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Joe King's music has been released on three continents to date. His catalog holds a diverse array of musical styles all of which is available for purchase on CD in the JKC Mercado.

Joe King Carrasco Discography

2013 - Tlaquepaque - CD - Joe King Carrasco landed back in the studio late 2012 - this time with Ernie Durawa, Speedy Sparks and Augie Meyers, three members of his first band, El Molino and recorded a new CD, ‘Tlaquepaque’. The plan was to record a couple songs, but they couldn't stop and ended up recording a full CD, all written by Joe King Carrasco.  Joe’s songwriting only gets better which is apparent on this recording with mostly new songs exhibiting diverse musical styles including Garage Rock, San Antonio Rumba Blues, Polka, Vamp Rock, Tex-Mex, Cha-cha, and more.  During the recording, many  amazing musician friends stopped in to add tracks including Jesse Dayton, Joe Morales, Aaron Lack, Chuggy Hernandez, Jimmy Shortell, Marcello Gauna, John X Reed, Gil Herman and Lisa York.

2012 - Que Wow - CD - with Los Crowns Originales.  Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns reunited in the summer of 2011 and toured across Texas.  They had so much fun, they went back into the studio and recorded a new CD.  Joe King Carrasco (vocals, guitar), Kris Cummings (vocals, vox organ), Brad Kizer (vocals, bass), Mike Navarro (drums, vocals).  Songs include: Drug Thru the Mud, Que Wow, Havin a Ball, Nacho Daddy, Yo Soy Tuyo, My Lil Anna, 1313 Jamaica, Pachuco Hop, Vamos A Matar El Chango, Macho Grande, Rosa La Famosa, Right On Catcheton, Bandido Rock.

2011 - Chalupa's Choice Gran Exitos - CD - Collection of Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns Greatest Hits from the 1980s and includes the only available recording of the Crowns performing 96 Tears.  Songs include: Let's Go, Buena, Party Weekend, Person Person, Lupe, Susan Friendly, Houston El Mover, Let's Get Pretty, Don't Bug Me Baby, Federales, Wild 14, Don't Let a Woman, Bad Rap, Caca De Vaca, Betty's World, Dinero, Kicks On You, Baby Let's Go To Mexico, 96 Tears.

2011 - Danceteria Deluxe -CD - Recorded March 1980, Released June 2011, Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns recorded this demo tape in the Bronx, New Youk.  It was never released until this year when the original Crowns reunited to take thier Tex-Mex Nuevo Wavo Party Music back to the stages of Texas.  Joe King Carrasco (vocals, guitar), Kris Cummings (vocals, vox organ), Brad Kizer (vocals, bass), Mike Navarro (drums).  Songs include Buena, Let's Get Pretty, Betty's World, Party Doll, Tuff Enuff, Wild 14, Kicks on You, Nervoused Out, Susan Friendly.

2011 - Live at Dixies - DVD - released in 2011 by Anaconda Records.  DVD of a show from Dixie's Bar in Austin Texas in 1984. Joe King Carrasco on guitar and vocals, Kris Cummings on vox organ, accordion and vocals, George Reiff on bass and harmonies, Dick Ross on drums.  Songs include Let's Go, Baby Let's Go To Mexico, Mr. Bogota, Put Me In Jail, Tamale Baby, Current Events, Hola Coca Cola, Manana, Vamos A Bailar, Yabba Ding Ding, Dinero, Who Buy the Guns, Party Weekend, and Don't Bug Me Baby.

2011 - Concierto Para Los Perros - CD - Released May 2011. Live CD.
This benefit concert raised money to help Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in their work of rescuing homeless and abused dogs and finding them loving safe homes. A portion of each sale from this CD will go to nonprofit dog rescue groups in an effort to make the lives of these precious animals better. 50% of the USA sales of this CD will go back to Viva Perros and 50% of Mexico sales will go to Puerto Vallarta SPCA.

