Bay Area’s Latin rock scene honors, immigrant community and heritage
By CBS Bay Area
Music is everything to Richard Segovia.
“Once I got chills, I knew I was going to be doing this for the rest of my life,” Segovia of the Latin rock band Puro Bandido told CBS News Bay Area.
Segovia has been a musician for nearly six decades, and has been practicing in his music room downstairs.
You may also recognize the iconic house he’s been living in for 63 years: Casa Bandido, also known as the Latin House of Rock in the San Francisco’s Mission District. The house has recently received a distinction as a city landmark.
“This is where all the magic happens,” Segovia said.
“Back in 1993 is when we did the first album cover for Carlos Santana, “Sacred Fire.” That was in 1993. And as you can see, I worked with Danny Trejo,” he said, showing CBS News Bay Area pictures posted on his wall inside his home.
Segovia is proud of the many music collaborations he had when legends stepped inside the Latin House of Rock over the years.
“Latin rock music is something that the Mission District can call our own,” he said.
And over in the East Bay, you’ll find other Bay Area Latin music greats, like Bululú.
“Specifically tailored to genres of Venezuela and Caribbean,” Lali Mejia, the founder and band leader of Bululú, said. “Representation. I mean for us to be able to be so far away from home and being able to celebrate through music, through our language, being able to get together through community.”
“Really representing the Bay Area but the broader community,” band member Ruthie Dineen said. “And it’s so important also the music that we write is social justice focused, so really, really embracing the immigrant community which is so important right now.”
Bay Area musicians like Segovia and Bululú embrace the art.
“My job is to get them to come here after school to keep them off the streets,” Segovia said. “And music to me is international language. I don’t care where you’re from. When it comes to music, we all speak the same language.”
