Joe Escalante
Encyclopedia
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Escalante (born January 30, 1963) is an American
musician
, record label
owner, radio host, film
and music video director
, and amateur matador
, as well as a former television
executive and entertainment lawyer
. He is most widely known as the bassist
for the punk rock
band The Vandals
, the owner of their record label Kung Fu Records
, and the host of Barely Legal Radio on the Los Angeles
/Orange County
radio station Indie 103.1
FM
.
to a Mexican
father and Irish
mother and grew up in Rossmoor, California
, an unincorporated area of Orange County
. As a teenager he learned to play drums
and began performing in local garage bands.
in Orange County, Escalante received his Bachelor of Arts
degree from UCLA where he specialized in Old Norse
. After doing graduate work at the University of Iceland
in Reykjavík
, he entered Loyola Law School
in Los Angeles
and received his Juris Doctor
.
band The Vandals
, becoming their first permanent drummer
. He would remain the sole constant member of the band throughout the rest of their career. They released their debut EP
Peace Thru Vandalism
in 1982 through Epitaph Records
. In 1984 Escalante and the other band members appeared in the Penelope Spheeris
film Suburbia
and released their first album When in Rome Do as the Vandals
. In 1987 they appeared in another Spheeris film, Dudes. By 1989 Escalante had moved from the drums into the bass guitar
position, and fluctuations in the band's membership had left him as the only member remaining from the original recording lineup. In order to continue the band, he and vocalist Dave Quackenbush set about finding new members, recruiting guitarist Warren Fitzgerald
and drummer Josh Freese
. In 1990 this lineup released the album Fear of a Punk Planet
, establishing themselves amongst an emerging new crop of southern California punk rock bands. This lineup would remain consistent throughout the rest of the band's career and would release numerous albums, tour extensively, and form their own record label.
. He used money from his job to finance The Vandals and his television connections to allow them to play on late-night rock shows. He hosted a number of music programs during his time with the network and negotiated contracts with acting talent. After four years he left CBS to tour full-time with The Vandals and to operate his record label Kung Fu Records
.
.
and released the album Live Fast, Diarrhea
. The album brought increased attention to the band and Escalante toured with them internationally. He directed their music video
for "I Have a Date," and would continue to direct the band's videos throughout the rest of their career. The band released 3 more albums on Nitro over the next 5 years, with Escalante participating on all of them.
In 1996 Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald
started the record label Kung Fu Records
, initially in order to release a debut album by the Assorted Jelly Beans. Escalante named the label after his study of Kung Fu San Soo. Over the next several years Escalante took over operations of the label, signing acts such as The Ataris
, Ozma
, and Tsunami Bomb
, as well as re-releasing some of The Vandals' more obscure records. He funded the label by opening a law practice and using his industry contacts to build a roster of music clients. Kung Fu grew in size, establishing contracts with other American labels to distribute and promote their releases in Europe and Japan. In 2000 The Vandals moved their operations fully from Nitro to Kung Fu.
.
, taking lessons in Mexico
and performing as an amateur. This led to matador-themed artwork on The Vandals' 2000 album Look What I Almost Stepped In...
. Escalante continues to take lessons and participate in the sport and is considered an amateur toreador.
/Morrissey
tribute band
composed primarily of Latino
members. In 2006 he traveled with them to the United Kingdom
to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Smiths album The Queen Is Dead
.
/Orange County
radio station Indie 103.1
FM
, where he dispensed entertainment and legal advice to aspiring musicians. In May 2006 he became the host of the station's morning drive-time program The Last of the Famous International Morning Shows, replacing former Mighty Mighty Bosstones
singer Dicky Barrett
.
Escalante's morning show included daily appearances by film director David Lynch
, who served as weatherman, and actor Timothy Olyphant
, who served as a sports commentator. The show also featured a weekly wine tasting and education hour called "Wino Wednesday", and hosted a number of celebrity guests including Crispin Glover
, Christina Ricci
, Pat Buchanan, Will Ferrell
, Maynard James Keenan
, and Andy Dick
. The show was endorsed by companies and products such as iPod
, iTunes
, and AT&T
.
Escalante left the show in November 2008, stating:
Escalante remained with his Barely Legal program, which expanded into a two hour format. When Indie 103.1 converted to an internet-only station in January 2009, the show transferred to the new format along with the station.
and attends church. He has been labeled by some contemporaries in the music community as a political and moral conservative.
Escalante is a contributor to the center-right socio-political website Ricochet. In June 2011, he opined about his heritage: "I favor a high wall and a wide gate. As a Mexican with many ties to the old country, I want what's best for Mexico, not what's best for Mexican-American politicians, or white politicians, or any politicians... Despite the problems with cartel violence and corruption at all levels of everything imaginable, it is still a place of joy."
