I decided to risk all with Carmen. Three years of gigging and auditioning for record labels in the States had produced nothing. No one in the business seemed to get what we were doing. Instead of going to university and learning different skills to support myself with financially, I chose to use my abuela Angie's inheritance to fly the band to London. I believed it was the city that would appreciate us musically and that our destiny waited there.
The night before we were to leave I had a severe crisis of confidence. My father was near death in hospital with a gunshot wound and our drummer had quit at the last minute. The other members congregated in my room, having been called by my mother when she saw the state I was in.
The first thing Roberto said was: "I've told all my friends we're going and you better not make a fool of me! If you don't go, I'll still go without you!!!". John and Angela agreed.
We did all go, and has always been true in my career, a break came about through an unexpected side door.
I met Paul, who became our new drummer, because he loved snakeskin boots and jackets, as did I. I was introduced to him by the manager of a clothes shop in the Kensington Market I was window shopping in.
After talking with me, he decided to quit the financially successful band he was in on the spot! He then introduced us to the manager he'd been with, who signed us on the spot because of our crazy self-belief . . . and my sister's ( singer, dancer and keyboards ) hot looks.
I think he may have ended up regretting that decision later but that's another story.