (1999)
*Little Bitch (2000)
*Andalucia (2002)
*Back Into The Darkness (2008)
Latin rockers Tito and Tarantula are headlined by singer/guitarist Tito Larriva, previously best known for founding the seminal Los Angeles punk band the Plugz. Larriva was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico but spent his early years living outside Fairbanks, AK; his family later relocated to El Paso, TX, where he studied violin and flute as a member of his school orchestra. After high school he flirted with attending Yale University before landing in L.A. during the mid-1970s; there Larriva formed the Plugz, which in 1979 released their debut LP Electrify Me, the first album to emerge from the city's thriving punk scene. Shortly after scoring Alex Cox's 1984 cult classic Repo Man, the Plugz were rechristened the Cruzados, signing to Arista to release a self-titled 1985 LP; After Dark followed two years later, and the group disbanded in 1990. From there Larriva continued writing film music, also turning to acting; with guitarist Peter Atanasoff and a host of other L.A. session vets he eventually formed Tito and Tarantula, which quickly emerged as a major favorite on the local club scene. Among their most vocal supporters was filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who not only enlisted the group to contribute material to his movies Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn but also found small roles for Larriva in both; Rodriguez additionally helped produce 1997's Tarantism, released on the band's own Cockroach label.
Since the release of Andalucia, Tito & Tarantula have made numerous personnel changes, starting with the departure of drummer Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez. Achim Farber was hired in his place, but left the band later on as well. One of the most notable changes, however, was the loss of the band's valuable founding member Peter Atanasoff. Little is known about his departure, but on the band's myspace blog, it says, "...So if ever you find yourself in Switzerland you want to make your way to the Moonwalker and say hello to Peter..." Io Perry quit the band to pursue a solo career, but stayed in business with Larriva by having him produce her first solo album. Along with Atanasoff, Perry, and Hernandez, the band lost multi-instrumentalist Marcus Praed, eventually leaving Larriva and Steven Hufsteter as the only remaining members who had played on the last album. Dominique Davalos (who had played bass on Little Bitch) took over on bass and Rafael Gayol took over on drums. The only members from the previous line-up were Larriva and Hufsteter. With this new "fab four" incarnation, they toured Europe thoroughly. At some point in mid-2007, Davalos left the band, and was replaced by Caroline "Lucy" Rippy. With her, the band has continued to tour its usual areas in western Europe.
In late 2006, the band promised an album out in early 2007 on their myspace blog. In early 2008, the band finally announced the approaching arrival of their next album, titled Back Into The Darkness. The album was released on April 18, 2008.
Discography:
*Tarantism (1997)
*Hungry Sally and other Killer Lullabies (1999)
*Little Bitch (2000)
*Andalucia (2002)
*Back Into The Darkness (2008)
Angry Cockroaches
Tito & Tarantula Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Angry cockroaches
Smoking Marijuana
Looking for a celebration
And a kilo of Cocaine
Cockroaches smoking
Marijuana
Smoking Marijuana
Looking for a celebration
And a kilo of Cocaine
Cockroaches smoking
Marijuana
The lyrics for Tito & Tarantula's "Angry Cockroaches" portray a world where even the smallest, lowliest of creatures are driven to find their own version of pleasure and celebration. Through references to smoking marijuana and a kilo of cocaine, the cockroaches are depicted as being just as capable of indulgence and vice as any other creature. The anger referenced in the title suggests a desire to rebel against societal norms and expectations, perhaps indicating a sense of frustration or disillusionment felt by the creatures in this world.
Line by Line Meaning
Angry cockroaches
Frustrated insects
Smoking Marijuana
Ingesting a psychoactive drug derived from cannabis plant
Looking for a celebration
Searching for a joyous event or occasion
And a kilo of Cocaine
As well as a unit of measurement for an illegal stimulant drug
Cockroaches smoking
Insects inhaling smoke into their bodies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: P ATANASOFF, T LARRIVA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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