June 24, 2025 • 33 mins
Merrick Morton, Geoff Rivas & Carlos Aguilar came by the Cruz Show to talk about Merrick's phot books for the movies La Bamba & Blood in, Blood Out. We also talked about his live, photography and BTS of some of the most famous movies in Hollywood.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's good?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
What good?
Speaker 1 (00:03):
What up? Is mustin? You're checking out the Cruise Show podcast.
Subscribe Real ninety two to three.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
LA is new home for hip hop. It's the Cruise Show.
Merrick Morton. There he is the legend himself.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
He's here. How are you, buddy? One? Good?
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Good, thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
You know it's okay to call you a legend, right
if you wish. He's a humble guy. He's a humble guy.
You brought some friends with you, Please introduce your friends.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And this is Jeff Reavis, legend who you know.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Come on, come on, And this is Carlos La Times,
writer who wrote for Blooding and Blood Out.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Wow, and for this.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, no, it makes so much sense to be here.
You know, I'm a Latino. I grew up on La Bamba.
I grew up on Blood and blood Out right. Those
are those are movies that are just in our DNA
right there, ingrained.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Every line is ingrained in our head. You know.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
We we know the line and we know the visuals
as well. Uh, Merik, you have a book out LaBamba,
a visual history. I held the book here for a
second and you were on set. You were taking these pictures,
capturing these moments capturing history, and these photos will outlive
all of us, right, and these moments will outlive all
of us.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Right? How'd you get your start? Right?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
So you're on skid Row, you're taking pictures? Was this
at a boredom? Where you inspired? Did you come from
a family of photographers? Were you given a camera for
your birthday?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I came from somewhat of a theatrical family. But I
started shooting probably about I know, eight or nine years old,
so and you know, so we go from there until
let's say fourteen fifteen. I was always interested in sort
of subcultures. So for this skid Row aspect, my cousin
(01:45):
and I would go down to skid Row and shoot.
So that's sort of how we start at what age,
probably like thirteen fourteen.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So it took a lot of guts to go down
there at that age.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Right at that time, it wasn't quite the same as.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Now, got it, got it, got it?
Speaker 4 (02:00):
So but and then from there, I guess subcultures or
something that was visually interesting for me. So I've always
shot sort of one subject that I'd be interested in.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So from skid Row.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I was able to gain access to a state psychiatric hospital,
So I spent a year and a half shooting there.
Every every weekend I would go there. I was supposed
to be there for about three weeks for a grant
to have people come in sort of like a volunteer system,
(02:42):
but I sort of worked it around where I got
lost in the system, so I was able to spend
a year and a half there until one day I
was shooting someone in restraints and there carrying him and
he was trying to stab himself, and I stepped in
and tried to stop him, and then all of a sudden,
the main office caused me and said, well, you know,
(03:04):
you know, why are you still here?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So no, of course not.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
So they had me take my film out of my
camera and they wanted the film. So what I did
is I just switched film with them and I kept that.
But that was my last time there. So then from
there it goes in sort of the you know, Cholo culture.
And I saw the play zoot Suit, I think in
nineteen seventy nine or eighty, and that was so interesting
(03:33):
for me. Culturally. I always grew up in La I'm
from here, but to really see the clothing styles and
the music and the speech, I became very interested and
from that I called around, I met people, I had
people take me out, and then I started shooting that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Wow, And in any of those situations other than that fight, right,
were you in any serious danger?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Were you putting your life on the line for pictures?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Not really? I mean I've been, you know, some of
the gang things. It became a little yeah, but not directly.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
No, So I think I've did.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
I think I don't know. For me, the way I
shoot is I'm sort of I'm sort of an outsider
and I sort of let them people know I'm not.
I'm not the one to hang around with everybody. I'm
sort of step back and I observe, and there comes
a point where they feel comfortable that you have your camera.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
We do.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So that's generally and again again for me too, I'm
I don't know if I would be profoundly shy, which
I am, so I don't know. So I think in
ways it sort of helps. And then to also go along,
I have a stutter also, so I have to deal
with that and that certain stammer stutter. So so I
(04:54):
don't know if that helps me sometimes or if it's
sort of maybe it does hindrance, right, you don't want
to be in front of the camera, so all your
power goes behind that camera, and you know, and it
allows you to capture these moments well. Because of the
stuttering also and being very shy, you tend to try
to stay away from some time the interaction with people.
(05:18):
So so you observe a lot and you see a lot.
So for me, everything is visual first, and then secondary
would be coming and talking to people and one on
one I do fine, but when it comes to more
than that, then it's a whole different story.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Sure, sure, Jeff, do you remember America? On set?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
About America is like, you know, you notice him there
at first, and then all of a sudden he becomes
stealthy and then he's not even you know, the way
he works, it's you don't even know he's there and
you're not trying, you know, unless he asks you, like, hey,
let me just get this shot. I'd like to get
this shot. But everything else is like he's part time.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
You know.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I look at the book and I'm going to oh, man,
I don't even remember it taking him taking that photo.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Wow, it's just amazing. The photos both from this book
and from blood and blood out.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, yeah, and it works out right.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
As an actor, you're so focused and you're sold out
into your character and the scene and the moment that
you're creating in it, and you're involved in this energy.
When making a movie, I would assume that anything that's
happening around you you don't really necessarily notice, right, So
it's not a bother.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
It's not like a photo shoot where you're directly looking
into the camera.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I wouldn't say that you're not aware. I mean you
do have to be aware as an actor. I mean
you do got to know where your camera is and
hitting your marks and trying to you know, creating that
scene and at the same time you know things are
going on and trying not to distract. You get distracted.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Ah right, really I'm so easily distracted. Yet, oh god,
I would be like, why is this personality?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I mean, you have to use the box the time.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It's sort of a silence. So it's called a blimp,
so it's it's sort of like I know, underwater housing. Okay,
so it sort of silenced the shutter. But also on
that too, is they had a unit photographer hired already.
I came in second.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The Yeah, they already had somebody, right, but they saw
your work and said, hey, come join us.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Yeah, and sort of so I sort of came and
go over the time and that's how I worked on it.
But also the still photographer too is I think what
was good for me is there's certain etiquette and rules
on a set for like the still photographer, and generally
the still photographer is the one who they don't want
(07:31):
on the set because it's because you don't have anything
to do with the filmmaking process at all, and it
all depends on sets. I mean, everybody in this cast
was great because I think I sort of stood back
and I've been called sniper too.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
For that, But I mean the photographers, that's right.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
But you are in the way sometimes and it's always
trying to fight for a place to stand. But it's
been often, you know where I've been called out by actors.
They see you there really and you yeah, and they'll
sort of wave you off.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
And okay, man, I got a job to do too.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Man that on the film different work, Every actor is different,
and sometimes certain things will throw you off. If you're
seeing things that shouldn't be in your eyelands. They don't
want to see, you know, and sometimes that the cameraman's
there and if you can't you know, see past it
or you need that thing, you know, then the actor
has to you know, he had he has the right
(08:35):
to say I need I need you out of there,
which is a shame sometimes because then you might miss
something amazing that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
He could create shot and you could miss at.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
The same time. But you know, you've got to also
have to respect the actor at the same time, just
saying give him a space, let him be able to operate.
But I'm telling you what was cool I mean for me,
is like he he was sort of Ninja Ninja is
you know, Yeah, once you knew he was there, but
then all of a sudden, he just disappears into the background,
and then you're not even aware, Wow, that he's there.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Then you look back at these photos, like you said,
you don't even remember, you know, you don't even remember
these photos being taken, but there's there's this essence that's
captured where you're just like, wow, what a great pic.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Right, Well, there's there's one photo in here that I
didn't even remember that my friend Linda Lopez, Yeah, it
was in the shot.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
It was like, wow, very cool.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
So Garcia, Yeah, the book is amazing, by the way,
thank you for sending us a preview. I mean I
was just entranced all afternoon yesterday just looking at it
and showing my wife picture after picture and the words
in it. I mean, just some of the descriptions how
you described the behind the scenes were amazing as well.
We got to remind everybody to the Bloody and blood
Out book also and the clickbook which is in front
of me, which is West Coast Portraits from the Hood.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I Love in nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety six.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Is it true that that sons and daughters of gang
members will come up to you, you will write you
or come up to you and say, hey, my dad
was in your book and this is one of the
only pictures I.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Have sh I mean, that's yeah, that's interesting to me.
And the fact, I mean, you know, I guess it's
I know through my Instagram, so I do have people saying, hey,
that's my uncle, that's my cousin, that's my father, wow.
And it's always strange to hear someone writes to me
and and really saying so. I think the Instagram has
(10:19):
sort of created a you know world for me where
I can communicate back and I get input from people,
and some people write, hey, that's my son. I prefer
if you don't show him it.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Was a problem.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, yeah, and stuff there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Hey he's got an open case.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
But it was actually you know, woman's sorry brother that
was killed. But she didn't want her kids looking up
to that and seeing him in that sense. But overall,
everybody likes it. And again, anybody who who like contacts
me that through through other images, I always say, you know,
(11:03):
I tried to send them images of that and again
shoot them again. Actually, so I'll hit the streets again
trying to find people.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Wow, and Carlos, you know, what have you learned from
these two, you know, Jeff and Merrick.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
What have you picked up that maybe you didn't know
going in.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
You know, as a writer, you have to do your
research right and you have to know what you're getting
yourself into. But then you find yourself in these surprises.
I guess, right of moments and knowledge.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Yeah, I mean, you know, my work was sort of
contextualizing the beautiful pictures that Merrick took, you know, sort
of a given the context to the story of how
these movies came to me Blood and Blood Out and yeah,
Blah Bamba. Talking to the filmmakers, you know, the producers
like Hacker, Luis Boldez, you know, and some of the
actors Ludaimond Phillips and sort of getting their their memories,
(11:51):
you know, to go alongside with the photos, to add
a little over extra sort of insight to how these
movies came to be, you know, how they became success
as you know, in their own way. You know, Blood
blood Out sort of finding a live video after you know,
with the Latino community sort of a saving it from
obscurity after you know, the studio didn't promote it and
(12:13):
sort of like highlighted as they should have. La Bamba
was sort of also, you know, in its own right,
you know, a product of uh Taylor hack for Undaneibel
dess impetus to you know, celebrate the live of Richialdak.
Speaker 7 (12:26):
You see the book, you know there's a story there
about danibel Does's.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Quest to even find the family, you know, to find
you know, details about Richie Balances, uh, you know, live
and story and how that was sort of the foundation
for the film and you know, Louis Boards directing it,
who's sort of a pillar of like chicaneal cinema, you know,
with sudsud and and LaBamba and so yeah, it's been
fascinating to you know, get to learn more about the
films that, like you said, you know, well we're all
(12:51):
familiar with them and there means so much to everyone,
and you know, to learn how they came to be
and the challenges that these filmmakers face to bring them
to live. And we take it for granted, but you
know they were really being pioneers back then and you know,
pushing for things that were you know, if we talk
about representations today, but even then, you know, it was
sort of a tougher battle. You know. There there's a
(13:13):
whole section in the book to that another journalis wrote
about those lobos and the music of la bamba. So
I think people will find a lot of rich sort
of information and you know, to go along with the
with the photos.
Speaker 7 (13:23):
So it's being I feel very lucky to be able
to write about.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
This, very fortunate, right, Yeah, it's very cool, man, must
be something you're extremely proud of for sure.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
Yeah, especially when you get to see you know, like
a tangible book, you know, wars on the pages.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Really, it's really beautiful. So yeah, I'm very thankful for
the upper It's.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Great to hear absolutely americ when when you walk onto
set right and everyone's there, Jeff is there, everyone's there,
and the cast is set and the family is there.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Richie's family is there. They're still grieving.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Wow, this movie is being made and you you get
to meet them, and you get to meet these actors
who are meeting the grieving family. Is there a moment
or moments that you'll never forget?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:06):
Yes, I think the whole thing too, is that I
went in this project. It was my first really shooting
on set on the set, so for me, almost for me,
I wasn't working with actors. I was working with a
family because everybody was so close, so you'd see that,
(14:26):
so you'd stand back and see. But there's instances when
I photographed Richie's two sisters and I had them held
and I had them hold odo of him, and then
you can see everything through the image, but you saw
the grieving process at that time. So for me, that's
(14:50):
the one image that really stands out.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
And Connie wrote the forward for the book. Yes she did. Wow, Yes,
that's awesome.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
So we have to make sure you mentioned the event too.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Tomorrow. Yeah, conversation.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah, it's gonna be great. I mean, Lou Diamond Fillips
will be there and quite a few others. Is there
anybody you're looking forward to seeing tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Guys?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I think everything, you know, I don't know who all
is like showing.
Speaker 6 (15:16):
Up for it.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
It's like meeting up with old friends though, right, But.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
The event, Yeah, No, it'll be interesting.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I mean I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
For me seeing Richie's ester, who I worked with at
the time, So yeah, that to me is the most interesting.
