The Mercury Wheel

You know that moment in ‘The Wizard Of Oz’? When Dorothy opens the door and her world transforms from black & white to color? The joy and wonder of that moment is what the band known as The Mercury Wheel seeks to capture in their music. Based in Los Angeles, the band is comprised of veteran musician/DJ Clifton Weaver, bassist/vocalist Andrew Calara, and drummer/vocalist José Rendón.
Beginning with The Mojo Filters, Clifton Weaver has been a constant fixture in the Los Angeles music scene. Following the end of The Mojo Filters, he has played in various bands such as The Belle Isle (included members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and popular DJ Lovefingers), Black Sugar (with members of the Dancehall Crashers and Vintage Trouble), and Love Grenades. Currently active as a DJ, he has performed with artists such as Cut Chemist, Dam Funk, and Mayer Hawthorne amongst others. Having met José (also a DJ and part of the highly regard Latin music night, Barrio Funky) through the LA soul/60s scene, the two kept in touch and began making plans to start a project. Bringing on board Andrew Calara on bass, The collective known as The Mercury Wheel was born.
Not content with simply rehashing the well worn ‘indie or rock’ clichés on display by so many LA acts, The Mercury Wheel creates the musical equivalent of ‘Oz’s’ many hues. Encompassing influences as diverse as 50s/60s R&B, tropicalia, punk, and disco, their music creates a new world for the listener to inhabit. For those of you watching in black and white, this one’s in Technicolor!