Song Spotlight: Chemical Therapy's East Los Luv (a night at Gold-Diggers)

I came across Chemical Therapy at Gold-Diggers, playing a Swyndle night event. The band started out in Charleston under the name Heyrocco. The members eventually moved out to Los Angeles and underwent a name change to Chemical Therapy. The band wasn't totally new to me (though I didn't figure that out until I started doing my band research for this post). I came across lead singer Nathan Merli briefly during another Swyndle night at Harvard & Stone when he did a cameo during a Bruvvy set. 

Chemical Therapy at Gold-Diggers

The move to Los Angeles has provided the band with creative inspiration. Over the last two years they've released "Hollywood" and "East Los Luv." I'll say it is their love letters to their adopted city. They call their music 60's hip hop. 

I'll highlight their song "East Los Luv" for this song spotlight post. Why this song versus "Hollywood"? I do have a real connection to Hollywood as I love movies. On the other hand, I spend a lot of my music life east of Hollywood as I hang out at venues such as Club Tee Gee, Lodge Room, The Goldfish, The Paramount, etc. 

Chemical Therapy at Gold-Diggers

The song has a catchy hip hop melody while the music video highlights the car and street life culture of the east side that is less glamorous than Hollywood, but just as unique and interesting to explore. "East Los Luv" is a collaboration with the lead singer of The Crudes, Adam J Castro (aka Chooch). The band posted a memory about playing their first post-pandemic set with The Crudes on their Instagram page:

The whole band ripped from their gospel drummer to the funky keys and guitar parts. Their singer Chooch definitely stood out - goin’ back and forth between rapping & singing with these crazy almost chordal moments happening in his voice.

Back to the Gold-Diggers night. I need to mention how the show ended. Merli said prior to "Daddy's Girl" that the set was going down in flames. Does that sentiment reflect what inspired the song? Well, the drummer stood up tall during the song and the next moment, something hit me in the leg. At first, I thought that maybe a glass had fallen off a drink rail. Then I looked down at the floor and saw a drum stick. The drummer had thrown a drum stick my way and hit his target. 

Chemical Therapy at Gold-Diggers

I don't know about drummers and their love of targeting photographers. Another moment in my life where a drummer tossed their drum stick my way was during a Suzie True set. As a photographer, I think subconsciously, drummers don't like photographers because we seldom focus our cameras their way. On the other hand, as a photographer, it is difficult to photograph the drummer, especially on a small stage like Gold-Diggers. I'm joking, but maybe there is something there between drummers and photographers.   

Setlist: Hollywood, Action!, Homie, East Los Luv, Shy Guy, Energy, High, Kinky Afro, Daddy's Girl.