Charly García
Encyclopedia
Charly García is a singer-songwriter, pianist and keyboardist from Argentina
with a long career in rock music, forming successful groups such as Sui Generis
and Serú Girán
, cult status groups like La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
, and as a solo musician.
Charly began to show musical talent at an early age. At three, he received a toy piano as a gift, and soon he surprised his mother with his ability to compose and play coherent melodies, leading her to enlist him in a prestigious conservatory
, the Thibaud Piazzini. At age twelve, he graduated as a Music Professor. Charly developed absolute pitch
as a child.
, he would describe the Beatles as "classical music from Mars". In high school he met Carlos Alberto "Nito" Mestre
and the two fused their bands to give birth to Sui Generis
.
The band at first experimented with psychedelic rock
, but its style would quickly establish as folk-rock with some little influence from the symphonic rock
of the day. At their first big gig
, the band's bassist, guitarist and drummer all failed to appear. Only Charlie (García spelled his name with "ie" back then) and Nito showed up, playing piano
and flute
respectively. They were forced to play on their own, and were a hit with the audience despite the other musicians' absence. The band's strength lay in the songs' musical simplicity and romantic lyrics, which appealed widely to teenagers.
In 1972, Sui Generis released its first LP
, Vida
, which quickly became popular among Argentine teenagers. Confesiones de invierno ("Winter Confessions"), their second LP, was released in 1973. This album showcased higher production values and better studio equipment, and was very successful commercially.
1974 was a year of changes. Charlie lost interest in "the piano and flute" sound that Sui Generis had been developing, and decided that Sui Generis needed a change; the band would evolve to a more traditional rock sound, incorporating bass
and drums
. To that end, Rinaldo Rafanelli and Juan Rodríguez joined the band. In many live shows, Sui Generis also counted in with a gifted guitar player, David Lebón, whom Charly admired very much.
With new lining and style, the band was ready to launch its new album. Originally titled Instituciones, its name was changed to Pequeñas anécdotas de las instituciones at the producer's suggestion. The album was intended as a reflection on the unstable nature of Argentine social and political institutions at the time. Charlie's initial concept was to write a song for every traditional institution: the Roman Catholic Church
, the government, the family, the judicial system, the police, the army, and so on. However, two songs, "Juan Represión", about the police, and "Botas locas", about the army, were eliminated from the album by the censors. Two more, which referred to censorship itself, had to be partially modified. While Sui Generis achieved a different, more mature sound with Instituciones, its public did not embrace it, preferring the old one. The album sold poorly.
Around this time Charlie met his future wife, María Rosa Yorio, a singer who became the mother of his first son, Miguel García.
Charly García continued composing, and during 1975, he prepared what would be Sui Generis's fourth album, Ha sido ("Has Been"), or a play on the word ácido, acid. However, growing frictions between Charly and Nito and a wearying public prevented the album's release, and the decision was made to dissolve the band. Many songs from that ill-fated album were later included in other García's LPs, such as Bubulina (1976) and Eiti Leda (1978).
In 1976, Sui Generis also recorded a long player with Argentine musicians León Gieco
, Raúl Porchetto
, and María Rosa Yorio. The LP was called "Porsuigieco" (mix of Raúl PORchetto, SUI Generis, León GIECO).
After Sui Generis, certain things changed in Charly's life. From now on, he would be Charly instead of Charlie. Right after his son's birth, he broke up with María Rosa Yorio, who left with Nito Mestre. Charly met Marisa Pederneiras (nicknamed "Zoca"), who was from Brazil, and they became lovers.
Charly continued working on musical projects. He now wanted to form a symphonic rock
band. With Gustavo Bazterrica (guitar), Carlos Cutaia (keyboards), José Luis Fernández (bass guitar and cello
), Oscar Moro
(drums) and Charly García (keyboards and voice), "La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros" ("The bird-making machine") was born. Clarín, the most widely-read newspaper in Argentina, carried a comic strip called "El Sr. García y la máquina de hacer pájaros" ("Mr. García and the bird making machine") by Crist. Liking the name, Charly chose it for the band — not for egotistical motives, as it may seem.
