Bersuit Vergarabat in concert in Barcelona in 2007 (Photo: Ferran Jordà)

After announcing their plans to release a new album in the beginning of 2012, the band recently hosted a free concert in Plaza San Martin to celebrate democracy and human rights day, which took place on Monday 12th December.

The band first formed in 1987, under the initiative of Cordera, who sold his company and left his studies to pursue his musical ambition.

Originally calling themselves Henry y la Palangana, they were a five-person group with Cordera as the lead vocalist, Carlos Martín on drums, Pepe Céspedes on bass, Juan Subirá on the keyboard and Charly Bianco as the guitarist.

At the beginning of the 1990s, the band grew with Oscar Righi joining them on electric guitar, Raúl Pagano on the keyboard and Rubén Sabrinas adding another vocalist, and it was with this formation that their debut album ‘Y punto’ was recorded in 1992.

Including a cover of the song ‘El tiempo no para’ by Brazilian musician Cazuza, this album, along with their second album ‘Asquerosa Alegría’, was made up mainly of underground rock songs and it was not until the release of ‘Don Leopardo’ in 1995, that they began mixing rock with other Latin American rhythms such as cumbia and samba.

Following the success of this third album and the creation of a distinctive sound, the band became more dominant in the Argentine music scene. They began playing to festival audiences in Buenos Aires and one year later toured Argentina, playing as many as 55 shows across the country.

Meanwhile, world-renowned music producer, Gustavo Santaolalla, had spotted the band and became the producer of the album that followed in 1998.

Despite being heavily criticised by supporters of Carlos Menem’s government for its controversial content, ‘Libertinaje’ propelled the band on to a world-class stage, and having formed shortly after the end of Argentina’s infamous dictatorship, they continued to explore pertinent social and political themes in their song writing.

In 1998, they embarked on an international tour that took in Spain, the USA and Mexico and on their return, their success was confirmed when an open-air concert at Buenos Aires’ obelisk attracted a crowd of 50 thousand people.

The album ‘Hijos del culo’ followed, and a live album, ‘La cabeza’, was released in 2002, exactly ten years after the release of their debut album as a celebration of their career so far.

Their seventh album, ‘La Argentinidad al palo’, was awarded a Golden Gardel in 2005, and with it came a mammoth tour of 100 national and international shows.

During this same year, they released the album ‘Testerona’, which included the emblematic song ‘Madre, hay una sola’, paying respect to the mothers of Plaza de Mayo.

Continuing to tour in Spain and Italy as well as at home in Argentina, the band sought to raise awareness of environmental issues, and often chose to perform wearing clinical pyjamas in honour of the José Tiburcio Bordo psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires.

In 2007, they performed to an audience of 70,000 live at the River Plate stadium and a year later released their most recent album ‘?’, which was launched without any official notice but garnered the support of an international cult following.

Since discontinuing touring in 2010, Cordera has concentrated on a solo career whilst musicians Daniel Suárez, Alberto Verenzuela and Carlos “Cóndor” Sbarbati have stepped up to join the current formation of the group.

Genre: Rock mixed with Latin American rhythms

Dates Active: 1987 – present

In their own words: “We are a band that is continually changing”

Most Famous Song: ’Sr. Cobranza’

Best Lyric: “And now what’s left? Election or re-election is the same shit, sons of a bitch in the Congress, sons of a bitch in the Pink House”.

Famous For: Their distinguished fusion of rock with cumbia, chacarera and other Latin music

Best to listen to: When you’re feeling angry with politics

Doris is best known for it’s unique brand of psychedelic rock. The band went through several evolutions in structure and sound but always remained faithful to an outlandish, experimental approach to music. Probably one of the few bands to hit the big time with the musical stylings of a set of cans, children’s toys and a hose, the group continually amazed fans with their spectacular concerts and artistic vision. Despite having separated in 2007, they remain one of Argentina’s most exciting and inventive bands.

