The Soft Moon

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The Soft Moon
Vasquez in 2017
Background information
Birth nameJose Luis Vasquez
Also known asLuis Vasquez
Born(1979-05-30)May 30, 1979
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OriginOakland, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 18, 2024(2024-01-18) (aged 44)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
  • producer
  • multi-instrumentalist
  • singer
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • percussion
  • synthesizer
Years active1990s–2024
Labels
Websitethesoftmoon.com

Jose Luis Vasquez (May 30, 1979 – January 18, 2024),[1] known professionally as the Soft Moon, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. Vasquez served as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and sole official member of the Soft Moon, which he founded in 2009.

Early life[edit]

The Soft Moon original logo, designed by Vasquez

Vasquez was born in Los Angeles, California, to a Cuban immigrant mother, and to a Mexican father who was never present in his life. At the age of nine, the family relocated to Victorville, California, a town in the Mojave Desert.[2]

As a teenager, Vasquez started out playing punk rock inspired by Descendents, Bad Religion, Bad Brains, Fugazi and Minor Threat.[3] After graduating from Hesperia High School, he moved to Oakland, California[2] where he briefly played in San Francisco-based psychedelic band Lumerians as a percussionist.[4]

Career[edit]

As Luis Vasquez, he created the Soft Moon project in 2009, and shortly after, Brooklyn-based label Captured Tracks approached him with a record deal. In 2010 his first single "Breathe The Fire" and "Parallels" were released on 7" vinyl under the Captured Tracks imprint.[5][6] His first album with the Soft Moon was released in 2010 and the band toured in 2011, opening in the US for Interpol and Mogwai.[7][8]

In 2012, Vasquez was robbed at gunpoint while walking in his Oakland neighborhood, and his backpack with a laptop containing a finished album and two years' worth of demos were stolen.[9] In October of that year, the Soft Moon released its second album, Zeros.[10]

He moved abroad to Venice, Italy in 2013 to write his third album, Deeper, which was released in 2015.[11] The album's lead single, "Black", earned Best New Track honors from Pitchfork.[12] While writing the album, The Soft Moon opened for Depeche Mode on a European leg of their Delta Machine Tour in 2014.[13]

The Soft Moon was scheduled to open for Killing Joke's 2016 North American tour, but Killing Joke canceled because of a band member's illness.[14] During a performance in Oakland on January 29, 2016, the band's van was broken into, with luggage, recording equipment, records and merchandise stolen.[15]

The Soft Moon's fourth album, Criminal, was released in 2018 and was recorded in a basement studio in Vasquez's new home city of Berlin. It was his first album on Sacred Bones Records.[16][17]

The Soft Moon's fifth and final album, Exister, was released on September 23, 2022.[18] The Soft Moon performed at Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands on April 20, 2023, and the Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California, on May 20.[19][20]

Death[edit]

Vasquez died on January 18, 2024, at age 44, alongside techno DJ Silent Servant (John Juan Mendez) and Mendez's partner Simone Ling, of a suspected fentanyl overdose. Their three bodies were discovered at Mendez's Los Angeles residence later that day after Vasquez's wife called for a welfare check.[21] Their deaths were reported the following day.[22]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Remix albums[edit]

EPs[edit]

Singles[edit]

Collaborations[edit]

Remixes[edit]

Lineup[edit]

Although Vasquez wrote, recorded and produced alone, he was joined by other members for live performances.

Current[51]
  • Matteo Vallicelli – drums
  • Luigi Pianezzola – bass guitar
Former[52]
  • Damon Way – drum machine, sequencer, synthesizer
  • Justin Anastasi – bass guitar
  • Keven Tecon – drums

