El Centro's !PROHIBIDO! Arrives Dec 9th

!PROHIBIDO!, the highly anticipated album from El Centro, will be released December 9th by Long Live Crime Records.

!PROHIBIDO!, the highly anticipated second album from El Centro, will be released December 9th by Long Live Crime Records.

El Centro was formed in 1995 by ex- Power gravel throated singer Steve "Crabby" Cabler and bass player Gil Mora in a tiny overheated garage in Newport Beach, California. After playing with different guitar players for around 6 months, they picked up ex-Shattered Faith guitarist Denny McGahey.

In true punk D.I.Y style, El Centro recorded a raw five-song demo tape entitled OC GARAGE SOUNDS with the help of longstanding Orange County producer Jim Monroe (Cadillac Tramps, Manic Hispanic, Social Distortion). Armed only with that tape, El Centro added rhythm guitarist Brett Roelen, whose churning guitar grind was the perfect compliment to McGahey's smokey old school leads. Distinct songwriting abilities were quickly emerging.

By 1997, the El Centro shows were beginning to turn heads with a stage show based on old school punk sounds and songs that spoke to the importance of believing in oneself. Finger Records paid attention and signed the band in early 1998. El Centro emerged from the studio in mid 1998 with a classic album "Alto!". After a successive Warped Tour stint in 1998 and 1999, a slew of dates followed with bands like Bad Religion, Pennywise, Fear, TSOL and Guttermouth to name a few.

On their second release, ¡PROHIBIDO!, El Centro shows that the insane songwriting and knack for modern, punk rock melody so apparent on ALTO! was no fluke. El Centro has succeeded in recording new songs with some of the old flavor still intact.

In 2002/2003, El Centro was thrust all over the national news with media interest in the band sparked by the band's lead singer Steven "Crabby" Cabler. Crabby was one of the sole survivors of the recent terrorist bomb attack at The Sari Club in Bali, Indonesia in October of 2002, which almost all but took Crabby's hearing and equilibrium not to mention the massive emotional trauma that he endured in the aftermath.

The attack, which has been called the worst terrorist action since the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, injured hundreds and claimed the lives of over 180 people including that of former El Centro manager Steven "Webby" Webster. Crabby's miraculous and inspirational tale of survival and determination to make his come back to the punk rock scene after surviving this horrific ordeal has earned him coverage on national news broadcasts.

The band's now famous logo comes from the La Familia crossing symbol (California's official attempt to warn motorists of migrant families scurrying across the dangerous Interstate 5 freeway towards El Norte) as seen on the last stateside sign as you head into Baja, Mexico.

Three years after the release of the classic ALTO!, that symbol which has become somewhat of a metaphor for the bands struggle and perseverance through the hard times, seems to mean more now, than ever.

About Long Live Crime Records:
Long Live Crime Records is a newly formed indie Punk label with a major distribution deal with Koch Entertainment Distribution. The label houses the development of the following bands: Polar Bear (Eric Avery formerly of Janes Addiction), El Centro, Long Live Crime Musical Project (featuring renowned artist, Ray Pettibon), Lucky Loser (with Peter DiStefano formerly of Porno for Pyros, Andy Troy and Biff Sanders), and Maven (includes Bon Harris formerly of Nitzer Ebb).