El Vez sings as King for social change
By Daily Bruin Staff
Aug. 11, 2002 9:00 p.m.
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
[email protected]
When you look at El Vez’s Web site, you can’t help
but wonder, is this guy for real?
The four-inch-high black hair, gold lamé body suits and
razor thin mustache make him seem more like the king of cheese than
the king of rock ‘n’ roll.
But don’t call El Vez (neé Robert Lopez) an
impersonator, he sees himself as an Elvis translator ““ the
Mexican Elvis. And once you start listening to the music, you
realize El Vez is more than another pelvis-swaying wanna-be.
“I take Elvis music and then change it, translate it to a
Latino situation,” El Vez said.
One of the first songs he composed was “Hurarches
Azules,” a remake of Presley’s “Blue Suede
Shoes,” which he sings in Spanish and English with the
Elvettes, his backup singers who wear small sombrero bras over
their black dresses.
El Vez also sings “Chihuahua,” a remake of
Presley’s “Hound Dog.”
While many of his songs and performances are silly spoofs poking
fun at common stereotypes of Latinos in the United States, he also
tries to teach his listeners about Latino and Chicano culture.
His song “Chicanisma,” from the
“Graciasland” album, is a remake of Presley’s
“Little Sister” but with a twist. He speaks of the
power of Latina and Chicana women.
“I try to cover all Latino and Chicano agendas. I have
songs about Frida Kahlo, Sor Juana and Emiliano Zapata,” El
Vez said. “Some I write, and other times I change the words.
Like Elvis’ “˜Suspicious Minds’ becomes
“˜Immigration Time’ and “˜Viva Las Vegas’
becomes “˜Viva La Raza.'”
El Vez learned about the Chicano experience first-hand from a
highly political family during the 1960s and ’70s. His uncle
was in the militant Chicano group, the Brown Berets.
He frequently traveled to Mexico when he was young and visited
the museums and pyramids often.
These experiences would later help him write songs like
“Immigration Time” and “Cesar Chavez” which
relate the current situations of Southern California Latinos and
border crossings.
While El Vez is first and foremost an entertainer, he uses pop
culture appeal to present his revolutionary ideals and goals of
social change.
“It’s education, but it’s entertainment first.
I use comedy and entertainment to catch people off guard,” he
said.
El Vez will return to Los Angeles to perform The Quinceñera
Show Aug. 16, the 15th anniversary of El Vez’s first Elvis
performance in Memphis, Tenn. and also the 25th anniversary of
Presley’s death.
The Quinceñera Show will highlight the most important
stages of El Vez’s career: The Tex-Mex Balladeer, The Gospel
Man which is a remake of Elvis’ gospel period, and The Elvis
Revolutionary.
The performance will include a mariachi, a reunion of the
Elvettes, over 40 cast members and multiple elaborate costumes.
While he may not have the worshipping fans of the King, El Vez
has definitely made a name for himself and garnered his own cult
following. You can even buy a lock of El Vez’s hair or a
swatch of fabric from one of his jumpsuits online for $3 .
El Vez has already toured throughout the United States, Europe,
Australia and Canada.
“What I do has a global idea ““ thinking globally but
acting Elvisly,” El Vez said.
Even though the songs are a mix of Spanish and English with
themes geared toward the Chicano/Latino experience in the United
States, kids all over the world have been able to relate to his
lyrics.
When El Vez toured in Berlin, the Turkish kids there said their
favorite song was “Immigration Times” because the song
was talking about them trying to fit in living as immigrants in
Berlin.
“The ideas I sing about are universal,” El Vez said.
“I’m just making them specifically Latino.”
El Vez will be performing Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. at the California
Plaza, 350 South Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles, as part of the
Grand Performances series. The performance is free. For more info,
call (213) 687-2159.
