I never really bought an album with liner notes, to be honest. However I understand the concept as a sort of companion piece to something. In “Liner Notes” I will talk about a Pochcast episode a little bit more on depth. It could be a behind the scenes or a commentary.
I mention it at the top and in the first “Question” I made to Maria Garcia, creator and host of the Juan Gabriel Podcast “My Divo”, I really was conflicted about this podcast existing because of what a giant Juan Ga is. Also, can you tell I have no formal journalistic education by even phrasing that question in the way I did? But, the podcast is great. It’s my favorite of the year and you should listen to it.
Something that we get into in the pochcast episode is how one of the aspects of loving Juan Ga has to do with the fact that he’s from The Border. That’s a big deal, in a very real way people from El Paso/Juarez across a couple of generations have a connection to him. My mom and I are no exception, It was especially apparent to me the day that Juan Ga died.
The day that Juan Ga died, Sunday August 28, 2016 I had the misfortune of being in an Olive Garden in the Dallas Suburbs. I don’t mind a chain restaurant but the Olive Garden has to be one of the worst chains out there. First of all, it’s expensive. These people are charging Five Guys level of money. Secondly, the food isn’t that good? All the pasta is mushy and all the sauce taste the same and it’s all covered up because everyone just covers every plate in about 3 lbs of cheese. Those breadsticks are way too dense. You get the point. I was there Sunday at night, against my will but I was eating the SINCE THEN DISCONTINUED one decent-ish thing on the menu (Braised beef tortellini) when I logged onto Twitter to do some scrolling and my feed was overtaken with news that Juan Gabriel had passed away in Santa Monica, California of an alleged heart attack.
My reaction was more instinctual than anything. I may have gasped. When I looked up from my phone my wife was already looking at me saying “What?” and I just said “Juan Gabriel died” and she just kinda answered something like “Oh no, that’s sad” but instead of answering her I stood up and walked out of the restaurant and dialed my mom. To my surprise she answered within three rings.
” ‘Ama, se murio Juan Gabriel.”
”Ya se Hijo, lo acabo de ver en las noticias.”
”Que hacemos?”
“No se Hijo”
I literally asked, Que Hacemos? I didn’t know what to feel other than a profound sense of loss, to the point that I had to call my mother. I don’t know what I expected her to say but I knew that she would at the very least feel the same way I did. I’m by no means a Juan Gabriel stan but to this day his music is always occasionally played. There’s a dozen or so songs of his in my “Liked” songs on Spotify. References or lines from his songs are common in my memetic language I’ve developed with family. The fact that he would no longer exist and make music was sad.
I went back inside and finished my mid tortellini and spent the evening listening to Juan Ga songs with my wife and telling stories about my life/family tied around them including the Canal 56 “Juarez es el No. 1” spots that really made Juarez seem like a big fun city during my childhood. How I would spam that song (and Return of the Tres) in the Computer Science lab during my college years to the chagrin of all the white nerds in there who would respond with some form of metal. The Kumbia Kings collab with Juanga. How my oldest sister loves “Tus Ojos Mexicanos Lindos” and has loved it since she was a toddler. Of course, the Bellas Artes Concert which we saw almost in it’s entirety but especially the “Hasta Que Te Conoci” Performance. His music has truly had an impact in my life.
There will never be another artist like Juan Gabriel.
Screw The Olive Garden.
Listen to the full episode here: