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Guide to the Eddie Davis West Coast East Side Sound archives CEMA 117
CEMA 117  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Access Restrictions
  • Use Restrictions
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition Information
  • Processing Information
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement
  • Related Material

  • Title: Eddie Davis West Coast East Side Sound archives
    Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 117
    Contributing Institution: UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
    Language of Material: English
    Physical Description: 3.0 linear feet (3 document boxes, 3 clamshell boxes, and one oversize box)
    Date (bulk): Bulk, 1950-1990
    Date (inclusive): 1935-2010
    Abstract: This collection contains papers, publications, audio and video files, as well as scrapbooks that document the history of Rampart Records and multicultural rock and roll bands in the Los Angeles area. As an ongoing collection owner, Hector Gonzalez continues to operate the record companies that he inherited from Eddie Davis in 1994.
    Physical Location: Del Norte
    Language of Materials: The collection is in English.

    Access Restrictions

    This collection is open for research.

    Use Restrictions

    Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of Item], Eddie Davis West Coast East Side Sound archives, CEMA 117. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

    Acquisition Information

    In 1994, Hector Gonzalez became the heir to the Eddie Davis Record and Publishing Estate, The Rampart Record Group, and The Aro Music Publishing Group. The Eddie Davis West Coast East Side sound archives were established with the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives in 2010 through Hector Gonzalez's donation.

    Processing Information

    Processed by Callie Bowdish and CEMA Staff, 2010. Additional material processed by Mari Khasmanyan, 2015.

    Biography

    In 1994, Hector Gonzalez became the heir to the Eddie Davis Recording and Publishing Estate, The Rampart Record Group, and The Faro Music Publishing Group (a division of Gordo Enterprises). He relinquished his position at CBS Television City to administer these companies and license a vast music catalog dating back to 1958 for CD compilations, film and television. Since 1960, Rampart Records has been devoted almost exclusively to the development of Mexican American talent known on the West Coast as "The Eastside Sound."
    Eddie Davis was a child actor and successful restaurateur and is quoted as saying, "If anybody thinks I got rich over my East Los Angeles music, they're wrong. I cooked a lot of hamburgers to make those records." Rampart Records contributed to what is known as the West Coast East Side Sound and included bands such as Cannibal and the Headhunters (which opened for the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965). Multicultural bands such as the Mixtures and the Blendells were also given recording opportunities by Rampart Records.
    Hector Gonzalez's documentary about Rampart Records is a part of this collection. Director Jimmy A. Velarde said the following about the documentary:
    The West Coast Eastside Sound Story immortalizes the 1960's East Los Angeles Chicano rock legends that have contributed to the popular American cultural experience. This documentary salutes Eddie Davis and the many groups on his various record labels and their contribution to American pop music that has been immeasurable. Yet, it has not been recognized for its historic value and cultural importance."
    When discussing the music, author Luis Rodriquez stated: "They were the heroes and heroines of low-rider car clubs, street gangs and high school teens. Their records were sold as soon as they came out and whenever they made appearances, they crowded dance halls and concerts.
    They were the rock artists based in East Los Angeles, California and part of the phenomenon known on the West Coast as, The Eastside Sound. It has spanned over 40 years of Chicano musical development. They were Latino, they were rhythm and blues, they were soul, combined with the British sound and they defied musical categories.
    The music was a localized fusion of Mexican and American influences, yet their participation in the development of American rock 'n roll has been largely ignored.
    The ensuing struggle to bring them out of the barrio, record them, and get them to national prominence is a story of glory and tragedy: a story not often told in the annals of the record business."

    Scope and Content

    The collection spans from 1935 through 2010 and will be periodically updated. It consists of one document box that contains business and publication papers, one document box that contains 4-CD Box Sets, three small clamshell boxes containing CD's, two scrapbook binder boxes, one oversize box with music records (33 rpm) and larger size publications.
    This collection also includes digitized files. There is an online slideshow exhibit titled, "East L.A. Rocks" featuring highlights from historical images of Rampart Records. There are movie files (iMovie .mov format) recording Gonzalez's comments on the scrapbooks. Also included are clips that were used to create the History of Rampart Records video, in addition to the video itself.
    As Gonzalez is still running the company, he maintains a majority of the original scrapbook material for his own publications, thus the ones in his collection at UCSB consist mostly of copies from the originals. Some of the images from the original scrapbooks have been scanned, and are available digitally. Some of the music CDs have been re-mastered and released as sets in collaboration with other publishers. Also included within the collection are digital video files of a few of the bands, as well as a documentary about Rampart Records and Eddie Davis.

    Arrangement

    Series I. Business Records Contains miscellaneous records pertaining to the record industry. Also included are flyers regarding the Chicano rock and roll bands. They are listed alphabetically.
    Series II. Publications Includes publications which describe Rampart Record's role in the early rock and roll days. Some oversized publications are located in oversize box 6, while current projects are included in box 1. They are listed alphabetically.
    Series III. Photos and Negatives Series Includes historical pictures of Eddie Davis as well as images of cultural bands (including Cannibal and the Headhunters with the Beatles) located in box one.
    Series IV. Scrapbooks Covers scrapbook material found in box 2. They are organized chronologically and expand from the 1930s to the 2000s. They contain event flyers, publicity photos, and items connected to rock and roll music activities in Los Angeles.
    Series V. Audio The audio series is housed in boxes 2-7, with some files which are also stored on the library server. There are three 33rpm albums in oversize box 6.
    Series VI. Video Include interviews and commentary from Hector Gonzalez, old footage of bands, and a documentary on the history of Rampart Records. These files are on the library server, as well as on CDs available through Special Research Collections.

    Related Material

    Hector Gonzalez papers, CEMA 118

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Hector Gonzalez
    Audiovisual materials
    California--East Los Angeles
    CD-ROMs
    Digital moving image formats
    Mexican Americans--California--East Los Angeles
    Mexican Americans--California--East Los Angeles--Music
    Rock Music
    Rock Music --California--East Los Angeles
    Scrapbooks
    Sound recordings
    Video recordings