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
recorded two albums: La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros (1976) and Películas ("Movies", 1977). Some of the songs on "Movies" contained a political message directed against the military government of those years, during which Jorge Rafael Videla
was the president of Argentina. At that time, repression, disappearances and censorship reached new heights. Perhaps as a result of the ambitious and complicated nature of its musical project, the band did not achieve popularity.
Finally, in that year, the band said goodbye during the "Festival del amor" ("Festival of Love"), which was recorded, and released three years later on the LP Música del alma ("Music of the soul"). After the concert, Charly went to a hotel with Zoca. There they made a decision to escape to São Paulo
, Brazil.
, Charly met Zoca's parents. The Pederneiras being a family of artists, they were fascinated with Charly. Artistically speaking, García was influenced by certain Brazilian artists, notably Milton Nascimento
. Despite Sui Generis' commercial successes, Charly was destitute. In 1978, he lived a nature-centered lifestyle with Zoca in Brazil, fishing and gathering fruit. Soon David Lebón, an Argentine musician and a friend of Sui Generis, joined them. Having a new musical partner, Charly again played, and the seed of a new musical project was planted. Charly was now determined to form a new band, but he was still broke. Making his way back to Buenos Aires
, he began a new search for bandmates.
Charly needed a bass player and a drummer, and he found both when he saw a band called Pastoral play. There he recruited a talented 19-year-old bass player, Pedro Aznar
, as well his old partner from La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros, drummer Oscar Moro. The new band comprised Charly García on keyboards, guitar and voice, David Lebón on guitar, percussion and voice, Pedro Aznar on bass, keyboards and voice, and Oscar Moro on drums. Charly and David were the main songwriters.
Charly now had a complete band, but still lacked money. At this point Charly signed a contract with a production group, although the terms of this deal were not advantageous to Charly. He did raise enough money to return to São Paulo with his new bandmates and record their first album. The band chose the name Serú Girán
. "Serú Girán" was a combination of meaningless words Charly had invented as part of an eponymous nonsense song he wrote in São Paulo. The other band members liked the name so much that they also called their first album Serú Girán, featuring the song "Serú Girán".
The band returned to Buenos Aires with great expectations for García's new project. Their first show, in the traditional Arena Obras Sanitarias
, was again advertised as "Charly García... and Serú Girán", due to contractual reasons. Thereafter, however, the name "Charly García" would no longer appear in the advertising — the band would simply go by Serú Girán. That first show was poorly received, the public having expected a new incarnation of Sui Generis. Serú Girán was completely different. The band had a new sound in which Aznar's fretless bass guitar was a key component, and a striking aesthetic with lyrics full of poetry. Puzzled audiences requested Sui Generis' old songs. In 1978, disco music was fashionable in Argentina. As a joke, Serú Girán played a song called Disco Shock, angering the public, whose rejection marred the show.
The following day, the "specialized" press called Serú Girán the worst band in Argentina and charged that David Lebón's vocals on their songs sounded "homosexual". The band's relationship with the media was not cordial. One number of a popular Argentine magazine called Gente carried a disparaging article titled "Charly García: ¿Ídolo o qué?" ("Idol or what?"). Despite the chilly reception, Serú Girán's members were convinced they had a good project and persisted, organizing more shows. They eventually garnered some acceptance from an audience that warmed up to their style.
Serú Girán carried on during 1979 and evolved markedly. Their new LP was titled La grasa de las capitales ("Grease", or "Fat", "of the Capitals") and its cover was a joke directed at the magazine Gente. The stronger and more direct nature of the lyrics, which criticized the media, including specifically magazines (especially Gente), fashionable music, radio and so on almost got them sent to jail. The public, however, gave the album an enthusiastic reception. The band's shows improved progressively, and eventually were performed in larger venues. The "specialized" press changed its tune, and a romance seemed to develop between the people and Serú Girán.
Expectations were high in 1980 for Serú Girán's new long play, which would be called Bicicleta ("Bicycle") -- a name that Charly had favored for the band (but was panned by the other members). The band sounded more mature on this record. The music was modern and strong, a key feature being the melodies. The role of the bass guitar was again central, and Pedro Aznar's work became more prominent.
