Author: Mark Bowman

Internationally recognized Rock Photographer with a portfolio of Rock Photography spanning five decades and whose award winning work has garnered the praise of such artists as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Bono of U2, The Alice Cooper Group, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, Pete Townshend of The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Keith Emerson, Ronnie Lane and Ian McLagan of The Faces among many others. His gatefold center photograph from “Live From The Astroturf, Alice Cooper” was a key component of the award winning packages for the 2017 Best Package – 45 RPM ALEX Award in Detroit, Michigan and the 2019 “Best Record Store Day Package” – 12″ LP – ALEX Award in Hollywood, California. A native Texan, Mark Bowman’s work has been used in movies, album covers and documentaries & published in Rolling Stone, Texas Monthly, The BBC (England), CBS, PBS, LedZeppelin.com, JimmyPage.com, Houston Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, Ultimate Classic Rock.com and the legendary fine art music publishing house – Genesis Publications, headquartered in Surrey, Great Britain — In 2020 and 2021, in addition to his photography, Bowman expanded his creative palette to serve as Executive Producer for Texas Music Hall of Fame artist Joe King Carrasco’s latest two critically acclaimed, full length albums, “Mariachi Blues” and “Beer Bars & Guitars” for Anaconda Records in Austin, Texas. All rights reserved © Mark Bowman Images
By Mark Bowman

JOE KING CARRASCO

“BEER BARS & GUITARS” – NEW CD – 2021

ALBUM COVER AND PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK BOWMAN IMAGES

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – MARK BOWMAN

The STORY OF BEER BARS & GUITARS

by Joe King Carrasco

Back in the fall of 2020-

Luis Murillo and I started recording a new batch of songs at our studio up in San Sebastián del Oeste -Jalisco-5000 feet up🌲

For the next release after “Mariachi Blues” which came out around Christmas 2020- thanks to Mark Bowman – the executive producer.

But back in February of 2020 before the pandemic became “full blown over the top loco” I happened to be watching Narcos Mexico which was directed and shot by Diego Luna-one of my favorite actors- and filmed near San Sebastián –

One of the actors when asked where he was headed in an episode- told the border guard – “Mexico-Beer Bars & Guitars”

When I heard that- I said to myself-

“That’s gotta be a song”-

I already had the boogie blues riff- so it all fell into place-

After Luis and I had about 18 songs- we would give them to Rick del Castillo to sprinkle his magic on them- maybe – bass- guitar or organ where needed – And mix them with his “del Castillo ears” 🎸

I then gave the 18 tracks to Mark Bowman-who has been a close friend since the 1980s and was the Executive Producer for “Mariachi Blues” to see if he could find a cd with all these songs-and he said yes – and after several suggestions from Mark with mixing levels and a fresh enthusiastic ear — he came up with the 10 tracks for BEER BARS & GUITARS-

He became the motor of BB&G – he made it happen – pandemic or not…

Mark is sort of like the “Wolf” character in Pulp Fiction-

in that he gets things done fast when no else can seem to make it happen-

So Mark put together the cd package of photos and graphics taken at Rancho No Tengo in Texas- and Rachel Wade -the daughter of Bob Daddy o Wade came up with the logo design-

And it was ready by Sept 3-

WOW!

So there it is-

BEER BARS & GUITARS

PRODUCED

by Luis Murillo and Rick del Castillo

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Mark Bowman

Go grab a copy !!🎸🎸🎸

*************************************************************************

THIS NOTE IS FROM JOE KING CARRASCO IN FRANCE – NOVEMBER 25, 2021

This last year while hiding up in the mountains of the Sierra Madre -below – La Bufa-the highest peak in Jalisco – Mexico-Riding out the pandemic loco -Luis Murillo – who comes from Chihuahua and who has worked with me for 10 years and more-and myself and amigos- built a studio in the Adobe house- and started recording a new batch of songs-For BEER BARS & GUITARS-The title – is referenced from a line out of the Diego Luna Netflix Series-Narcos Mexico-In a description of Mexico 🌵

The house where we recorded is located in the middle of a sharp curve that used to be part of the old Guadalajara Road built around 1600-that ran to San Sebastián del Oeste- hauling silver from the mines-in horse drawn wagons-So maybe we caught the spirit of that 400 year old road and maybe the souls that flew off that deadly curve – into infinity-It is called HIGHWAY 544

For a while – it was thought that the telecaster that produced these magical sounds had gone missing -We even had posters of it and a reward going around Jalisco-I started really missing this wonderful guitar-and it’s mystical sounds-I went into shock 😳😳 But then alas – it was found buried under cardboard boxes in an office – of the Vancouver Consulate in Nayarit-Mexico…….Long story-😳But it all ended well 🙏🙏🙏

We took the tracks to Rick Del Castillo-Who put his magic to the music-Mixing- playing bass and keyboards- guitar-and mastering-With his production skills-And ZING!!We then gave 18 tracks to Mark Bowman – who was the executive producer – and the CD designer-Photographer-Along with help from Rachel Wade-who is the daughter of the late Texas artist-Bob Daddy O Wade-To pick out the songs -And he came up with the running order- For —BEER BARS & GUITARS-So Grab some San Sebastián -544 -rockin Tex Mex Blues- from Colectivo Chihuahua and Joe King Carrasco-guaranteed to get you shakin !!🎸🎸🎸🎸

LINKS:

Joe King Carrasco y Colectivo Chihuahua Album Review: Beers Bars & Guitars – Music – The Austin Chronicle

Austin music: New record releases out from Joe King Carrasco and more (austin360.com)