Obituary
Colin Jerwood, Ungovernable Anarcho-Punk Icon and Conflict Frontman, Dies at 63
Colin Jerwood, the passionate and uncompromising voice of the anarcho-punk band Conflict, passed away on June 2, 2025, following a short illness. His family and bandmates officially announced his death on MuchLoved, a crowdfunding platform. He had a major fan base in L.A.'s underground punk community.
Hildegardo ‘Japo’ Joya, Guardian of Raicilla’s Coastal Soul, Dies at 92
Japo had a presence that loomed large everywhere his raicilla landed, whether that was in one of Mexico’s most beloved cumbia mezcal bars, like Guadalajara’s Pare de Sufrir, where people order raicilla by name of the master distiller instead of brands they are associated with. Or in Torrance on Madre’s mezcal menu, where they still have 20 bottles left of a label Japo made for the restaurant. Like the greats in any craft, he created his own style of distilling that no other raicilla has come close to replicating.
Remembering the Whittier Man Who Taught Us to Sip, Not Shoot, Tequila
Everyone laughed when Tomas Estes first preached about tequila having terroir in the 70s, just as much as a French wine. Today, the premium "single estate" tequila this Whittier kid co-founded is one of the best-selling and smoothest in the world.
Yuca’s Founder Socorro Herrera Dies at 89
L.A.'s cochinita pibil matriarch and the first ever TACO MADNESS champion—back in 2009—Socorro "Mama Yuca's" Herrera has passed away. She was a taquera powerhouse who was born in Merida and changed L.A.'s Taco Life forever when she opened Yuca's at a former 8 x 10 square feet shoeshine stand in Los Feliz in 1976. In 2005, against all odds, she won a James Beard Award.
The L.A. Food and Drink World Mourns Jose “Chuy” Tovar, a Community Legend, Dead at 55
L.A.’s taco life lost one of its most beloved personalities, Jose “Chuy” Tovar, who died in a car accident at 55 on Monday afternoon. A GoFundMe has been set up by his family.
The Singer For Brujería, L.A.’s Biggest Mexican-American Shock-Rock Death Metal Band, Has Died
Brujería's co-vocalist, Ciriaco "Pinche Peach" Quezada, passed away last night from heart failure at 57. He joined in the band in 1992 after founding member Jello Biafra left. He was the star of many of their provocative music videos and sang alongside his cousin and founding vocalist, Juan Brujo.