In 1979, Charly almost went to jail because of the band's lyrics, considered too clear and direct in some quarters. Even as the music's political message became stronger, it was concealed in an effort to avoid censorship and another close call with the authorities. But the message remained, ready to be heard by ears that wanted to hear it. "Canción de Alicia en el país" ("Song of Alice in the (Wonder) Land") drew an uncanny analogy between Lewis Carroll
's story and the Argentine military government. "Encuentro con el diablo" ("Meeting with the Devil") is a reference to the band's meeting with Albano Harguindeguy
, who was frequently referred to, behind his back, as the "Devil". A military man, he was Security Minister during those years. He gave talks to some artists, ordering them to tone down their work or leave the country — a policy that led many artists to leave Argentina at that time.
Eventually, the band was very commercially successful; fans found its shows amazing and considered Serú Girán's music Charly's best ever. Serú Girán was dubbed "The Argentine Beatles", and Charly began to receive recognition as a great artist. Serú Girán was the first popular rock band that drew a following from among both the rich and the poor; rock was no longer circumscribed to its historically marginal position. In a recent interview, David Lebón said, "Actually we were much more like Procul Harum than the Beatles, a legendary band: a rock "viola" (slang for guitar) player (Lebón), a classical pianist (García) an infernal percussionist (Moro) and a virtuoso bass player (Aznar)".
Luis Alberto Spinetta was another Argentine rock star of the time. His first band, Almendra, was one of the first in Argentine rock, getting its start before Sui Generis; now he had a band called Spinetta Jade. Perhaps because his style was darker, more complicated, and found harder to understand by many, he was a less popular star than Charly, and they were portrayed as enemies. Luis and Charly put that myth to bed on September 13, 1980, as their bands, Serú Girán and Spinetta Jade, played together in what has been considered one of the greatest shows in the history of Argentine rock.
Patricia Perea, a journalist who worked for a magazine called El Expreso Imaginario ("Imaginary Express"), was not among the fans of Serú Girán. The magazine disliked them and criticized them strongly after they played in Córdoba
, Perea's hometown. Serú Girán took revenge on Ms. Perea through their fourth LP: Peperina, directed at her, featuring a song about her which was also called "Peperina". In Córdoba Province, the traditional Argentine infusion yerba mate
is mixed with the herb "menta peperina" (Bystropogon mollis, similar to peppermint
), which is also used as a tea. Followers of the band considered Peperina a fantastic album with great melodies, superb performance from Aznar, and the songs—which are critical, especially of high society—poetic. Peperina can be viewed as a summary of Serú Girán's work.
One of the songs on Peperina is titled "Llorando en el espejo" ("Crying in the mirror"), and contains a phrase that says "La línea blanca se terminó/no hay señales en tus ojos y estoy/llorando en el espejo..." ("The white line is up, /(there are) no signs in your eyes and I'm/crying in the mirror..."). With its sad melody, the tears, the mirror, and that "white line", the song seems to portray cocaine
addiction. At the time, these lyrics did not draw much attention.
Peperina carried a political message. The song "José Mercado" ("Market Joe") was a clear reference to José Martínez de Hoz, the minister of economy. The lyrics "José Mercado compra todo importado (...) / José es licenciado en economía, pasa la vida comprando porquerías" (which translate as "Market Joe only buys imported stuff (...) Joe has a degree in economy, spends his life buying garbage") referred to Argentina's policy of economic liberalism
, with its profusion of imported (and often low-quality) products.
1981 may have been the best year for the band in terms of live performances. In 2000, a Serú Girán fan found some tape recordings of a December 1981 show at the Teatro Coliseo and took them to Serú Girán drummer Oscar Moro, who "cleaned" them for the CD Yo no quiero volverme tan loco ("I don't want to go that crazy") published in 2000.
