THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Brat were a Chicano punk ensemble from the barrios of the East Los Angeles. The band’s three core members were singer Teresa Covarrubias, lead guitarist Rudy Medina and rhythm/lead guitarist Sid Medina. From their conception in 1979 to their breakup in 1985, The Brat contributed to the customization and meshing of multiple musical and cultural models that culminated in the distinct East Los Angeles, Chicano punk sound.
The Brat, a hardworking and politically conscious band, nurtured the DIY punk scene of East L.A., which was defined by unofficial venues and backyard shows because the wealthier West L.A. circuit controlled the popular market. By the time the famous Club Vex was founded in 1980 — by Los Illegals frontman Willie Herron, who desired an official venue to host East L.A.’s numerous underrated bands, who were mostly Chicano — The Brat had become one of the biggest acts in the area. In late 1980, The Brat were signed as the flagship band of the upstart label of another local punk group, The Plugz’ Fatima Records.
This collaboration resulted in The Brat’s only recorded output, the EP Attitudes. The five-song disc collected of some of their popular originals featuring Covarrubias’ aggressive yet melodic vocals and lyrics critiquing social inequality — set against the urgent guitar hooks of Rudy Medina (aka Rudy Brat) and drums with a reggae feel. Sadly, The Brat never found breakthrough success and remained an underground East L.A. Chicano act.
Straight Outta East L.A. contains all five tracks from the long-out-of-print EP, which was produced by Tito Larriva of The Plugz. The remaining songs were recorded at various times but never released. Ten of them were recorded by legendary producer Paul A. Rothchild. Most of the tracks were unmixed or left unfinished until recently. The album includes covers of the Avengers punk anthem We Are The One and Bob Dylan’s Tombstone Blues.
With 21 tracks of unearthed punk and new wave classics, Straight Outta East L.A. is a must-have for fans of bands like X, The Bags and The Go-Go’s.”
