La Loca

First there were my old friend John Davila, Catron County rancher, world traveler, jack of all trades... in the old days and today.

and his then wife Becky...

They were among the first friends I made in New Mexico. They are in Querencia- the- book in several places, and came up to Albuuquerque to comfort me with a bottle of Jack Daniels the day Betsy died.

Their daughter Ungie (Ungelbah Davila ), the complete New Mexico kid--Spanish, Navajo, Scots Mormon-- is as good looking as her folks, and also a multimedia  talent in art, poetry, photography, and now as editor of her new  Albuquerque- based glossy magazine La Loca, which covers our local tricultural version of the Fifties- revival- rockabilly- punk- western- hotrods- motorcycles- pinup- and whatever else can be thrown in arts and visual culture. If some of it bemuses those of us who lived in the REAL fifties, it is still pure fun and a visual treat, and our version has a real local flavor.

Apparently, the style is more widespread than I thought. I just bought the excellent new album by Alberta's rising star Corb Lund, Cabin Fever. He can sing about cows, oil rigs, and .44 Russian antique revolvers, but when I heard the lyrics below, to "Gothest girl I can",  I knew I had to send them to Ungie.
 

I’m gonna get the gothest girl I can. With the pale white

Rockabilly tan. You know the kind, the ones you find in the

Country metal punk rock band.

She might be into hot rod cars. Or leather fetish bondage

Bars. She’s dirty, pretty, the hippest in the city. She’s the gothest girl I can.

The gothest girl I can, the gothest girl I can. The gothest girl

I, the gothest girl I can. I’m gonna lose these

country blues With the gothest girl I can.

I’m gonna get the gothest girl I can. Black lips and Bettie

Page bangs Horn rimmed glasses and an ass that’ll pass

For a glimpse at the promised land.

She’s kinda into all things noir. Wants me to get a

Pompadour. Well, maybe baby, but she ain’t no lady She’s the gothest girl I can
 
I emailed Ungie, half seriously suggesting that she lure Lund down to Albuquerque for a show and an interview. I am gratified to report that she loved the album. Stay tuned!