Nevertheless, it wasnt until after a Reddit AMA that Mark dispelled that large number of reports, saying that he and Laura Lee were old buddies. Mark Speer (born November 9, 1979 in Houston, Texas, U.S.) is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and one of the founding members of the musical trio Khruangbin. Yeah, yeah. Across the album, the mood is mostly languid, with opener , featuring flamenco guitar and Spanish lyrics. Misty didn't know the they were empty, he just though the band wouldn't give him a copy of their album. Celebrating the formidable stage wear of Laura Leezy. The band would not exist as it does without all she does., Speer, perhaps aware that some fans are always turning over rocks in vain to find out personal information about the band, and specifically Lee, is more tight-lipped, other than saying, Lauras my best friend.. She got the bass on the idea of her then future bandmate Mark Speer. She is generally popular for her work as a bass guitarist and a founding member of the band Khruangbin. Your IP: In this exclusive interview with Teeth Magazine, Laura Lee dives into the band's creative evolution, the symbiotic relationship between fashion and music and the beautiful anomaly of being a band. And its mostly Mark. Mark Speer (left) and bassist Laura Lee (middle) started Khruangbin after discovering a trove of Thai music through a blog, then added drummer Donald Johnson (right) after booking their first live gig. But its hard not to respond sometimes, especially when someone says something that isnt true. Hes the DJ. In place of vocals Speer's guitar seems to "sing." An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. , money, salary, income, and assets. 3.No pictures of Mark or Laura Lee without their wigs. "[7], In Khruangbin, Ochoa performs as "Leezy", an alter-ego that helps her keep some parts of herself private: "It helps me separate from her and it helps me emotionally to put it on her, so I let her take on all of the pressure. I keep anything custom, since we have to pay for it anyway. She got the bass on the idea of her then future bandmate Mark Speer. The moment Laura Lee transitioned from Laura Lee Manders, her original name to Laura Lee Ochoa, many were thinking about whether she had been in a relationship. He is not dating anyone. Speer had previously met their third part Donald "DJ" Johnson, in 2004, and soon the three got together and formed the band Khruangbin after Laura tried Lee for the bassist job. Of course not. Bassist and singer Laura Lee walked to the middle of the stage at White Oak Music Hall and dropped a vinyl coat, revealing a bright-blue jumpsuit with eyes patched up the legs and sharply. Were always open to collaborations that make sense., The three-piece band Khruangbin, released their third album Mordechai this past week (Photo: Supplied). Its one of the hottest days of the summer, and Khruangbin will later perform with the Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Tour in Brooklyns Prospect Park. We have estimated 1979 Mark Speer (born November 9, 1979 in Houston, Texas, U.S.) is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and one of the founding members of the musical trio Khruangbin. And no clue on the relationship status of Mark. He asked for a copy of their record. Andrew Drever interviews the Texas-based trio upon its release. [8] Both she and Speer sport long black wigs while performing[9] and "Leezy" goes through many costume changes throughout a show. Wear that when you go grocery shopping; itd work. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 9 November. 2023 Cond Nast. 35-year-old Laura Lee Ochoa, also known as Leezy, is an American recording artist and singer. The daughter of Mexican-American parents,[2] Ochoa played piano and guitar as a child, but picked up bass at the suggestion of (then future) bandmate Mark Speer. Birthday / Age / Date of Birth / How old is Laura Lee? Your email address will not be published. "We had like a hundred shows at the end of last year and we were going to end all of them in our hometown, you know, right where everything started and we had sold six tickets," said bassist Laura Lee. Now we do a fitting day before each tour. Before our first performance I went to the Sharpstown Mall in Houston and got the wig and an outfit. DJ is in Houston, Mark is in Oakland, and Im in New York. Continue with Recommended Cookies. There was just one problem, it wasn't finished, despite Khruangbin's dressing room filled with empty album cases and liner notes for that new record that were waiting to be signed. Did you look to other bands in this regard? Manage Settings Last year Khruangbin was back in London, promoting its upcoming album when the group was booked on the same radio show as Father John Misty. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Education : Qualifications, High School & College Info, Your email address will not be published. Mark Speer (born November 9, 1979 in Houston, Texas, U.S.) is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the guitarist and one of the founding members of the musical trio Khruangbin. Sometimes, he uses his amp's vibrato effect. Lee wears bright colors, orange or blue and glitter, that also recall the disco era. refer to this thread. Mark Speer was born November 9, 1979 in Houston, Texas. , which dropped last week, seems like itll be the one to push them out of the cult niche and into the mainstream. After taping the "Austin City Limits" TV show on Monday night, eclectic Texas trio Khruangbin will cap the week off with four sold-out nights at Stubb's, Sept. 15-18. [4][5] This recommendation led to her to begin playing, which she says came very naturally to her. [1] [2] [3] Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2.1 With Khruangbin 2.2 With Niia 3 References Biography [ edit] Ochoa was an art history major with a focus on art of the ancient Near East. Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou were two early on that helped outand Virgil Abloh, Boyes told me via Zoom, before slipping in that Stella McCartney are now desperate to dress her, but they werent quite right for Glastonbury., Johnson gets a good view of Lee from behind the drums each night, and remains awestruck at how seamless it looksplaying bass, walking in heels, dancing, singing, and making a spreadsheet in her head, because shes so hyper-organized. I came back and Mark was like youre wearing a wig? I said yeah, I dont want anyone to know who I am. Then he asked can I wear a wig, too? And I said you can do whatever you want!. offers nostalgic lounge-pop, with Lee and Speer talking in the track about memories and people they knew. You guys have used social media so wellcurating playlists for Spotify, and being visible on Instagram. is laura lee of khruangbin married. [3] She is also inspired by Prince who handled choreography and played guitar at the same time.[8]. Khruangbins three studio albums (2015s The Universe Smiles Upon You, 2018s Con Todo el Mundo, and 2020s Mordechai, plus their EP collaboration Texas Sun with Leon Bridges) transport listeners to a luxe dance party, and their onstage look mirrors this fashion-forward attitude, led by the groups aesthetic director and bassist, Laura Lee. Laura Lee also chose never to wear a similar outfit in front of an audience twice. In the subreddit for Khruangbin, many fans pointed out that Laura Lee let them know that she leveled up her better half in London. Laura Lee met Speer in 2009 through companions and associated with a worship of Afghan music. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Lee herself estimated that she wore no fewer than 600 unique outfits during her visit. Lauras stylist, Megan Boyes, whom I spoke with earlier via Zoom, cited those nights (with one of the looks designed by Stella McCartney) as pivotal enough that she felt the need to be there. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2c5e62da21c518 Due to the consistency of tone throughout the lifespan of flatwounds, he only changes his strings approximately once per tour. Lee is the youngest and wildest. They are fools. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Prior to forming the group, Lee played bass on tour with Yppah. So thats for the encore, since its short. Megan, my stylist, flies from the U.K. to New York, and my wardrobe person on the road will meet us to pin for alterations. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. This thread has been locked by the moderators of r/Khruangbin. Its a special place with minimal distractions, very little cellphone signal, no WiFi, and its outside of the city. Is that the quadratic equation? 3.No pictures of Mark or Laura Lee without their wigs. One year at a school, where I was an assistant for third grade math, then, when I wanted to be in a band, I started tutoring, for better hours. Laura Lee and Mark Speer were planning to fly to Latin America, but when the right visa didn't come through, and the airline gave them 24 hours to rebook their trip, they hastily switched to Thailand. But Im thrilled that Ive appeared three times on the celebs in tights subreddit. Mark is active, but I lurk. Sometimes well pick a zebra look with a leopard print for the encoreanimal day! She was born and raised in northern New Mexico. . She is known for her sonic role and wardrobe changes of flashy attire in between performances. Often hailed for wearing their international and often esoteric music influences on their sleeves, the band members had previously showcased a rich blend of sparkling surf, psychedelic soul, groovy dub and . Johnson and Speer originally met in Houston in 2004, playing together in the St Johns Methodist Church gospel band the same church, incidentally, where Beyonce grew up singing. Experts and fans strongly joke about their melodic style. With a sound thats built around a stew of funk, psychedelia, soul, surf-rock, dub, folk and global music influences (Thai, Middle Eastern, Pakistan, and West Africa, were primarily instrumental, with only a couple of tracks on each featuring vocals (and usually like just another instrument at that). MLB legend makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker takes 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo at Brazos Bend State Park, This is what Houston looks like from space, Oops! If you know some information, please comment below. Johnson wasnt aware of him previously before the video, but he says hes now well versed with his comedy. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, Khruangbin's Laura Lee performs during SXSW 2017, Khruangbin's Mark Speer performs during SXSW 2017, Khruangbin performs at Hotel San Jos during SXSW 2017, Khruangbin's Donald Johnson and Laura Lee perform during SXSW 2017, Khruangbin's Mark Speer and Laura Lee raise a toast during their Hotel San Jos performance for SXSW 2017, Laura Lee toasts the Hotel San Jos crowd during Khruangbin's performance for SXSW 2017, The members of Khruangbin pose for a portrait prior to their set at Hotel San Jos during SXSW 2017, Khruangbin's Laura Lee performs at White Oak Music Hall, November 2016, Khruangbin performs at White Oak Music Hall, November 2016, Khruangbin's Donald Johnson performs at White Oak Music Hall, November 2016, Houston musician Will Van Horn performs with Khruangbin at White Oak Music Hall, November 2016, Khruangbin's Laura Lee performs at The Orange Show for Mills-McCoin's Rock 'n' Roll Circus, April 2012, Khruangbin's Mark Speer performs at The Orange Show for Mills-McCoin's Rock 'n' Roll Circus, April 2012, Laura Lee performs at Cactus Music during Khruangbin's in-store performance, November 2011, Will Van