Tommy Guerrero

Once upon a time, the City of San Francisco gave birth to a diminutive 3-headed beast named Tommy Guerrero. From a very young age, the kid could skateboard up walls and down hills like no one else. He played in punkrock bands well before he could even get into the clubs legally. And he displayed an artistry in Life that few folks ever achieve.

At 40, the guy's resume reads like a dream- Bones Brigade skate team in the 80's, movie appearances, co-founder of Real Skateboards and 40's Clothing, art director for Krooked Skateboarding, and prolific recording artist- from the "Fat Jazzy Grooves" and "Another Late Night" compilations, to albums for Mo'Wax, Galaxia, Function 8 and now Quannum, T.G. has lead a full life. Then there's the collaborations with Lyrics Born, Jack Johnson and Prefuse 73. Remixes for Money Mark/Nigo, Poets of Rhythm and Sean Lee. His band Jet Black Crayon has toured with Isotope 217 and Tortoise. He's scored tunes for Thomas Campbell's surf film "Sprout" and had the honor of being the sole provider of music for Todd Oldham's show "Hand Made Modern" on HGTV. He's packed houses from the Fujirock Festival to Café DuNord in S.F. and MaxFish in N.Y.C.

Tommy's music, like his graphic design, is beguilingly simple. He sounds like a guy fucking around on his front stoop, and maybe that's exactly what he is- but the result will touch you down to your toes. From Mission District punkers to Shibuya-Ka hipsters- his melodies dance lightly around your head while the rhythms build under your feet. His is SOUL music, made by a street kid raised on Santana and Bill Withers. With more than a little nod to the Clash and Public Enemy in there, too.