I haven't seen her but forty years now.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Wow, it's gonna be yeah in that sense.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
And then she's remembers so so I would be speaking
to them quite often. So I was the closest to
you know, or am I?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And if I can piggyback on it, by a chance,
were you there on the set the day that he
gets on the plane.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
You know when they make yes, I think white men.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
But yeah, the one discussion I had with Lou was like,
that was the hardest scene for him to should be.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
The family was there and they were weren't they watching?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
And they were watching and they got so emotional.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
They were emotionally.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They said it was tough for him to even do
that scene because they were like, don't get on the plane.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You know, I had heard that during the filming they
started to yell at Richie, please don't get on that plane,
and they you know, they disrupted the filming, but rightfully.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So it was a very emotional moment.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So that's you know, I don't I don't know if
you were able to catch it, and I didn't.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Some of that took when they're on their plane also,
and also that was cut from the film, but is
in the book is the funeral scene?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
So there are quite a few images and we didn't.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
See in the film, Yes, but you captured them.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yes, yeah, because that film is just the procession, basically
the procession. And then that's kind of where you leave it,
you know something Johnny right playing Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
So that's yeah, and Jeff as you know how fans
could get right in movies, right where fans did some
you know, did some fans walk up to you after
the movie like.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
My friends are like, what did you let Richie see? What?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Did you?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
You know? What?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Such an a hole? That was my job? So you bro,
you know, I mean the whole this whole experience was
just really life changing for me. You know, I had
just gotten out of u c l A. Went to
audition for a play called I Don't Have to Show
you know, Stinking Badges, which was written by Louis Feldez's
next play after zoot Suit downtown here at the Los
(17:29):
Angeles Theater Center, which now my company has been together
for forty years, is now running that building and running
that since two thousand and six, uh, programming it and
all that. But I had done a summer workshop with
Louisveldez after I graduated with with my BA from u
c l A. And then that's following summer I got
(17:51):
accepted into the MFA program and then I auditioned for
a play that Louise Dez was directing called you Know.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
And.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
I got cast in it. But then I had to
choose between starting my MFA program or doing a play with.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
With Yeah, and you're an actor first, yeah, And I said, you.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Know, and no one would budge, you know, the universe says, well,
if you take the job, you'll have to re audition
and there's no guarantee you'll get back in and you know,
and Louis O. This was trying to go, I can
get you credit, you know, we can make this a client,
you know, yeah, and then no one but so. But
I chose school just because I needed that for myself,
to have an MFA, to be able to say, well,
(18:31):
if this acting thing doesn't work out with my MFA,
I could do something better, and then you know, getting
getting cast in the movie. And when I was living
in Northern California, there was a radio station in KBLX
that used to play every night, good Night My Love
by Tavares as this closing twelve o'clock thing, and then
I get to sing that song. So it was like
all these full.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Circles kept happening, man, which was like the universe telling
you you know what was happening.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah, man, that's where. Was there a scene that we
didn't see in the Bumba with you in it? Yes?
There was?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
And then I would love people to see is it's
a great scene?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
It really?
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (19:08):
What is it? So? Uh?
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Bob comes back after the garage band scene where I
don't let Richie.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Sing, Okay, he's standing there in front of his.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Everybody goes away and then we're packing up and then
all of a sudden he comes back and he's all
billow and he's a little drunk, and then he starts
telling me that, you know that Richie has more talent
in his little finger than me combined, and I like, yeah,
Bob and also and then he tosses me and I
fall over the drum sets. What I heard was that,
you know, at that time, he was his character was
(19:38):
being stronger than Richie. So that's one of the reasons why.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you that, Like, you know,
everybody obviously gravitates towards Richie, but.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
Bob is that guy.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Yeah, you know, everybody is in the hammer with Bob,
and probably because they're related to a Bob.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Right, but everyone got a Bob in their family.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Man, I thought got short change. Man, he did an
amazing job and he did, you know, and should have
been nominated for something.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
God, yeah, the best supporting actor.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Come on, man, Look thirty years later when he yells
out Richie, you know that's I still get tiery, you know,
still I.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Mean that that's a meme that's everywhere when lose it. Yeah, yeah,
he's a meme they've incorporated into a Kendrick Lamar song.
I mean bro, Like, yeah, like that is That's a
moment that every Latino loves and and feels.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
You know, look, I have a brother and you know
we're four years apart and we get are competitive when
we play golf, and you know, but you know, there's
that love and it's like it's that you know that
that I love to hate you and I hate to
love you. You know, it's kind of thing you know
that your family's go on. And just to see that
it was was really amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Wow, Mark, did you catch that photo of him getting
thrown on a drum? Sit for that I don't want
to see. But I'm still mad at Rudy. By the way.
Problem of we.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Gotta remind everybody the LaBamba book is available for pre order,
so please, yeah, get out there and get it because
like I said, we've seen it and it's amazing and
seeing the physical copies even better. Man, it's just so
well done. And again it's so well written in the
beginning as well and the end. So but thank you guys.
And then I wanted to ask you how what line
do people scream at you the most? Because you've got
no dice, gino. And then we got since since when
(21:17):
does your mama run this band?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Which one do they? Or maybe Bloody and.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Blood well both from LaBamba it's no dice Chino.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It looks like something someone threw away.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Yeah, or since when does your mama running? Since when
is your and then from Blood and Blood Out is
cocaine is America's.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah, that's right, That's that's right. That's one of the
bigger think. I want that on my tombstone.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Also, all three of them are through Hat and Beard Press. Oh,
the Blood and Blood Out and mine, so they can order,
pre order and order all this.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yeah, and all these are great gifts your parents. These
are great gifts for sure.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
A photographer in your life. You got to look at
these pictures and what they captured in America. What I
noticed more is in these pictures I don't know, there's
some thing in everyone's eye. There's there's a gleam, there's pain,
there's happiness, and you see it there in their eyes
versus that what you're looking at first.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Well, that's the relation I try to have when I photograph,
So it's always some type of contact. I'm always aware
I do some candid shots, but for me, it's really
that eye contact with me and my camera and them.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
For Blood and Blood Out and Lebamba.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Did you know the script to anticipate scenes and certain
facial expressions.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
No, And even now at this time, I don't really know.
I don't often read scripts. I've done about one hundred films,
so so it's I prefer just to get a call
sheet of what they're going to be shooting and then
go from that. So again, again the way I like
to shoot, I don't like to know that much.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Always.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
I like to sort of go in and.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Just shoot what I shoot. Yeah, also Fight Club, Big Lebowski.
I mean so many movies, right.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Thank you, So many films, yeah, those two stand.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Out, those stand out, oh yeah, and just epic scenes there,
oh yeah, for sure, so much to captures.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It must be like Christmas when you're on a set
like that, yes, and you.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
Know, yeah, yeah, it's always great. I mean they aren't
easy films always to shoot. You don't know at the
time how the film will even end up. So for me,
it was really fortunate that again for those two films
turned into sort of classic films and they still hold
today after sorry, after all these years.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
Any thoughts about doing books with those.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
I think that, Uh, I'm not doing it, but they
are doing a Fight Club book my images, but I'm
not directly and I think that Hatt and Beard is
interested in maybe doing a Zodiac book from that film,
But that's a now for me. It's just really trying
(24:00):
to shoot my sort of the gang culture. So I'm
still shooting here again with people. I mean currently, I'm
in my car trying to chase down Ice, which I
haven't had any luck lucky. The only thing is I
went to a car wash, my wife and I went
about four days ago, you know, so I asked the people, Hey,
(24:20):
have you seen Ice? No, seen Ice? And it's the
same one that was rated yesterday Glen Dale.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
That so I'm always seeing it there. You know, if
I hear anything, you want to capture those moments? Yeah, yeah,
I'm an Echo park, so I'm sort of close to everything.
But if I hear anything, I just haven't had that
luck yet to really.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah, I think the moments are important to capture because
those are moments in real time that is human suffering.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Oh for sure, it is.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Yeah, and it's it's just craziness. Well, I think we
all know what's happened these days. Yeah, it's a big problem.
So so that's what I'm doing, sort of concentrating on that.
