A Self-Made Band

“Self-Titled 6-Song EP” probably won’t go down in history as the most creative album title, but this won’t stop the Mades from throwing a CD release party Friday night at Nicholby’s in Ventura. This affair will certainly be a party since the dance-inducing Young Dubliners are headlining.

The main Made is Gina Villalobos, who sings and plays guitar. Local music fans may remember Villalobos as one-third of Liquid Sunshine, a Santa Barbara-based band that began as an all-girl folk act, but then became a band that toured themselves out of existence.

“We did an acoustic album, then two more albums with a band,” Villalobos said. “Liquid Sunshine did a lot of touring, and after a while, we burned ourselves out because we didn’t have any tour support.”

Villalobos is ably assisted by her brother, Rey Villalobos, on drums, Joe Garcia on bass and Duncan Wright on lead guitar. The new CD features great vocals by Villalobos and a tight backup band, made even tighter with the addition of Wright, a veteran of numerous Santa Barbara bands.

“We formed the Mades last May because myself, Rey and Joe wanted to keep playing after Liquid Sunshine broke up, so we started looking for a guitar player,” Gina Villalobos said. “We asked Duncan if he knew of someone, but we also hinted that it would be OK if he took the job, which he ultimately did.”

The Mades play hook-filled dance songs, the kinds of tunes that would enliven a dreary radio playlist. It’s just pop with no political agendas or preaching.

“We play dirty pop,” Villalobos said. “I’ll write a song on my acoustic guitar, then maybe Duncan suggests a certain chord change--there’s just a lot of collaborative work going on with this band.”

Villalobos hopes that things will not be the same for the Mades as they were for Liquid Sunshine. To that end, the Mades will narrow their road trip parameters, plus they have Randy Guss--formerly the drummer for Toad the Wet Sprocket, the most successful Santa Barbara band of all time--now managing the band.

“Unfortunately, there’s not as many venues as there used to be, and that’s a problem, but this time, we’re going to do just short tours to San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and L.A.,” Villalobos said. “We’re going to sell our CDs and Randy Guss is going to start shopping it in L.A.”

DETAILS

The Mades and the Young Dubliners at Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura, Friday, 9 p.m. COST: $7. CALL: 653-2320.

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There’s probably enough alumni of the Ska Daddyz still at large to form an orchestra or a chain gang. Then there’s No Regrets, which includes several of the fun guys who have been kicked out of the Ska Daddyz over the years.

No Regrets will take their reggae-flavored and punk-powered tunes over the Conejo Grade to invade Thousand Oaks and that raucous rock ‘n’ roll neighborhood hangout, the Lounge Bar & Grill, on Saturday night.

Not regretting a darn thing are the three former Daddyz: Blake Cruz on rhythm guitar, Paul Shinn on bass and Dustin Maddelone on vocals. Joining these three are Pauly Lester on lead guitar and Rich Crawford on drums, both veterans of countless local bands.

In 1997, Cruz and Maddelone found themselves working in San Diego on a movie set, but with no meaningful night jobs. They chose the name No Regrets, but didn’t stay a duo for long, according to Cruz.

“Since Paul wasn’t playing with anyone at the time, and since he is a ripping bass player, we got him to join when we came back up to Oxnard,” Cruz said. “Then we started auditioning drummers and we found Rich, and the next day he brought Pauly. We started jamming and it just clicked. This band has an all-star lineup.”

No Regrets made their debut on Super Bowl Sunday 1998 in Oxnard and have been playing loud and fast music on a regular basis ever since, mostly at the Bombay Bar & Grill in Ventura. The band, with enough tattoos to appease a group of bikers, released a six-song, self-titled CD nearly a year ago.

DETAILS

No Regrets at the Lounge Bar & Grill, 2350 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, Saturday, 9 p.m. COST: Free. CALL: 373-6116

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Talent-wise, the Rincon Ramblers are maybe the best band in Ventura County. The all-star lineup will do its regular second Tuesday of the month gig at the expanded Cafe Voltaire in Ventura. Between sets, the band members will shamelessly try to sell copies of their CD, “The Green Rolling Hills of La Conchita.”

The Rincon and La Conchita references are no accident, because all the players are locals. The Ramblers feature Jon Wilcox on mandolin, guitar and vocals; Alan Thornhill on guitar, bass and vocals; Dan Wilson on bass, guitar and vocals; Phil Salazar on fiddle; and Bill Flores on everything else, including pedal steel guitar, dobro, banjo and guitar.

“We cover a lot of ground with the different roots everybody has,” Wilson said. “Phil brings a tradition of bluegrass and Irish music. Jon brings traditional Irish music and a folky tradition. Bill is one of those guys that’s capable of playing a number of genres and being valid in all of them. Alan brings a ‘60s rock and pop feel to the band, and also, he’s a tremendous instrumental guitarist. I come from the same ‘60s tradition as Alan, plus I’ve been into bluegrass since 1975.”

Since everyone in the band has a ‘real life’ and day jobs, as well as night jobs in other bands, a gig or two a month is about it for the Ramblers. But when they do get together, they can go on for hours without repeating any songs.

“We’re definitely the sum of all of our parts, and we’re definitely not just a bluegrass band,” Wilson said. “We can do swing stuff, soul stuff and sometimes we almost have a Grateful Dead feel. Anyone in this band could front a band of their own and be the dominant one. “

BE THERE

The Rincon Ramblers at Cafe Voltaire, 34 N. Palm St., Ventura, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. COST: $5. CALL: 641-1743.