In early 1982, Pedro Aznar left the band to study at Boston's Berklee College of Music
. (It is a very common mistake to assume that Aznar left Serú for Pat Metheny
's band, one of his favorite musicians. Aznar joined Metheny's group just one full year later, in 1983). In March 1982, Serú returned to Obras Sanitarias to say goobdye to Pedro and put on a highly successful show which was recorded, and released that year as No llores por mí, Argentina ("Don't cry for me, Argentina"). With the loss of Aznar, the band initially considered the idea of having David Lebón play both guitar and bass. But David and Charly had some differences chalked up to "musical taste", and without Pedro things were not the same. Moreover, both were mature enough to begin their own careers and that was the end of Serú Girán...for the time being.
in June, social chaos erupted and the military government lost much of its power. The kidnappings had stopped and censorship had weakened.
Charly García debuted as a soloist with a double LP, Pubis Angelical ("Angelical Pubis"), which was the eponymous movie's soundtrack, and the powerful Yendo de la cama al living ("Going from the bed to the living room"). Four hit songs from this album left their historical mark:
The LP's presentation took place in December at the Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium (or Ferro). As the song "No bombardeen Buenos Aires" drew to a close near the end of the show, backdrop props simulating Buenos Aires were destroyed with fireworks.
In 1983, Charly left Buenos Aires with a small suitcase. When he came back to Buenos Aires from New York, he brought a quality LP titled Clics Modernos ("Modern Clix") that was different from anything previously done in Argentine rock — it was highly singable rock music you could also dance to. Its strong message referred the past years: Exodus
in "Plateado sobre plateado (huellas en el mar)" ("Silver on Silver, Footprints on the Sea"), repression in "Nos siguen pegando abajo" ("They keep hitting us down there"), "No me dejan salir" ("They won't let me out") and "Los dinosaurios" ("The Dinosaurs"), a nostalgic but defiant remembrance of those who were kidnapped or killed.
On December 10, the course of Argentine history took a turn as the government became a democracy
. Charly performed many well-received shows in 1984, and recorded another album during its last months. García also recorded an LP called Terapia intensiva ("Intensive care"), another movie soundtrack. Piano Bar was released in 1984, completing García's golden trilogy. .
During these years, García's band was home to many future Argentine music stars, including Andrés Calamaro
, Fito Páez
, Pablo Guyot, Willy Iturri, Alfredo Toth and Fabiana Cantilo
.
in New York by chance, but they took advantage of this meeting and recorded Tango. The disc had some interesting material, but it did not achieve commercial success primarily due to limited distribution.
In 1987, García came back with Parte de la Religión ("Part of the Religion"), a very interesting LP. Many songs from that LP became hits. Two of them, "No voy en tren" ("I don't take the train") and "Necesito tu amor" ("I need your love") are the perfect symbol of García's dichotomies: the first one says "" ("I don't need anybody around me"), and the second one says "" ("I need your love/your love saves me and is useful to me"). This LP is also featured a song, "Rezo por vos" ("I pray for you"), which was part of a project with Luis Alberto Spinetta
that was never finished.
In 1988, Charly made his acting debut at the age of 36, playing a nurse in the movie Lo que vendrá ("What is to come"), the soundtrack of which he also composed. Being a nurse had long been one of García's obsessions. Later that year, the Amnesty International
festival wrapped up in Buenos Aires
. Starring international and local rock stars, Peter Gabriel
, Bruce Springsteen
, Sting, Charly García and León Gieco
were there.
In 1989, Puerto Rican pop star Wilkins
invited Charly to record his classic "Yo No Quiero Volverme Tan Loco", alongside Ilan Chester
, from Venezuela, as a tribute to "Rock en Español"; the song was featured in Wilkins' L.A-N.Y. album.
Later that year, Charly released a new album, Cómo conseguir chicas ("How to get girls"). This would probably be his last "normal" album. He described it as "Just a bunch of songs that were never published for different reasons".
Charly's father had long ago told him, "Never write an anagram for someone if you don't want him or her to be pissed off". During the Serú Girán years, his friend David Lebón told him something similar: "Do not write a song for a woman if you love her, because she'll leave you". The LP includes a song titled "Shisyastawuman" (a deliberately direct transliteration of "She's just a woman"), the first song García recorded in English that was written to a woman. The woman left him after hearing the song, just like Lebón had warned. A song named "Zocacola" that Charly dedicated to Zoca was included in this LP as well. A couple of months after the disc was released, Zoca left him.