2011 - Tattoo Laredo - CD -Recorded 1994; Remastered and released June 2011 by Anaconda Records
Joe King Carrasco (vocals, guitar); Tom Cruz (lead electric guitar); Chris Stephenson (keyboard, vocals); Chuggy Hernandez (bass, vocals), Havier Zentino (drums).  Additional musicians: Gil Herman (sax, Vocals); Onelio Mednia (trumpet), Jerry Quinterio (keyboards); Louis Murillo (percussions); Laurence Rosco (background vocals, guitar); Richard Cagle (vocals)
All songs written by Joe King Carrasco.  Songs include: Another Snake in the Grass, Care to Explain, Crawl, Dirty Job, Hurts to Hurt, Last Call, One Love, Prisoner, Steal Your Love, Won't Let You Fall.

2011 - Vamos A Get Down - CD -Recorded 1994; Remastered and released June 2011by Anaconda Records
Joe King Carrasco (vocals, guitar); Tom Cruz (lead electric guitar); Chris Stephenson (keyboard, vocals); Chuggy Hernandez (bass, vocals), Havier Zentino (drums).  
All songs written by Joe King Carrasco.  Songs include: Noche, El Arroyo, Easy Going, Looking For a Party, Vamos a Get Down, That's What She Said, Hurricane, Bump and Run.

2008 - El Rey - CD - Live recording from the historic El Rey Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Songs include 'Hasta Manana Iguana', 'Buena', 'Mas Mas', 'Rock Este Noche', 'Banana', 'You Could Have Been Mine', 'Rosa La Famosa', 'Tequila Revolution', 'Muchos Frijoles Borrachos', 'Chiliando'.  Band is Chuggy Hernandez on bass, Gil Herman on sax, Juan Rodriguez on percussions, Roy Hollingshead on drums.

2007 - Rancho No Tengo (movie soundtrack) - CD -

released in 2007 by Anaconda Records. Songs Include - Rancho No Tengo, It's These Changes, Chasin' Simpatico, El Momento de Verdad, Rumors, If You ain't From West Texas, Turn Left at Nogales, Driftin' Apart, Balazos, Hungover in Oklahoma City, Because A Woman, Macho Grande, Adios Terlingua, Rancho No Tengo Instrumental, If'n Myself To Death, Que Le Vaya Bien.

The title song Rancho No Tengo is a melody I carried around for many months in my head. Rancho No Tengo means in Spanish-- Ranch I don't have. It is the name of my property, located in the hill country near LLano, Texas. It consists of several adobe houses or casitas thrown together over ten years around a Mexican style courtyard, made from real adobe bricks. It looks like a John Wayne movie set. The song itself is more of a metaphorical exploration of the perils of living life and what happens when you step out the door, away from the safety of home, and into the dangers of the world. In other words -- " Stay on the porch- if you can't hang with the big dogs."

I wrote Chasin' Simpatico, which translates into "chasin the good," way back in the early 70's in a backyard, back when I was livin in Palo Alto California and was homesick for Texas. It seemed like a real West- Texas Doug Sahm style melody with the lyrics being about a longing for the Rio Grande border town of Del Rio in a mythical, Emerald City, kind of way. Anyone knowing Del Rio would probably think that I was crazy, but it has its coolness in an abstract kind of way.

Back in 1977, when I was playing with the late great tenor saxman, Rocky Morales, who was also working with Sir Doug, I heard him always say "It's these changes I can't stand." This proclamation always stuck with me. Rocky was the guru of the West-Side San Antonio Tex- Mex scene and I consider myself very lucky to have known and worked with him. Thirteen years later around about 1990, after being on the road constantly since 1980, living the rock and roll experience and everything that came along with it, we had played in Washington DC at the 9:30 Club and later that night I ended up at a house somewhere in Maryland, and in a very stratopheric headspace, the words and melody came to me about the ups and downs of a musician, who has been on top of the music scene, only to watch everything, including success, slowly dwindle away I consider myself very lucky to have been playing music , most of my life, but at the same time it does take a toll, but it beats roofing.

