Bootsie

BOOTSIE MERANGO 4 ROOSTERS MORRO BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL JUNE 5th 2010 Bootsie Merango 2010 Press kit and Bio Bootsie Merango has been bringing their Cali-funk, rock, reggae style to the masses since 1998. Formed originally by a group of surfers who all enjoyed playing music as a side line to surfing, the band quickly became a local sensation. Being voted one of the Top Bands in the County for 3 years in a row, Bootsie decided to take the act to the Air, flying to the East Coast do do a series of surf related events finishing up on the Grand Stand stage for The East Coast Surfing Championships to a crowd of 20,000 + new fans. Bootsie is a versatile band that satisfies a wide range of musical thirsts, seamlessly flowing from Reggae to Punk and everything in between. When it comes to playing with the big names Bootsie is no stranger, setting up shows with bands like Iration, Yellow Man and Pepper to name a few. Bootsie comes from the same thread of music as Great Bands like Sublime, Gutter mouth, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Iration and Janes Addiction. With a live show that keeps the dance floor full and the good times flowing till the last song. You can Get Bootsie Merango's first Album "Baked Fresh Daily" on iTunes for $9.99 To Book the band contact Lopaka of Az.Hi.az.I.aM Records at 805-771-0199
Mike Jones SOlo acoustic work...

Mike Jones electronic version of "Stray DOnkey Says"

The Real Mike Jones lays down a stoney organic solo track for Bootsie Merango's 2010 release...

Tripper Gregg does his thing at SLO BREW upstairs. This is the kind of insanity that happens at Bootsie concerts.

Here is some cell phone footage of a Bootsie show on Higuera in San Luis Obispo, a girl does a massive stage dive at the end!
History Naming of the band The name Bootsie Merango came about one evening in 1998 at the bands jam room in Morro Bay, when the lead vocalist Mike Jones asked all band members what their "Porn Star" names were while he video taped the responses. This is where you take the name of your first pet and a street name that you lived on, put them together and shazzam... Porn Star name! The answers from the band went like this Corky Amapoa - Gary Boullion (drums), Dubie Nutmeg - Dave Abbott (Bass), Boo boo Zannetta - Justin Perkins (steel drums/conga), Padington Henrietta - Mike Jones (lead vocalist) and Bootsie Merango Mark Iseman (guitarist) it was Marks cats name. The band had a tentative name at this point which was "Group Therapy" largely due to the fact the Mike Jones was a psychology student at Cal Poly. Unhappy with the Group Therapy name and also due to the fact there was of course a band already called Group therapy, the band decided to make the switch to the catchy Bootsie Merango name as it seemed to fit the Reggae Rock Stylings of the music. Early History Bootsie Merango was formed when a local band called NOWADAYS split up due to 2 of it's members (Singer and drummer) moving to Los Angele's to pursue music careers. The two members of Nowadays, David Abbott and Mark Iseman hooked up with a new drummer Gary Boullion and Vocalist Mike Jones who brought in Justin Perkins (congas and steel Drums) and Paul Knupp on the Keys. The band already had the Nowadays Jam room to use which was a walk in Freezer in an old Morro Bay Fishing Cannery. The freezer could be closed up and the band could jam into the night without bothering anyone. The bands first gig ever was on Halloween night 1998 at a back yard party in San Luis Obispo, after only jamming together for a couple weeks. By the time the cops showed up to shut down the party, there was over 300 people jammed into the back yard party all in various costumes... The police let the band play two more songs and were even seen groving to the music before finally pulling the plug. It was the beginning of a good thing.