Life & Work with John Sanchez of Los Angeles / OC

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Sanchez.

Hi John, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I come from a working class, mixed-Mexican household. I was born in the small farm town of Visalia in the Central Valley of California. When I was young, we relocated to Newhall, one of the oldest neighborhoods in all of Los Angeles just 45 minutes driving (without traffic) from the city center. My family are all huge music lovers – my parents introduced me to the Beatles; my dad introduced me to Sam Cooke and Rush; my mom introduced me to ABBA, Tears for Fears, and the Carpenters; and my much older sister introduced me to Green Day and Nirvana. I was also highly influenced by the aesthetics of Nickelodeon and the Simpsons.

We always had a nylon string acoustic guitar in the house because my dad and sister had tried to learn the instrument too. My abuela played piano and my grandfather played organ and folk instruments. I took classes through the parks and rec in Newhall on that nylon string – my very first when I was around 9 years old. I learned how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star from an elder hippie with long nails. At home, I was attempting to learn Green Day songs by ear, as guitar tab sites would come a little later.

Soon after starting lessons, that nylon string met its end and my parents decided to get me a cheap electric guitar set with a small practice amp. I started taking more contemporary lessons from a shop in my hometown called World Music, which went out of business as soon as Guitar Center opened up shop in town. The electric guitar led me to playing music in high school with other people and forming my first bands – Lubricating the Homeless (a Nintendo-core metal band in which I played bass) and Cost of the Recall (a melodic hardcore band in which I played lead guitar). Through Cost of the Recall, I played my first show at the Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood. We were all under 18 at the time and we had to sell tickets; however, we could not stay in the venue after our set due to our minor status.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been covered in bumps and quite curvy. Music has always been a passion of mine; however, I have never made music for anyone else but myself and my friends. The more I have tried to approach music professionally for the purpose of making money or a career, the less the making music endeavor appeals to me as an artist and activist. So for me, music comes second after my professional career, which presents its challenges with scheduling and people’s perception of me as a hobbyist.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a multi-instrumentalist who has created music independently as well as within the context of a band setting. I am beyond proud of my project A Horse A Spoon A Bucket and our most recent, “Adventures in Hill City,” is some of the best music I have written and produced yet. We celebrate whimsy, knowledge, and the surreal, offering post punk, new wave, rock and roll bops for children and families of all ages. I am currently working on our forthcoming release, which will blend electronic experimentation, hip hop sample collage, and post-punk energy to tell a story of global warming, corruption, and space travel. I love that A Horse A Spoon A Bucket allows me to bring big ideas to music and art.

What’s next?
I am continuing to expand my musical universe, trying to take on more supportive roles in music. I have also been bringing music and art to my professional career as a social worker and clinician. Music can be a powerful tool for connection, rapport, and regulation when working with the elderly or children on the autism spectrum. A Horse A Spoon A Bucket will be releasing something big and different very soon – keep your ears peeled.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ahorseaspoonabucket.bandcamp.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahorseaspoonabucket/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/WkUjntsHS0w?feature=shared