Best of bands 2013: La Chinga

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      Even if you don’t think that popular music peaked in 1971 with the first Captain Beyond album, you have to admire La Chinga’s insane loyalty to the stoned-ape era of rock. Speaking from behind an aromatic curtain of hair—and on behalf of his bandmates Jay “Hungus” Solyom (drums) and Ben Yardley (guitar-theremin-vocals)—vocalist-bassist Carl Spackler emerged into our present space-time coordinates for long enough to answer the Straight’s vital questions.

      Best local release other than yours:
      “Three Wolf Moon, Masters. They’re pretty hypnotic, they’re in their own little world. And they have a song called ‘Joe Walsh’.”

      The year’s best gig:
      “That Neil Young and Crazy Horse show was pretty good [at Rogers Arena on November 11, 2012]. That was a real rock ’n’ roll performance. The Ragged Glory tour and that tour—those are the best times I’ve ever seen him, with the Horse. Don’t spook the Horse! I love that he couldn’t give a shit. Half the people around me were screaming and crying and cheering, and the other half were demanding their money back. That’s perfection. He’s not phonin’ it in like all the others of his generation. They just come out there and blaze.”

      Your house is on fire. What album are you saving?
      “That’s pretty hard. Am I going by value, or am I going by love? If I was going by value, I have an original copy of Buffalo’s first record which is pretty rare and amazing. But for love? That mono version of Axis: Bold as Love, I’ve been playing that a lot lately. I’m such a nerd.”

      Chip Wilson’s paying, so where’s dinner?
      “We’re going golfing! At the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club [4300 S.W. Marine Drive]! I love rubbing elbows with the blue bloods. We’d probably have to borrow sports coats from the maître d’—I’ve always wanted to do that. I’ll be looking for Judge Smails.”

      We’re reshooting the video for Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”. Who’s your topless costar?
      “We see so much nudity at the La Chinga free-love compound that it just doesn’t phase us anymore. We’re full. But, yeah, I wanna see Matt Camirand of the Highway Kind naked because he just had Zeppelin IV tattooed on his chest.”

      Let’s make this city more fun by opening a venue. Where?
      “I’d like to play on the patio at the Rumpus Room [2689 Main Street], right by the golf thing. Let’s tie it back to the golf. Even though I despise the sport. Well—I like the ’70s golf fashions. I have some ’70s golf pants that I enjoy, but the modern golf I don’t enjoy.”

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