Doris (via MySpace)

The seeds of the group were sown in 1996 when Nacho Rodriguez and Marcelo Blanco met at college. Initially the two were interested in punk music but when they met Liza Casullo they were inspired by her sweet voice and poetic, lyrical abilities.

The original group was formed in 2000 with Nacho Rodríguez on guitar, drums and vocals, Marcelo Blanco on percussion, guitar and vocals, Liza Casullo on guitar and vocals and Julián Srabstein on bass and vocals. In 2001, Julián Zamtlejfer joined the band as a singer, drummer, and guitarist. Several changes were made later – Zamtlejfer left in 2004 to be replaced by Larva Peruzotti who also left in 2006.The band’s vision and attitude, however, remained the same.

Doris played their first concert on the 23^rd September in 2000, at Cátulo Castillo in Buenos Aires and two years later recorded their first album, signed to the Ultrapop label. The album, entitled ”Doris,” showcased the band’s guitar skills and featured the ‘wall of sound’ style made famous by record producer Phil Spector in LA in the 1960s. This recording style resulted in a rich and complex guitar sound with an intense depth and melody. The album earned Doris international acclaim; in 2003 Rolling Stone heralded them as ‘the next big thing’.

Despite this success, the band’s next album saw them take a completely new direction.  ”Doyle, la Operetta del Gaucho Drogado” was recorded in 2004 and marked the beginning of an experimental style that would take the band far beyond the indie guitar rock that had made them famous.

The change came about almost accidentally, inspired by a gathering at a friend’s house: “ A friend invited us to play but said we couldn’t make much noise so we made more intimate versions of our songs and while we were rehearsing them, we starting making other new ones,” the band said at the time in an interview with Pagina 12. The new sound was softer and altogether more unusual than their first offering, and demonstrated its new-found interest in unusual instruments and sounds. The band devised the album in a small village near San Pedro, the home-town of one of the members.

“It wasn’t intentional at all,” said Casullo of the new sound – “the room just filled with rare instruments and without any pressure on the time or the hours of recording, we just played.”

The resulting album is a psychedelic-infused record inspired by 70s folks rock and bands such as Pink Floyd, which defies existing categories or labels. “I think it’s a multifaceted record, nothing is ever too concrete,” said Srabstein in a 2006 interview with La Nación.

Increasingly, the band sought to focus on a holistic musical vision, expressing themselves through art and performance as much as through the songs on their album. In their review of “Doyle…,” La Nación characterised the album as made up of “sound experiences as imaginative as the William Morris foliage imitations which inspired the album cover,” while Página 12 declared it “a true display of talent, the art work is beautiful…seeing them live is a must.”

This new sound would come to define the band over the next few years. Unusual instruments mingle with children’s choruses and dream-like lyrics, producing the effect of a trumpet on acid. The band’s live shows were equally surreal and became the centre point for much of their creativity and vision. After their initial show in Buenos Aires, the band continued to play in Buenos Aires as well as in Córdoba, La Plata, Morón, Burzaco and Martinez. They also played at concert halls, cultural centres and theatres like  La Trastienda in 2004 and 2005 and Lasalle in 2004, as well as at a number of festivals.

Each show blurred the boundaries between concert, music and theatre. Without a defined lead singer, the band habitually switched instruments during the show, lending a democratic and liberating atmosphere to their shows.

“It’s a state of freedom,” said Casullo in a 2006 interview, “it’s something chemical that we generate between us, something that takes on its own force.”

Doris released two morerecords before splitting in 2007: “Embarazzo psicodélico” and “Achandá”. Rodriguez and Blanco went on to establish the band ‘Onda Vaga’, which has also proved to be successful.

Genre: Psychedelic  folk rock fusion

Dates: 2000-2007

Most Well-Known Song: Así

Famous for: Mixing psychedelic 70s rock with folk, traditional french song and the noises made  by a hose….

In their own words: ”Psychedelia is a differing way of perceiving  music, it takes the classic form of a song and re-creates it as a game or a journey.”

