Side Stage

Spotlighting the best of local music: the Mormons
by Ryan Kluthe

Los Angeles can be a godless city. It’s infested with drugs, starfuckers, and the morally corrupt commercial culture propagated by Hollywood. Zoned out fashion zombies aimlessly roam from venue to venue in search of musical meaning, but end up bobbing their head to the same rhythm of uninspired three-chord crap and rank and file lyrics whined out by some passionless kid with a salon-cut mullet. Is there no soul left in the music?

If L.A. is to be saved, we will need musicians with the dedication of religious zealots. This is the musical task that the Mormons of Highland Park have embarked upon. Formed in 1998, the band—made up of Vince O’Campo and Louie Rodriguez on guitar, Patrick Jones as vocalist/contortionist, Johnny Meza on drums, and bass player Jimmy Castillo—has a simple mission: to excite, energize, and spark violent convulsions in the crowd.

Most Mormon followers convert after witnessing a live show. Donning the authentic missionary garb, right down to the bicycle helmets and backpacks, their generic uniforms serve as an anti-fashion statement, a visual “fuck you” to the smoke and mirrors show that conceals the mediocrity of much L.A. music. Jones falls into a religious trance, vibrating, twisting, shaking, crawling, filling the room with his vibrato voice—reminiscent of Mark Mothersbaugh. The rest of the band offers short sonic blasts with explosions of highly energetic, truly inspired, and surprisingly original punk and roll. It’s like getting a divine backhand to the face!

True to their religious doctrine, the Mormons will spread their unique rock gospel up the West Coast with a missionary trip this month. The kick-off services are April 7 at The Scene Bar in Glendale.