García had changed. Physically, he looked older. His music was dark, and the earlier symphonical García from La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was gone. Now, Charly's sound was closer to either punk rock
, with violent songs such as "No toquen" ("Do Not Touch"), or a depressive and dark style as shown in "No me verás en el subte" ("You Won't See Me in the Subway"). Different and adverse times lay ahead.
For the international tour in 1989/1990, García formed a new band with Hilda Lizarazu, who sang backup vocals for Charly.
, Fabián Von Quintiero and even Hilda Lizarazu. The first issue came once the disc was released. Its last song was a rock version of the "Himno Nacional Argentino
", or the Argentine national anthem. Amid controversy, García's version of the national anthem was forbidden for some days, but García was victorious, a judge authorizing the song. Many people liked it, seeing it as a fresh, sincere, strong and respectful version of the old song.
That year, the Government of Buenos Aires
organized Mi Buenos Aires Rock (My B.A. rock), a public rock festival on Avenue 9 de Julio, the city's most famous avenue. The artists were to play for half an hour, but Charly played for over two hours. He closed the festival playing his version of the national anthem to one hundred thousand people.
In December 1992, Charly again embraced his past and surprisingly re-joined Serú Girán
. Charly García, David Lebón, Pedro Aznar
and Oscar Moro were back after ten years. A new album was recorded, titled Serú 92. It enjoyed great commercial success, but musically was sharply different from Serú Girán's other discs.
Serú Girán performed two huge shows at the River Plate
Stadium - Buenos Aires' largest. Serú Girán had always been at its best when live, the four members playing very well together. This time, in Moro's words, "the show sounded like Charly García and Serú Girán".
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After not having released any new solo material since 1990, in 1994 García was ready to strike back. The new project was called La hija de "La Lágrima" ("«The Tear»'s Daughter"). This LP would be an introduction to the future concept of Say No More.
In 1994, Kurt Cobain
, the leader of Nirvana
, tragically ended his own life, adding to his legendary status in the eyes of the fans who saw him becoming a hero. Being one of them, García dyed his hair blonde.
Also during 1994, the Soccer World Cup was being played in the United States. Soccer player legend Diego Armando Maradona was involved in a dispute with FIFA
regarding a drug test for ephedrine
doping, which he failed, preventing him from playing. After Diego was sent home, Argentina lost two important matches and was knocked out of the World Cup. When the last match was about to end, Charly called Diego on his cell phone and sang to him "live" the Maradona's Blues, a song he composed for him. Diego cried when he heard "Un accidente no es pecado/y no es pecado estar así" ("An accident is not a sin/And is not a sin to be like this"), and the two struck up a friendship.
1995 was again a musical year. García formed a new band for touring on summertime (with María Gabriela Epumer, Juan Bellia, Fabián Von Quintiero, Jorge Suárez and Fernando Samalea) and named it as "Casandra Lange". His idea with the band was play songs Charly had heard as a teen, such as "Sympathy for the Devil" (Mick Jagger
–Keith Richards
) and "There's a Place" (John Lennon
–Paul McCartney
). He recorded the performances and edit a live album, Estaba en llamas cuando me acosté ("It was on fire when I went to bed"). All of the songs in this album are in English except for "Te recuerdo invierno" ("I remember you, winter"), which García had written in the early '70s but never recorded with Sui Generis
.
In May, Charly recorded Hello! MTV Unplugged, often considered the last time that the rock star played his music to his full potential.
Say No More arrived in 1996. Say No More was a new concept for García: "'Say No More' would be in music what painting directly on the canvas would be for a painter", he explained. He also said that the LP "will only be understood in 20 years". Some sparks of his genius showed, but longtime fans of Charly were not very fond of it at first. Today, however, the album is considered García's masterpiece, and "Say no more" the classic slogan identifying Charly García and all his music.