Best to listen to: In a fernet and mate induced haze, while experimenting with the use of a saucepan as a guitar

Los Auténticos Decadentes (Photograph: Diego Figueroa)

This year, Los Auténticos Decadentes celebrated 25 years together with a concert at Luna Park. Although it is a rare occurrence to have bands last longer than pan-fried cooking, the consistently rich sound of this Argentine ska-fusion band seems to have kept many souls fed for a long time.

Founded in Almagro when students from Colegio San Martin needed a band to play for a party, the group – then composed of Gustavo “Cuchi” Parisi, Nito Montecchia and Gastón “Francés” Bernardou – rose to the call and has since grown to include nine other contributors.

Recently, Jorge Serrano, guitar and vocals, referred to the band’s music as a “real socialist” project, a cooperative and “tremendously successful”. It makes you wonder how they have maintained the zest and kept it together for nearly three decades to rise into a national symbol.

A national band encapsulates the spirit, not of the time, but of a place. It becomes a treasure, something the people hold dear to their hearts as a source of pride; a branch of the nation’s cultural identity.

To be ‘authentically decadent’ in Argentina means something different than just material wealth. Throughout the past 100 years, the country has experienced not only a series of economic crises, but also military dictatorships and war. To remain authentically decadent is not in what one has, it’s in the attitude you walk away with. It makes the group’s title for their 2010 album, “Irrompibles” — or “unbreakable” — make sense.

The year was 1986 and change was in the air: the Cold War would soon end, the UN officially called for an “International Year of Peace”, and Argentina beat West-Germany in the FIFA World Cup final. Ska, a musical genre with a pronounced baseline, was inundating many parts of the world with its third wave. The genre was influencing the mainstream music industry by synthesising the original 1950s Jamaican vibe with good old rock-and-roll to create a new genre (some now associate with 1990s Gwen Stefani or the Mighty Mighty Bosstones): Rock Steady.

1986 was also the year that the neighbourhood friends in Almagro decided to get together to form a band, not knowing how it would progress, what it would do, or even what it would stand for.

After a few years of playing, Los Autenticos Decadentes released their first album, ‘Sonico’, in 1991. However, it wasn’t until the 2001 album, ‘Los reyes de la canción’ that the band’s identity would solidify with their first hit, ‘Veni Raquel’ (‘Come Here, Rachel’). The song addresses a singular sly woman, telling her:

You will have a great night out with the boys/ … you are going to have fun/… do not be afraid because you are going to be happy/… going out with the boys.

The horns, the brass, and the bup-bup of the base of the song are comical, whimsical, entertaining, like a circus show. It’s goofy, it’s catchy, and it makes the crowd bop.

Ultimately, it set the tone for what Los Auténticos Decadentes would bring to the industry’s table, not only as a national sensation, but also as worldwide musical ambassadors.

“Happiness and entertainment” is the main driving force behind the band, Jorge Serrano explained to Pagina 12. Some see alegría – or happiness, the kind that makes you grin from ear-to-ear and get up and dance – as superficial. Serrano, however, does not agree; he sees it as something more profound, a statement to how people should live life to its fullest. This theme is the consistent line that has pulled this band through nearly three decades of entertaining masses.

Perhaps it’s something about Argentina. People have written and spoken about the country’s playful grace. Despite the history of tyranny and constant uncertainty, the people still hold their posture intact with smiles and laughter.

Recently, the band’s popularity has ensured its invitation to a North American tour as part of the Latin American Music celebrations in NYC, rocking along with other names like Calle 13 and No Te Va a Gustar.

Genre: Ska-rock fusion

Dates: 1986 – present

Most Well-Known Song: Veni Raquel, Somos los piratas

Famous for: party music

Best to listen to: when at a party with a cuba libre in hand and your best dancing shoes (whether that would be bare feet or not) on.

Los Redondos

This weekend, we take a look at one of Argentina’s most influential rock bands, Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricotta, or ‘Los Redondos’ for short. Active between 1976-2001, Los Redondos’ impact lies not only in the enigmatic quality of the band’s music, but in their independent approach to the industry and fans.