2007 - Rancho No Tengo (the movie available on DVD) - Poodie Rodriguez (Carrasco), a struggling ne’er-do-well drug dealer living out in west Texas works hard to stay out of jail, but also works hard to keep his girlfriend, Tiffany, satisfied. But Tiffany is a "material girl" who never has her fill of hot tubs, cell phones and her dream "double-wide.” With the world crumbling around his shoulders, Poodie is put between a rock and a hard place thus setting the stage for a comic " Sampson and Delilah" situation of biblical proportions in trailer trash heaven. More information and a trailer for my movie, Rancho No Tengo can be found on Film Baby - Rancho No Tengo.

2002 - Hay Te Guacho Cucaracho - released in 2002 by Anaconda Records. Songs include - Hay Te Guacho Cucaracho, A Smile Cuesta Nada, Could've Been Mine, Buena, Rock Esta Noche, Jalapeno Con Big Red, No Problema Jah Is Jamaica, Easy Going, Banana Shout, Pancho Villa, Ca Ca de Vaca, Tick Tock. Hay Te Guacho Cucaracho is Mexican slang for "See you later alligator" or "After awhile crocodile". I wrote this song with mi amigos Ben Marines and Luis Garcia. Luis is a young kid from Chihuahua, Chihuahua Mexico. While helping me build my adobe casa, I asked him for help with the lyrics, so he put the "Mexican pop" thing to it. Now I am officially a Mexican pop star in my own mind in Mexico!! Last year he was in Austin, Texas when the immigration authorities "La Migra" caught up with him and sent him back to Chihuahua. A Smile Cuesta Nada "A Smile Cost Nothing" is a term from a Canadian amigo Juanito who lives in San Augustinillo, Oaxaxca. I dug it so much that I made it a song, with a Sir Douglas kind of groove to it. Pancho Villa is a Cumbia I wrote in 1985 in Paris, France. I always thought this would be a cool song in Mexican discos!

In 1983, I was stepping into the waves in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, but at a certain spot music would pop into my head for no reason. Banana Shout is one of the songs that came from this "musical spot". I guess I should go back there more! In 1989 there was this house that I really wanted to live in out in the Texas Hill Country. I mean I really really wanted to live there. I was stalking this empty house in a very extreme way!! I wrote You Could Have Been Mine about this experience. The rest of the songs on this CD have been my favorites through the years that I kinda wanted to update. The 65 Vox Continental played by Billy Morales is very predominant throughout the whole CD. This CD will Tick Tock your Problemas Away. So grab a bottle of Big Red and get ready to Rock Esta Noche and feel Buena!

1999 - Hot Sun -released in 1999 by Anaconda Records. Songs include - Hot Sun, Ca Ru Cu Pa, Hasta Manana, Cool Casa Rockin', Take With One Hand, Yo Soy Tuyo, There is a Rain Forest, Donna do You Wanna, On Top of a Teardrop, Karmalita, Adios Amor, Coco Bongo, Puesta Del Sol, Good Thing. The musicians are - Chuggy Hernandez (bass guitar, harmonies), Tommy Proctor (guitar, keyboards, harmonies), Tony Puenta (congas,bongos, percussion, harmonies), Vince Mejia (drums) and Joe King Carrasco (guitars, vocals). I believe Hot Sun could be a classic song for me. I wrote it out in the desert between Saltillo and Matehuala, Mexico. On this CD, I combined all my favorito styles, cumbia, reggae, tex-mex ska and cha cha bolero. The organ you hear is a 1965 Vox. No synthesizer acqui!! This total lineup is about 3 years old and probably the tightest all around unit I've ever played with.

