Enrique ‘Bugs’ Gonzalez
About the Artist
Was born in the large metropolitan city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He was drawn to the drums at a very young age and began formal instruction at age seven at the Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza Carmen Romano de Lopez Portillo. His father, an avid record collector, was a radio personality and DJ specializing in classic American rock and roll. His mother, pop singer Vianey Valdez, recorded 17 albums in the 60s and 70s so there was always music at home and he was happily exposed to American rock and roll, blues and jazz early on.In 1997, along with his brother and some of his closest friends, they formed Jumbo, an alternative rock band signed by BMG Mexico. Over the next eight years, Jumbo put out three albums and a hits compilation supported by 12 videos, and toured extensively in Mexico, Central and South America, and the USA. In 2002, Enrique was invited to perform with his drum heroes at the prestigious Groove All Stars events, as well as Expo Sound: Check in Mexico City.
In 2005, he moves to Los Angeles and has been performing and recording with some of Latin America’s most respected and renowned artists while becoming an in-demand session drummer. In 2007, he becomes the drummer and Musical Director for Latin pop artist, Aleks Syntek, which has him performing non-stop throughout Mexico, Central and South America, USA and Canada for the next 5 years. In December of 2011, he is invited to become the drummer/percussionist for Grammy Award winning, legendary East LA rock band, Los Lobos, featuring: David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, Louie Perez, Conrad Lozano and Steve Berlin. As of 2012, Bugs uses Gretsch Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Cymbag Products exclusively.