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner". Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Cooper, Jeff. "From the desert to Depeche Mode". Victorville Daily Press. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Soft Moon's Luis Vasquez, More Than a Post-Punk Obsessive". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Medina, Oscar. "Retro No Retro". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  5. ^ ""Breathe the Fire"". Pitchfork. March 18, 2010. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "The Soft Moon – Parallels 7″". Styrofoam Drone. February 10, 2011. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Patrick, Amber (July 18, 2011). "Interpol Summers Well: Touring with U2, Headlining Some Additional Shows". The Vinyl District. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Sacher, Andrew (September 16, 2011). "The Soft Moon releasing new EP, playing shows w/ Mogwai (who just released an EP) --- MP3s & dates". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Hyman, Dan (February 21, 2013). "Can Theft Kill A Band?". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  10. ^ Adams, Gregory (August 14, 2012). "The Soft Moon Unveil 'Zeros,' North American Tour". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  11. ^ Lindsay, Cam (March 31, 2015). "The Soft Moon on Apocalyptic Nightmares and Songwriting as a Means of Finding Inner Peace". Vice. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  12. ^ Cohen, Ian. "The Soft Moon: "Black"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Soft Moon have been having a terrible time in German techno clubs, so you don't have to". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  14. ^ Staff, BrooklynVegan (January 8, 2016). "Killing Joke cancel North American tour; openers The Soft Moon announce rescheduled dates, releasing remix collection". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  15. ^ post-punk.com (January 30, 2016). "The Soft Moon had their equipment and merchandise stolen while performing in Oakland last night". Post-Punk.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "The Soft Moon's Luis Vasquez Reflects How His New Album 'Criminals' Came to Be". www.flaunt.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  17. ^ Geffen, Sasha. "The Soft Moon: Criminal". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  18. ^ Pearis, Bill (June 14, 2022). "The Soft Moon announces new LP 'Exister' & tour, shares "Him"". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  19. ^ "Roadburn Festival 2023 Has Deafheaven Playing 'Sunbather', Wolves In The Throne Room, Chat Pile, More". Stereogum. November 3, 2022. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  20. ^ Jones, Damien (January 23, 2023). "Siouxsie Sioux and Iggy Pop lead Cruel World Festival 2023 line-up with other acts including the Human League". NME. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  21. ^ Darmiento, Laurence; Winton, Richard (January 21, 2024). "Soft Moon musician Luis Vasquez, DJ Juan Mendez found dead in downtown L.A. loft". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  22. ^ "Musician Luis Vasquez, who performed as the Soft Moon, dies at 44 at Los Angeles home". CBS News. January 19, 2024. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  23. ^ The Soft Moon: The Soft Moon
  24. ^ Zeros: The Soft Moon
  25. ^ The Soft Moon goes Deeper on new album; listen to the industrial march 'Black'
  26. ^ Criminal: The Soft Moon
  27. ^ A Body of Errors: Luis Vasquez
  28. ^ Exister: The Soft Moon
  29. ^ The Soft Moon, 'Total Decay' (Captured Tracks)
  30. ^ "The Soft Moon - Breathe the Fire Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  31. ^ Die Life: The Soft Moon
  32. ^ Insides: The Soft Moon
  33. ^ Wasting: The Soft Moon
  34. ^ Black: The Soft Moon
  35. ^ Wrong: The Soft Moon
  36. ^ Burn: The Soft Moon
  37. ^ Choke: The Soft Moon
  38. ^ Give Something: The Soft Moon
  39. ^ Him: The Soft Moon
  40. ^ Become the Lies: The Soft Moon
  41. ^ Monster: The Soft Moon
  42. ^ "The Soft Moon vs. John Foxx & the Maths: "Evidence"". Pitchfork.
  43. ^ "HEALTH Release Excellent New All-Collabs Album 'DISCO4 :: PART I': Stream". October 16, 2020.
  44. ^ "The Soft Moon Shares New Song \"Him\" Featuring fish narc: Listen". June 14, 2022.
  45. ^ "The Soft Moon Shares New Single "Unforgiven (Feat. Alli Logout of Special Interest)" - New Album "Exister" due September 23rd via Sacred Bones Records". August 16, 2022.
  46. ^ Heather Phares (November 19, 2012). "A Wrenched Virile Lore - Mogwai | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  47. ^ Hari Ashurst (December 12, 2012). ""Ice Age (The Soft Moon Remix)" by How to destroy angels_ Review". Pitchfork.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  48. ^ "Complicated (The Soft Moon Remix) | Trentemøller". Trentemoller.bandcamp.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  49. ^ Simpson, Paul. "Boy Harsher biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  50. ^ a b "Jakuzi's "Ne Teselli Ne Avuntu" Receives Soft Moon Remix". Post-punk.com. October 29, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  51. ^ electricityclub (February 19, 2018). "THE SOFT MOON Live at The Dome". ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  52. ^ "The Quietus | Features | Escape Velocity | It Started With Prince: The Soft Moon Interviewed". The Quietus. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

External links[edit]

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