Biography
In 2002, guitarist Joby J. Ford, bassist James Tweedy, vocalist Matt Caughthran, and drummer Jorma Vik launched the Bronx in Los Angeles after the group's swaggering take on hardcore punk quickly drew local followers. Their intense stage presence soon caught the eye of major labels following just a dozen shows, leading to an Island/Def Jam proposal, yet the members chose to put out early material independently through White Drugs first. Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke assisted in shaping an aggressive rock tone for their initial demo, after which the band's self-titled debut surfaced in August 2003 on Ferret Records. The second self-titled album arrived three years later as their first release for Island Records, supported by a WHODOYOUVOODOO Tour alongside Priestess, the Riverboat Gamblers, and Wires on Fire.
After parting with Island, the quintet delivered a third self-titled effort, unofficially titled The Bronx III, via Original Signal Recordings. During 2006 an acoustic performance request prompted a stylistic pivot toward Latin influences, inspiring the creation of their alter ego Mariachi el Bronx, whose recorded debut followed in 2009. A fourth collection of core Bronx material emerged in 2013 as IV, which adopted a more refined hard rock direction compared to the outfit's prior punk-driven approach. The mariachi project yielded further releases in 2011 and 2014, both titled Mariachi El Bronx. In 2016 the ensemble issued the live set Mariachi el Bronx Live Cuts: Live at the Teragram Ballroom and the Independent, Dec. 2015, the same year drummer Vik exited and David Hidalgo, Jr. stepped in.
Resuming their original configuration, the Bronx completed a fifth album in 2017; the 11-track BRVNX, issued that September, was led by the singles "Sore Throat" and "Two Birds." Hidalgo subsequently left, with former Queens of the Stone Age member Joey Castillo taking his place. The 2019 compilations Dead Tracks, Vols. 1 & 2 gathered B-sides, rarities, and covers, while parallel Mariachi el Bronx collections also appeared that year. The group resurfaced in 2021 with their sixth studio album, The Bronx VI, produced by Joe Baressi and expanding the blend of punk and alternative rock.
After parting with Island, the quintet delivered a third self-titled effort, unofficially titled The Bronx III, via Original Signal Recordings. During 2006 an acoustic performance request prompted a stylistic pivot toward Latin influences, inspiring the creation of their alter ego Mariachi el Bronx, whose recorded debut followed in 2009. A fourth collection of core Bronx material emerged in 2013 as IV, which adopted a more refined hard rock direction compared to the outfit's prior punk-driven approach. The mariachi project yielded further releases in 2011 and 2014, both titled Mariachi El Bronx. In 2016 the ensemble issued the live set Mariachi el Bronx Live Cuts: Live at the Teragram Ballroom and the Independent, Dec. 2015, the same year drummer Vik exited and David Hidalgo, Jr. stepped in.
Resuming their original configuration, the Bronx completed a fifth album in 2017; the 11-track BRVNX, issued that September, was led by the singles "Sore Throat" and "Two Birds." Hidalgo subsequently left, with former Queens of the Stone Age member Joey Castillo taking his place. The 2019 compilations Dead Tracks, Vols. 1 & 2 gathered B-sides, rarities, and covers, while parallel Mariachi el Bronx collections also appeared that year. The group resurfaced in 2021 with their sixth studio album, The Bronx VI, produced by Joe Baressi and expanding the blend of punk and alternative rock.
Albums
Singles
