The New Latin Rock: Most BAY OF PIGS fans in New York are non-Latinos who appreciate the new combination of Rock and Afro-Latin in their catchy and jammy songs. Yes, you can hear Santana in BOP, but you also hear Nirvana and sometimes Beck and Ween too. Lowco Records (NYC) has just released BOP's self-titled 8-song debut CD for distribution and promotion in the Northeast.

Two BAY OF PIGS songs, 'Loose & Tight (Levantense)' and 'Where've You Gone' are featured on the Grita! Records label sampler 'Checkeetout!' The group's hardcore anthem 'Everybody's An Asshole/Todo El Mundo Maldito' is featured on the L.A.-based Aztlan Records compilation 'Los Punkeros.' BOP also has a 7-inch: 'One Second' b/w 'High', available on the stoner-rock Teepee Records label out of New York.

BOP's live shows are a mix of hooky songs that stick in your head and loose improvisational jams that move the adrenaline in your body to your booty. It's about the only show you'll ever see with a likelihood of salsa dancing and head-banging. The do a kick-ass Latin cover of Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs', and souped-up rock versions of the Latin classics 'Vamanos Pal Monte' and 'Aguanile'. They often perform in Ricky Riccardo--style frilly shirts or all white Santeria outfits, making the juxtaposition of Latin and Rock more bizarre and appropriate at the same time. They have understandably compiled a large and growing fan base covering the whole New York region, and they've also done well in far away places including stints opening up for international Rock in Espaņol bands, (including a sell-out show in Chicago's House of Blues), and a surreal tour of El Salvador.

The band occasionally invites extra percussionists to play stripped-down roots gigs where they do rhumba versions of their whole set. They were recently invited to do this at the Ecuadorian consulate to the United Nations. BOP has worked and will continue to work closely with liberal political and minority organizations, and Lesbian and Gay associations and clubs in New York.