The career of “Texican” rock and rollers Los Lonely Boys has been characterized by ups and downs, fits and starts, hills and valleys. It is perhaps fitting, then, that the band’s first album in over ten years is called Resurrection.
Los Lonely Boys – the brothers Garza (Henry, guitar; Jojo, bass; Ringo, drums) – will be in Houston on Saturday, February 15, performing at the House of Blues in support of their latest release. Speaking from his home in San Angelo, Jojo says that he believes the album’s title is significant. Can the term “resurrection” be taken in a number of ways? “Absolutely, man, and that’s what it’s meant to do,” Garza says. “It’s meant to stir up something inside of people, whether it’s their faith or religion, but it also gives people something to think about because when you think about the word ‘resurrection,’ it doesn’t necessarily [apply to] a human being.
“When you look at the way seasons work, every single year the grass is resurrected, the trees are resurrected. Every day the sun is resurrected. And so we use [the word] in the sense of ‘something new.’ Los Lonely Boys are the same, we’re the same thing, but it’s a new purpose.”
After electing to take a break in 2019, the Garza brothers weren’t sure what the future held for them as a band. “We weren’t sure if we were going to play again or get back together. We had been working so hard for all those years, and we were just so tired. Man, it was so good to take a break the way we did. It didn’t help the bank account much, but we’re not the kind of people who live by that,” Garza explains.
The decision to put the band on hiatus did not come quickly or easily. “We had all been talking about it,” Garza recalls. “I remember Henry telling me that he had a few dreams, that he was receiving some kind of message that it was time to stop. Henry’s sort of a prophetic kind of guy when it comes to certain things, and we all tend to get that sixth sense, I guess you could say. I remember him telling me about a couple of dreams where he kept encountering the word ‘woe,’ seeing it and hearing it.”
Three years after their self-imposed exile, Los Lonely Boys were back on the road and opening several shows for The Who. What led to the resumption of their music career? “Well, like Ringo says, it was the bank account going [mimicking a cranky ATM] ‘beep-beep-beep-beep!’
“But truthfully, it was just timing, all on its own. We hadn’t seen each other in three months, and then COVID hit, so when we did see each other again it was all tears and hugs and kisses. I love my brothers to death. And it felt really brand new again, just to be around each other. It really put everything in perspective. I can only speak for myself, but I think that we were able to reflect on what had happened during [the past] 15, almost 20 years. What we had gained, what we had lost, all that sort of stuff.”
While Resurrection contains all of the elements that have characterized Los Lonely Boys releases in the past – rock, blues, soul, country and Tejano – the band’s latest album seems to lyrically reflect a new sense of maturity and thoughtfulness. “When we’re young, we’re all like, ‘Hey, I’m mature, I’m doing mature things,’ but real maturation doesn’t occur until you let go of yourself and what you think is the way,” Garza says. “It’s all about time, brother.”
Referencing the lyrics of the song “Wish You Would,” Garza says, “It’s a reflection of who we were, what we were, but it’s even more so about talking to our children, talking to our grandchildren, and offering them some guidance without pressure. Wisdom knows no age, but with age comes wisdom.
“Songs like that, it’s what Los Lonely Boys have always been about, trying to spread a message of positivity even through the negative moments, trying to find that light through the dark spaces. When you can offer wisdom to someone who is definitely willing to listen, it sure helps a lot. It’s a sad thing when some people don’t listen, and they don’t make it to the end of the dark alley. They don’t get to make it out the other end.”
It has been well documented that being in a band with siblings can present a myriad of challenges. So, what’s it like being the middle brother in Los Lonely Boys? Garza laughs and says, “I don’t know if you’ve seen the videos going around on YouTube where the older sibling talks about something, and they get to finish their sentence. Then it goes to the middle, and they get cut off. And then the youngest gets to finish their sentence. It’s kind of like that! My mom and dad used to say, ‘Jojo, you talk so loud. Why?’ And I’m like, ‘Because no one hears me!’”
Los Lonely Boys will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, at the House of Blues, 1204 Caroline. Del Castillo will open. For more information, call 713-652-5837 or visit livenation.com. $48 – $174.
For more information on Los Lonely Boys, visit loslonelyboys.com.
