Today we’d like to introduce you to Ale Campos.
Ale, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I got my first guitar when I was 12 years old and began teaching myself how to play. It was a Squier by Fender Strat, navy blue, that I quickly covered in stickers. In my first band, I actually played drums; I was 15. It wasn’t until I was about 20 that I played guitar for the first time in a power violence band. I met all my bandmates in college; we were all studying photography, so we called ourselves Labrats. School really wasn’t for me. I was a terrible student and spent most of my time in the photo lab or staying home to play music. Eventually, I dropped out and began working at MusicWonderland, an online musical instrument retailer. Then I worked at Guitar Center for about three years. After Labrats, when I was 22, I played drums AGAIN in a band called Testokra, but I kind of always wanted to continue writing songs. During that time I wrote and recorded songs on my own under the moniker, Smut and I got hired at Sweat Records (where I currently work). I never really played out until three years later when Testokra was supposed to go out on tour with Rat Bastard, but the guitarist bailed last minute. I went ahead and recorded nine songs in a week by myself, put out a tape, and hit the road for two weeks, asking different drummers every night to join me on stage. Fast-forward to about a little over a year ago; I decided to form a full band when I got offered to open for Shonen Knife. We changed our name to Smvt after confusion with many other bands named Smut but quickly realized that it made no difference and the songs outgrew the name. Now we are known as Las Nubes.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I just write songs. It’s something that’s always brought me relief. Whenever I feel depressed or feel like I have something I need to say, I can take those feelings and translate them into music. They don’t necessarily have a message because I’ve always written more for catharsis, but if someone can identify with anything I have to say and feels less alone in this world, then that’s pretty cool.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
For me it’s aiming high but keeping it balanced, consistently working hard, and never losing my intentions for why I chose this lifestyle in the first place. I’ve come to realize recently that in this industry it’s all or nothing. And as a woman, it’s still difficult for people to take you seriously. All these opportunities are there being presented; I just need to go and take them, always keeping in mind that if they don’t happen now, I just have to keep bugging people until they do haha.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Las Nubes is very active, and we try to play shows at least twice a month if not more. We just had a tour last March 27th – 31st throughout Florida with our friends, Calyx, from Pittsburgh. We’re in the final stages of putting out an LP with the help of Sweat Records Records. Hopefully, it will be out by this summer. Our single ‘Hellbag’ has a video on YouTube, and we just released our second single ‘QSW’ on March 25th, which will also be accompanied by a video. We’re also recording a couple of songs for a split with Palomino Blond that will be put out by Bufu Records, release date is still tentative. People can follow us on IG @lasnubesmiami or find us on FB. Our music is on Bandcamp lasnubes.bandcamp.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: lasnubes.bandcamp.com
- Email: alejandra.rosa.campos@gmail.com
- Instagram: @lasnubesmiami
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lasnubesmiami/
Image Credit:
Gabriel Gavidia, Jesse Samuel, Jonny Lutz, Caroline Cardenas
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