Jorge Meraz

Born in the northern Mexican City of Tijuana which borders the United States city of San Diego in California, this music was developed with a binary idiosyncrasy of both the Mexican and the American cultures. Being so close to California (literally a stone throw away) TIJUANA IRISHMAN grew up exposed to U.S. media which of course since The Beatles has always been an important venue for UK bands which influenced our likes and taste for music, style and melodic preference. Being a child of the 80’s Lead Vocalist Jorge, there discovered for the first time music as choice entertainment rather than what others heard while he played as small lads do. In the mid 80’s a friend in 7th grade first introduced him to U2 who had just finished their Rattle & Hum tour… needless to say it was love at first sight and it was a romance that would endure the test of time and more importantly of genres. As he delve more into the sound experiments of great bands his circle of influence that was added to his repertoire included such names as but not limited to… The Who, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Brian Eno, The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, The Police, Erasure, Guns & Roses among others… when the 90’s came along with high school he was engulfed by the grunge movement which of course included Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chilli Peppers*, Blind Melon and others… but as “anti-rockstar” as the grunge aura was… a common denominator that would not let go of his psyche was U2.

The Zoo TV tour and the music it brought made the group very much still relevant to him although now other players started to forge the final stretch of his musical persona. The groups that finished the job in no particular order but that can be trailed from the mid 90’s to present day are… James, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Cowboy Junkies, Rusted Root, My Morning Jacket, The Cranberries, Guster, Beck, Oasis and others. Because he believed his fiery red headed grandmother was of Irish lineage, Jorge also found a taste from his early teens for Irish "Trad" and "Classic" Irish folk. Groups & Solo artists like The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Christy Moore, Paddy Reilly, Luke Kelly, The Pogues are among the groups he listened to. making him an odd ball amongst friends who knew nothing about such music. He also loves Uilleann pipes solo artists like Eoin O' Riabhaigh and songs that implement the Uilleann pipes. A collection dear to him were the works from English songwriter Ewan McColl.