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Day 23: Los Covers

Published February 23, 2010 Garage/Rock 2 Comments

Picked out a few cover songs that were original hits from 1969 to 1970. These 45’s used to be in my rotation quite a lot, but I haven’t given them the light of day lately. The songs always seemed to work well together and they more or less capture the sound of that era.

Cover songs from the Beatles, to Sugarloaf, to the more obscure cover by the psychedelic tex-mex group The Sir Douglas Quintet. Almost seems like bands down south never left one “top 40″ rock unturned. In fact, Los Johnny Jets hacked out a living doing rock-n-roll cover songs during their time. And they do it pretty well. The Jets really nail the Beatles “Get Back”, both lyrically and musically. Although even more obscure, The White Lines and Los Blue Angels equally do their renditions justice.

I’m brimming with rock 45 covers, so maybe I’ll explore this again by the end of the month. But for now…..Enjoy!

1. Los Johnny Jets: Ven Ya

2. The White Lines de Paco Sanchez: La Dama De Ojos Verdes

3. Los Blue Angels: Donde Esta Mendocino

Day 20: Los Rockanroleros

Published February 20, 2010 Garage/Rock 5 Comments

You have to wonder what the people of conservative 70’s Latin American thought of hard rock music. Latin Americans tend to hold on to their traditions a bit more tightly than others. So what would have been the social or political implications of this music, if any? And I say political because these weren’t the most stable times in Peru (Conjunto El Opio) or Mexico (Yndio, Dug Dug’s). I might be stretching here, but I am really reminded of an Eastern European approach to rock music. Almost like a naive approach to what rock music symbolizes. You know, rebellion, freedom, drugs, pissing your parents off. Anyway, I’m running out of time again. METAL!!!

1. Yndio: Mama Gorda

2. Dug Dug’s: Al Diablo

3. Conjunto El Opio: Pusher

4. Conjunto El Opio: Dejame Solo

5. Conjunto El Opio: Piratas En La Titicaca

Day 13: Los Orientales De Paramonga

Published February 13, 2010 Cumbia , Garage/Rock 2 Comments

Kind of had no time this weekend, sorry folks. But I did get a request via email from someone in Peru for the Peruvian Los Orientales. I have a few records with this Chicha outfit, so maybe I’ll elaborate more some other day. But for now…..Enjoy!

1. Los Orientales De Paramonga: Lobos Al Escape

Day 11: Lowrider Soul

Published February 11, 2010 Garage/Rock , Latin Funk/Soul 3 Comments

I’m not sure if Ruly Garcia and Rulie Garcia are actually the same person. To make things even more confusing, Rulie Garcia is none other than East L.A. Chicano superstar Johnny Chingas. And for the life of me I couldn’t track down my Brown Brothers Of Soul 45 “Cholo“, which I desperately tried to find to stick into this post. Oh yeah, the Brown Brothers Of Soul is Johnny Chingas. So let me clarify a few things. The Brown Brothers Of Soul is Johnny Chingas, who is Rulie Garcia, who actually might be Ruly Garcia. Are you guys following me so far? But what’s in name anyway? My homeboy Ambrosio who is from Mexico must have like 6 different social security numbers and like 6 different names. I guess sometimes its just better to roll with all sorts allias’ whilst living in California.

1. Ruly Garcia y Su Conjunto: Sol Latino

2. Rulie Garcia And The East L.A. Congregation: Que Pasa (What’s Happening)

Day 3: El Costa Azul de Rigo Tovar

Published February 3, 2010 Cumbia , Garage/Rock 1 Comment

Two great instrumentals from Rigo Tovar’s backing band El Costa Azul (the blue coast), the originators of the cumbia/tropical movement in Mexico. The first pioneers to fuse traditional Mexican, baladas, and cumbia with synthesizers, guitars, and rock melodies. Not as hard-hitting as their Colombian counterparts, but Rigo Tovar’s sound continues to influence countless artists in Mexico to this day. These two tracks sound more like Cumbia Peruana.

El Costa Azul would go through many incarnations throughout the 70’s, but the main focus of the band would always be Rigo, who has been called the Elvis Presley of Mexico. Here is the best way to explain Rigo Tovar: he was born in Matamoros Mexico, he was born with sunglasses on his face, and would sell more tickets than the Pope himself (he actually broke an attendance record by the Pope). Enjoy!!! (Veracruz track skips sorry)

1. El Costa Azul De Rigo Tovar: Palmeras

2. Costa Azul: Verano En Veracruz

Los Pasteles Verdes

Published January 18, 2010 Boleros y Baladas , Garage/Rock 3 Comments

I read somewhere that Víctor Hugo Acuña heard a song from The Doors and in turn created the ballad rock group Los Pasteles Verdes (The Green Pastels) in the early 70’s. Founded by both guitarist Victor and his keyboardist brother Cesar Acuña from the industrial fishing port of Chimbote, Peru. Even their web-bio indicates that they were moved by a number of American, British to South American acts. From British invasion bands like The Beatles to The Rolling Stones, Chilean ballad rock from Los Ángeles Negros to Los Iracundos, and Peruvian nationals like Los Destellos to Los Shains. But even with the plethora of influences aside, Los Pasteles Verdes have created one the most unique low-tempo sleepy psyche sound I’ve ever heard. Highly popular in Mexico (they would eventually move there), where this signature sleepy-balada sound was immensely copied as well. Enjoy!

1. Los Pasteles Verdes: Esclavo Y Amo

2. Los Pasteles Verdes: No Te Das Cuenta

3. Los Pasteles Verdes: Recuerdos De Una Noche

4. Los Pasteles Verdes: Baby

Manny Perez: El Chamaco Moderno

Published January 3, 2010 Garage/Rock 8 Comments

When you cross-over Mexican norteño/ranchera music with a pop/rock sound, you might run the risk of alienating your more accustomed audience. However, I don’t think Manny Perez y Los Cachiros had that problem. Even with their straight forward rock break-beat, Perez stays true his corridos roots and avoids the psuedo-sophistication of Mexican pop music of early 70’s Mexico.

As indicated in earlier posts musica Norteño, ranchera, and corridos are just as much about the lyrics as they are about the sound. From stories of everyday people, to the working class, to tales about the anti-hero. Take for example the song “chica bancaria“ (girl who works in a bank), a ballad about falling in love with the beautiful girls that work in a bank. The song is a bit kitschy, but I sense more a ballad of the outsider looking in. Or even an admiration for something more sophisticated, the new class of working women, or possibly a comment on the nature of modernity in 70’s Mexico. Which itself is a reflection of his music. Maybe I’m grasping. Anyway, I don’t really want to delve into the effects of modern culture on traditional Mexico. I think Manny is most comfortable in his patio, sitting next to his propane tank, with his big work boots and fucked up side burns.

I couldn’t find much else about this band except that they hail from Leon, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Also, I threw in the more Banda sounding La Pulmonia (Pneumonia) to round out his melodies for good measure. ¡Gózalo!

1. Manni Perez: El Chamaco Moderno

2. Manny Perez: Mi Ritmo Pop

3. Manny Perez: Soledad

4. Manny Perez: La Pulmonia

5. Manny Perez: Chica Bancaria

6. Manny Perez: Susan

Los Covers Españoles

Published November 15, 2009 Garage/Rock 2 Comments

I wanted to drop a dope track for you guys before I go on my little exodus. Just the other day I ran into this 45 and thought it would be an appropriate thing to play since I’ve been looking into cover songs recently. And lately I have been really digging 70’s Gypsy/Flamenco rock from Spain. So when I heard the popular Spanish song “Te estoy amando locamente” (I am loving you crazily) from the Puerto Rican singer/actress Nydia Caro, I knew it was destiny and I had to put this thing up.

Some of my prior posts focused on the phenomenon of Latin American covers of English language tracks. One can find a plethora of Latin bands covering songs from the British Invasion, to James Brown, to even more obscure rock, soul and funk. However, one tends to forget that Latin America also has a pulse on what is going on musically from their brothers and sisters in the Iberian Peninsula. Take for example the US/Puerto Rican Nydia Caro who lived in Spain in the early to mid 70’s, had collaborated with the super popular Julio Iglesias, and had even married a Spanish music producer. So it would come as no surprise that she would do her own rendition of the female Spanish group Las Grecas’ 1974 #1 hit song. Enjoy!

See you guys in a couple weeks!

1. Nydia Caro: Te Estoy Amando Locamente

Manzanita: El Jardinero

Published October 18, 2009 Cumbia , Garage/Rock 3 Comments

Friday and Sunday nights are good nights for me to drop some posts. The more I write = the less work I’ve had and less binge drinking I’ve done all week. But this week’s laziness can be attributed to a horrible cold I’ve had. I hope it’s not the Al Pastor Flu. God have mercy on my soul.