I shoot sort of the cholo culture, and I'm trying
to Mexico City, so I do that to a little
bit because it's not as saturated with photographers as it
(25:11):
is here. So it's more if you go there and
shoot maybe there.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
And he just had a show, ye, yes, little Tokyo,
I mean little uh.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Yes, yes, I just had a show last year.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So something else to do.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Do you ever shoot anything on iPhone just to be
brand new?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Every once in a while, I do, yeah, so and
then I have to go through it and upscale it
and see.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Right right right, right right. And your wife got you
into Instagram?
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Yeah yeah, yeah, it was about five years ago. So,
I mean everything is pretty good with Instagram now. I've
been thrown off a few times. But there was a
good NPR story that came out when I was thrown
off once and they wouldn't comment on it, but after
them saying to me, hey, now you're off forever. It's ended.
(26:01):
You can't appeal or anything, and then the story came
out the next day, and then within five days, all
of a sudden, I was back.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So so everything has been there. You go, We're all
good now.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Right For someone for now aspiring to be a still photographer,
what would be the quickest advice.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I mean, to me, it's just going out and like
shooting and shooting and shooting. Yes, and it depends if
you're wrong. And I mean, classes are great in schools,
so for me, I don't I think it's helpful. I'm
a I'm a high school dropout. But I did take
(26:39):
some classes in high school which I failed, but.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Hey man, I failed Spanish. Yes, look at my skin.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
So again, I think it's just shooting, and I think
it's really trying to create the eye that you have
and sort of go after the jokes that you feel
are interesting. But there's great photographers now on Instagram that
it really is.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Yeah, it's all these young people now shooting and it's
it's just wonderful to see this work.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Are you an advocate though for them using the camera
versus their phone or.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I would be too?
Speaker 4 (27:17):
And then yeah, quite a few people are shooting film.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Now, yeah, which has made a big resurgence.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Yeah, which is interesting. And I just worked on a
on a feature film where they shot purely film.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Very cool. There's there's a there's a certain texture with that, right.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Yeah, I know it's this it's this Paul Thomas Anderson
film and I think they come out in September.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
It's great to see that with music too, because you
know pro tools, you can go digital, but there are
still a lot of artists that will only use the
Ampex tape. That's all. They want that because of the sound,
you know. And you see that with vinyl back too.
And I think that when you go through such a
surgeon technology, after a while, it gets a little old
and people want that feeling back that you get from film,
(28:06):
from tape, you know or whatever.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
So film is a great look to it still, I mean, yeah,
you can't compete to it, ye. And also a handmade print, yeah,
like a silver print from film has its own look.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, Hey Jeff for aspiring actors, right,
would you suggest to do that so called little movie,
the little movie that could?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
I you know, again, the business has changed since I've
been in it, and it's really you know, now that
we're not even doing live auditions. It's wow, it's really interesting,
you know, you sending these tapes and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Quick video or do it over a zoom yeah or
a zoom yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
So there's no inner action, so that I'm really missing
that right now. But I would say, you know again,
if that fire is in them, you know, yeah, there's
there is no right answer, you know what I'm saying.
It's like people like, oh, I don't want to do this.
I don't want to do under five lines. You never
know what's going to happen. You know, all of a sudden,
they go, hey, they're gonna bump you up, and you
(29:07):
know they liked what you did and now they're going
to give you another, you know, a recurring role or something.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
You know.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
You never you never know. You got one line, and
it's learning. It's what you learn. The thing is is learn. Yeah,
you're on the set, even if you have they give
you one line, be there, Watch what's going on, See
who's doing what, Know what's going on. Know what a
honeywagon is, Know what you know? Uh craft services? You know,
like you know because when you first start, you're like
you're like a deer caught in the headlights. I mean,
(29:32):
there's you're just overwhelmed.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Well, there's a lot of people, there's lights, the lights
are hot. There's so much going on, right.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I don't know if the day that we shot that
singing scene in the garage, it was late at night,
but it was intense that that really, yeah, there was
you know, Taylor Hackford has a strong opinion about things,
Luis Feldez has a strong idea. And then the the DP,
the photographer who was shooting the film, Adam Greenberg, had
just come off uh Arnold Swartztinker's terminator, so they had
(30:04):
you had three strong people and all this decision about
where the camera's gonna go, what's the setup. And then
on top of that was the mic singing because they
had already said the the Slobos had already said down
the tracks, yeah, and so we were all just lip syncing.
And then they were saying, well, he sounds just as
good as Richie, because David Delgo did Richie and then
(30:25):
Caesar had done mine. And so Danny just said, you
know what, let's have Jeff sing. We'll cut the mic
and we'll do it. And they did it right then,
and so I mean, you know that that was that
night was just intense, but but amazing that what the
finally came out.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Man, you know who I love is the guy playing
the saxophone during the fight scene.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
That's my buddy.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Yeah, that guy I got, I got that gigs right
and the people are swinging away chairs and he is playing.
That's a musician, right, that's a musician, and that's an actor.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Right, So you know, yeah, I would say tell tell
any aspiring you know, yeah, do what you you know,
learn from anything that you can do. Because to keep saying,
notice that if you're you're you know, you don't know
what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Right, Have you done a movie scene after seeing only
to find out that you were completely ripped out of
the movie? Uh?
Speaker 2 (31:16):
There there the movie in my theater company did our
first one, Illuminati Is. I wasn't completely ripped out, but
I played I played the transgender. This is like way
early on a transgender character. And there was another scene
where he talks about why he is what he why
she is what she is? You know, everything that about
her was inside but no one was paying attention to it,
(31:38):
and everyone thought the character was gay, but it was
actually transaction and they cut that scene out. And so
when you see the movie, a lot of people think
the character is gay, and I go, no, he was
pre pre trans you know, going through the process right, transitioning.
So sometimes you know, like even in Blood and Blood Out,
there's a whole storyline that's cut out, the whole girlfriend
with Benjamin Bratt is cut out, and we never you
(32:00):
never see it, and it's amazing how they were able
to take that out and it doesn't affect the films. Wow,
things like that do happen sometimes, and again sometimes it's
it may be your fault, and sometimes it's just they
need to tell the story and that scene is not
you know, propelling the film forward or it's not helping
tell your story.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
And that's why it's good to have someone like Marekon said,
capturing these moments that we don't necessarily get to see
but still live with.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Right, and Carlos, where can they find your piece?
Speaker 6 (32:28):
I mean the piece of La Bambas in the book.
That's the only place you can see it is on
the La Times, So that's where you can find it,
and it's also in the Blood book. So I'm thankful
that the you know, to have my words associated with
the films.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Yeah, absolutely, and your other work as well. Where can
they find it?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
I'm a freelance writer, so I write for the Other
Times and New York Times.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
You can follow me.
Speaker 6 (32:47):
I write about movies most of the time, oftentimes Latino films,
Latino actors for for the Loss, which is the other
times Latino Vertical.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
So yeah, Carlo's film on Twitter and Instagram and.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I'm gonna follow you. Man, write something. Nobody writes nothing
about you know what I mean? Something? Please? No one cares.
That'd be great, all right, cool, that's a know.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Jeff, I tried, oh Man, Garlos, Jeff Merrek. Thank you
very much for your time. Congratulations. Come see us anytime
you know you got another project. Man stop by, please please,
we'd love it. Thank you guys so much. We appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Pays check your rich for the Cruise Show.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
To make sure to subscribe, and hey, auto download so
you don't miss an episode.