Formed in La Plata, Los Redondos’ leading members were Carlos Alberto “Indio” Solari (vocals), Eduardo “Skay” Beilinson (guitar), and Carmen Castro (manager and muse, also known as “The Black Poly”), who had previously played together in the collective La Cofradía de la Flor Solar.

The band’s early days were notable for experimentation, incorporating poetry, theatre, and ballet into their live acts. Their full name, in fact, came from the donuts served with ricotta at the Lozano de La Plata theatre, where Los Redondos held many of their early performances. “Patricio Rey” came to serve as a fictional group consciousness for the band, channelling many of the themes in their music as well as the mystique of the members’ personalities.

Notably, Los Redondos’ understated response to their early success, playing independent theatres in Buenos Aires and eschewing traditional routes of commercial exposure, helped them amass an intensely devoted, cult-like following of “ricoteros”. By the time they released their first EP with RCA in 1982, after a hiatus beginning in 1979, Los Redondos experienced a boom in FM radio play, including singles such as ‘Nene, nena’ and ‘Superlógico’.

Defying prevailing methods of publicity, Los Redondos’ fame stemmed largely from word of mouth, as news of their performances spread among fans rather than the media. Even the band’s first full-length album, 1985’s ‘Gulp’, was financed primarily from a share of the proceeds earned through live performances, frustrating producers looking to market Los Redondos more aggressively.

The band’s sound – dark and driving with intricate guitar and saxophone solos – captures the feverish spirit of the 1980s, from rock excess and new-wave euphoria to the culture of drugs and deep introspection. With lyrics examining everything from global politics to love and sexuality, Indio Solari’s sharp, raspy delivery tackled ideology from a philosophical, often metaphorical viewpoint.

With the release of Los Redondos’ second album, ‘Oktubre’, in 1986, their status in the Argentine rock world became undeniable. Featuring what is perhaps the band’s best-known song, “Jijiji” (listen below), ‘Oktubre’ is a conceptual take on the Russian Revolution of 1917, drawing parallels to the political tension and social strife of the late 20th century.

As Los Redondos soared to popularity, their independent scene gave way to teeming football stadiums and frenzied fans. After the death of a fan at a concert in 1991, Los Redondos wrote a song alluding to the incident, and the alleged role of the police in it, called “Blues in the Artillery”.

As they grew in mass appeal, the band increasingly found themselves the subject of conversations and comparisons that didn’t suit their approach to (or reasons for) making music. Fans and media, polarised between Los Redondos and Soda Stereo (the other premiere rock group in Argentina at the time), insisted on advancing the legend of a bitter rivalry between the bands, musically and commercially.

Ten years after Los Redondos’ break-up in 2001, Indio attempted to dispel this notion, acknowledging the talent of Soda Sterio’s Gustavo Cerati.

“I feel pain and shock about this, more often then people think,” Solari told culture magazine ‘La Garganta Poderosa’ in 2011. “Many people think about this famous rivalry that in my case did not exist, and I suspect it didn’t for [Cerati], either…I think he is one of the best musicians, the most prolific, hardworking, and meticulous in Argentine rock culture. I respect him because I try to do the same with my work.”

Though the band maintained its “word of mouth” marketing approach throughout the 1990s, the size of their following often led to venues exceeding capacity and, in one case, an intervention on behalf of the mayor of Olaverría in 1997.

“These quilombos do nothing but hasten the end of the band,” Solari said prior to another 1997 show in which violence erupted among the crowd.

While some of Los Redondos’ best records came in the 90s (the double album ‘Lobo suelto/Cordero atado’ and 1996’s ‘Luzbelito’), the band began to come apart near the start of the new millennium. Citing both artistic and proprietary differences between Skay and Indio, Los Redondos dissolved in 2001, paving the way for popular solo careers among several members of the band.

