Botellita de Jeréz
Encyclopedia
Botellita de Jerez is a Mexican rock
band, formed in Mexico City
in 1982. Their music is a fusion of rock, cumbia
, and Mexican traditional music like mariachi
and son
, creating the genre called guacarrock (rock and guacamole
). The band was always distinguished by a festive and irreverent musical fusion, celebrating the culture of the nacos
and integrating sketches and albures in its lyrics and concerts. Its style, standard rock, was combined with satirical lyrics that portrayed urban life and popular culture in Mexico City.
In their song "Pinche Malinche", they coined the phrase Todo lo naco es chido (Everything tacky is cool), trying to re-vindicate the popular culture of the lower socio-economic classes. Botellita de Jerez pioneered a lot of trends from contemporary art
in Mexico
and the United States
, since it incorporated motifs from popular use, such as lucha libre
, popular dances and slang
, which are now commonly used among the upper classes as well.
The name of the band comes from a Mexican saying used as rebuttal in an argument: "Botellita de jerez, todo lo que me digas, será al revés", which literally means: "Bottle of sherry, all you say to me will be otherwise" However, the equivalent English idiom is: "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you."
One of their most notable songs is "Niña de mis ojos" included in the LP of the same name, which has been released on the albums "El Ultimo Guacarrock" and "Superespecial Un Plug".
The signature songs of Botellita de Jerez are "Guacarrock", "El Guaca Rock de la Malinche", "Alarmala de Tos" and "Oh Denny's".
entitled "Naco es Chido", detailing the aftermath of the band's fictional break-up and subsequent reunion (called "arrejunte"). All three members of the band star as themselves, along with interviews with various Mexican musicians and other personalities, including Carlos Monsivais
(shortly before his death) and writer Laura Esquivel
.
The film is a comedic homage to both the Botellita de Jerez act as well as it's multi-generational fandom, combining real interviews, news reports, edited music videos and actual footage from the band's early years to tell their quasi-fictional story.
It was released to an overwhelmingly limited run in selected Mexican theaters, being neglected by major distributors and later made available in DVD to the public in either bootlegs or the band's self produced copies.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, formed in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in 1982. Their music is a fusion of rock, cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, and Mexican traditional music like mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
and son
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or man in relation to his parents. The female analogue is a daughter.-Social issues regarding sons:In pre-industrial societies and some current countries with agriculture-based economies, a higher value was, and still is, assigned to sons rather than daughters,...
, creating the genre called guacarrock (rock and guacamole
Guacamole
Guacamole , is an avocado-based dip that originated in Mexico. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a molcajete with sea salt. Some recipes call for limited tomato, spicy Asian spices such as white onion, lime juice, and/or additional seasonings.-History:Guacamole was made by...
). The band was always distinguished by a festive and irreverent musical fusion, celebrating the culture of the nacos
Naco (slang)
Naco is a pejorative word often used in Mexican Spanish to describe the bad-mannered and poorly educated people of lower social classes. It is equivalent to 'white trash' in American English and culture...
and integrating sketches and albures in its lyrics and concerts. Its style, standard rock, was combined with satirical lyrics that portrayed urban life and popular culture in Mexico City.
In their song "Pinche Malinche", they coined the phrase Todo lo naco es chido (Everything tacky is cool), trying to re-vindicate the popular culture of the lower socio-economic classes. Botellita de Jerez pioneered a lot of trends from contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, since it incorporated motifs from popular use, such as lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
, popular dances and slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, which are now commonly used among the upper classes as well.
The name of the band comes from a Mexican saying used as rebuttal in an argument: "Botellita de jerez, todo lo que me digas, será al revés", which literally means: "Bottle of sherry, all you say to me will be otherwise" However, the equivalent English idiom is: "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you."
One of their most notable songs is "Niña de mis ojos" included in the LP of the same name, which has been released on the albums "El Ultimo Guacarrock" and "Superespecial Un Plug".
The signature songs of Botellita de Jerez are "Guacarrock", "El Guaca Rock de la Malinche", "Alarmala de Tos" and "Oh Denny's".
Feature film
In 2010, Sergio Arau (known as his stage name of Uyuyuy within the band) directed a mockumentaryMockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
entitled "Naco es Chido", detailing the aftermath of the band's fictional break-up and subsequent reunion (called "arrejunte"). All three members of the band star as themselves, along with interviews with various Mexican musicians and other personalities, including Carlos Monsivais
Carlos Monsiváis
Carlos Monsiváis Aceves was a Mexican writer, critic, political activist, and journalist. of French decent He also wrote political opinion columns in leading newspapers and was considered to be an opinion leader within the country's progressive sectors. His generation of writers includes Elena...
(shortly before his death) and writer Laura Esquivel
Laura Esquivel
Laura Esquivel is a Mexican author making a noted contribution to Latin-American literature. She was born the third of four children of Julio César Esquivel, a telegraph operator, and Josefa Valdés.-Literary career:...
.
The film is a comedic homage to both the Botellita de Jerez act as well as it's multi-generational fandom, combining real interviews, news reports, edited music videos and actual footage from the band's early years to tell their quasi-fictional story.
It was released to an overwhelmingly limited run in selected Mexican theaters, being neglected by major distributors and later made available in DVD to the public in either bootlegs or the band's self produced copies.
Works
- Botellita de Jerez (1984)
- La Venganza del Hijo del Guacarock (1985)
- Naco es Chido (1987)
- Niña de mis Ojos (1989)
- Busca Amor (1990)
- Todo lo que digas será al revés (1992)
- Forjando Patria (1994)
- Superespecial Un Plug (1996)
- El Último Guacarrock (1998)
- Estuche de peluche (1999)