}
|-
|2005
|Cake Boy
|Pierre Kaniche
|-
|2007
|Punk's Not Dead
|himself
|-
|2008
|Lil' Bush
(episode 204: "Katrina")
|Michael "Brownie" Brown (voice)
|-
|2009
|One Nine Nine Four
|himself
|}
I Esclante's scenes in Punk Rock Holocaust were deleted from the final version of the film.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
owner, radio host, film
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and music video director
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
, and amateur matador
Matador
A torero or toureiro is a bullfighter and the main performer in bullfighting, practised in Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Mexico, France and various other countries influenced by Spanish culture. In Spanish, the word torero describes any of the performers who actively participate in the bullfight...
, as well as a former television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
executive and entertainment lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He is most widely known as the bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
for the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, the owner of their record label Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
, and the host of Barely Legal Radio on the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
/Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
radio station Indie 103.1
KDLD
KDLD is a commercial radio station in Santa Monica, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles area on 103.1 FM. KDLE is a commercial radio station in Newport Beach, California, broadcasting to the Orange County area on 103.1 FM....
FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
.
Biography
Escalante was born in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
to a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
father and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
mother and grew up in Rossmoor, California
Rossmoor, California
Rossmoor is an affluent planned census-designated place located in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 10,244, down from 10,298 at the 2000 census...
, an unincorporated area of Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. As a teenager he learned to play drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and began performing in local garage bands.
Education
After graduating from Los Alamitos High SchoolLos Alamitos High School
Los Alamitos High School is a public school for grades 9 to 12 located in Los Alamitos, California, and also serving the city of Seal Beach and the community of Rossmoor. It is the only traditional high school in the Los Alamitos Unified School District; the far smaller Laurel High School serves...
in Orange County, Escalante received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from UCLA where he specialized in Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
. After doing graduate work at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, he entered Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School
Loyola Law School is the law school of Loyola Marymount University, a private Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, in Los Angeles, California. Loyola was established in 1920. Like Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law , it...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
.
Career with The Vandals
In 1980, at age 17, Escalante joined the punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, becoming their first permanent drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. He would remain the sole constant member of the band throughout the rest of their career. They released their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Peace Thru Vandalism
Peace Thru Vandalism
Peace thru Vandalism is the debut EP by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1982 by Epitaph Records. It was one of the first releases to be put out by the Epitaph label, founded in 1981 by Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion. The EP was re-released by Time Bomb Recordings in...
in 1982 through Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
. In 1984 Escalante and the other band members appeared in the Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
film Suburbia
Suburbia (film)
Suburbia, also known as Rebel Streets and The Wild Side, is a 1984 film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris about suburban punks who run away from home. The kids take up a minimalist, punk lifestyle by squatting in abandoned suburban tract homes...
and released their first album When in Rome Do as the Vandals
When in Rome Do as the Vandals
When in Rome Do as the Vandals is the debut album by the Huntington Beach punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1984 by National Trust Records. It was the band's first full-length LP. Its title is a play on the phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", as the Vandals was also the name of a...
. In 1987 they appeared in another Spheeris film, Dudes. By 1989 Escalante had moved from the drums into the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
position, and fluctuations in the band's membership had left him as the only member remaining from the original recording lineup. In order to continue the band, he and vocalist Dave Quackenbush set about finding new members, recruiting guitarist Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald is an American punk rock musician, guitarist, songwriter, and record label owner.-Overview and business:Warren Fitzgerald is most famous for being the current guitarist of The Vandals...
and drummer Josh Freese
Josh Freese
Josh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
. In 1990 this lineup released the album Fear of a Punk Planet
Fear of a Punk Planet (album)
Fear of a Punk Planet is the third album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, originally released in 1990 by Triple X Records. It was their first album to include the lineup of Dave Quackenbush, Warren Fitzgerald, Joe Escalante and Josh Freese, solidifying the band's roster after...
, establishing themselves amongst an emerging new crop of southern California punk rock bands. This lineup would remain consistent throughout the rest of the band's career and would release numerous albums, tour extensively, and form their own record label.
Television career
After graduating law school in 1992, Escalante worked as a talent and program negotiator in the department of business affairs for CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He used money from his job to finance The Vandals and his television connections to allow them to play on late-night rock shows. He hosted a number of music programs during his time with the network and negotiated contracts with acting talent. After four years he left CBS to tour full-time with The Vandals and to operate his record label Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
.