What's good?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
What good?
Speaker 1 (00:03):
What up? Is mustin? You're checking out the Cruise Show podcast.
Subscribe Real ninety two to three.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
LA is new home for hip hop. It's the Cruise Show.
Merrick Morton. There he is the legend himself.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
He's here. How are you, buddy? One? Good?
Speaker 4 (00:16):
Good, thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
You know it's okay to call you a legend, right
if you wish. He's a humble guy. He's a humble guy.
You brought some friends with you, Please introduce your friends.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And this is Jeff Reavis, legend who you know.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Come on, come on, And this is Carlos La Times,
writer who wrote for Blooding and Blood Out.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Wow, and for this.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, no, it makes so much sense to be here.
You know, I'm a Latino. I grew up on La Bamba.
I grew up on Blood and blood Out right. Those
are those are movies that are just in our DNA
right there, ingrained.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Every line is ingrained in our head. You know.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
We we know the line and we know the visuals
as well. Uh, Merik, you have a book out LaBamba,
a visual history. I held the book here for a
second and you were on set. You were taking these pictures,
capturing these moments capturing history, and these photos will outlive
all of us, right, and these moments will outlive all
of us.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Right? How'd you get your start? Right?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
So you're on skid Row, you're taking pictures? Was this
at a boredom? Where you inspired? Did you come from
a family of photographers? Were you given a camera for
your birthday?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I came from somewhat of a theatrical family. But I
started shooting probably about I know, eight or nine years old,
so and you know, so we go from there until
let's say fourteen fifteen. I was always interested in sort
of subcultures. So for this skid Row aspect, my cousin
(01:45):
and I would go down to skid Row and shoot.
So that's sort of how we start at what age,
probably like thirteen fourteen.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So it took a lot of guts to go down
there at that age.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Right at that time, it wasn't quite the same as.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Now, got it, got it, got it?
Speaker 4 (02:00):
So but and then from there, I guess subcultures or
something that was visually interesting for me. So I've always
shot sort of one subject that I'd be interested in.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So from skid Row.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I was able to gain access to a state psychiatric hospital,
So I spent a year and a half shooting there.
Every every weekend I would go there. I was supposed
to be there for about three weeks for a grant
to have people come in sort of like a volunteer system,
(02:42):
but I sort of worked it around where I got
lost in the system, so I was able to spend
a year and a half there until one day I
was shooting someone in restraints and there carrying him and
he was trying to stab himself, and I stepped in
and tried to stop him, and then all of a sudden,
the main office caused me and said, well, you know,
(03:04):
you know, why are you still here?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So no, of course not.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
So they had me take my film out of my
camera and they wanted the film. So what I did
is I just switched film with them and I kept that.
But that was my last time there. So then from
there it goes in sort of the you know, Cholo culture.
And I saw the play zoot Suit, I think in
nineteen seventy nine or eighty, and that was so interesting
(03:33):
for me. Culturally. I always grew up in La I'm
from here, but to really see the clothing styles and
the music and the speech, I became very interested and
from that I called around, I met people, I had
people take me out, and then I started shooting that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Wow, And in any of those situations other than that fight, right,
were you in any serious danger?
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Were you putting your life on the line for pictures?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Not really? I mean I've been, you know, some of
the gang things. It became a little yeah, but not directly.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
No, So I think I've did.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
I think I don't know. For me, the way I
shoot is I'm sort of I'm sort of an outsider
and I sort of let them people know I'm not.
I'm not the one to hang around with everybody. I'm
sort of step back and I observe, and there comes
a point where they feel comfortable that you have your camera.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
We do.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So that's generally and again again for me too, I'm
I don't know if I would be profoundly shy, which
I am, so I don't know. So I think in
ways it sort of helps. And then to also go along,
I have a stutter also, so I have to deal
with that and that certain stammer stutter. So so I
(04:54):
don't know if that helps me sometimes or if it's
sort of maybe it does hindrance, right, you don't want
to be in front of the camera, so all your
power goes behind that camera, and you know, and it
allows you to capture these moments well. Because of the
stuttering also and being very shy, you tend to try
to stay away from some time the interaction with people.
(05:18):
So so you observe a lot and you see a lot.
So for me, everything is visual first, and then secondary
would be coming and talking to people and one on
one I do fine, but when it comes to more
than that, then it's a whole different story.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Sure, sure, Jeff, do you remember America? On set?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
About America is like, you know, you notice him there
at first, and then all of a sudden he becomes
stealthy and then he's not even you know, the way
he works, it's you don't even know he's there and
you're not trying, you know, unless he asks you, like, hey,
let me just get this shot. I'd like to get
this shot. But everything else is like he's part time.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
You know.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I look at the book and I'm going to oh, man,
I don't even remember it taking him taking that photo.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Wow, it's just amazing. The photos both from this book
and from blood and blood out.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, yeah, and it works out right.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
As an actor, you're so focused and you're sold out
into your character and the scene and the moment that
you're creating in it, and you're involved in this energy.
When making a movie, I would assume that anything that's
happening around you you don't really necessarily notice, right, So
it's not a bother.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
It's not like a photo shoot where you're directly looking
into the camera.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I wouldn't say that you're not aware. I mean you
do have to be aware as an actor. I mean
you do got to know where your camera is and
hitting your marks and trying to you know, creating that
scene and at the same time you know things are
going on and trying not to distract. You get distracted.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Ah right, really I'm so easily distracted. Yet, oh god,
I would be like, why is this personality?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I mean, you have to use the box the time.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It's sort of a silence. So it's called a blimp,
so it's it's sort of like I know, underwater housing. Okay,
so it sort of silenced the shutter. But also on
that too, is they had a unit photographer hired already.
I came in second.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The Yeah, they already had somebody, right, but they saw
your work and said, hey, come join us.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Yeah, and sort of so I sort of came and
go over the time and that's how I worked on it.
But also the still photographer too is I think what
was good for me is there's certain etiquette and rules
on a set for like the still photographer, and generally
the still photographer is the one who they don't want
(07:31):
on the set because it's because you don't have anything
to do with the filmmaking process at all, and it
all depends on sets. I mean, everybody in this cast
was great because I think I sort of stood back
and I've been called sniper too.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
For that, But I mean the photographers, that's right.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
But you are in the way sometimes and it's always
trying to fight for a place to stand. But it's
been often, you know where I've been called out by actors.
They see you there really and you yeah, and they'll
sort of wave you off.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
And okay, man, I got a job to do too.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Man that on the film different work, Every actor is different,
and sometimes certain things will throw you off. If you're
seeing things that shouldn't be in your eyelands. They don't
want to see, you know, and sometimes that the cameraman's
there and if you can't you know, see past it
or you need that thing, you know, then the actor
has to you know, he had he has the right
(08:35):
to say I need I need you out of there,
which is a shame sometimes because then you might miss
something amazing that.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
He could create shot and you could miss at.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
The same time. But you know, you've got to also
have to respect the actor at the same time, just
saying give him a space, let him be able to operate.
