CAMICHES - Pain, Death And Human Resilience... (Mexico - Melodic Punk Rock - Interview with Sinuhe).

Hello ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music? 
Hi! This is Sinuhe, the bassist of Camiches. I think we can all agree that a major gateway into all of this was music videos on television. Of course, some of us were introduced to certain bands by older cousins or siblings, but in general, it all happened very organically, the way things used to in the ’90s when we were kids, and perhaps a little later, when we got a bit older in the first decade of the 2000s.
Personally, I used to go see my older brother Ramses play at the iconic Multiforo Alicia in Colonia Roma, Mexico City. I think everyone in CDMX, and pretty much everyone involved in the Mexican music scene, knows that place. 

What if I told you that you have to leave for a desert island in 5 minutes—you have no choice… except to take three albums with you… which ones, and why? Would you say that these were game-changers at some point in your life?
Hahaha, great scenario. I would choose "Potemkin City Limits" by Propagandhi. That album was one of the records that shaped me during my teenage years. It opened my eyes to a whole new level of music without losing the essence of what it meant to say what you think with anger and conviction. I also remember very clearly listening to that album on New Year’s Eve on the border between Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and San Ysidro, California, and deciding that I was going to stop eating meat. It settled my doubts once and for all, and I understood how deeply the pain of the “other” could affect me.
I would choose "Euforia" by Fito Páez because that way I would have my mother close to my heart, listening to “Mariposa Tecknicolor,” one of her favorite songs by one of her favorite artists.
Finally, it would have to be "Zitilites" by Kashmir, another album that had a huge impact on me. It’s such a complete record, and so different from everything else I was listening to at the time, which was basically skate punk and nothing else. I was twelve or thirteen years old, and this music felt so much more sophisticated, profound, and expansive.

Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band? 
First of all, you need to listen to this band, because chances are you’ve already heard a lot of punk, hardcore, and their various offshoots from Usaonians (also and widely known as Americans), Canadian, Australian, or European bands. I think you should broaden your horizons and explore the nuances of bands from Mexicoa, as well as the vastness of the rest of our American continent, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Camiches has its own essence. We take the whole idea of feeling seriously, of expressing what we feel through music. We do it in Spanish. We do it the Chilango way. We make it our own.
The band was started by Ramses, on vocals, and me. Farid joined us on drums a little later. Then Nollie helped us out on bass for a few shows when we flew from Mexico City to Tijuana, Mexicali, and San Luis Río Colorado. Eventually, he stayed on, but moved over to guitar. Finally, Mich joined after we had been talking on the road following a show in Acapulco, his hometown. He put on a show for us the night before. We had already been good friends for a while, but that night in Acapulco, he played a song with us, he basically jumped on stage for what we call a “palomazo” in Mexico, an improvised jam with friends.
On the drive back, we started talking about it and realized that having him join the band felt like the natural next step. 

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
Solid, polished, "hardworked", with a groggy, big bass tone (hehehe), the best voice in Mexico, and lyrics that genuinely make you feel. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, it all depends on what the song needs.
It’s for anyone who grew up as a hardcore kid and punk kid, who respects the traditions of the genre but wants to add Mexico’s own secret ingredient to the recipe. 

Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ? 
Lyrics are extremely important to us. We love tragedy, we love love, we love to party, and at the same time, we have a deeply sacred relationship with death, emptiness, and pain. As Guillermo del Toro would say, it’s because we are Mexican. The lyrics are always personal. We believe that it is through the particular and the deeply personal that something becomes universal.
This particular album is about the pain of loss, about understanding that there is no escape from it. You can only live through it, suffer through it, and keep moving forward. Pain is finite, but there are no shortcuts through it.

About the band's discography... Imagine someone who doesn't know your band at all and wants to get interested in.. Which release would you recommend to start with, and why?  
This album, from top to bottom. Our most complete work, so you can get a sense of what we’re about. After that, if you want, you can go check out our “Most Listened” on Spotify.

About your latest release ?
"El dolor de lo irremediable - The Pain of the Irremediable", coming this July. I produced it, my brother and I wrote it, and we finished it together as a band. You can listen to it on pretty much every platform out there, and follow us on Instagram, YouTube, or wherever you find us: @camichesmx
We’re also working on getting the physical vinyl version out soon.

Future plans ? 
We want to play shows all across Mexico and Latin America, and as soon as everyone gets their visas, we’ll head up to the United States of America to play for our brothers and sisters there.

Your most insane dream with the band would be ? 
Playing Outbreak Fest, FTC, Sound and Fury or something like that.

Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?  
Our best show was in San José, Costa Rica. Pretty much every time we go there, we have an amazing time. Shoutout to @destinyrecordings, they’re always the best at putting on a great show.
And the worst one was definitely in Mérida, Mexico. It was so bad that someone literally had to hold the snare while Farid was hitting it. That should tell you a lot.
However, I also have one of my best and most beautiful memories from Mérida. Before the disastrous show, us Camiches and Alejandro Guerrero and some other Costa Rican friends went for a swim in a pristine, untouched cenote in the Yucatán Peninsula. It was a magical, completely natural place, and while we were swimming, a warm, almost lukewarm rain started falling on us. Honestly, it was one of those surreal moments that stays with you forever. 

Next live-appearance(s) :
October 3rd, Mexico City @ The New Multiforo Alicia

Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ? 
Venner, Uno a Uno, Cumbres, Tungas, Dan and Piña from Say Ocean, Pequeña Ciudad, Relieves, just to name a few in Mexico. But Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, the United States, and Canada have all taken a little piece of our hearts with them.
It’s been so many years, so many friends, so many places, and so many unforgettable moments. 

What’s the question you’ve always dreamed of answering but have never been asked? Just a heads-up: I’m also waiting for the answer that goes with it...
“Would you guys ever want to tour Europe or the U.S. as support band with Incendiary?” ... That’s the question we’re still waiting for… hahaha.

Last word is yours..
"All Cruelty Springs from Weakness" by Seneca the Younger.



Credits : 
All pics by JORGE GARDUÑO.