Marriage
Escalante married in 1996. His wife, Sandra Escalante, appeared briefly in the 2005 film Cake Boy which he directed (as a member of the counseling group). The two now live together in Signal Hill, CaliforniaSignal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a small city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Signal Hill, completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered in Signal Hill. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
.
Kung Fu Records and legal practice
In 1995 the Vandals signed a record deal with Nitro RecordsNitro Records
Nitro Records is an independent record label created and owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel . They started the label in 1994. The label is famous for being an incubator for punk rock artists who have subsequently become successful, most notably AFI...
and released the album Live Fast, Diarrhea
Live Fast, Diarrhea
Live Fast, Diarrhea is the fourth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1995 by Nitro Records. It was the band's first album for Nitro, a label started and co-owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel of The Offspring...
. The album brought increased attention to the band and Escalante toured with them internationally. He directed their music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "I Have a Date," and would continue to direct the band's videos throughout the rest of their career. The band released 3 more albums on Nitro over the next 5 years, with Escalante participating on all of them.
In 1996 Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald
Warren Fitzgerald is an American punk rock musician, guitarist, songwriter, and record label owner.-Overview and business:Warren Fitzgerald is most famous for being the current guitarist of The Vandals...
started the record label Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
, initially in order to release a debut album by the Assorted Jelly Beans. Escalante named the label after his study of Kung Fu San Soo. Over the next several years Escalante took over operations of the label, signing acts such as The Ataris
The Ataris
The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
, Ozma
Ozma (band)
Ozma is a rock band from Pasadena, California. The band's sound is a mix of new-wave–influenced power pop and Casiotone-driven melodies sustained by heavy guitar riffs. The complexity of Ozma's songs grew considerably during the band's initial nine-year history...
, and Tsunami Bomb
Tsunami Bomb
Tsunami Bomb was a punk rock band from Petaluma, California that was active between 1998 and October 2005 and released 2 studio albums and 4 EPs. They were founded by Dominic David who left in 2003...
, as well as re-releasing some of The Vandals' more obscure records. He funded the label by opening a law practice and using his industry contacts to build a roster of music clients. Kung Fu grew in size, establishing contracts with other American labels to distribute and promote their releases in Europe and Japan. In 2000 The Vandals moved their operations fully from Nitro to Kung Fu.
Directing and producing
Using his experience in the television industry, Escalante formed Kung Fu Films in 2000 as an offshoot of the record label, and produced and starred in the independent film That Darn Punk. He also continued to produce and direct music videos for The Vandals and for other acts on the Kung Fu label. In 2002 he launched the DVD live concert series The Show Must Go Off! He directed the independent film Cake Boy in 2005 and is presently in pre-production to direct a documentary of the band Social DistortionSocial Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
.
Bullfighting
In the late 1990s Escalante took an interest in the sport of bullfightingBullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
, taking lessons in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and performing as an amateur. This led to matador-themed artwork on The Vandals' 2000 album Look What I Almost Stepped In...
Look What I Almost Stepped In...
Look What I Almost Stepped In... is the eighth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2000 by Nitro Records. It was the band's final album for Nitro, as they moved to their own label Kung Fu Records the following year...
. Escalante continues to take lessons and participate in the sport and is considered an amateur toreador.
Legal controversies
In 2003 ex-Vandals members Steven Jensen, Jan Nils Ackermann, Chalmer Lumary, and Steve Pfauter initiated legal actions against Escalante, alleging that he had mismanaged the band's back catalogue and had withheld royalties that were owed them. Jensen and Ackermann asserted that most of the songs on Peace Thru Vandalism, which had since been reissued with the credit "all songs by Joe Escalante," had been written before he joined the group. Escalante stated that Epitaph Records had relinquished the copyrights and master tapes to him, and that the older members had relinquished control of the band's name and rights in exchange for permission to play an "original Vandals" reunion show. The others, however, denied that this agreement took place. They claimed that Escalante had misappropriated their intellectual property and had not paid them royalties due from the licensing of several early Vandals songs for use in commercials and films, in which the songs had been credited only to Escalante. Lawsuits ensued, resulting in an undisclosed settlement which allowed Escalante to continue licensing the band's back catalogue. A subsequent licensing of the song "Urban Struggle" for the movie Jackass Number Two credited the group as a whole. Legal processes regarding the issue, however, are ongoing.Sweet and Tender Hooligans
In 2004 Escalante joined the Sweet and Tender Hooligans, a SmithsThe Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
/Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
tribute band
Tribute band
A tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act - sometimes one which has disbanded, ceased touring or is deceased. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style...
composed primarily of Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
members. In 2006 he traveled with them to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Smiths album The Queen Is Dead
The Queen Is Dead
The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band The Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records and released in the United States on 23 June 1986 through Sire Records. The album reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart, maintaining...