My guitar playing here is way different than anything I've attempted in the past. I guess all that AM Mexican radio rubbed off on me! If you come see us live, this is what you'll mainly hear. The songs both old and new are ones I've never recorded before. Karmalita, Yo Soy Tuyo, and Cu Ru Cu Pa, I wrote back in the mid 70's, with that heavy tex-mex roller rink Vox organ in mind. Mi favorito rock cumbia of all time, Juimonos/Let's went, is on Sam the Shams' first album. This 1965 recording featuring Wooly Bully is the map I still go by for tex-mex rock and roll!!

Take with One Hand was about our bus crash in Tequila, Jalisco. A man came by and gave us a ride to our gig in Puerto Vallarta. His philosophy was take with one hand give with the other. I thought this deserved to be sung about!! Adios Amor is about a bad malo general in Guatamala called Death Squad Lopez. On Top of a Teardrop is my tribute to Freddy Fender. Juan Diego runs into La Virgen Guadalupe in Coco Bongo. I believe she protects us all.

1993 - Dia De Los Muertos -released in 1993 by Royal Texacali Records. Songs include- Chihuahua , Vi Va Vi Va Va Va Voom , Knockin' on Heaven's Door , El Arroyo , Last Call For Love , One Love Beat of My Heart, Vera Cruz, Tocame , Break Down The Border , Care To Explain , Easy Goin' , Pacha Mama , Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. The musicians are - John DiGrazia (lead guitar,harmonies), Ian Brooks (drums), Tony Puenta (percussion), William Longoria (bass guitar) and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

In the winter of 1992 we were the house band at the Hard Rock Cafe in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. On the way there we crashed our bus at a railroad crossing outside of Tequila, Jalisco. But that is a whole other story. Anyway, there I soon realized that the tex-mex worked, but the chulangos from Mexico City danced more when it had more of a reggae beat. This carried over to our house gig at Pancho y Leftys' in San Miguel de Allende 2 years later. We ended up calling this style tequila reggae. When people don't dance I get muy nervioso, so I do whatever it takes. Dia De Los Muertos is the celebration of all Saints Day en Mexico. It's got to be the coolest holiday on the planet. This beloved celebration is a joyful time of remembrance, reunion, and feasting, as families gather together to honor their loved ones who have died. Through my interest in this celebration is how I ended up making folkart altars.

1990 - Royal Loyal & Live - released in 1990 by Royal Texacali Records. Songs include - Hey Joe , 96 Tears , Do It Up , Breakdown The Border , Baby Let's Go To Mexico , Don't Push Your Suerte , Manan , Sweetness is My Weakness , Parti Weekend , No Problema , Having A Ball , Salsa Perfecto , Don't Let Woman. The musicians are - Marcelo Guana (keyboards, accordion,), Robert Ramos(bass guitar,harmonies), Tom Cruz (lead guitar,harmonies), Javier Zenteno (drums,harmonies) and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).  In the late 1980's I assembled the best Latin musicians from Texas, consisting mostly of players associated with Little Joe y La Familia Band. They had mostly played traditional mex, so this was a chance to step a little outside that style. This band was amazing live, so we captured a few shows down on South Padre Island, Texas in 1989. It hits hard on everything from 96 Tears to straight ahead cumbia. Some of these songs were old favorites, but others had never been recorded before in the studio.  In 1987 I tried to start a hot sauce company with a rare pepper called locoto from Bolivia, where we were playing. But El FDA no gusta mucho! It was called Salsa Perfecto and this song by the same name was to be the ad jingle. The groove this band had on Orale and Bandido Rock is probably for me, the tightest ride I've ever been on in a live situation.

I believe Tom Cruz, the son-in-law of Little Joe, is the best Latin lead guitar player in the Southwest, and he really shines on this effort. I hope to release more material from these live shows in the future.

1987 - Bandido Rock - released in 1987 by Rior Records. Songs include - Juarez and Zapata , Pachuco Hop , Bandido Rock , Arriba Sandino , Hey Gringo "No Pasaran" , Banana , Chicano Town , Dame Tu Nook Nook , Kry Tuff , Fuera Yanqui. The musicians are - Bobby Balderama (lead guitar),Marcilo Gauna (accordion,harmonies,bajo sexto), George Reiff(bass guitar,harmonies), Dick Ross(drums) and Joe King Carrasco(guitars and vocals).