During 1997, García recorded Alta Fidelidad ("High Fidelity") with Mercedes Sosa
. Both had known each other since his childhood, so they decided to publish a collaborative work on which Mercedes would sing her favorite García songs of all time.
In 1998, El aguante ("Holding On") was released. This production featured many covers translated to Spanish by García, like "Tin Soldier" (Small Faces), or "Roll over Beethoven" (Chuck Berry
). A significant song which was not included was "A Whiter Shade of Pale", originally released by Procol Harum
, a band that Charly had always admired.
In February 1999, García performed at the close of the free public-rock festival "Buenos Aires Vivo III" (BA Live III). There he played a huge concert for 250.000 fans who attended one of the biggest concerts in Argentina to date. In July 1999, Charly agreed to give a private performance at the Quinta de Olivos
(the Argentine Presidential residence), at the invitation of the president, Carlos Saúl Menem. On a televised bit of this event he was seen in good spirits, carrying out antics such as playing with the security cameras, or trying to teach the president how to play the piano. A limited edition of a disc memorializing the famous concert, Charly & Charly, was released that year.
Finally Sui Generis played again in the Boca Juniors's Stadium, for 25.000 fans on December 7, 2000. Charly respected his fans and his old partner, and played for almost four hours in front of a delighted public, despite of the "differences" between the old and the new model Sui Generis, as regards sound, Charly's voice and behaviour, etc.
Many journalists and some fans criticized this return, stating that the main cause for it was the money and that both members of the band had changed so much, that the new album and show had nothing to do with the "real" Sui Generis.
During 2001, ¡Si! Detrás de las paredes ("B [the musical note]! Behind the Walls") was edited as the second and last Sui Generis's LP in this new era. It was a mash up between live versions of the Boca Juniors's concert, new songs (as "Telepáticamente") and some versions of old songs. (such as "Rasguña Las Piedras", featuring Gustavo Cerati, former leader of Soda Stereo).
Besides on October 23, 2001, Charly reached age 50. For the occasion, a special concert in the Colliseum Theater was organized.
After this interruption in his solo Career, Charly got back to the spotlight after releasing Influencia ("Influence") in 2002. This new disc contained some interesting songs that made an impact in the Latin American world of Rock, such as "Tu Vicio" ("Your Vice"), "Influencia" ("Influence", translated cover from Todd Rundgren
's original "Influenza") and "I'm Not In Love" (featuring Tony Sheridan). Even though it included old songs as "Happy And Real" (from Tango IV, 1991) or "Uno A Uno" ("One to one", from El Aguante, 1998) and different versions of the same songs, this was probably García's best album since 1994.
Live concerts of Influencia were probably Charly's best in a long, long time. With the strong support of María Gabriela Epumer in chorus and guitar, Charly showed up in many different concerts, such as two in the Luna Park Stadium, Viña del Mar and Cosquín Rock with correct performances.
Finally in October 2003, Charly released Rock and Roll, Yo ("Rock and Roll, Me"), dedicated to María Gabriela. The songs weren't as good as those in Influencia, his voice often sounds out of tune and, once again the LP contained too many versions and translated covers such as "Linda Bailarina" ("Pretty Ballerina", Michael Brown) or "Wonder" ("Love´S in Need of Love Today" by Stevie Wonder). This time his shows weren't so convincing, and Epumer's absence could be felt by the fans.
On April 30, 2007 he performed in the Plaza de Mayo
in Buenos Aires at the invitation of the Madres de la Plaza for their 30th Anniversary. He routinely performs throughout Argentina and South America.
Also, since 2004, one of his most remarkable "positive" landmarks was to play once again in Casa Rosada, the Argentine government palace. This was one of the many concerts organized there by the Argentine ex-president, Néstor Kirchner
.
newspaper, on 14 June 2008, Charly García was taken to a hospital in the city of Mendoza, Argentina due to a violent episode that he carried out in a hotel in Mendoza. Sources relate the incident to overdose of drugs and alcohol.