.
Radio hosting
In June 2005 Escalante retired from legal practice after 12 years in the profession. During this time he also began hosting the call-in show "Barely Legal Radio" on the Los AngelesLos Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
/Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
radio station Indie 103.1
KDLD
KDLD is a commercial radio station in Santa Monica, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles area on 103.1 FM. KDLE is a commercial radio station in Newport Beach, California, broadcasting to the Orange County area on 103.1 FM....
FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
, where he dispensed entertainment and legal advice to aspiring musicians. In May 2006 he became the host of the station's morning drive-time program The Last of the Famous International Morning Shows, replacing former Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
singer Dicky Barrett
Dicky Barrett
Richard Michael Barrett , better known as Dicky Barrett, is the frontman of Ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live...
.
Escalante's morning show included daily appearances by film director David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, who served as weatherman, and actor Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant is an American actor whose notable roles in television drama series include Deadwood as Seth Bullock, Justified as Raylan Givens, The Office as Danny Cordray, and Damages as Wes Krulik...
, who served as a sports commentator. The show also featured a weekly wine tasting and education hour called "Wino Wednesday", and hosted a number of celebrity guests including Crispin Glover
Crispin Glover
Crispin Hellion Glover is an American film actor, director and screenwriter, recording artist, publisher, and author. Glover is known for portraying eccentric people on screen such as George McFly in Back to the Future, Layne in River's Edge, unfriendly recluse Rubin Farr in Rubin and Ed, the...
, Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
, Pat Buchanan, Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
, Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
, and Andy Dick
Andy Dick
Andrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
. The show was endorsed by companies and products such as iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
, iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, and AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
.
Escalante left the show in November 2008, stating:
Indie asked me if I would keep the Barely Legal Radio program on Indie but stop doing mornings. I said yes. I loved doing the morning show for 2½ years but I am also looking forward to not getting up at 4 am any more. If you've ever had a morning job like this, you probably know the relief I feel, but I will still miss seeing Liz and Jose every day, having David Lynch as my weatherman, and talking to Timothy Olyphant about sports each morning. These will always rank with the coolest things I’ve ever been fortunate enough to do in my entire life.
Escalante remained with his Barely Legal program, which expanded into a two hour format. When Indie 103.1 converted to an internet-only station in January 2009, the show transferred to the new format along with the station.
Religious and political views
Escalante is a CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and attends church. He has been labeled by some contemporaries in the music community as a political and moral conservative.
Escalante is a contributor to the center-right socio-political website Ricochet. In June 2011, he opined about his heritage: "I favor a high wall and a wide gate. As a Mexican with many ties to the old country, I want what's best for Mexico, not what's best for Mexican-American politicians, or white politicians, or any politicians... Despite the problems with cartel violence and corruption at all levels of everything imaginable, it is still a place of joy."
Discography
Studio albums- 1984: When in Rome Do as the VandalsWhen in Rome Do as the VandalsWhen in Rome Do as the Vandals is the debut album by the Huntington Beach punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1984 by National Trust Records. It was the band's first full-length LP. Its title is a play on the phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", as the Vandals was also the name of a...
- 1989: Slippery When IllSlippery When IllSlippery When Ill is the second album by the Huntington Beach punk rock band The Vandals, released jointly in 1989 by Restless Records and Sticky Fingers Records. It was their first album to include Dave Quackenbush on vocals, who would remain the band's singer for the rest of their career...
- 1990: Fear of a Punk PlanetFear of a Punk Planet (album)Fear of a Punk Planet is the third album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, originally released in 1990 by Triple X Records. It was their first album to include the lineup of Dave Quackenbush, Warren Fitzgerald, Joe Escalante and Josh Freese, solidifying the band's roster after...
- 1995: Live Fast, DiarrheaLive Fast, DiarrheaLive Fast, Diarrhea is the fourth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1995 by Nitro Records. It was the band's first album for Nitro, a label started and co-owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel of The Offspring...
- 1996: The QuickeningThe QuickeningThe Quickening is the fifth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1996 by Nitro Records. Much of the album is characterized by themes of nihilism and anarchism, but presented with the tongue-in-cheek humor for which the band is known.Both the band and the...
- 1996: Oi to the World!Oi to the World!Oi to the World! is a Christmas album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals. It was released in 1996 by their label Kung Fu Records, who also re-released it in 2000 with altered artwork and a bonus track...
- 1998: Hitler Bad, Vandals GoodHitler Bad, Vandals GoodHitler Bad, Vandals Good is the seventh studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 1998 by Nitro Records. Much of the album is characterized by the pop-punk music and humorous lyrics for which the band is known, and it became their most popular and commercially...