Horn, left, accompanies Khruangbin's Donald Johnson, center, and Laura Lee, right, at Heights Vinyl, April 2012, Khruangbin's Laura Lee performs at Heights Vinyl to promote the band's 7" release, April 2012. With her dark hairpieces and vibrant outfits, Laura Lees look is a famous piece of the stylish band. "Playing with him and seeing how he interacts with his audience and what he does and how he moves. features British comedian Stephen K Amos and Lunda Anela-Skosana roaming the streets of London. I put them on a loop and play until something happens. I was like we have backup for everything else, you must get a backup wig! Then we had to spend so much money trying to recreate his $17.99 bargain bin wig. 35-year-old Laura Lee Ochoa, also known as Leezy, is an American musician and singer-songwriter. Born to Mexican-American parents, Laura Lee was always musically inclined and originally played piano and guitar as a child. Nevertheless, the hearsay bits were inaccurate, as Laura Lee had taken her grandfathers name. I probably wouldn't even recognise her if I saw her around here He thinks the jam band scene has a lot to offer. 99% sure Laura is married to someone else. It's unhurried and elegant yet bearing the allure of solid rhythm, arguably the signature Khruangbin sound that's taken them around the same globe whose sounds they draw from. His family owns a barn in Burton, Texas where Khruangbin records all their music,[7] while the overdubs are done in SugarHill Recording Studios in Houston. He also killed it in the video too, with his super-dapper suit and smooth dance moves!. Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. All rights reserved. The universe just smiled upon Khruangbin. I guess (geographic) isolation does count for something! However, he isnt prepared to commit to my invitation for a tour here just yet as long as the band are prepared to do a mandatory two-week quarantine, of course. Wow, he coos. Their first two albums 2015s The Universe Smiles Upon You and 2018s Con Todo El Mundo were primarily instrumental, with only a couple of tracks on each featuring vocals (and usually like just another instrument at that). In a statement, the singer remembered the beloved songwriter who died Wednesday at the age of 94. Lets talk about the nitty-gritty of the showmanship of Khruangbin. Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Reverb addict Mark Speer and badass bassist Laura Lee (above left) met with Premier Guitar 's John Bohlinger before their ultra-hip, sold-out show at Nashville's Basement East. "It's like, 'Oh my god it works. [9], In the studio, Speer uses a Fender Deluxe Reverb '65 Reissue guitar amplifier; live, he uses a '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb. [4] A self-professed "world music nerd" and a devoted crate digger, Speer is interested in music from all over the world, preferring music that is not in the English language,[7][15] and tones that are not very prevalent in the Western music. Though all three members of the group (including Mark Speer on guitar and Donald DJ Johnson on drums) qualify as having a look, most concertgoers are hyper-focused on the Mexican American Lee in her Cleopatra wig, high heels, and electrifying clothing. Much like I curate all the artwork for all of our shows, I feel like I have this privilege to showcase artists and designers. Drummer Donald Johnson, left, bassist Laura Lee, center, and guitarist Mark Speer bonded over '60s Thai funk as they formed Khruangbin. Speer's wandering fretplay goes over drummer Donald Johnson's unwavering drum work and bassist-vocalist Laura Lee Ochoa's fist-tight grooves and spectral delivery. [10] She wears two different outfits per show, a decision inspired by Elton John, who was known to change up to four outfits. We are three very different humans. Her outfits are outwardly special and help her hang out in the show. Johnson is as consistent as his drum beats, he's like the reliable middle child the other two hold onto. Speer has recorded three studio albums with Khruangbin: The Universe Smiles Upon You (2015), Con Todo el Mundo (2018), and Mordechai (2020). But there is a special someone. Amos is a well-known face in New Zealand and Australia where hes toured regularly, often undertaking working residencies in these parts. In 2007, Speer met Ochoa through friends and taught her how to play bass. On stage, Lee and her bandmates, guitarist and vocalist Mark Speer and drummer Donald "DJ" Johnson, are instantly recognisable. An admirer of concerted effort, Lee has collaborated with numerous specialists in numerous melodic scenes, most recently Leon Bridges. The church employed Speer as the guitarist and Johnson as the organist. Are there times when you look at something thats gorgeous, but you know you simply cannot play the bass well in the outfit. Thai funk, African and East Asian music, rap, gospel and blues blend together in surprising and inevitable ways. The challenge is typically getting out of Texas. Hell be like who produced this? Laura had at least 1 relationship in the past. After the gruelling 10-week European tour. Moreover, after three long years of their engagement, they tied the knot in 2015. Laura Lee has not been previously engaged. Many time zones, but Houston is amazing. Four tracks of moody, cinematic soul, it sounded like the perfect road trip soundtrack. Theres a lot about triangular relationships. I heard a stat that for Trojan, or maybe some lube company, that their biggest event of the year was Houston Pride. Everythings kind of all up in the air now, so for me, its been time to rest and just sit back, gather my bearings and spend some time at home with my wife. No pictures of Mark or Laura Lee without their wigs. I live in the Hudson Valley most of the time, and its hilarious to have most of this collection up there.