Singled Out: The Mescalito Vampires (Gypsy Lee Pistolero)

Lee Mark Jones, aka Gypsy Lee Pistolero, co-stars in the new film Jurassic Predator and it features four songs from Lee and The Mescalito Vampires. To celebrate we asked Lee to tell about the song "As I Walk To The Gallows" from the film and their new "The Rumba Rock n Roll Kings" EP. Here is the story:

I've been acting for four years now, after leaving Gypsy Pistoleros I got involved in a brilliant Acid western film 'STRANGER' based on Mark Twain's Mysterious Stranger book. I invited my old mate Gary Shail (Quadrophenia, Shock treatment) to act in it and we made a fantastically warped, twisted, psychedelic Acid Western film. I had the bug, I am now in the final year of a Masters Degree in Touring Theatre at University of Worcester, I went back to learn the craft, so to speak
Anyway, up to the present and I have now featured in about seven released feature films , four being with North Bank Entertainment (the new U.K Hammer films). The head of NB Andrew Jones offered me the role of f***ed up Mercenary Soldier Matty Rankin, a headcase who also stars in a Latin Rock N Roll Surf Punk Rumba Metal band 'The Mescalito Vampires' see video here.

So I enlisted the help of my long time mate and brilliant guitarist Mark Westwood (Shadowland, Neo, Caamora, Clive Nolan) who toured with me in White Trash UK, supporting Motorhead, Dio, Sepultura amongst others for a few years around 96-99 and Lee Evans (Old drummer from Gypsy Pistoleros)

I lived in Zaragoza Spain for four years, playing Latin Rumba Rock, as The Last Gang, supporting The Ramones, U.F.O, Black Sabbath in Spain from 93-96. That's where I fell in love with Rumba Pop from Los Chicos & Los Chunguitos. I really wanted to capture the Latin feel, that we never really did in Gypsy Pistoleros.

With 'As I walk to the Gallows' Mark & I took it to a real Rumba & Flamenco style, stop, start guitar & drum locked riffs. The lyrics are about a western bandido, on the run from the law. He is ambushed and they shoot his newly wed wife, with whom he had began a peaceful life. He guns down the rest of the possee, but days later gives himself upas he no longer wants to live. He is taken out to hang and see's the ghost of his wife waiting for him on the other side. She has always told him that love can never die. Sappy, but powerful. A real latino Rock N Roll love/ghost story that races along with all the matadorial stops, starts & inflections, plus the Mexican trumpet throughout adding to its feel. "No Rose but fades she said, as the blood ran crimson red, I took her hand and we ran on"

I think we really captured the feel of a real flamenco, rumba, rock n roll hybrid style song.

It is one of four tracks featured in the film 'Jurassic Predator', really proud of the songs & recording and the performance from 'The Mescalito Vampires in the film (get it here).

And that was how it came about!

Watch the trailer for Lee's new movie right here!

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