In 1985 I went to school in Nicaragua and lived with the Sandinistas. It was like dropping into a page of history. I was basically studying revolutionary slogans that were written on walls, so a lot of the lyrics for this album came straight off the walls. On the album Pachuco Hop we were really dipping into latin American polotics but with a tex-mex dance beat. I mean if you can't dance to the revolution then what good is it!! VIVA Tequila Revolution.

The song Pachuco Hop came to me at a little bamboo airport in the state of Oaxaxca. It was later recorded by the band Mano Negra from France and was on their platinum selling CD Puta Fever. The album Pahuco Hop was produced by Jim Dickinson, who played piano with the Rolling Stones.The cumbia Banana was a folk song I had heard in Nicaragua about how everybody could agree on their love of Bananas. This has become my plan for whirled peas. Let's all eat bananas!! You can also hear Banana and Arriba Sandino in a Rockford Files movie. Bobby Balderamas' scorching leads along with Marcelo Guanas' firey accordian licks makes this my most hard core foray into the Mex sound.

2011 - Pink Chance -Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns - Songs includes Person Person, Don't Let a Woman, Bad Rap, Front Me Some Love, Wanna Get That Feel Again, Rip It Up Shake It Up, That's The Love, Man Overboard, Senior Lover, Imitation Class, Where We At.  Recorded in 1982 - Joe King Carrasco (guitar, vocals), Kris Cummings (keyboard, vocals), Brad Kizer (bass, vocals), Dick Ross (drums), and courtesy of Epic Records - Michael Jackson (harmonies).

1978 - Mezcal Road - Joe King Carrasco & El Molino -  Songs include- Jalapeno con Big Red, Mezcal Road, Black Cloud , Tell Me , I'm A Fool To Care , Rock Esta Noche , Funky Butt , Every Woman , Please Mr. Sandman , Just a Mile Away. The musicians are - Ike Ritter(lead guitar) , Augie Meyers & Arturo "sauce" Gonzalez(keyboards) , Speedy Sparks (bass guitar) , Eracleo Morales & Louie Bustos (tenor saxophone) , Ernie Durawa & Richard Elizondo (drums), Charlie MacBurney (trumpet), David Mercer (farfisa), Al Castro (Marimbas), Jerry Silvas & Frank Rodarte (sax harmony on Mezcal Road), and Joe King Carrasco(guitars and vocals).  Back on August 16, 1976 I went into ZAZ studio in San Antonio an made my first recording performingTell Me, which is on the latest Texas Tornado CD, and Tex-Mex polka classic, Mezcal Road, with the El Molino band consisting of Richard Elizondo, Ike Ritter, David Mercer, Rocky Morales, Ernie Durawa and Speedy Sparks. At this time I was heavily influenced by the San Antonio Mexican lounge band sound. Richard Elizondo really got me into Louie Prima, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Clanton and San Antonios' own Sunny Ozuna, who sang Talk To Me. Shadowing above all this was Doug Sahm, to whom some members of El Molino had played on and off with through the years continuing on to present day.

I had absolutely no idea of what I was getting into, as I had never been into a recording studio before, but for $250. you could get one night plus 250 45 singles. So we went for it, and what a party it was-about 10 cases of Schlitz beer combined with bennies and Oaxaxcan and out comes my first single.

We really didn't finish it up till about 1978. It was mixed by Roger Harris who is famous for his work on Freddy Fenders' Before the Next Teardrop Falls. A lot of my closest friends consider this to be my best effort to date! It was definitely pure and innocent. Later on I heard that Elvis Costello used to playJalepeno Con Big Red on his London radio show.

