Los Abandoned

Los Abandoned formed in 2002 following the breakup of two other Los Angeles bands. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lady P and lead guitarist Don Verde had each lost a gig in one of those groups, and formed a musical friendship and mutual consolation society. They started making demo tapes in the Verdes' basement, before bringing bassist Vira Lata and drummer Dulce on board to form what would become Los Abandoned. Lady P settled on ukulele as her main instrument, and both she and Verde also began using Casio keyboard sounds to give the band its signature sound: a weird fusion of 1980s proto-electronica, bubblegum pop, new wave, and Latin rock. Their lyrics veer unpredictably back and forth between English and Spanish (sometimes within the course of a single phrase), and their blend of gritty guitars, pop hooks, and strangely retro sound came along at just the right time. The group released two EPs on its own (demotape in 2002, followed by self-titled EP in 2004) before being picked up by the Sanctuary label in 2006. Their first album, Mix Tape, was released that year — first in an online-only edition (featuring two bonus tracks) and then as a conventional CD release.