But I'm telling you what was cool I mean for me,
is like he he was sort of Ninja Ninja is
you know, Yeah, once you knew he was there, but
then all of a sudden, he just disappears into the background,
and then you're not even aware, Wow, that he's there.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Then you look back at these photos, like you said,
you don't even remember, you know, you don't even remember
these photos being taken, but there's there's this essence that's
captured where you're just like, wow, what a great pic.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Right, Well, there's there's one photo in here that I
didn't even remember that my friend Linda Lopez, Yeah, it
was in the shot.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
It was like, wow, very cool.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
So Garcia, Yeah, the book is amazing, by the way,
thank you for sending us a preview. I mean I
was just entranced all afternoon yesterday just looking at it
and showing my wife picture after picture and the words
in it. I mean, just some of the descriptions how
you described the behind the scenes were amazing as well.
We got to remind everybody to the Bloody and blood
Out book also and the clickbook which is in front
of me, which is West Coast Portraits from the Hood.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I Love in nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety six.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Is it true that that sons and daughters of gang
members will come up to you, you will write you
or come up to you and say, hey, my dad
was in your book and this is one of the
only pictures I.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Have sh I mean, that's yeah, that's interesting to me.
And the fact, I mean, you know, I guess it's
I know through my Instagram, so I do have people saying, hey,
that's my uncle, that's my cousin, that's my father, wow.
And it's always strange to hear someone writes to me
and and really saying so. I think the Instagram has
(10:19):
sort of created a you know world for me where
I can communicate back and I get input from people,
and some people write, hey, that's my son. I prefer
if you don't show him it.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Was a problem.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, yeah, and stuff there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Hey he's got an open case.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
But it was actually you know, woman's sorry brother that
was killed. But she didn't want her kids looking up
to that and seeing him in that sense. But overall,
everybody likes it. And again, anybody who who like contacts
me that through through other images, I always say, you know,
(11:03):
I tried to send them images of that and again
shoot them again. Actually, so I'll hit the streets again
trying to find people.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Wow, and Carlos, you know, what have you learned from
these two, you know, Jeff and Merrick.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
What have you picked up that maybe you didn't know
going in.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
You know, as a writer, you have to do your
research right and you have to know what you're getting
yourself into. But then you find yourself in these surprises.
I guess, right of moments and knowledge.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Yeah, I mean, you know, my work was sort of
contextualizing the beautiful pictures that Merrick took, you know, sort
of a given the context to the story of how
these movies came to me Blood and Blood Out and yeah,
Blah Bamba. Talking to the filmmakers, you know, the producers
like Hacker, Luis Boldez, you know, and some of the
actors Ludaimond Phillips and sort of getting their their memories,
(11:51):
you know, to go alongside with the photos, to add
a little over extra sort of insight to how these
movies came to be, you know, how they became success
as you know, in their own way. You know, Blood
blood Out sort of finding a live video after you know,
with the Latino community sort of a saving it from
obscurity after you know, the studio didn't promote it and
(12:13):
sort of like highlighted as they should have. La Bamba
was sort of also, you know, in its own right,
you know, a product of uh Taylor hack for Undaneibel
dess impetus to you know, celebrate the live of Richialdak.
Speaker 7 (12:26):
You see the book, you know there's a story there
about danibel Does's.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
Quest to even find the family, you know, to find
you know, details about Richie Balances, uh, you know, live
and story and how that was sort of the foundation
for the film and you know, Louis Boards directing it,
who's sort of a pillar of like chicaneal cinema, you know,
with sudsud and and LaBamba and so yeah, it's been
fascinating to you know, get to learn more about the
films that, like you said, you know, well we're all
(12:51):
familiar with them and there means so much to everyone,
and you know, to learn how they came to be
and the challenges that these filmmakers face to bring them
to live. And we take it for granted, but you
know they were really being pioneers back then and you know,
pushing for things that were you know, if we talk
about representations today, but even then, you know, it was
sort of a tougher battle. You know. There there's a
(13:13):
whole section in the book to that another journalis wrote
about those lobos and the music of la bamba. So
I think people will find a lot of rich sort
of information and you know, to go along with the
with the photos.
Speaker 7 (13:23):
So it's being I feel very lucky to be able
to write about.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
This, very fortunate, right, Yeah, it's very cool, man, must
be something you're extremely proud of for sure.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
Yeah, especially when you get to see you know, like
a tangible book, you know, wars on the pages.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Really, it's really beautiful. So yeah, I'm very thankful for
the upper It's.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Great to hear absolutely americ when when you walk onto
set right and everyone's there, Jeff is there, everyone's there,
and the cast is set and the family is there.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Richie's family is there. They're still grieving.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Wow, this movie is being made and you you get
to meet them, and you get to meet these actors
who are meeting the grieving family. Is there a moment
or moments that you'll never forget?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (14:06):
Yes, I think the whole thing too, is that I
went in this project. It was my first really shooting
on set on the set, so for me, almost for me,
I wasn't working with actors. I was working with a
family because everybody was so close, so you'd see that,
(14:26):
so you'd stand back and see. But there's instances when
I photographed Richie's two sisters and I had them held
and I had them hold odo of him, and then
you can see everything through the image, but you saw
the grieving process at that time. So for me, that's
(14:50):
the one image that really stands out.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
And Connie wrote the forward for the book. Yes she did. Wow, Yes,
that's awesome.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
So we have to make sure you mentioned the event too.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Tomorrow. Yeah, conversation.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah, it's gonna be great. I mean, Lou Diamond Fillips
will be there and quite a few others. Is there
anybody you're looking forward to seeing tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Guys?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I think everything, you know, I don't know who all
is like showing.
Speaker 6 (15:16):
Up for it.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
It's like meeting up with old friends though, right, But.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
The event, Yeah, No, it'll be interesting.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I mean I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
For me seeing Richie's ester, who I worked with at
the time, So yeah, that to me is the most interesting.