El Jardinero (the gardener) comes from one of my favorite peruvian guitar slingers Manzanita y su Conjunto. I’m sure I’ll do a post on this guy in the future. Big shout out to my Latin soul brother Dj Joe Quixx, he’s been requesting this one every time I see him. And who wouldn’t? The song is incredible. A bit on the sluggish side, but so am I.

1. Manzanita: El Jardinero

Los Six: Sicodélico Venezolano

Published September 15, 2009 Garage/Rock 5 Comments

Thanks Alejandro for your prior post on The Speakers. I totally appreciate it. Since we were on the South American psyche/rock tip I thought I’d throw in a couple tunes from the very few records I own in this genre. This is a compilation record of Venezuelan rock bands, but I’m only concentrating on the group Los Six, even though this entire album is pretty amazing. I actually found some info on the band from a visual gallery of prog and psyche records (progvinyl.com). Looks like these two songs are taken from their debut self titled album from 1968. Other than that, when I googled “Los Six” all I came up with was “Los Six Pistols” and “Los Six Flags Amusement Park”. The music is a lot more sugar coated than The Speakers, but I’m really digging the Rubber Soul/Revolver-esque sounds these guys put out.

1. Los Six: Voy Chica

2. Los Six: Dr. Banard

The Speakers – Colombian Psyche 1968‏

Published September 15, 2009 Garage/Rock 1 Comment

speakers

Thanks to Super Sonido for inviting me to introduce a band and an album that means a great deal. The 5^th LP by Colombian band “The Speakers” finds them standing at a crossroads: it is here where they leave behind their beat and mod roots and fully embrace brain-frying psychodelia. Legend has it that they cut a deal with the recording studio “Ingeson” (short for Ingenieria de sonido or Sound Engineering) where they would be allowed to use the place after hours for free in exchange for a prominent appearance of the studio name in the album. The Ingeson people must have been thrilled when hearing that the band would actually call the record “En el Maravilloso Mundo de Ingeson” (or “In the Wonderful World of Ingeson”). From the name to the contents, the album is a pure studio creation full of excess, creativity, experimentation and also to be fair, some misguided self-indulgence. Fueled by the open gates of studio time the band launched into exploring any available sound and technology creating a kaleidoscopic collage of noises and loops with a sound close in nature to “Satanic Majesty’s” era Stones or “Odessey and Oracle” era Zombies. The free reins allowed for a few bad moments but the overall results still stand out as something unique and even unthinkable in the very conservative world of Colombian record producing of the time. It is almost unthinkable that such a record would be released and maybe that’s the reason why rumor has it that it only sold a few hundred copies. The original artwork included a placebo acid drop, which pretty much sums it all up…

1. The Speakers: Si La Guerra Es Un Buen Negocio Invierte a Tus Hijos

2. The Speakers: Un Sueño Magico

To introduce the record here are two great tracks “SI la Guerra Es Buen Negocio Invierte a Tus Hijos” and “Un Sueño Magico”

I invite you to stop by my Blog La Colmena de Humofor more great music. I hope to be introducing very soon something by other colombian heroes La Banda Nueva…

Alejandro

Discos Musart: Pan-American Beats

Published August 31, 2009 Boleros y Baladas , Boogaloo , Cumbia , Garage/Rock , Latin Roots 6 Comments

I’m anticipating a busy September so I thought I’d toss up a bunch of music while time was on my side. Discos Musart is a label from Mexico and I kind of scrapped together 10 little gems for you people. The great part of Musart was not only their home grown acts but they would also license music from various other Latin American labels and different Latin American countries. They really ran the gamut of genres. From cumbia, boleros, rancheros, to surf rock. The records themselves were often printed in Mexico, Los Angeles, and Hialeah Florida. Thus, the Pan-Americanism. Good friend and Mexican dj Sonido Apokalitzin reissued a few compilation CD’s for Musart about 2-3 years ago. Unfortunately you could only buy those CD’s in Mexico (I have one of them). Seems like he went through their vaults and picked out some really funky numbers. I hope my 45’s stack up.

