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Ontario rockabilly band Las Tarantulas was formed in 2006 by veteran musicians Joe Salema (guitar and vocals), Mark Todorov (drums and backing vocals), and Mark Tolch (upright bass and backing vocals), as an answer to the dwindling number of rockabilly bands and shows in the area. "It's really disappointing to see such a huge fan base for such a defunct style of music, " says singer and guitarist Joe Salema, "so we decided to do something about it instead of just complaining, and that's how Las Tarantulas was born." Despite their rockabilly roots, the band's style is a little too diverse to put a genre label on. "Sure...we've got Gretsch guitars, upright bass, and that rockabilly mentality that defines how the songs are written, and how they sound ultimately", says bassist Mark Tolch, "but sometimes, we get a little pop....we get a little country...we get a little primal, and we rock out on a little swing. It's all good music...it's all rock 'n' roll. Debuting the musical trio at the Solo Mobile S.C.E.N.E. Festival 2006 in St. Catharines was no easy task. Says Joe Salema, "Fortunately, we had a good audience, with a lot of positive response. I'm not gonna lie to you, we got more of a positive response than we expected. It's a good feeling." Finishing their first CD in the latter part of 2006 was an exhaustive, yet rewarding experience. The self-titled debut was well received internationally, garnering radio play across the continent, and overseas. A series of live shows followed, with the band closing out 2006 at the legendary El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario.Unfortunately, the band met with some legal trouble in early 2007. A U.S. trademark holder of the common word "Tarantulas" decided to cause trouble for the group, despite the fact that the names, styles, and geographic locations of the two bands were nowhere near similar. Utilizing family members in the legal profession to harass the band endlessly, Las Tarantulas were forced to change their name after realizing that while he probably wasn't going to have to pay a dime for his legal costs, the band could not afford to pursue the claim.And so, Las Tarantulas became LAS AVISPAS LOCAS, the "Avispa" (wasp) being a natural enemy of the tarantula....and life goes on. For merchandise, booking, and all other serious enquiries, email the band at [email protected] ******************************[IMG]http://img391.imageshack. us/img391/862/rr3goodonewl7.jpg[/IMG]