The Tijuana Bibles have been called the Champagne Of Lucha Libre Rock and Roll, The World's Toughest Masked Band and Canada's Fun Machine, but just who are these bold hooded men and women? Where did they come from? Why are those wrestling masks so damn alluring, yet menacing at the same time? Let's break it all down right here, right now, and straighten it all out once and for all.
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| The Tijuana Bibles were first brought together in 1997 by Toronto Super 8 filmmaker Stacey Case, to score his series of then-silent Arriba! The Parkdale Wrestler masked Mexican wrestling-themed movies for video release. The band also performed their original ass-kicking instrumental evil surf-rock at a few Super 8 movie fests along with the films around this time to |
incredible response. For extra theatrical effect at these early performances, the group adopted the bravado and donned the masks of Mexican luchadors, or wrestlers, and it all just kinda stuck, both figuratively and literally. The next logical step? Up the ante with a headlining show that would feature the band, not the films.
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That historic August night in 1999 turned into a near-riot of crazed wrestle rock fans, spilt beer and tunes hotter than a Mexican cathouse. When the smoke cleared a few days later, the message was clear to these ex-Speed Kings, Leather Uppers and Spittle members......the band quite simply ripped, and everyone wanted more of it.
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| Within their first year as a performing club act the band went on to release their first 7" vinyl EP and play landmark shows with such bands as the Sadies and the Come Ons. Influenced by classic Nuggets-era garage as well as TJ Bibles faves the Ramones and Cramps, the band added hard-hitting vocal numbers to their sonic arsenal, complementing their surf-y instrumental work beautifully. |
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| With an Irish Whip-like amount of momentum the band soon went on to win a coveted slot at 2000's Cave Stomp Festival in New York City opening for the legendary Troggs, did a European tour, and released their first full-length CD, Apartment Wrestling. Keep in mind people, they did it all while wearing hot, itchy wrestling masks, and it's all the more impressive. |
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The next two years would see the Bibles completing two more successful European tours, releasing their Custom Made mini-album on Dutch label Tear it Up Records, and headlining at such festivals as Toronto's Take Out The Trash, Canadian Music Week and North By Northeast as well as Holland's Access to Amsterdam. |
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Staying true to their origins, the band is continually contributing music to film projects including Canadian indie rock film Goldirocks, the masked wrestling horror film Zombie Beach Party (directed by their old friend and nemesis Stacey Case) as well as two "blue" movies, Johnny Legend's Sex Mex and Toronto's "Dirty Pillows". They've also produced several of their own music videos for songs like "Custom Made Man", "Mexican Courage", "Suplex" and "Chimpazee Twist". When the cult Canadian 70's TV show The Hilarious House of Frighenstein needed supplemental music for re-broadcast in 2006, the Bibles were enlisted for the task.
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| Fall 2003 saw the release of Rock and Roll Fighting, a compilation of Apartment Wrestling and Custom Made, on Italy's Ammonia Records as well as the completion of the Fists Of Fury album. A massive European tour to support both records left a trail of crippling hangovers in it's wake in winter 2004. In 2006 the band finally made the pilgrimage to Mexico city for three sold-out shows and launched a split 7" with Mexican surf stars Lost Acapulco. |
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| Over the years, many Tijuana Bibles members have come and gone, such as the elusive organist the Phantom Pleasurer, original drummer Buddy Lee Roth and bass player The Blue Demon. In 2003 the band recruited Kung Fu expert Sky Hi Lee for bass duties and vampiress La Chupacabra for her trumpet, vocals and organ skills. In late 2005 fan favourite La Felina Negra went on a permanent sabbatical to Scotland to master the bagpipes. Upon her departure, the band decided to remain a five-piece, with guitarist Sonny Boy Liston, singer/guitarist The Crippler and drummer Super Destructor rounding out the line up. |
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Towards the later part of 2006 the band recorded the "Party Rockers" album with producer John Critchley and did a the biggest, most successful tour of Europe of their career. Satisfied that they had achieved all the goals that they had set out for themselves and with no worthy competition on the horizon, the Bibles retired in April 2007 with a sold-out farewell show at Toronto's Cadillac Lounge.
- Matthew Schwartz, "You Drive Me Ape" fanzine
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