Tito & Tarantula

Tito & Tarantula
Tito & Tarantula performing 2016, From left to right: Marcus Praed, Johnny „Vatos“ Hernandez, Tito Larriva, Lolita Carroll Larriva, Allyssa Grace
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Chicano rock, blues rock, Latin rock, Latin alternative, hard rock, stoner rock
Years active	1992–present
Associated acts	Cruzados, The Plugz
Website	www.titoandtarantula.com
Members	Tito Larriva Allyssa Grace Lolita Carroll Peter Atanasoff Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez Marcus Praed
Past members	Peter Atanasoff Jennifer Condos Lyn Bertles Andrea Figueroa Marcus Praed Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez Nick Vincent Adrian Esparza Richard Edson Tony Marsico Debra Dobkin Petra Haden Io Perry Abbie Travis Achim Farber Dominique Davalos Rafael Gayol Steven Hufsteter Alfredo Ortiz Caroline "Lucy LaLoca" Rippy Andrea Figueroa Marcus Praed

Tito & Tarantula is an American chicano rock/stoner rock band formed in Hollywood California in 1992 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Tito Larriva.

The band is best known for its songs, "After Dark", "Back to the House That Love Built", "Strange Face of Love", and "Angry Cockroaches", as well as for its role in Robert Rodriguez's film From Dusk till Dawn as the band performing at the "Titty Twister" nightclub. "After Dark" was the track played during Salma Hayek's iconic exotic dance scene in that film, and later became the theme for From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.

Tito Larriva was born in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico but spent his early years living outside Fairbanks, Alaska; his family later relocated to El Paso, Texas, where he studied violin and flute as a member of his school orchestra. After high school he flirted with attending Yale University before landing in Los Angeles, California in the mid-1970s. He began his music career by playing in some of the first Latino punk bands such as The Impalas, The Flesh Eaters, and, most notably, The Plugz. Larriva released several albums with the Plugz before the group disbanded in 1984. Following disbandment, Larriva teamed up with former Plugz bandmates Charlie Quintana and Tony Marsico to form the Cruzados. With the Cruzados, Larriva's music began to move in a different direction, straying from his typical punk rock to a bluesier 1980s rock sound. The band was critically acclaimed and opened for big acts like INXS and Fleetwood Mac. They released a self-titled album in 1985, followed by After Dark in 1987, but disbanded in 1988. The Cruzados also performed the song Don't Throw Stones at the beginning of the 1989 movie Roadhouse.