After the incident García's friend, Palito Ortega
, took Charly to his country estate in Provincia de Buenos Aires where Ortega had him be treated with several doctors and psychiatrists to cure his addiction. The recovery process took almost an entire year.
After the long recovery, a cured Charly came back in August 2009 with a new song called "Deberías Saber Porque" (You Should Know Why). The song became a hit and soon Charly embarked on a large tour through Chile and Perú to promote his return. On October 23 García celebrated his 58th birthday with an amazing concert in Velez Sarfield's Stadium, Argentina. This concert has been referred to as "The Underwater Concert" because of the heavy rain that fell. His tour continues, and new concerts are being added all the time.
Sui Generis
Porsuigieco
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
Serú Girán
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
with a long career in rock music, forming successful groups such as Sui Generis
Sui Generis
Sui Generis is one of the most important rock bands in Argentine history, enjoying enormous success and popularity during the first half of the 1970s and a following that lasts to the present throughout South America...
and Serú Girán
Seru Giran
Serú Girán was an Argentinian rock supergroup. From 1978 the group consisted of Charly García , David Lebón , Pedro Aznar , and Oscar Moro . It is considered one of the best in the history of Argentine rock, both musically, and conceptually and staging...
, cult status groups like La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was a mid 1970s progressive and symphonic rock band from Argentina, with strong influences by Genesis, Yes, and Steely Dan. In their brief two-year lifespan, they didn't have enjoy much public acceptance...
, and as a solo musician.
Early years
Charly García was the eldest son in an upper-middle class family. His father taught mathematics and physics in elementary school, while his mother produced radio music shows, mainly shows featuring folkloric music.Charly began to show musical talent at an early age. At three, he received a toy piano as a gift, and soon he surprised his mother with his ability to compose and play coherent melodies, leading her to enlist him in a prestigious conservatory
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
, the Thibaud Piazzini. At age twelve, he graduated as a Music Professor. Charly developed absolute pitch
Absolute pitch
Absolute pitch , widely referred to as perfect pitch, is the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of an external reference.-Definition:...
as a child.
The beginning: Sui Generis
The Beatles appeared in Charly's life when he was thirteen. Having previously only been exposed to classical music and folkFolk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, he would describe the Beatles as "classical music from Mars". In high school he met Carlos Alberto "Nito" Mestre
Nito Mestre
Carlos Alberto Mestre known by his stage name Nito Mestre is an Argentine musician, founding member - along with Charly García - of Sui Generis, member of PorSuiGieco, bandleader of Nito Mestre y los Desconocidos de Siempre and a recording solo artist...
and the two fused their bands to give birth to Sui Generis
Sui Generis
Sui Generis is one of the most important rock bands in Argentine history, enjoying enormous success and popularity during the first half of the 1970s and a following that lasts to the present throughout South America...
.
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, but its style would quickly establish as folk-rock with some little influence from the symphonic rock
Symphonic rock
Symphonic rock is a sub-genre of progressive rock. Since early in progressive rock's history, the term has been used sometimes to distinguish more classically influenced progressive rock from the more psychedelic and experimental forms of progressive rock....
of the day. At their first big gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
, the band's bassist, guitarist and drummer all failed to appear. Only Charlie (García spelled his name with "ie" back then) and Nito showed up, playing piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
respectively. They were forced to play on their own, and were a hit with the audience despite the other musicians' absence. The band's strength lay in the songs' musical simplicity and romantic lyrics, which appealed widely to teenagers.
In 1972, Sui Generis released its first LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, Vida
Vida (album)
Vida is the debut album of Argentine folk rock group Sui Generis, released on 1972.-Track listing:...
, which quickly became popular among Argentine teenagers. Confesiones de invierno ("Winter Confessions"), their second LP, was released in 1973. This album showcased higher production values and better studio equipment, and was very successful commercially.
1974 was a year of changes. Charlie lost interest in "the piano and flute" sound that Sui Generis had been developing, and decided that Sui Generis needed a change; the band would evolve to a more traditional rock sound, incorporating bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. To that end, Rinaldo Rafanelli and Juan Rodríguez joined the band. In many live shows, Sui Generis also counted in with a gifted guitar player, David Lebón, whom Charly admired very much.