- 2000: Look What I Almost Stepped In...Look What I Almost Stepped In...Look What I Almost Stepped In... is the eighth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2000 by Nitro Records. It was the band's final album for Nitro, as they moved to their own label Kung Fu Records the following year...
- 2002: Internet Dating SuperstudsInternet Dating SuperstudsInternet Dating Superstuds is the ninth studio album by the southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2002 by Kung Fu Records. It was the band's first album after their permanent move to Kung Fu, after having fulfilled their contract with Nitro Records in 2000...
- 2004: Hollywood Potato ChipHollywood Potato ChipHollywood Potato Chip is the tenth studio album by the Southern California punk rock band The Vandals, released in 2004 by Kung Fu Records. A music video starring guitarist and producer Warren Fitzgerald was filmed for the band's cover version of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now". The album's title is a...
Acting
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Suburbia Suburbia (film) Suburbia, also known as Rebel Streets and The Wild Side, is a 1984 film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris about suburban punks who run away from home. The kids take up a minimalist, punk lifestyle by squatting in abandoned suburban tract homes... |
himself (with The Vandals) |
| 1987 | Dudes | |
| 2000 | That Darn Punk | Dirk Castigo |
| 2004 | Punk Rock Holocaust Punk Rock Holocaust Punk Rock Holocaust is a 2004 low-budget slasher film/horror-comedy directed by Doug Sakmann. It is about a serial killer on the loose at the Vans Warped Tour who tries killing off the bands one by one, and features bands such as Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Less Than Jake, The Used, Big D and... |
|-
|2005
|Cake Boy
|Pierre Kaniche
|-
|2007
|Punk's Not Dead
|himself
|-
|2008
|Lil' Bush
Lil' Bush
Lil' Bush is a satirical, politically-themed animated television series which premiered on June 13, 2007 on Comedy Central. The series features childlike, caricatures of members of the George W. Bush administration, and other American and international political leaders. Donick Cary created the...
(episode 204: "Katrina")
|Michael "Brownie" Brown (voice)
|-
|2009
|One Nine Nine Four
One Nine Nine Four
One Nine Nine Four is a documentary film written and directed by Jai Al-Attas, "exploring the birth, growth and eventual tipping point of punk rock during the 90's" and produced by the independent Australian company Robot Academy Films...
|himself
|}
I Esclante's scenes in Punk Rock Holocaust were deleted from the final version of the film.
Direction and production
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Glory Daze Glory Daze Glory Daze is an independent film starring Ben Affleck, Sam Rockwell, French Stewart and Alyssa Milano. It had a limited release in 1996.- Plot :... |
Music supervisor |
| 2000 | That Darn Punk | Producer, music editor, music supervisor |
| 2003 | Neil Hamburger Neil Hamburger Neil Hamburger is a standup comedian character played by comedian and musician Gregg Turkington.-Style:Hamburger's live act, which is quite different from his many albums, features a barrage of question/answer jokes aimed often at celebrity targets, including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, The Red... : Live at the Phoenix Greyhound Park (The Show Must Go Off! episode 5) |
Director, producer |
| 2004 | Goldfinger Goldfinger (band) Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer... : Live at the House of Blues (The Show Must Go Off! episode 11) |
Director |
| Zebrahead Zebrahead Zebrahead is an American punk rock band from Orange County, California, which fuses elements of Rapcore, Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, and Funk Metal.-1996–98: Formation:... : Live at the House of Blues (The Show Must Go Off! episode 12) |
Director | |
| The Matches The Matches The Matches are a United States-based band formed in 1997 in Oakland, California. It currently is composed of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jonathan Devoto, bassist and backup vocalist Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen... : Live at the House of Blues (The Show Must Go Off! episode 14) |
Director, producer | |
| Throw Rag Throw Rag Throw Rag is a four piece punk rock band from the Salton Sea, California. Formed in 1993, Throw Rag has been fronted by Sean Wheeler aka Captain Sean Doe aka Diamond Boss aka Sun Trash since the inception of the band... : Live at the House of Blues (The Show Must Go Off! episode 15) |
Director | |
| Warped Tour '03 | Director, producer | |
| 2005 | Tsunami Bomb Tsunami Bomb Tsunami Bomb was a punk rock band from Petaluma, California that was active between 1998 and October 2005 and released 2 studio albums and 4 EPs. They were founded by Dominic David who left in 2003... : Live at the Glasshouse (The Show Must Go Off! episode 17) |
Producer |
| Cake Boy | Director, producer | |