Tommy Guerrero

Once upon a time, the City of San Francisco gave birth to an untamed beast named Tommy Guerrero. From a very young age, the kid could skateboard up walls and down hills like no one else. He played in punk rock bands well before he could even get into the clubs legally. And he displayed an artistry in life that few folks ever even fantasize about.

It’s 2014 and the guy’s resume reads like a dream- Bones Brigade skate team in the 80’s, movie appearances, co-founder of Real Skateboards and 40’s Clothing, art director for Krooked Skateboarding, and prolific recording artist- from the “Fat Jazzy Grooves” and “Another Late Night” compilations, to albums for Mo’Wax, Galaxia, Function 8, Rush [Japan], Quannum and Ubiquity, T.G. has lead a full life. Then there’s the collaborations with Lyrics Born, Jack Johnson, Curumin, Bing Ji Ling and Prefuse 73, remixes for Money Mark/Nigo, Poets of Rhythm and Shawn Lee. His band Jet Black Crayon has toured with Isotope 217 and Tortoise. He’s scored tunes for Thomas Campbell’s surf film “Sprout”, the EA video game “skate” and had the honor of being the sole provider of music for Todd Oldham’s show “Hand Made Modern” on HGTV.  His songs have been licensed for zeitgeist television shows like “Queer as Folk”, “Sex in the City” and “CSI Miami”. His concerts packed houses from the Fujirock Festival in Japan to Café DuNord in S.F. and The Knitting Factory in N.Y.C. His designs are found on Levi’s in Japan, Vans shoes worldwide, and Sutro eyewear.

Tommy’s music, like his graphic design, is beguilingly simple. He sounds like a guy messing around on his front stoop, and maybe that’s exactly what he is- but the result will touch you down to your toes. From Mission District punkers to Shibuya-ku hipsters- his melodies dance lightly around your head while the rhythms build under your feet. His is SOUL music, made by a street kid raised on Santana and Bill Withers (with more than a little nod to the Clash and Public Enemy in there, too).

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