Best known as the drummer for queer punk pioneers Pansy Division and Bay Area punk stalwarts Avengers, Luis Gabriel Illades has stepped into a new role with Vida Vella—his first outing as a frontperson and songwriter. The debut album Panorama, released via Beso Y Abrazo Records, trades in the brash urgency of his previous bands for something slower, more introspective, and rooted in both personal and cultural dualities. Written and recorded between the U.S. and Mexico, the record is as much about breaking cycles as it is about embracing them.
Illades, who grew up near the border in Tijuana and is now based in New York, sees this project as a culmination of years of musical and emotional accumulation. “I’d always been comfortable in the background as the drummer,” he says. “Once I stopped pushing this voice to the side, I found so much to write about.” That material includes bilingual meditations on identity, vulnerability, and shared emotional themes—what he describes as “the true common elements of the human condition.”
While his roots remain in punk and its confrontational ethos, the sound of Vida Vella is textured, reflective, and often orchestral. Drawing on a cast of collaborators from both sides of the border—including musicians from the State Band of Guanajuato and artists with ties to Camper Van Beethoven and Anohni and the Johnsons—the album was built organically. “Some of the songs were originally written as faster punk songs and then slowed way down,” he explains. “In that space there appeared so much room for sonic texture and expression that is simply not possible in faster punk or rock-based material.”
The album’s recording sessions, based in León, Mexico, were more than a logistical decision. León is where Illades’s family is from, and returning there lent the project a deeper resonance. Pushing to include folkloric Mexican instrumentation wasn’t just a musical decision—it was a personal one. “A return to history,” he calls it. “That was very sweet and full circle for me personally.”
The emotional undercurrent of Panorama is informed not only by Illades’s musical past but also by his work as a psychotherapist. “Finding the true common elements of the human condition and choosing to write about the emotional elements that we all share—that’s been the inspiration for the lyrical content,” he notes. These aren’t songs crafted for spectacle; they’re quiet, observational, and sincere.
Still, the punk spirit is there—just transformed. “The songs are very much about challenging norms and breaking cycles whether ecological, political, internal or interpersonal,” Illades says. The romantic lens is queered, too, but without being didactic. “I wanted to write songs that were intensely more self-reflective, and tender as opposed to unapologetic and fierce,” he adds. “Coming to this with gentle openness as opposed to busting down the door.”
Releasing Panorama as the first offering on his new label, Beso Y Abrazo, Illades is also using the platform to spotlight underground Mexican artists like ACTY, Ramona, and Babas Tutsipop. “Most of the current bands in Mexico are more self-referential. They couldn’t care less what the Americans are doing and that might bring a cultural empowerment that creates new things!” he says. The goal is simple but meaningful: give these artists visibility in a market that often overlooks them.
When asked about the future of Pansy Division, Illades is candid: another album isn’t off the table, but they’re satisfied with their seven LPs. “The world of releasing records has changed and releasing in the digital age is kind of lame and not very fun for us,” he admits. Still, the band remains vital—celebrating their 1000th show this year—and Luis credits the longevity to “forgiving quickly and repeatedly” and maintaining a shared sense of purpose.
As for Vida Vella, he doesn’t yet know if it’s a one-time catharsis or the beginning of a long-term endeavor. “I had to let go of expectations and limitations and just take the next step and act ‘as if,’” he says. Whether he returns to the drum kit or not, Panorama captures a specific moment of expansion, vulnerability, and redefinition.
In our full interview below, Luis expands on his experiences recording in Mexico, starting Beso Y Abrazo Records, the differences between Vida Vella and Pansy Division, his work as a therapist, and the emotional themes running through the album. Dive in for insights on musical autonomy, bicultural identity, underground Mexican indie, and the quiet bravery it takes to step forward after decades behind the kit.
This month will see Pansy Division play their 1000th show as a band which is of course a huge achievement. I imagine you’ve all grown and changed considerably since your first show as both musicians and individuals. What has been the most significant personal change for you on your journey through music?
