The Dragons

by Erik HageSo Cal punk & rollers the Dragons were fronted by Mario Escovedo, the youngest sibling of musicians Alejandro and Javier Escovedo. Javier, of L.A. punk legends the Zeros ( and later with Alejandro in the True Believers), bought his teenage kid brother his first guitar on Sunset Strip, paving the way for Mario's rock 'n' roll future.
Mario and Ken Mochikoshi Horne had formerly been in a punk band called M-80's. Toward the end of 1990, the two decided to form a new band, recruiting bassist Steve Rodriquez and drummer James Barczak. In the summer of 1992, the Dragons released a 12-track vinyl LP in Spain on Impossible Records. The following year the group parted ways with Barczak, adding Jarrod Lucas. In 1994, they recorded a four-song 7" for Pop Tones Records, following that in 1996 with their first CD release, Painkiller, on Scam-O-Rama Records. By the end of 1997, the group had signed with Junk Records, for whom they recorded several LPs, including 1999's raw, furious R.L.F. (Rock Like F*ck) and the 2000 concert set Live at the Casbah. Rock N Roll Kamikaze followed in 2001, and was supported by an even more furious touring schedule that took the band from L.A. and the southwest all the way to Japan. By August 2002, The Dragons were back in the U.S.A., and playing the 1st annual Gearfest in Austin, TX. Gearhead Records, the show's sponsor, was blown away by the band, and signed them soon after. Sin Salvation, their fiery, redemptive Gearhead debut, appeared in May 2003, and was supported by a tour with labelmates the Riverboat Gamblers.