Luis Gabriel Illades, drummer for Pansy Division and Avengers, steps into the spotlight with ‘Panorama,’ the debut album of his new project Vida Vella, out March 21, 2025.

The bilingual record, blending English and Spanish lyrics, explores universal themes of self-identity, romantic vulnerability, and existential fear. Recorded with musicians from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, ‘Panorama’ reflects Illades’ unique cultural perspective, shaped by his Tijuana roots and life in New York. Drawing from his work as a psychotherapist, Illades’ songwriting delves into shared emotional experiences, making this album a deeply personal, yet universally relatable, statement. “Outside of music, my work as a psychotherapist brought me to a place of finding common emotional themes regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc. Finding the true common elements of the human condition and choosing to write about the emotional elements that we all share has been the inspiration for the lyrical content of this album.”

‘Panorama,’ the debut album from Vida Vella, is out now. It’s also the first release from Beso Y Abrazo, a new record label bringing Spanish-language indie music from Latin America to the US. You can order the album here and get ready to dive in.

“The magic of creating this sound was bringing in players from different backgrounds.”

How does it feel to step out from behind the drum kit and take on the notoriously difficult role of “songwriter”? As a performer, is there added pressure when going solo, and if so, what do you do to mitigate it?

Luis Gabriel Illades: Well, it took many years to find the space to play in another musical role. I do love writing, but I had always thought the ability to construct a melody, framework, and communicate a sonic vision was beyond me, since I mainly built song ideas through rhythm. Somehow, writing a proper song felt beyond me. I had bits and pieces or ideas and started forming them into songs by playing the piano rhythmically, without worrying about the melodic arc upfront. Once I allowed myself to be in that position, everything just started flowing, and I felt braver in clumsily letting ideas develop. I even forgave myself for not being a virtuoso. Funny enough, that was when I found myself able to write things that were beyond my ability and increase my playing ability to match the idea. I don’t feel pressure at this point because I am trying not to have expectations. Historically, expectations have been where disappointment is born for me. While I have goals, those come from me and things I look forward to doing. Expectations, on the other hand, come from imagining outcomes beyond my actions. I always want to be careful about that.

Vida Vella is unlike anything you’ve done with Pansy Division and Avengers. How much of your debut album is shaped by where you’ve been, and how much of it feels like a completely fresh start?

The approach that anyone can write a song and that you have ideas that can be shared by a musical project comes from my years of playing in punk bands. Some of these songs were written as punk blasts and slowed down to allow for breath, swagger, or additional instrumentation. If a song has a decent framework at its base, it can work at 180 bpm or 80 bpm. I found that slowing things down allowed for a mood with more creative expression at this point, but always with some sort of message that is both vulnerable and empowering or encouraging, which is what I took from the songwriters of the bands I have played with. Something that hopes to include the listener and encourage them.

Both videos you’ve released in support of Panorama so far (‘[No Relief In] Atlantis’ and ‘Being Born’) are extremely well-made and very cinematic. How important was it for you personally to ensure that the quality of these videos matched the quality of the production of your music?

Thank you for asking that! As I was writing these songs, I was constantly thinking of visual images to help represent the basic idea. Even while working with co-producer Ruben Butchart (@stereoimage), we discussed visuals such as sunsets, boats on the horizon, and other sorts of cues to describe the sound we wanted to evoke in the tubas and horns before we identified a single note. Visuals were incredibly important in evoking and describing the sounds we were trying to create. ‘Atlántida/Atlantis’ director Zefrey Throwell is an award-winning film director and artist who has shown at the Cannes Film Festival, Tribeca, SXSW, The Venice Biennale, MoMA, and The Whitney. He is currently finishing a documentary about the rise of fascism in the United States, which he has been filming for the last five years. His background in visual art and filmmaking was a great pairing for conveying the impacts of ignoring glaring destruction and finite resources depicted in the song. We scouted various locations and themes in Tijuana as we prepared the video. We found a gorgeous beach setting in Playas de Tijuana, which illustrates the contrast between Earth’s beauty and humanity’s potential to be so cruel and uncaring. Worse yet, to helplessly continue to destroy. The idea of finite resources and the dismissal of values walks us through the song’s lyrical content and musical scope. Our siren of the sea (local Tijuana art fixture Saya Salvaje) thrashes among the rocks and sand, raging against the pollution (@sayasalvaje.art). For the ‘Nacemos/Being Born’ video, I was really inspired by a recent Blonde Redhead video for a song called ‘Sit Down for Dinner.’ The tenderness and heartbreak conveyed really spoke to me in visualizing the romantic themes I wanted to approach in our piece. I reached out to director Sebastian Mlynarski to ask him about his process, and he recommended his collaborator Mandy Weiss (@mandymweiss), who agreed to work with us. We had an afternoon coffee that was supposed to last an hour, but ended up going on all afternoon. There was so much inspiration and discussion about what emotions we wanted to convey that I knew she had a vision and understood. We mixed footage shot in the studio with footage of various moments of intimacy, from passionate bonds to self-pleasure, and from friendship to companionship in all its forms, celebrating the joys and tenderness of love across a continuum.