One thing that being in a band for thirty years has established is how to forgive quickly and repeatedly and how to maintain mutuality of purpose. Every time you have a rehearsal, write songs, record or plan a show you have several agendas and concerns. Shifting through them honestly to arrive at consensus can be challenging but is the only way to continue. We are like a little family with both vulnerability and support for each other, and some resentments that we are good about airing and moving past after years of learning about each other.
Pansy Division were a hugely important band for so many people back in the day and continue to be so again, well into 2025. What would it take for Pansy Division to record a new album. I feel the world needs one now more than ever.
I think we’re all conscious of the fact that we have so much to write about and the impact of validating the experience of our community in our material. I think that has been an impactful aspect of this band, it has also led to much criticism. Feeling validated or invalidated by our material. I think people wanted to see themselves or their version of representation in our group and were invigorated by or disappointed by the reflection that they saw. Our hope was that they would go on to write songs or books based on what they felt was most impactful or missing. And many did! I’m not sure if another album is needed. We have recorded seven studio albums and a couple of compilations. That’s a lot. I think it would be fun for us to make another album because we enjoy making music, but the world of releasing records has changed and releasing in the digital age is kind of lame and not very fun for us. We’re quite satisfied with our body of work to be honest.
In purely musical terms, your new Vida Vella project feels like a stark contrast to the music you’ve made before, especially when viewed through the lens of Pansy Division. Can you draw parallels between the two endeavors? What are the similarities, what are the key differences? Dare I ask; Which do you prefer?
Vida Vella is different in that it is my project. I was not the singer or songwriter in Pansy Division, and I was fine in my role. Here I got to write, arrange and tinker in my own time without consulting with anyone. There was so much room that I wanted to learn and grow and express as a musician that was not possible within the Pansy Division dynamic.
That is not a criticism. There is a sound that we hoped to achieve as a group and that is considerate of the members and the audience. With Vida Vella there was no expectation. Some of the songs were originally written as faster punk songs and then slowed way down. In that space there appeared so much room for sonic texture and expression that is simply not possible in faster punk or rock-based material. Once the base songs were established, I was able to invite an arranger/producer and specific instrumentalists to expand and take the material to places I couldn’t on my own and then it became more collaborative.
The people who played on this record are some of the best musicians I have met in the last thirty years of making music and I asked them to contribute based on their specific individual talents. I’m honestly surprised that they said yes and jumped in. These are some in demand folks. We only rehearsed once before going into the studio and I think that trusting the talent and not over rehearsing gave a lot of room for musical personality to come into the record. It is not an overly chopped and edited recording. It was a pretty organic process of playing live in the studio.
Pushing further to incorporate the orchestral and folkloric Mexican musicians in Guanajuato was a dream. Some of these musicians play in the band of the state. A return to history as they are from the town that my parents grew up in and courted in. That was very sweet and full circle for me personally. In the studio there were some language and translation barriers, but we were able to move through them to find a gorgeous musical expression including all players. A lot of this is attributed to co-producer Ruben Butchart and his experience and ability in composing orchestrations.
The songs are very much about challenging norms and breaking cycles whether ecological, political, internal or interpersonal and a lot of that comes from the spirit of punk bands I have played in which is to question and shake assumptions and obstacles. There is also queer perspective in the romantic aspects of these songs and that seems important as I always scour to see myself in art and culture, I do find it a partial duty to speak to our people and wave a little flag “we are present here” or “let’s bring ourselves into the context”.
I would describe the perspective filter in the songs as “pansexual” Everyone is invited into the romantic space. I wanted to write songs that were intensely more self-reflective, and tender as opposed to unapologetic and fierce. Coming to this with gentle openness as opposed to busting down the door and barging in. Pansy Division’s motto was often borrowed from Mary Poppins “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” by using humor to approach topics that were difficult to introduce at that time. It was very effective but also bred expectations that were difficult to unburden ourselves from. I wanted these songs to come from a place of quiet reflection yet encourage bravery somehow.
