Mando Padilla

Originally from Brawley, CA, Mando worked with San Diego bands Yabutifid'a, Meagan's Jar & Operation Hate Keeper. Since then, he's released solo disks Mando P, Music Possesses and Freak Show Seance. Drakken was his first original band after learning to play guitar. He was encouraged by his childhood friend Crail to try to sing for a band which consisted of Darrin Mongrain & Scott Speiler. Mando was instantly drawn to the guitar and didn't really want to sing after watching them play Round & Round. From there, his parents bought him a guitar whereupon, after living across the street from his best friend Rene Amarillas for a few months, he suddenly re-located to El Centro. The experience was bad and too much for Mando to handle so he ran away from home so that he could be closer to Drakken (included Rene on drums and Sonny Calderon on bass). If you could call it running away since he basically called his cousin up and said "I just left my house. I want to be with my band and finish school in Brawley. Can I live with you?". After graduation, Mando worked at Buck Knives whereupon he was introduced to a blues band in need of a singer. The band was originally called the Eyeboogers but Mando was like "That name is stupid and I don't want my music to be associated with it" so they named themselve Yabutifid'a which Mando still felt was silly but went for the ride. They released a cassette entitled "Genny Milk" which transformed the blues outfit into a heavy alternative band. With Mando's influences of Primus, Faith No More, Pantera, Jane's Addiction and Death Angel, "Genny Milk" became an underground hit and sold out quickly. Yabutifid'a played the San Diego circuit with bands like Siren's Wail and Ghoulspoon. Mando got the itch however, to play metal. He started Meagan's Jar as a side project with the intention of adding Kevin from Yabu on bass which Kevin agreed to. Mando did Meagan's Jar without Kevin and never returned. Bored with working at a knife factory, Mando finished up his degree in graphic design and has since released solo cds. The most popular being "Mando P" which has outsold all of his disks. His comment on it. "I guess you could hear the struggle in that one. I honestly was just making music between classes and starving. It hurt to do homework, eat Ramen Noodle's (purchased from a goodwill type of market) then be inspired to record. It was bad. That disk is everywhere. I hear Sonic Youth, Sade, Pantera and Jane's in it. Despite the newer recordings which I totally stand behind, people keep telling me how much they like it. I'm like "Freak Show"! but they go "Mando P"! Although "Music Possesses" made quite a buzz! "Hurricane in My Head" and "Stop Moping"" were faves. I remember going to a party and the DJ threw on "Music Possesses" and people flocked to my car and luckily, I had some on hand and sold what I had. Yeah man, great times! Expect my new one to be more like "Music Possesses" but, by far, "Freak Show Seance" was the hardest to record and has the best lyrical content and song structure. "Music" was like a mature "Mando P". Thanks for reading this and hanging out. I'll have a site up dedicated to my fine art soon! Now, to make sense of all these riffs and come up with some music! :o)"