Bargain Music

Since the late '90s, the Los Angeles-based Bargain Music has been known for two main things: (1) their penchant for quirky, eccentric, humorous lyrics, and (2) their musical eclecticism. Musically, Bargain Music is all over the place. Their material is essentially alternative rock, but the Southern Californians will -- depending on their mood -- incorporate anything from reggae, hip-hop, funk, or soul to heavy metal or punk. On occasion, Bargain Music even incorporates country; some of their songs have been relevant to the alternative country/No Depression scene (including "Hell No" and "Drinking with Trey"). But more often than not, their work tends to be on the funky side, and the valid comparisons range from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, Primus, 24-7 Spyz, Prince, and Rick James to Peter Tosh and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Some observers have found it strange that a band that has been influenced by reggae, funk, soul, and hip-hop would also be influenced by country, but lead singer/keyboardist Josh Fischel sees it as perfectly natural. In a 2000 interview, Fischel outlined some parallels between reggae, hip-hop, and country and asserted that all three of them are "musics created by economically depressed people." Bargain Music was formed in 1997 in Long Beach, CA, the L.A. suburb that has spawned everyone from gangsta rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg to Mexican-American banda star Jenni Rivera to Sublime -- a well known, ska-friendly alternative rock band that Bargain Music has often been compared to. However, Fischel has been quick to stress that Bargain Music and Sublime are two very different-sounding bands. Fischel formed Bargain Music with his friend Sean Whisner, and the artists they recruited in the late '90s included bassist Jeff Ward, guitarist Trey Pangborn,...