I haven't seen her but forty years now.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Wow, it's gonna be yeah in that sense.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
And then she's remembers so so I would be speaking
to them quite often. So I was the closest to
you know, or am I?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And if I can piggyback on it, by a chance,
were you there on the set the day that he
gets on the plane.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
You know when they make yes, I think white men.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
But yeah, the one discussion I had with Lou was like,
that was the hardest scene for him to should be.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
The family was there and they were weren't they watching?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
And they were watching and they got so emotional.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
They were emotionally.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
They said it was tough for him to even do
that scene because they were like, don't get on the plane.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
You know, I had heard that during the filming they
started to yell at Richie, please don't get on that plane,
and they you know, they disrupted the filming, but rightfully.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So it was a very emotional moment.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
So that's you know, I don't I don't know if
you were able to catch it, and I didn't.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Some of that took when they're on their plane also,
and also that was cut from the film, but is
in the book is the funeral scene?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Wow?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
So there are quite a few images and we didn't.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
See in the film, Yes, but you captured them.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yes, yeah, because that film is just the procession, basically
the procession. And then that's kind of where you leave it,
you know something Johnny right playing Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
So that's yeah, and Jeff as you know how fans
could get right in movies, right where fans did some
you know, did some fans walk up to you after
the movie like.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
My friends are like, what did you let Richie see? What?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Did you?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
You know? What?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Such an a hole? That was my job? So you bro,
you know, I mean the whole this whole experience was
just really life changing for me. You know, I had
just gotten out of u c l A. Went to
audition for a play called I Don't Have to Show
you know, Stinking Badges, which was written by Louis Feldez's
next play after zoot Suit downtown here at the Los
(17:29):
Angeles Theater Center, which now my company has been together
for forty years, is now running that building and running
that since two thousand and six, uh, programming it and
all that. But I had done a summer workshop with
Louisveldez after I graduated with with my BA from u
c l A. And then that's following summer I got
(17:51):
accepted into the MFA program and then I auditioned for
a play that Louise Dez was directing called you Know.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
And.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
I got cast in it. But then I had to
choose between starting my MFA program or doing a play with.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
With Yeah, and you're an actor first, yeah, And I said, you.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Know, and no one would budge, you know, the universe says, well,
if you take the job, you'll have to re audition
and there's no guarantee you'll get back in and you know,
and Louis O. This was trying to go, I can
get you credit, you know, we can make this a client,
you know, yeah, and then no one but so. But
I chose school just because I needed that for myself,
to have an MFA, to be able to say, well,
(18:31):
if this acting thing doesn't work out with my MFA,
I could do something better, and then you know, getting
getting cast in the movie. And when I was living
in Northern California, there was a radio station in KBLX
that used to play every night, good Night My Love
by Tavares as this closing twelve o'clock thing, and then
I get to sing that song. So it was like
all these full.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Circles kept happening, man, which was like the universe telling
you you know what was happening.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yeah, man, that's where. Was there a scene that we
didn't see in the Bumba with you in it? Yes?
There was?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
And then I would love people to see is it's
a great scene?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
It really?
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (19:08):
What is it? So? Uh?
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Bob comes back after the garage band scene where I
don't let Richie.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Sing, Okay, he's standing there in front of his.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Everybody goes away and then we're packing up and then
all of a sudden he comes back and he's all
billow and he's a little drunk, and then he starts
telling me that, you know that Richie has more talent
in his little finger than me combined, and I like, yeah,
Bob and also and then he tosses me and I
fall over the drum sets. What I heard was that,
you know, at that time, he was his character was
(19:38):
being stronger than Richie. So that's one of the reasons why.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you that, Like, you know,
everybody obviously gravitates towards Richie, but.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
Bob is that guy.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Yeah, you know, everybody is in the hammer with Bob,
and probably because they're related to a Bob.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Right, but everyone got a Bob in their family.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Man, I thought got short change. Man, he did an
amazing job and he did, you know, and should have
been nominated for something.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
God, yeah, the best supporting actor.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Come on, man, Look thirty years later when he yells
out Richie, you know that's I still get tiery, you know,
still I.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Mean that that's a meme that's everywhere when lose it. Yeah, yeah,
he's a meme they've incorporated into a Kendrick Lamar song.
I mean bro, Like, yeah, like that is That's a
moment that every Latino loves and and feels.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
You know, look, I have a brother and you know
we're four years apart and we get are competitive when
we play golf, and you know, but you know, there's
that love and it's like it's that you know that
that I love to hate you and I hate to
love you. You know, it's kind of thing you know
that your family's go on. And just to see that
it was was really amazing.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Wow, Mark, did you catch that photo of him getting
thrown on a drum? Sit for that I don't want
to see. But I'm still mad at Rudy. By the way.
Problem of we.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
Gotta remind everybody the LaBamba book is available for pre order,
so please, yeah, get out there and get it because
like I said, we've seen it and it's amazing and
seeing the physical copies even better. Man, it's just so
well done. And again it's so well written in the
beginning as well and the end. So but thank you guys.
And then I wanted to ask you how what line
do people scream at you the most? Because you've got
no dice, gino. And then we got since since when
(21:17):
does your mama run this band?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Which one do they? Or maybe Bloody and.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Blood well both from LaBamba it's no dice Chino.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
It looks like something someone threw away.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Yeah, or since when does your mama running? Since when
is your and then from Blood and Blood Out is
cocaine is America's.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah, that's right, That's that's right. That's one of the
bigger think. I want that on my tombstone.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Also, all three of them are through Hat and Beard Press. Oh,
the Blood and Blood Out and mine, so they can order,
pre order and order all this.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yeah, and all these are great gifts your parents. These
are great gifts for sure.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
A photographer in your life. You got to look at
these pictures and what they captured in America. What I
noticed more is in these pictures I don't know, there's
some thing in everyone's eye. There's there's a gleam, there's pain,
there's happiness, and you see it there in their eyes
versus that what you're looking at first.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
Well, that's the relation I try to have when I photograph,
So it's always some type of contact. I'm always aware
I do some candid shots, but for me, it's really
that eye contact with me and my camera and them.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
For Blood and Blood Out and Lebamba.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Did you know the script to anticipate scenes and certain
facial expressions.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
No, And even now at this time, I don't really know.
I don't often read scripts. I've done about one hundred films,
so so it's I prefer just to get a call
sheet of what they're going to be shooting and then
go from that. So again, again the way I like
to shoot, I don't like to know that much.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Always.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
I like to sort of go in and.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Just shoot what I shoot. Yeah, also Fight Club, Big Lebowski.
I mean so many movies, right.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Thank you, So many films, yeah, those two stand.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Out, those stand out, oh yeah, and just epic scenes there,
oh yeah, for sure, so much to captures.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It must be like Christmas when you're on a set
like that, yes, and you.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
Know, yeah, yeah, it's always great. I mean they aren't
easy films always to shoot. You don't know at the
time how the film will even end up. So for me,
it was really fortunate that again for those two films
turned into sort of classic films and they still hold
today after sorry, after all these years.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
Any thoughts about doing books with those.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
I think that, Uh, I'm not doing it, but they
are doing a Fight Club book my images, but I'm
not directly and I think that Hatt and Beard is
interested in maybe doing a Zodiac book from that film,
But that's a now for me. It's just really trying
(24:00):
to shoot my sort of the gang culture. So I'm
still shooting here again with people. I mean currently, I'm
in my car trying to chase down Ice, which I
haven't had any luck lucky. The only thing is I
went to a car wash, my wife and I went
about four days ago, you know, so I asked the people, Hey,
(24:20):
have you seen Ice? No, seen Ice? And it's the
same one that was rated yesterday Glen Dale.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
That so I'm always seeing it there. You know, if
I hear anything, you want to capture those moments? Yeah, yeah,
I'm an Echo park, so I'm sort of close to everything.
But if I hear anything, I just haven't had that
luck yet to really.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah, I think the moments are important to capture because
those are moments in real time that is human suffering.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Oh for sure, it is.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Yeah, and it's it's just craziness. Well, I think we
all know what's happened these days. Yeah, it's a big problem.
So so that's what I'm doing, sort of concentrating on that.
I shoot sort of the cholo culture, and I'm trying
to Mexico City, so I do that to a little
bit because it's not as saturated with photographers as it
(25:11):
is here. So it's more if you go there and
shoot maybe there.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
And he just had a show, ye, yes, little Tokyo,
I mean little uh.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Yes, yes, I just had a show last year.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
So something else to do.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
Do you ever shoot anything on iPhone just to be
brand new?
