Fernando Viciconte

Fernando Viciconte has been a fixture in the Portland scene for nearly 3 decades releasing projects on the Cravedog, Fluff and Gravy and Domingo Records labels while touring the United States and Europe. In 2016 Fernando Viciconte was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame joining the likes of The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and the Raiders, John Fahey, Sleater Kinney, Everclear and The Dandy Warhols among an elite and eclectic group of Oregon Artists receiving this recognition.

From 1992 to 2004, “Wreckless” Marc Baker hosted The Church of NW Music on KBOO radio, a weekly local music radio program that highlighted the Portland scene and beyond. The Church of NW Music featured the latest in demo recordings and local independent label releases as well as live performances from local artists including Everclear, Pink Martini, Kelly Joe Phelps, M Ward., King Black Acid, Rebecca Gates, Carmina Piranha, Richmond Fontaine and John Fahey among many others.

In 1998, Fernando Viciconte brought in his band to the “Church of NW Music” studio for a live radio performance to help promote his upcoming release celebration for the Pacoima CD taking place at Portland’s legendary club Satyricon. “Pacoima” received critical acclaim and was hailed by Willamette Week as “The First Rock en Española record ever released in Oregon”.

The Pacoima Radio Sessions, released for the first time on Secret Sound Recordings, showcases the powerful seamless blend of street infused Tex-Mex, garage and barrio rock that is a love letter to the SoCal neighborhood where Fernando and Richie Valens grew up. The entire live radio broadcast set is featured in the same order as originally performed and was originally mixed by Jay Bozich and has been mastered by Drew Canulette at the Dogfish Studio. Cover art from the legendary artist, Gary Houston.

The vinyl release features a bonus track, “Over Me” which is a one off acoustic performance from Fernando from a 1996 appearance on The Church of NW Music.

The track “Ramone’s Blue’s” did not appear on the original studio recording of “Pacoima” in 1998 and appears by chance as a jam session that it was concluding the live performance that evening on The Church of NW Music.

Secret Sound Recordings is proud to have The Pacoima Radio Sessions as the debut release from the Vault of Gold of live recording archives of The Church of NW Music and looks forward to more releases as a series highlighting an amazing era of Portland music as well as a dang good radio program