Wake The Dead is inspired by the cumbia bands Chuck Prophet saw at San Francisco clubs in the pandemic's aftermath while undergoing cancer treatment. He started playing with ¿Qiensave? based in Salinas, CA and his new album is the result.
California alternative rock stalwart Chuck Prophet has joined forces with celebrated Cumbia group ¿Qiensave? on the new album, Wake The Dead. This unexpected yet harmonious partnership dives deep into Cumbia music, a genre that became a source of solace for Prophet during his battle with stage four lymphoma and his subsequent recovery. The album’s lead single and title track “Wake The Dead” is an anthem about reckoning with uncontrollable forces and learning to let go - a central theme of the album.
“I never want to be a downer,” Prophet shares. “This record doesn’t shy away from darkness, but it always feels hopeful. Growing up with the Clash and their reggae influences, I remember how the music made me feel. The more you listened, the more you discovered, but fundamentally, it just felt good. That feeling was crucial for this album.”
Prophet’s love for the music started at a weekly Cumbia night in San Francisco’s Mission district. His passion grew as he collected vinyl from Latin America, studied the genre's origins, and DJ’d mixes for friends. During his cancer treatments, Cumbia became his faithful musical companion, helping him through the darkest times. “I was going through a tunnel,” he recalls. “It was dark. But I had music: to play, to listen to, to get me out of my head. Music was my savior.”
Once on the mend, Prophet began regular jam sessions with ¿Qiensave?, a Central Coast band he admired. Initially casual, these sessions led to live performances where the audience's reaction confirmed they had created something special. They soon hit the studio, blending with Prophet's longtime band, the Mission Express, to record Wake The Dead live. The chaotic yet energetic process involved up to eight musicians, focusing on raw emotion over perfection.
The result is a vibrant celebration of life, balancing hope and fear, and a reflection on what truly matters. Prophet approaches Cumbia not as a historian, but as an eager fan. The songs are rhythmically intoxicating, compelling listeners to move, with arrangements that merge tradition with innovation, and past with present. Elements of rock, punk, surf, and soul blend seamlessly, all through the lens of San Francisco’s streets and Cumbia's rich history spanning centuries and continents.