1. Memo Salamanca: Barranquillerita

2. Nelson Pinedo: Botecito De Vela

3. Los Gibson Boys de Xavier Reyes: Camisa De Fuerza

4. Ramiro Lopez con Conj Barranqueños: Cataclismo

5. Alfredo Gutiérrez: Cumbia

6. Eulogio Molina: Cumbia Morena

7. Carlos Campos y su Orquesta: Guajira Con Boogaloo

8. Emilio Dominguez: Marinero De Agua Dulce

9. Manolo Muñoz: Seremos Felices

10. Alberto Vazquez: Vamos A Bailar

Los Yorks

Published August 18, 2009 Garage/Rock 2 Comments

1. Los Yorks: Solo Estoy

Oscar Medina was kind enough to send me this one via email. I have only one Los Yorks record, and it aint got this dope track. Sounds like the Monkee’s “Stepping Stone”. Cool ass song. Los Yorks are from Peru. They’re a pretty awesome Peruvian garage band. Word!

Disco Quebrado

Published August 17, 2009 Boleros y Baladas , Garage/Rock 2 Comments

1. Los Yaki: Cenizas

This one I recorded for Dj Lengua for sampling purposes. I like recording obscure breaks and beats for friends. Also, I have the illusion that someday I’ll do something with it, but I end up just lying to myself. Nevertheless, I like this tune a lot, I like Los Yaki. In fact, I intended to keep this little gem until I broke it in half taking it out of the 45 spindle. Luckily I recorded the whole song instead of just the intro part. Anyway, the heartbreak song Cenizas (ashes) can’t explain or reflect more how I feel when I lose something I like. Not going to explain Los Yaki, off to bed. Enjoy!

Los Casmeños

Published July 12, 2009 Boogaloo , Cumbia , Garage/Rock 1 Comment

1. Los Casmeños: Boogaloo

2. Los Casmeños: Casma

Don’t know too much about these dudes except for the fact that Enrique Delgado happened to have written some of the songs. I’m not even certain if he plays guitar on this album. The person who sold it to me indicated that it was pre-Los Destellos (peep my prior post about them). But from the look and sound of the record, it would be safe to say that it was produced around the same time. Casmeño is a person from the Casma region of Peru. Tried searching for more info on this band, but nothing else turned up. Looks like this is there only one on the super rare Futuro label.

Los Destellos

Published June 28, 2009 Boogaloo , Cumbia , Descarga , Garage/Rock 10 Comments

1. Los Destellos: Descarga Electrica

Under the direction of lead guitarist Enrique Delgado, Los Destellos (the sparkles, like a star) are pretty much known as the founders of Cumbia Peruana circa 1966. Now I am pretty sceptical about using the word chicha to define their genre of music. I feel that chicha is more associated with 70’s and 80’s transient Andean cumbia, a music that is probably rooted more in Amerindian sounds, beliefs and the harshness of the Amerindian experience (hardship, displacement, lament). Whether they influenced the chicha movement later on or became part of it by default, I’m not 100% sure. However, Los Destellos appear to be more part of the Lima Mestizo culture (mixture of Indian/Spanish blood). And can be reflected in the way which their sounds fuse Latin boogaloo, psychedelic rock, soul, Colombian cumbia, tropical and indigenous music in a whole host of ways.

2. Los Destellos: Cumbia Morena

3. Los Destellos: Boogaloo De Los Destellos

Charangos(Andean mandolins), requintos, and guitars are a huge part of Peruvian musical culture. Tavern life is filled with them supposedly. So any transition to a modern sound would probably have been seem-less for a group like the guitar laden Destellos. And Peruvian music at this time seems to really embrace the electric guitar. The Cumbia Morenais a great example of them playing a traditional Colombian cumbia with this more electric sound. Whereas, the Boogaloo De Los Destellos almost sounds like a Latin version of the American psychedelic rock band The Byrds. With an electric 12 string and the highly melodic guitar playing, it reminded me instantly of Roger Mcguinn’s style.

4. Los Destellos: Me Resignare

The albums I’m posting are in order by catalogue number. I have a few other LP’s that should be in this group, but I have seemed to have misplaced them. Maybe I’ll amend this post if I ever find them. But for the most part this is pretty good discography and I am trying to run the entire gamut of sounds Los Detellos produced. On a side note I know that from looking at some of the musicians in the band that they show up in other groups on the Odeon/Iempsa label. The dude playing the bongos is in Los Orientales De Paramonga. Perhaps they were session musicians at the time.

5. Los Destellos: Carnaval De Arequipa

6. Los Destellos: Boogaloo Del Perro

Arequipa is a the second largest city in Peru and is way up in the Andean Mountains. This song is a pretty traditional number. You’re probably more likely to hear this tune being played by Andean pan-pipe and poncho musicians. Definitely on the chicha tip this one.