‘Panorama’ blends several elements of psych, Americana, and traditional world music into a unified sound. Were there any specific albums that influenced this direction?

The magic of creating this sound was bringing in players from different backgrounds. Inviting a group of Amer-Indie stalwarts and Mexican folkloric and orchestral musicians really made the record. Part of the process was my writing and setting forth the demos, then standing back and letting the individuals add their signature approaches. Co-producer Reuben Butchart really shone in his role of orchestration, encouragement, and guidance, while joining me in letting the players be who they are and acknowledging that everyone was invited for a reason and given trust to shine. We only rehearsed twice and then went directly into the studio to record.

What made you decide to record some songs in both English and Spanish on this album, and not have some tracks that were exclusively in one language?

This album is a representation of my experience growing up in a bicultural environment. I am Mexican, but I grew up on the border. It is referred to as “cultura fronteriza.” It takes pieces from both languages and is in a constant state of extracting resources from both sides of the border and perpetually translating. This was important to keep. Interestingly, I felt like I sang and engaged differently in each language. The language evokes a different sense of self. Spanish words tend to end in vowels and evoke a more romantic and reaching effect, while English is more consonant-heavy, which feels more precise but also more guarded.

‘Panorama’ boasts an extremely well-stacked cast of players from some highly regarded bands like Camper Van Beethoven, Anohni and the Johnsons, and the State Band of Guanajuato. Can you share any further details about how they got involved with the project and what the album-making process was like?

These are some of my favorite people that I have played with over the years. People I both admire, care for, and have shared emotional experiences with. If you stick around long enough and say yes to enough things, you end up sharing stages with many people from many backgrounds. This was the most accidentally queer cast of characters. I think that whether intended or not, you are always bonding over lived, cultural, and musical identification with others. We keep tabs on our family within the music scene and seek to return to the people who have made us feel seen and upheld. These are those folks! Additionally, they are the most talented people I know, and the fact that they agreed to participate was my sincere good fortune.

The Cast:

Victor Krummernacher on Bass (Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom, Third Mind) – Victor is a seminal indie rock and Southwest musician who is so in demand for sessions and tours that I am shocked he said yes to participating. The man has swagger for days and is technically proficient without ever clobbering the song. This is confidence. We first played together in his solo band, and I had to grow very quickly to keep up with the level of playing.

Carles Moya on Tuba – Carles is a Spaniard living in Guanajuato and plays with the state band. We referred to him as “the Iberian Jarvis Cocker” due to his lanky frame, oversized glasses, and cool demeanor. The dude is talented and nonchalant as hell. During one take, he paused and asked, “¿Esto es un poco Barbara Streisand, no?” Never forget.

Reuben Butchart (Co-producer/Orchestral Arranger) – The producer of this record, Reuben Butchart, really challenged what we had arranged for the songs by bringing in a dark and cinematic orchestration with the help of some of our friends from Guanajuato. I feel like he really challenged what we thought we could do with the aesthetics of the sound. His willingness to go dark and then turn into the splendor of theatrical jubilation was necessary for me to break out of my shell and lead the others by example. Reuben did some time with Anohni in the early days and is really a part of the Brooklyn and lower Manhattan musical scene. He releases music under his own name as well as Lovers Almanac. Recently, he performed with Joan as Police Woman at Lincoln Center, and I’m still in tears that I missed it! We first played together on a solo recording of his and have traveled in close circles in Brooklyn for more than a decade.

