The Avocados seed was planted in 2013 on the fertile east side soil of Austin, TX by Greg Rhoades. Greg is a seasoned Texas bassist, writer and performer with such bands as: Golden Dawn Arkestra, Mudphonic and Starchild. His growing interest in playing guitar and a love of surf music led him to form the band with his friend & neighbor, Ben Prentice (bass).
In 2017 Greg reached out to some long-time friends and musical compadres, John Branch (Hardproof, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Spanish Gold) on organ/guitar and Alex Marrero (Brownout, Brown Sabbath, Carrie Rodriguez) on drums. These two seasoned pro’s joined Greg and original bass player Ben Prentice (Roxy Roca/Diagonals) to round out the band. The energy was exciting and the chemistry was palpable. It has proven to be a potent, fan favorite line-up.
Their self-titled debut LP was recorded at Cacophony Studios and released by Found Object Records. It includes their “hit song” “Guacamole”!
The Avocado’s perform regularly at clubs, festivals, weddings, pool parties and boats! They have a long-standing summer residency, poolside at the famous Hotel San Jose in the heart of Austin’s famous SOCO district.
In the fall of 2019 they began collaborating and arranging songs for a new LP. This time they recorded and mixed at Buds Studio in East Austin. The guys tracked the album 100% live to analog tape in 3 days, capturing the spirit of this unique and magical style of music; one which brings joy to people of all ages and walks of life. It’s something you can see first hand at any Avocados show!
Money Chicha is an Austin, Texas based group featuring members of the Grammy-award winning Latin orchestra Grupo Fantasma and its offshoot funk outfit Brownout which performs a fuzzed-out, reverb-drenched and percussion-heavy style of music inspired by the sounds of Peru and Colombia in the 60s and 70s. This style of music, sometimes called “chicha” music, is known for its infectious Latin beat, its psychedelic, surf guitar pyrotechnics and its melodies influenced by the indigenous culture of the Andes mountains.
The group’s sound is derived from the exhilarating syncopations of congas, cowbell and timbales, the gritty tones of combo organs and vintage synthesizers, effects-laden guitar melodies, insistent basslines and a healthy dose of trippy effects. Money Chicha is a modern translation of this South American musical style interpreted by highly skilled veterans of America’s most vibrant music town. In their capable hands, the “chicha” genre takes on a new and unique character, guaranteed to move one to both dance and listen, entranced by the undeniable rhythms and virtuosic displays of musicality.