Today, Los Redondos remain one of the most widely celebrated and, deservedly so, classic bands in Argentine rock history. Between the powerful, existential pulse of the music and the band’s staunch refusal to be swept up in appearances, Los Redondos are a mainstay in Argentina’s musical culture.

Genre: Argentine Rock

Dates Active: 1976-2001

In their own words: “When you are permanently serving the necessity of opposition, you are dead, because you only react but you don’t create.”

Most famous song: “Jijiji”

Best Lyric: “Life without problems is to kill time, to fool.”

Famous for: Developing alternatives in Argentine rock and musicianship, as well as popularising the genre.

Best to listen to: in potentially epic situations.

Masscre performing (courtesy of Massacre FB)

Argentine rock band Massacre, originally formed under the name Massacre Palestina in 1985 and since then have racked up an impressive 12 albums and an array of live performances.

The band’s original members, Richard Serafini (vocals), Guillermo “Walas” Cidade (guitar), Francisco “Paco” Ruiz Fereyra (drums) and José “Topo” Armetta (bass), came together while they were still in high school.

Influenced by the sounds of North American rock bands the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag, they released a self-titled first album, ‘Massacre Palestina’, in 1987.

But these early years would see some significant changes: Serafini left the group and was replaced by “Walas” as lead singer, Pablo Mondelo joined the band to take his place on guitar, and in 1992 the band dropped Palestina from its name following a terrorist attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

The change in name represented a change in fortunes for the band, who that year signed a record deal with the label Tommy Gun Records/Warner. The emerging album ‘Sol Lucet Omnibus’, contained the hit song ‘Nuevo Día’ and opened many doors for the band, who went on to support artists such as The Chinese Dragons, Agnostic Front and The Ramones.

Between touring the country and playing in rock festivals, Massacre recorded their third album, ‘Galería Deseperanza’. Released in 1994, it grouped its songs in accordance with three concepts: perception, description and searching.

The following year, the band made an independent recording, ‘L’alma Occulta’, whilst in London, and one year later were back in the studio in Argentina recording their punk album ‘Juguetes Para Olvidar’ with producer Flavio Cianciarulo, from Fabulosos Cadillacs.

Following performances at Festival Alternativo, alongside international artists Cypress Hill, Marilyn Manson and Nick Cave, Massacre seemed unstoppable and a series of band member changes followed suit.

Federico “Fico” Piskorz joined the group as an acoustic guitarist, just as the group’s bass guitarist “Topo” left, and Luciano “Bochi” Facio, former bass player of Uaita, became the newest member.

With the new formation, ‘Aerial’ was recorded by Sum Records, and appeared in November 1998 featuring many guest musicians.

By 2000 the band had left Sum Records to create their own label, Laika Records, on which they would release an album of live recordings, rare and remixed versions and a few covers. But shortly after this transition came further changes to the make up of the band.

Drummer “Paco” was replaced by “Chachi” – another former member of Uaita who would not stay with them for long. Together they recorded a six songs album ‘Fue una suerte…’ but it was not until two years later, when Charly Carnota, the former drummer of RIP and Tintoreros, had already taken Chachi’s place, that the band would release another full length album.

The new recording, ‘12 Nuevas Patologías’, explored fears, phobias and denials, and was originally edited by their own label but later re-edited by PopArt. A live album also followed retrospectively combining 16 songs from performances at the beginning of their career.

Massacre made an appearance in the 2006 Spanish-Argentine movie ‘Cara de Queso’, directed by Ariel Winograd, who had already worked with them on the music videos for ‘Te Leo Al Revés’ and ‘Nuevo Día’. Their performance of Sergio Denis’ hit song ‘Te Quiero Tanto’ won them the 2007 Gardel Award in the soundtrack category.

The band’s 11th album, ‘El Mamut’, was voted the fourth best Argentine album in the top 50 records of 2007 by readers of the Rolling Stone magazine and was also nominated as a national album in Página 12 and the music magazine Los Inrockuptibles.