7. Los Destellos: Noche De Garua

Garuais the dry winds that hit the lower western slopes of the Andes creating a low-level of cloud. Within the Andes Mountains the garua blocks out the sun for the cooler six months of the year, and there is almost no rainfall during this period. With the title, this instrumental song sounds almost like something the Ventures would do. Surf/garage music was pretty big in Peru in the early 60’s. Groups like Los Saicos, Los Shains, Los Yorks, Los Doltons are to name a few.

8. Los Destellos: El Pacifico

9. Los Destellos: El Electrico

10: Los Destellos: La Cumbia Del Sol

11. Los Destellos: Tu Donde Estas

Hands down my all time favorite record of Los Destellos. In fact, I like it so much I began to eat to lower right hand corner of the album cover. Peep the break beat ballad Tu Donde Estas (where are you?), it’s a hip-hop track waiting to be copped.

12. Los Destellos: Constelacion

13. Los Destellos: Pachanga Espanola

I probably have 3 more Los Destellos records, but like always, their later stuff just isn’t as good. Apparently Los Destellos had a resurgence of popularity in the 80’s that lasted until Enrique Delgado died in the early 90’s. The band still performs today, but I believe it’s the widowed wife of Enrique who runs the band now. If I find any more records of theirs, I’ll amend the post. Also, thanks to all the Japanese viewers as of late who have been vibing this site. Word!

Carlos Canzani y La Nueva Canción

Published June 26, 2009 Boleros y Baladas , Garage/Rock Leave a Comment

1. Carlos Canzani: Aguaragua

2. Carlos Canzani: Parana

I don’t know about your town, but it seems that the San Francisco Bay Area has been sprouting up with all sorts of indie-folk, alt-folk, and freak-folk bands over the last 10 years. The popularity of this genre tends to ebb and flow with the uncertainty of an era and the overall reflections of it’s time and space. Look back to 1960’s South America and we can find a similar uncertianty of that epoch. Poverty, political anxiety, and an overall distrust in government are key themes that helped foster the folk music movement called the Nueva Canción (new song) in places like Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Pretty amazing and obscure stuff from the Uruguayan Carlos Canzani, who later played with the popular Chilean prog/folk group Los Jaivas. The 1974 recording of Aguaragua is probably a little bit more on the experimental side than the political Nueva Canción movement. Or maybe his lyrics just aren’t as overt on the topics of poverty, human rights, and imperialism as his peers were. Either-way, Canzani was exiled to Argentina and finally France just like most artists from that movement, some of whom met an even darker fate.

British folk influences like Nick Drake/Cat Stevens and Brazilian Tropicália are evident throughout this record. Paraná is a state/province and river in Brazil. And if I had to guess, aguaragua is a nonsensical word. Basically he’s stating in the song that no one can tell him what he can or cannot say, even if it makes no sense. Carlos Canzani is still alive today and still retains a certain global popularity. If you can find it, highly recommended record. Well made LP from start to finish.

Los Souls: The Carlos Santana Effect

Published June 19, 2009 Garage/Rock , Queso 3 Comments

1. Los Souls: Oye Como Va

I ran into this LP today and to be quite frank with you people, I fucking hate this song. In fact, I was going to choose another tune off this album but I had a change of heart. The reason being that one can’t deny Santana’s Latin rock cover crossover version of Oye Como Va (listen, hey what’s up?) had a pretty big impact on thousands of crappy bands south of the border. I can’t tell you how many albums I have that shamefully try to sound like the San Francisco based Latin hippie rock group. But to be honest with you I love crossover music, so given that, I have tons of respect. Purchased this one in Mexico City a while back.

Los Souls played in small clubs and Hotels in Mexico City’s Zona Rosa (red light district) throughout the 70’s. Some members went on to start a prog rock group, some became taxi drivers, one became a principle of an elementary school, and the drummer died in a plane crash (cause that what happens to all rock drummers). Actually I’m totally lying to you. I have no idea what this band is all about but I have the feeling I’m not far from the truth.

El Ultimo Adiós

Published May 18, 2009 Boleros y Baladas , Boogaloo , Garage/Rock , Latin Funk/Soul , Latin Roots , Salsa 2 Comments

Possibly one of the best indicators of a economic recession is when I start selling records on ebay. Wall Street should use that as an economic barometer of some sorts. Anyway, it was around November when I first drafted this post, business was slow, I was bored, and I had an urge to unload some wax. I tend to slang vinyl when I start thinking I have way too many records or when I am just not that into the music (I usually end up with sellers remorse). Nevertheless, I just so happened to record some of the 45’s that I sold, songs which I was luke-warm with at the time. And the 45’s in this post are a sample of such.

