Remember the Miami Sound Machine, what with all its comachakeyobodybaby and doing the conga?
Well, the Tijuana Sound Machine is a totally different creature. Instead, it's the Grammy nominated 2008 debut of Bostich + Fussible, a two-man offshoot of Mexilectric pioneers Nortec Collective. Bridging the gap between native sounds and electro, the pair makes very danceable tuneage that still draws on sounds from the its homeland.
And Bostich + Fussible will do it live and direct this Friday night at the North Beach Bandshell, when the duo joins talented Brazilian beauty Céu for the Heineken TransAtlantic Festival. But first, we got a chance to chat with Fussible.
Crossfade: The solo projects have been much buzzed since well before their release. Tell all the Nortec fans out there why you guys decided to work on these solo projects.
As we have been Bostich & Fussible since the moment that Nortec started, we've worked independently. That means since 1999. In fact, we were the ones that originally created the Nortec Collective with our label Mil Records. Back in those days, we functioned as curators and selected the music for the first albums. For a while, between 2004 and 2007, there were performances with many of us playing together as a sort of experiment. But the way we are doing it now allows us to make more music and to have a bigger presence. With this project, Bostich & Fussible, we have been able to secure more dates and record much more material than when we were grouped together in the larger compilations.
What new artistic facets do you feel are revealed in these side project?
For us, the sound of Nortec still is and will always be the fusion of Norteño and techno, which evolves with the waves of new technologies and the collaborations with artists that we meet on tour.
On a personal level, how is touring different for you in this version from when Nortec is all together.
Nowadays, it is very easy to notice the difference, because there are mediums like Youtube that broadcasts our shows. Our current show is much more interactive and it plays with the technology in the execution as well as the authentic live Norteño sound.
Your "Radio Borderland" video shows your travels through Shanghai. What can you tell us about that experience?
That video of Shanghai answers your previous question, in it you can see what we do today with Bostich + Fussible live. In that performance, the most impacting thing was that for the first time, the promoters actually respected the "technical rider." That means that we had a massive video screen that allowed us to make a truly audiovisual show. We also learned a lot about Chinese culture.
Finally, all of Mexico, and particularly places like your native Tijuana, are experiencing very difficult and turbulent times. Do you think in times like these music, and culture in general, is more important for the people of Mexico than ever?
For the people in Mexico, besides the culture, there's always a concern for security. Today, I can say that Tijuana is no longer on the top of the list of non-safe places. In fact, we believe that we are in a very good period of "tranquility," compared to previous years. We recently arrived in San Antonio from playing a show in Tampico, Mexico, a place where a lot of bands have been canceling their performances. But we decided to go. We were one of the few acts that didn't back down. It really saddened us to see that many people missing out on live music. Despite a lack of security, the people came out to the beach to see our show!
Bostich + Fussible from Nortec Collective with Céu. Friday, April 29. North Beach Bandshell, The concert begins at 9 p.m. and tickets cost $20 via fla.vor.us. Visit transatlanticfestival.com.
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