Still going strong, Massacre recorded their 12th album this year. Titled ‘Ringo’ in honour of a legendary Argentine boxer, it features 11 new songs including their most recent single ‘Tanto Amor’.

Genre: Hard-core punk and psychedelic rock

Dates Active: 1985-present

In their own words: “We were always trendy. In the 80s we were popular among the skaters. In the 90s we were hip with the indie rock scene, although we were always more dependent than independent. And currently we’re trendy because rock is considered cool nowadays.”

Most Famous Song: ‘Nuevo Día’

Best lyric: “To remember the truth from a sad day, to dig, to deepen, is the simplest way, to lighten, to fill with light, the cracks in my soul.”

Famous for: Being one of Argentina’s pioneering hard-core punk bands

Best to listen to: Whilst driving, or in loud bar

Pez in concert (Photo courtesy of Pez Facebook Page)

Pez is an old hat on the Argentine rock scene; they’ve been there and seen it all before, but they’re still playing almost 20 years later.

The band formed in 1993 when Ariel Minimal, a seasoned player in the Argentine counter-culture scene, joined up with Alejandro Alez and Pablo Barbieri, musicians he had played with at the end of the 80s. It started off as “hard experimental rock”, and in 1994 they began to make themselves known on the Buenos Aires scene. In October of the same year they released their first album, ‘Cabeza’.

Since then the band has used a revolving-door policy – new musicians have come and gone, and the band has fluctuated between the original trio and a five piece, adding instruments and dabbling in different genres.

These days the band is a quartet comprised of Minimal (the only original member left) on vocals and guitar, Gustavo Fósforo Garcia on bass guitar, Franco Salvador on drums and percussion and Leopoldo Pepo Limeres playing keyboard and organ.

As it is constantly changing, it’s rather difficult to put your finger on what the band’s sound is and, well, that seems to be just the way they like it.

From their experimental rock origins, they have tried some tango influences, adopted punk sounds and even given psychedelic rock a whirl; they don’t like to stand still.

“Over this long period of time we’ve shown that Pez is much more than just the sound of one album, our history has been forged over the course of all our albums,” Minimal explained to the music blog Rebvelados.

He goes on to say that, while AC/DC know exactly who they are and what they want to play “we don’t, so we’re always trying out new things.”

One thing you could say however, is that their music is unmistakably Argentine –part of the rock nacional scene – and Minimal’s lead vocals do provide a musical anchor in their eclectic back catalogue.

Minimal cites Frank Zappa and the recently deceased Argentine musician Luis Alberto Spinetta as two major musical influences, while his guitar hero is Queen’s Brian May. His vocals have a strained quality that won’t necessarily appeal to everybody but do fill the songs with the sort of energy and emotion you’d expect from such a music fanatic (he has been playing the guitar since he was nine).

Having released 12 studio albums over the course of 19 years, the band has a prolific work rate and pride themselves on having done it all independently, without the meddling influence of big record companies.

From the very beginning the band set up their own label, Azione Artigianale, which they used to edit and release their own music. Then, due to the popularity of the band, other musicians started recording with them too and Azione Artigianale became a music label with a twist. “It has no president or executives; no art director and no boss. It works as a surreal cooperative where every artist works to keep his own project alive,” the band said of their project. The ethos fits perfectly with a group that has organically evolved over time, embracing each new period in their history as long as they continue to enjoy the music.

“We honestly don’t know what it would have been like if we had worked with a big company, but this is the way we like doing it,” the band told Montevideo Magazine. “It’s always been like that, only working on what we like doing.”

As long as they keep thrilling crowds in Argentina, it looks like they’ll keep doing what they love for a while longer.

Genre: Rock nacional

Dates active: 1993–present

Famous for: Making the Buenos Aires underground rock scene popular across the country

In their own words: “We just like playing music”

Most famous song: ‘Para las Almas Sensibles’

Best lyric: “Our wasted bodies fall in love on the fields of the unconscious”

Best to listen to: When you wake up with long hair and leather trousers and have toast and mate for breakfast.