Vallejo is an American rock band founded by three brothers, AJ Vallejo (eldest twin), Alex Vallejo (younger twin) and Omar Vallejo (youngest brother), in Austin, Texas. The Vallejo brothers were born in El Campo, Texas and grew up there. Later, during their pre-teen years they moved to Alabaster, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. The band has released 12 full-length albums, starting in 1991 with their self-titled debut Sins on Chapel Lane, an indie Birmingham label which is defunct.
Background Not long after their move in January 1995 to Austin, the group was signed to a multi-album and exclusive co-publishing deal to Chicago Records' Bobby Francavillo, with Steve Peck as the debut album's producer. Gaining a good amount of active rock radio airplay from their 1997 debut album "1969" featuring singles "Boogieman" and "Just Another Day", they signed a major distribution and marketing deal with TVT Records in New York, where the debut album was re-released - receiving rave reviews opening doors for Vallejo who went on to tour nationwide becoming a 'dangerous live act' as described by AustinLive. The followup to "1969", Beautiful Life, engineered, produced, and mixed by Neil King, was recorded at Record Plant in Sausalito, California and released in 1998. Now on imi/TVT, the album was received with less enthusiastic radio response resulting in TVT's decision to pull back promotion after a timid reaction to the single released by the band with Beastie Boys' DJ Hurricane. Bittersweet perhaps that this single, 'Snake In The Grass' would later resurface a decade later on two episodes of HBO's hit-series True Blood to much renewed airplay worldwide.
After catching a High End Lighting showcase in Orlando, Florida, by Vallejo at the House of Blues, Miami producer Emilio Estefan immediately signed Vallejo and Into the New was released by Sony in 2000. The album had mixed reviews but did well on rock charts and the band was invited on nationwide tours by Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Fuel, Disturbed, Blues Traveler, Matchbox Twenty, and The Black Crowes. Prior to releasing a second single to national radio, an unfortunate one-two combo of bad luck happened to Vallejo with the leadership of the Sony label changing and weeks later the world-stopping 9/11 event. Sony cut half of the artist roster with Vallejo on the list halfway into their summer tour. The weary brothers and band honored their remaining dates and headed home strung out and drained spending over a year tangled in legal battles.
In 2002, as free agents, Vallejo launched their own label VMG releasing Stereo, to overwhelming positive reviews becoming what many know as the Vallejo fan favorite. During the next decade, the band released albums to their loyal fanbase: 2004's trilogy-archive-releases: Black Sky, Leftovers, and Steamboat Live 97, Acousta (2006), Thicker Than Water (2008), and Brothers Brew (2014). Shortly after the release of Brothers Brew sources said that artistic differences and/or a bit of inevitable burnout from two decades of nonstop touring becoming the main reason for the Vallejo brothers' gradual transition from touring artists to producers with a seemingly effective presence in the music industry. AJ Vallejo won Austin Chronicle's Guitar Player of the Year in 2016 and Producer of the Year three years in a row in 2014-2015-2016. He launched indie label 10X Music Group and continued with both Bruce Castleberry on guitar and Alex Geismar on drums to perform as a roots-rock group, Brodie Lane. Alex Vallejo became the director of Austin's School of Rock facilities, co-producer at EPS, and the manager at Austin Music Foundation. Omar Vallejo opened 512 Studios in Austin winning Austin Chronicle's Producer and Studio of the Year in 2018-2019.
In 2021, after a seven year recording hiatus, Vallejo released Amigos on their VMG label, an album composed of collaborations with Texas staples and Grammy artists including Flaco Jimenez, Ray Benson, Dale Watson, Grupo Fantasma, and Gina Chavez to name a few.
Members Current members A.J. Vallejo – lead vocal/guitar Alejandro Vallejo – drums Omar Vallejo – bass guitar/backing vocals Bruce Castleberry – guitar/backing vocals Alex Geismar – percussion/backing vocals
Former members Michael Panepanto – percussion Steve Ramos – percussion James "Diego" Simmons – percussion Heath Clark – guitar Jeff Hartsough – percussion Angel Ferrer – guitar Zach Baker – guitar
Discography Studio albums Year Title Label1994SinsVMG1997VallejoTVT Records1998Beautiful Life2000Into the NewSony Records2002StereoVMG2003Black SkySteamboat Live '972005Leftovers2008Thicker Than WaterQuadra Entertainment / VMG2010AcoustaVMG2012Brother's BrewVMG
EP Year Title Label2009Temporary ThingQuadra Entertainment / VMG
Non-album tracks Year Track Source1996"Against the Grain/Gypsy Queen" live – 7:13From the KLBJ Local Licks Live '95 album1998"Forever (Is a Long Time)" live (A.J. Vallejo, Alejandro Vallejo, Bruce Castleberry) – 4:33From the KLBJ Local Licks Live '97 album1999"Feliz Navidad" – 3:47From the KLBJ Local Licks: Yule Rock! album2001"La Familia" live (A.J. Vallejo, Alejandro Vallejo, Omar Vallejo) – 5:55From the KLBJ Local Licks Live XII album2002"I Go On" live (A.J. Vallejo, Alejandro Vallejo, Omar Vallejo) – 4:18From the KLBJ Local Licks Live 13 album2007"Move On" – 3:09From the INsite Austin magazine This Is INsite Austin Music I album2008"Sweet Maria" – 3:36From the Austin Latino Music Association Austin Music Mezcla 2008 album
See also Music of Austin
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