On Panorama you’ve stepped out from behind the relatively safe space of a drum kit to be an exposed, focal point for others. Firstly, was that a scary prospect and secondly, does your new solo career feel like the beginning of something new and exciting. Or was the album a satisfying itch that needed scratching.
Funny! Yes, it began as an itch that needed scratching. I had returned to grad school to pursue some unattended academics in psychology and social work. It was a time of analyzing and great learning and as soon as it ended, I had this great creative burst, almost like an inertia that needed to continue, and I just started writing songs for days on end.
As it developed, I began to think of this album and group. I had to let go of expectations and limitations and just take the next step and act “as if”. I am certainly not an amazing vocalist, but I think I did a good job of stepping up and representing myself. I have never been comfortable as the front person on stage. I am not shy by any means, but I have not tested this project yet in a live setting and that will be coming soon!
The feel and vibe of your homeland hangs like a warm specter over the whole album, not only because it involves the talents of so many musicians from Mexico. Does the country regularly figure in your thinking when you write new material?
Absolutely. This is a bicultural record or a trans-border record. The first concept was that it had to be bilingual. Growing up at the border in Tijuana and engaging with California has an effect of constant translation regarding cultural concept, representation, borrowing or extracting from both cultures and even doing pesos vs dollars math in your head constantly. You are in a constant state of translation. Writing about the inner experience and the relation to the exterior world through a bilingual lens is THE most important aspect of this record for sure.
In terms of underground punk and indie, are there any musicians or bands in your orbit that you think deserve more attention. Particularly those hailing from Mexico. For a country so vibrant and alive, is it fair to say that these days it feels a million miles away given everything that’s going on in the US with Trump and his administration.
Yes. This is precisely why I started the record label Beso y Abrazo Records (www.besoyabrazo.com). My aim is to release exclusively Mexican artists and give a glimpse of the rich culture of contemporary Mexican indie artists. I have started by releasing a series of singles on vinyl each showcasing an emerging Mexican artist and trying to vary the genres a bit. If you go to the site, you can explore bits of this representation.
We are working with the groups ACTY (from Tepeji del Rio, Hidalgo) who have created a singular sound of guitar texture, driving post punk edge and tender vocals. We are working with RAMONA (from Tijuana, BC) who write very tender romantic songs tinged with psychedelia and soul that harken back to early indie guitar ballads. They are touring the US constantly. Finally, we are releasing a single by BABAS TUTSIPOP (for Guadalajara, Jal) who are an indie pop group that has written some potential mega hits. This female centered project feels very powerful in their evolving presence on the Mexican scene.
These groups have varied experiences in their relationship with coming to perform in the US. One had to edit their membership to get visas, another had booked dates in towns ignored by English speaking bands and focused on border towns that are inhabited by Mexican populations to wonderful results. This is a poorly tended audience that is really engaged when served.
An interesting point in all of this is that the US is diminishing in its cultural force. We used to look north from Mexico to the US and Europe for artistic and creative inspiration. Most of the current bands in Mexico are more self-referential. They couldn’t care less what the Americans are doing and that might bring a cultural empowerment that creates new things!
Whether you’re playing in Pansy Division or Vida Vella, do you have a universal mantra or credo as a musician for living and working with others in music. What are the biggest stresses and conversely, biggest joys when it comes to making music?
Lately, I have been reminded to be bold when trying things outside of my comfort zone. That is where amazing things tend to happen. However, it is also affirming to refuse norms and remind myself that “you don’t HAVE TO do it that way”. You can do it the slower, less expedient way if that serves who you are and want to be. I like records, vinyl, and I like recording in person with everyone in the room.
These things give me life. If I am consistently trying to be practical, then I will sand down what is special or meaningful. That said, sometimes you must check yourself to arrive at your goals. I suppose in the end it’s “keep it honest, surround yourself with people who make you feel good and make them feel good in return”. My friend recently reminded me of Langton Hughes poem ‘Motto”, and it feels appropriate to drop it here:
Motto
By Langston Hughes
I play it cool
I dig all jive.
That’s the reason
I stay alive.
My motto
As I live and learn,
is:
Dig and Be Dug
In Return.
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