Luis Andrés Tovar Gomez on Violin and David Rizo Gonzalez on Cello – Luis and David play with the State Band of Guanajuato. Luis was essential in coordinating the other musicians and gathering the group around Reuben Butchart’s arrangements. Thoughtful, playful, and intense, the violin and cello are some of the best icings on the tragic cake of ‘Atlántida/Atlantis.’

Doug Hilsinger on Guitar (Enorchestra, Bomb) – Doug is fantastic. He is truly the unsung gem of the San Francisco Bay area music scene. From putting on shows to commanding a Brian Eno-worthy orchestra that earned direct praise from Eno himself, Doug slides between Americana, psychedelic atmospherics, and shredding. I did give the musicians some demos and direction to follow, but not Doug. I think my direct quote was, “You don’t tell Doug Hilsinger what to do; you stand back and let him be.” We first played together in a Cheap Trick cover band called Southern Girls.

Atanasio “Tano” Padilla Gutierrez on Trumpet – The day before he came in, we were asked if we had booked Tano Jr. or Tano Sr. Apparently, father and son are both local trumpeters. We had Tano Sr. He showed up three or four hours late, hungover as hell, and having only slept a couple of hours the night before. Apparently, he is on call and got a call at 3 a.m. to go to a party and play while wasted partygoers showered him with money. A noble gig! After his takes, we asked if he wanted to listen to the mixes. “No, I have to rush over and play at a restaurant!” was his hasty reply on his way out the door. A true professional.

Patrick Main on Keys/Pianos (Oranger, Tarnation, Mark Eitzel) – Patrick’s aesthetic choices and phrasing are perfect and ideal every time. When writing the songs, I would often think to myself, “How would Patrick Main phrase this?” He was the first person I reached out to when even considering stepping into a songwriting role. He’s talented, encouraging, and ready to jump on every proposal. We first played together in a group called The Fade in the early 2000s. We recorded an epic album at Jackpot Studios in Portland, which never saw the light of day.

Luisber el Rio on Saxophone (Disco Bahía) – Luisber, short for Luis Bernardo, plays in a popular Mexican group called Disco Bahía. We were warned to suck on ice cubes before he came into the studio, and for good reason. The man is sexy as hell. When he walked into the room, all the men, women, and pets checked their heart rate and fainted. His saxophone parts in the songs are modern, mysterious, and specter-like. Sexy ghost.

What kind of response do you hope to elicit from listeners when they dive into your music for the very first time?

I certainly hope they feel validated by the lyrical content of the songs, which are mostly about some of the most universal human emotions I encounter in being a lover and admirer of the human condition. The songs are about hopes, fears, and the revelation of self to experience the world more fully. I’m not some kid trying to explode on the scene. My hope is to be a friend and family member who might encourage, listen to, or identify with others. Like some uncle in the corner of a family reunion that you feel okay to talk to, and who encourages you to ditch the nonsense and be the best you there is. At least, that’s what I get from writers I admire.

It’s not easy avoiding politics in 2025, and in the case of Vida Vella, it feels especially difficult given that you are a Mexican artist living in America and a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. How does the state of the world and the people who run it impact you and the way you write and record new music?

These songs are about the revelation of self and moving past shame and outdated beliefs. I’m not sure that I have succinct answers to large-scale political issues, but I do think it’s important as individuals and artists to name the fact that there are other ways to be. As I also develop the record label Beso Y Abrazo Records, which releases Mexican artists in the US, I realize the richness of Mexican contemporary culture and how, in finding its strengths, it cares less and less about what is happening up north and becomes more self-referential. I’d like to show the vibrancy of a musical scene in its power, as opposed to viewing it through an American lens.

What does the rest of 2025 hold for Vida Vella as a project and you, Luis Gabriel Illades, as an individual?

Well, I’m touring in Europe this summer with Avengers, which is always a loud and chaotic treat. Pansy Division is playing our 1000th show in San Francisco in April, which took a long time to arrive at. I’m so proud of that achievement. Those are pretty good legacies that are a true joy to be a part of. As far as Vida Vella is concerned, I’m polishing up the next album and hoping to go into the studio and finish another album right away. There is so much still unsaid… After that, we’re going to focus on performing in Mexico and Latin America. I’m not sure if we’ll play in the US. I have played in the US for thirty years in every town and hole you can imagine. Maybe it’s time for something else?

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