Its a real mixed bag in terms of genres. From Mexican ska, cha-cha, garage, son, salsa ect. ect. I won’t get into much detail about each band, but I’ll let you guys decide if I made a good choice or not. Please note, that at the time, I scanned the images so small that I am now unable to read them or know some of the artist’s names. Damn I am full of regret today.

1. Locos Del Ritmo: Donde Vas

2. Hermanos Carrion: Con Golondrinas

3. Los Johnny Jets: Dracula A Go Go

4. Desconocido (Los Yonicos?): Guapachosa

5. Toño Quirazco: La Familia

6. Johnny Zamot Y Su Orquesta: Oye Nicola

7. Memo Salamanca: Oye Rumbito

8. Desconocido (Can’t read the name): Viva Tirado

Banda Macho: Los Covers

Published April 27, 2009 Garage/Rock , Latin Funk/Soul Leave a Comment

1. Banda Macho: Tiburon

I tend to get a lot of questions whenever I play Spanish versions of American songs in the clubs. People find it funny and I have to admit there is a certain kitsch value to it.

However, for Banda Macho I guess it was no laughing matter. They pretty much made a living pumping out tunes that belong to their neighbors to the North. I have 4 of their LP’s and they are all cover albums. For some reason it is a subject that I am interested in, especially how Latin Americans interpret musical genres of American culture. And I am certain I will explore more of this in the future.

Banda Macho hails from Monterrey Mexico and are still around from what I have read. The song Tiburon (Shark) draws from both the popularity of the movie Jaws and Jimmy Castor’s song “Supersound” (sans the 1 minute break at the end).

Mi Cacharrito

Published March 29, 2008 Boogaloo , Garage/Rock 2 Comments

1. Manolo Muñoz: Mi Cacharrito

The song is a rendition of country singer/songwriter J.D. Loudermilk’s “Road Hog“. Performed by actor/musician Manuel Muñoz, El Esqueleto (The Little Skeleton). “Mi Cacharrito” (my little car) is basically a story about a guy who needs to get his car repaired so he can go pick up some girls.

Now Manuel Muñoz is considered by many as the godfather of Mexican Rock & Roll. From the late fifties he was cranking out tons of rock & roll cover songs until the end of his carear as a ballad/mariachi singer. I guess that’s where Mexican pop singers go when they’re through being popular, they become Mariachi singers. He also appears in numerous Mexican movies (he reminds me of the Mexican version of Jerry Lewis for some reason or another). Anyway, this is probably one of my favorite cover songs he did. Short and sweet with a garage rock feel to it.

2. Roberto Carlos: Mi Cacharrito

Another great version. Both songs seem to be emulating the sound of a car traveling with the rhythm of the music. And even though Brazilian singer/actor Roberto Carlos’s tune is a bit different than Manolo’s, both do share a slightly similar career.

The one legged (he wears a prosthesis) Roberto Carlo also started as a Brazilian pop rock & roll singer/actor and is considered by many as O Rei (the king) of that genre. He also is known for his romantic ballads now that he’s in the twilight of his musical career. Please not that it is common that Brazilian musicians sing in Spanish and even English (i.e. Nelson Ned, Caetano Velso, ect. ect.), maybe to obtain a larger listening audience.

“There exisits 1000 women who want to go out with me, but it is only becuase of my car”

Los Zheros

Published March 26, 2008 Cumbia , Descarga , Garage/Rock 4 Comments

1. Los Zheros: Descarga De Los Zheros

I could’nt find any info on Los Zheros (the zeros) or it’s members. I searched the inter-net, other audio blogs, even Peruvian message boards. Not one scrap of information besides the liner notes. Maybe it is an indication of how short lived the band was? Or maybe it’s just the shroud of mystery that is part of Los Zheros’ legacy?

As indicated on the back, guitarist and vocalist Chocho Alvan seems to be the band leader accompanied by his two brothers and three other band mates. Their ages range from 16 to 22 at the time this debut album was made.

There seems to be an emphasis on their academic professions and the school each member is attending. Maybe this record was a youth project of some sort? Anyway, definitely one of my favorite records from Peru. ”Cuarto Oscuro” (dark room) is a total crossbreed of cumbia, garage/rock, and descarga all done in the distinct guitar heavy Peruvian style. The rough edged quality of these songs makes for an overall awesome sound. I could care less if these guys were 16 or 60.

Super Sonido