About The Dragons
Born in San Diego. Loud since ’91.
The Dragons formed in San Diego, California, in 1991, with Mario Escovedo on vocals and guitar, Ken Mochikoshi-Horne on lead guitar, Steve Rodriguez on bass and original drummer James Barczak.
Just three months after forming, The Dragons played the first of what would eventually become eleven appearances at South By Southwest (SXSW) and released their first vinyl EP, X, through Spain's Impossible Records. Barczak played drums on X as well as the band's first 45 for Poptones Records, which followed and helped put The Dragons on the map back home in San Diego.
About a year into the band's run, Jarrod Lucas took over behind the drums, completing the lineup of Escovedo, Mochikoshi-Horne, Rodriguez and Lucas that would go on to define The Dragons for the years that followed.
In 1996, The Dragons recorded Painkiller for Scam-O-Rama Records after catching the attention of "InebriaTED," who had discovered the band while writing for Flipside Magazine.
Then things really started getting loud.
The Dragons signed with Long Beach's Junk Records and released Cheers To Me, R.L.F. and Kamikaze in three consecutive years. A self-titled Japanese release followed, along with a tour of Japan.
By 2003, The Dragons had signed with Gearhead Records, releasing Sin Salvation followed by a remixed and remastered Rock N Roll Kamikaze.
And somewhere along the way, a band that started in San Diego turned into a well-traveled rock ’n’ roll problem.
The Dragons toured and played with The Wildhearts, Guitar Wolf, The Hellacopters, Riverboat Gamblers, B-Movie Rats, Texas Terri, Gaza Strippers, The Demons, The Black Halos and The Spitfires, and shared bills with The Supersuckers, Backyard Babies, Rocket From The Crypt, The Muffs and plenty of other reputable—and disreputable—punks and rockers.
The band's live shows became a large part of its reputation. The Dragons appeared at the first three Las Vegas Shakedown festivals, and promoter Ralph Carrera later remembered Dragons crowds as seemingly having “two drinks in their hands” while describing the band's performances as highly energetic and mesmerizing.
Sounds about right.
THE DRAGONS FAMILY
The Dragons will always remember and honor their brother in arms, bassist Steve Rodriguez, who died suddenly in 2015.
Steve wasn't simply the bass player. He was part of the heart, sound and history of The Dragons. And in Steve's own spirit, the show must go on.
When The Dragons have returned to the stage, Hector Penalosa of legendary San Diego punk band The Zeros has stepped in on bass alongside Mario, Ken and Jarrod.
The Dragons family has continued making plenty of noise elsewhere, too.
Lead guitarist Ken Mochikoshi-Horne went on to become a longtime member of acclaimed Los Angeles punk band The Bronx, as well as Mariachi El Bronx.
Frontman Mario Escovedo comes from the sprawling Escovedo musical family and is the younger brother of Alejandro Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, and uncle to Sheila E.
Drummer Jarrod Lucas has continued playing and recording with various bands and musicians in San Diego.
More than three decades after The Dragons first started making noise in San Diego, the band may not spend much time on the road these days.
But the records are still here.
The stories are still here.
Apparently the merchandise is here now, too.
The Dragons — San Diego rock ’n’ roll since 1991.
Rock Like Fuck.