Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Torres.
Hi Tony, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised right here in Houston, Texas. I wanted to be athletic so badly when I was a kid, but because I was asthmatic and uncoordinated, I ended up gravitating towards music instead. A lot of my friends had iPods back then, but I used my aunt’s old Walkman and carried it with me everywhere. Despite the name, I still remember how the tracks would skip if I wasn’t standing perfectly still when listening to my CDs.
Artistically, I took a lot of influence from my aunt. I grew up watching her paint vivid portraits of dark, surreal visions, and it sparked a love for the grotesque in my young mind. Her paintings felt dreamlike, dark, nostalgic, somber, strange, and familiar all at once. This fascination of juxtoposed concepts like, light and dark, happy and sad, would eventually weigh heavily on my music. She also painted the album cover for my most recent release, Dreaming, Drowning.
I hear this a lot from other artists, but it wasn’t until the pandemic in 2020 that I actually started taking music seriously. I had visions and ideas for this project, but if it wasn’t for the lockdowns, I’m not sure if I ever would’ve started working on it. After about a year, I had watched enough YouTube tutorials to start recording, mixing, and mastering. I put out my first record, self-titled Death Of The Last Beautiful Jaguar, on Halloween day 2021, mostly just for fun and without any real aspirations or intentions of ever doing anything with it.
A few years later, in 2023, a touring band from Mexico City called Blood Dance reached out to me to ask if I’d be open to doing a show with them. I was both shocked and eager to finally start performing the music I had written. That show launched Jaguar into reality, and I am forever grateful to Blood Dance for the opportunity and for getting me started playing live. A week later, a promoter reached out to ask if I was available to play at one of Houston’s most iconic venues, White Oak Music Hall, to open for an artist called Prayers. I was astounded. Never had I imagined that I would have the opportunity to play such a big show. I immediately got to work planning and rehearsing, and Jaguar has been growing ever since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been anything but smooth, but nothing worth doing is easy. As a solo artist, I alone am responsible for every step of the long process of making music for this project. Learning to write, record, mix, master, promote, and create a persona for the stage was and continues to be difficult for me. My friends will say otherwise but the truth is that I am naturally shy and introverted. I always avoided being the center of attention, but with Jaguar, I have to find it in me to embrace the opposite of my nature.
The same goes for social media. It’s bad for mental health and doesn’t really make any sense as a platform for art, but unfortunately being present online is mandatory for promoting shows and connecting with fans.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I make goth and post-punk music under the name Death Of The Last Beautiful Jaguar. That being said, my goal for Jaguar is to exist, grow, and experiment without any constricting ties to genre. The project was conceived of as a pure, unfiltered expression of who I am, whether that be in an emotional, musical, lyrical, visual, or even temporary sense. Since I am a solo artist, I have the freedom of being experimental with my sound without ever having to compromise for anyone.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Although I’m born and raised in Houston, I’ve had the luxury of traveling extensively and seeing the world. These experiences give me a lot of perspective on my city. It’s how I came to realize that diversity is one of Houston’s most underrated strengths. We have so many beautiful cultures thriving here- it shows up in our food, art, and culture. When I am away, that is usually what I miss most about Houston.
I also have to mention our goth scene. It’s thriving here in Space City and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. I’m extremely appreciative of the people who come out to shows, sometimes driving far, just to support local goth bands. I’m appreciative of the goth influencers online who support artists and get more people involved in the scene. I’m grateful to the promoters and venues who book goth events like Marble Orchard or Dia De Los Darks at Wonky Power, and I’m grateful to the other bands and DJs that I get to perform with here. There’s so many incredible artists in Houston that inspire me every day. I think it’s so cool that we support each other and celebrate each other’s successes. Speaking of which, if you’re interested in Houston’s local goth scene, check out artists Stereoccult, Raudiver, Danza Muerta, Goowe, Civic Duties, and In The Shadows.
That being said, I wish we had nicer architecture and city planning. Aside from a few key areas, a lot of Houston architecture feels bland and uninspired to me. I’m not talking about any particular area- I just mean the shopping centers that all have the same stores, freeway megacomplexes, and the gray/tan buildings you see all over the city. With the abundance of talent, art, and culture here, I know we can do better!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/thelastbeautifuljaguar
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_last_beautiful_jaguar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Death-Of-The-Last-Beautiful-Jaguar/61581204546291/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deathofthelastbeautifuljag8553