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Every once in a while, I do, yeah, so and
then I have to go through it and upscale it
and see.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Right right right, right right. And your wife got you
into Instagram?
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Yeah yeah, yeah, it was about five years ago. So,
I mean everything is pretty good with Instagram now. I've
been thrown off a few times. But there was a
good NPR story that came out when I was thrown
off once and they wouldn't comment on it, but after
them saying to me, hey, now you're off forever. It's ended.
(26:01):
You can't appeal or anything, and then the story came
out the next day, and then within five days, all
of a sudden, I was back.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
So so everything has been there. You go, We're all
good now.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
Right For someone for now aspiring to be a still photographer,
what would be the quickest advice.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
I mean, to me, it's just going out and like
shooting and shooting and shooting. Yes, and it depends if
you're wrong. And I mean, classes are great in schools,
so for me, I don't I think it's helpful. I'm
a I'm a high school dropout. But I did take
(26:39):
some classes in high school which I failed, but.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Hey man, I failed Spanish. Yes, look at my skin.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
So again, I think it's just shooting, and I think
it's really trying to create the eye that you have
and sort of go after the jokes that you feel
are interesting. But there's great photographers now on Instagram that
it really is.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Yeah, it's all these young people now shooting and it's
it's just wonderful to see this work.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Are you an advocate though for them using the camera
versus their phone or.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I would be too?
Speaker 4 (27:17):
And then yeah, quite a few people are shooting film.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Now, yeah, which has made a big resurgence.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Yeah, which is interesting. And I just worked on a
on a feature film where they shot purely film.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Very cool. There's there's a there's a certain texture with that, right.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
Yeah, I know it's this it's this Paul Thomas Anderson
film and I think they come out in September.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
It's great to see that with music too, because you
know pro tools, you can go digital, but there are
still a lot of artists that will only use the
Ampex tape. That's all. They want that because of the sound,
you know. And you see that with vinyl back too.
And I think that when you go through such a
surgeon technology, after a while, it gets a little old
and people want that feeling back that you get from film,
(28:06):
from tape, you know or whatever.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
So film is a great look to it still, I mean, yeah,
you can't compete to it, ye. And also a handmade print, yeah,
like a silver print from film has its own look.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, Hey Jeff for aspiring actors, right,
would you suggest to do that so called little movie,
the little movie that could?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
I you know, again, the business has changed since I've
been in it, and it's really you know, now that
we're not even doing live auditions. It's wow, it's really interesting,
you know, you sending these tapes and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Quick video or do it over a zoom yeah or
a zoom yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
So there's no inner action, so that I'm really missing
that right now. But I would say, you know again,
if that fire is in them, you know, yeah, there's
there is no right answer, you know what I'm saying.
It's like people like, oh, I don't want to do this.
I don't want to do under five lines. You never
know what's going to happen. You know, all of a sudden,
they go, hey, they're gonna bump you up, and you
(29:07):
know they liked what you did and now they're going
to give you another, you know, a recurring role or something.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
You know.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
You never you never know. You got one line, and
it's learning. It's what you learn. The thing is is learn. Yeah,
you're on the set, even if you have they give
you one line, be there, Watch what's going on, See
who's doing what, Know what's going on. Know what a
honeywagon is, Know what you know? Uh craft services? You know,
like you know because when you first start, you're like
you're like a deer caught in the headlights. I mean,
(29:32):
there's you're just overwhelmed.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Well, there's a lot of people, there's lights, the lights
are hot. There's so much going on, right.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I don't know if the day that we shot that
singing scene in the garage, it was late at night,
but it was intense that that really, yeah, there was
you know, Taylor Hackford has a strong opinion about things,
Luis Feldez has a strong idea. And then the the DP,
the photographer who was shooting the film, Adam Greenberg, had
just come off uh Arnold Swartztinker's terminator, so they had
(30:04):
you had three strong people and all this decision about
where the camera's gonna go, what's the setup. And then
on top of that was the mic singing because they
had already said the the Slobos had already said down
the tracks, yeah, and so we were all just lip syncing.
And then they were saying, well, he sounds just as
good as Richie, because David Delgo did Richie and then
(30:25):
Caesar had done mine. And so Danny just said, you
know what, let's have Jeff sing. We'll cut the mic
and we'll do it. And they did it right then,
and so I mean, you know that that was that
night was just intense, but but amazing that what the
finally came out.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Man, you know who I love is the guy playing
the saxophone during the fight scene.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
That's my buddy.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
Yeah, that guy I got, I got that gigs right
and the people are swinging away chairs and he is playing.
That's a musician, right, that's a musician, and that's an actor.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Right, So you know, yeah, I would say tell tell
any aspiring you know, yeah, do what you you know,
learn from anything that you can do. Because to keep saying,
notice that if you're you're you know, you don't know
what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Right, Have you done a movie scene after seeing only
to find out that you were completely ripped out of
the movie? Uh?
Speaker 2 (31:16):
There there the movie in my theater company did our
first one, Illuminati Is. I wasn't completely ripped out, but
I played I played the transgender. This is like way
early on a transgender character. And there was another scene
where he talks about why he is what he why
she is what she is? You know, everything that about
her was inside but no one was paying attention to it,
(31:38):
and everyone thought the character was gay, but it was
actually transaction and they cut that scene out. And so
when you see the movie, a lot of people think
the character is gay, and I go, no, he was
pre pre trans you know, going through the process right, transitioning.
So sometimes you know, like even in Blood and Blood Out,
there's a whole storyline that's cut out, the whole girlfriend
with Benjamin Bratt is cut out, and we never you
(32:00):
never see it, and it's amazing how they were able
to take that out and it doesn't affect the films. Wow,
things like that do happen sometimes, and again sometimes it's
it may be your fault, and sometimes it's just they
need to tell the story and that scene is not
you know, propelling the film forward or it's not helping
tell your story.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
And that's why it's good to have someone like Marekon said,
capturing these moments that we don't necessarily get to see
but still live with.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
Right, and Carlos, where can they find your piece?
Speaker 6 (32:28):
I mean the piece of La Bambas in the book.
That's the only place you can see it is on
the La Times, So that's where you can find it,
and it's also in the Blood book. So I'm thankful
that the you know, to have my words associated with
the films.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
Yeah, absolutely, and your other work as well. Where can
they find it?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
I'm a freelance writer, so I write for the Other
Times and New York Times.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
You can follow me.
Speaker 6 (32:47):
I write about movies most of the time, oftentimes Latino films,
Latino actors for for the Loss, which is the other
times Latino Vertical.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
So yeah, Carlo's film on Twitter and Instagram and.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
I'm gonna follow you. Man, write something. Nobody writes nothing
about you know what I mean? Something? Please? No one cares.
That'd be great, all right, cool, that's a know.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Jeff, I tried, oh Man, Garlos, Jeff Merrek. Thank you
very much for your time. Congratulations. Come see us anytime
you know you got another project. Man stop by, please please,
we'd love it. Thank you guys so much. We appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Pays check your rich for the Cruise Show.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Thanks for listening to The Cruise Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (33:31):
To make sure to subscribe, and hey, auto download so
you don't miss an episode.
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