When El Molino performed live you never really knew which members were going to show up. So some club owners would try to get out of paying full price. So I figured as long as this guy Carrasco showed up, there wouldn't be any problem with dinero, and I don't mean Robert! So I needed a title. I wanted a name that had royalty tied in like-Sir Douglass Quintet, Lord August or Prince Rockin Sydney. I decided on Count Carrasco and El Molino, but my future manager, Joe Nick Patoski said Joe King Carrasco sounded cooler.

 

No Longer Being Produced:

1979 - Tales of the Crypt - was recorded in New York City NY and released in 1979 by Rior Records. Songs include: Buena, Caca de Vaca, Tears Been Falling, Morning Coffee, Wild 14, One More Time, Sweet Little Rock N Roller, That's the Love, Let's Get Pretty, Betty's World, Federales, Monkey Got My Frisbee The musicians are - Kris Cummings (keyboards),Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Mike Navarro (drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1981 - Party Safari - released in 1981 by Hannibal Records. Songs include - Bad Rap , Gin Baby Gin , That's the Love , Ta U La Ou Va. The musicians are - Kris Cummings (keyboards), Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Mike Navarro (drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1981 - Joe King Carrasco & The Crowns - released in 1981 by Hannibal Records (USA). Songs include - Houston El Mover , Gimme Sody,Jody, Buena , Betty's World , I Get My Kicks on You , One More Time , Don't Bug Me Baby , Nervoused Out , Caca de Vaca , , Party Doll , Federales , Let's Get Pretty. The musicians are - Kris Cummings (keyboards), Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Mike Navarro (drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1981 - Joe King Carrasco & The Crowns - released in 1981 by Stiff Records (Europe). Songs include -Buena , Betty's World , I Get My Kicks on You , One More Time , Don't Bug Me Baby , Nervoused Out , Caca de Vaca , Susan Friendly , Party Doll , Federales/Wild 14 , Let's Get Pretty. The musicians are - Kris Cummings (keyboards), Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Mike Navarro (drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1982 - Synapse Gap - released in 1982 by MCA Records. Songs include - Imitations Class , Person - Person , Don't Let a Woman , Where We At , Senor Lover , Wanna Get That Feel , Bad Rap , Front Me Some Love , Rip It Up-Shake It Up , That's The Love , Man Overboard.The musicians are - Kris Cummings (keyboards), Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Dick Ross (drums), Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals) and courtesy of Epic Records - Michael Jackson (harmonies).

1983 - Party Weekend - released in 1983 by MCA Records. Songs include - Let's Go , Dance Republic , Kantina , Get Off , Buena , Tears Been A-Falling , Party Weekend , Let's Go Nutz , Lupe , Perfect Spot , Burnin' It Down , Gracias. The musicians are - Kris Cummings(keyboards), Brad Kizer (bass guitar), Dick Ross (drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1985 - Bordertown - released in 1985 by Big Beat Records (USA). Songs include - Escondido, Hola Coca Cola , Who Buy The Guns , Are You Amigo , Put Me in Jail Mr. Bogota , Walk It Like You Talk It , Current Events , Cucaracha Taco , Baby Let's Go To Mexico , Vamos A Bailar , Tamale Baby.The musicians are - Kris Cummings(keyboards),George Reiff (bass guitar), Dick Ross(drums), and Joe King Carrasco (guitars and vocals).

1985 - Bordertown - release in 1985 by New Rose Records (Europe). The songs include - Manana , Yabba Ding Ding , Dinero , Escondido , Hola Coca Cola , Who Buy The Guns , Put Me in Jail , Mr. Bogota , Walk It Like You Talk It , Current Events , Vamos A Bailar , Tamale Baby. The musicians are - Kris Cummings(keyboards), George Reiff(bass guitar), Dick Ross(drums), and Joe King Carrasco(guitars and vocals).

1995 - Anthology - released in 1995 by MCA Records. This is a compilation CD set including all songs from Synapse Gap and Party Weekend.