With new lining and style, the band was ready to launch its new album. Originally titled Instituciones, its name was changed to Pequeñas anécdotas de las instituciones at the producer's suggestion. The album was intended as a reflection on the unstable nature of Argentine social and political institutions at the time. Charlie's initial concept was to write a song for every traditional institution: the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, the government, the family, the judicial system, the police, the army, and so on. However, two songs, "Juan Represión", about the police, and "Botas locas", about the army, were eliminated from the album by the censors. Two more, which referred to censorship itself, had to be partially modified. While Sui Generis achieved a different, more mature sound with Instituciones, its public did not embrace it, preferring the old one. The album sold poorly.
Around this time Charlie met his future wife, María Rosa Yorio, a singer who became the mother of his first son, Miguel García.
Charly García continued composing, and during 1975, he prepared what would be Sui Generis's fourth album, Ha sido ("Has Been"), or a play on the word ácido, acid. However, growing frictions between Charly and Nito and a wearying public prevented the album's release, and the decision was made to dissolve the band. Many songs from that ill-fated album were later included in other García's LPs, such as Bubulina (1976) and Eiti Leda (1978).
End of Sui Generis; beginning of "La máquina"
Finally, on September 9, 1975, Sui Generis scenified its farewell at the Luna Park Stadium, giving two shows for 20 thousand people — the largest audience in the history of Argentine rock at the time. The shows have been recalled as delirium-inducing, adrenaline-fueled delivery of great music. Two LPs recorded at the live shows were released that year, Adiós Sui Generis ("Goodbye Sui Generis") volumes I and II.In 1976, Sui Generis also recorded a long player with Argentine musicians León Gieco
León Gieco
Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, better known as León Gieco is a pop-folk music composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular folkloric genres with Argentine rock, and for lyrics with social and political connotations...
, Raúl Porchetto
Raul Porchetto
Raul Porchetto is an Argentine musician and song writer.- History :Porchetto emerged into the Acoustic movement of argentine rock during the early 1970s releasing his debut record in 1972 following the sub-genre's popular rise in the wake of the Acusticazo.By the mid 70s he would become a member...
, and María Rosa Yorio. The LP was called "Porsuigieco" (mix of Raúl PORchetto, SUI Generis, León GIECO).
After Sui Generis, certain things changed in Charly's life. From now on, he would be Charly instead of Charlie. Right after his son's birth, he broke up with María Rosa Yorio, who left with Nito Mestre. Charly met Marisa Pederneiras (nicknamed "Zoca"), who was from Brazil, and they became lovers.
Charly continued working on musical projects. He now wanted to form a symphonic rock
Symphonic rock
Symphonic rock is a sub-genre of progressive rock. Since early in progressive rock's history, the term has been used sometimes to distinguish more classically influenced progressive rock from the more psychedelic and experimental forms of progressive rock....
band. With Gustavo Bazterrica (guitar), Carlos Cutaia (keyboards), José Luis Fernández (bass guitar and cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
), Oscar Moro
Oscar Moro
Oscar Moro was an Argentine rock drummer.Oscar Moro was born and raised in Rosario. Moro joined a childhood friend, Litto Nebbia, and three others in forming the pioneer Argentine rock and roll band Los Gatos, in 1966...
(drums) and Charly García (keyboards and voice), "La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros" ("The bird-making machine") was born. Clarín, the most widely-read newspaper in Argentina, carried a comic strip called "El Sr. García y la máquina de hacer pájaros" ("Mr. García and the bird making machine") by Crist. Liking the name, Charly chose it for the band — not for egotistical motives, as it may seem.
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros
La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was a mid 1970s progressive and symphonic rock band from Argentina, with strong influences by Genesis, Yes, and Steely Dan. In their brief two-year lifespan, they didn't have enjoy much public acceptance...
recorded two albums: La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros (1976) and Películas ("Movies", 1977). Some of the songs on "Movies" contained a political message directed against the military government of those years, during which Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla Redondo is a former senior commander in the Argentine Army who was the de facto President of Argentina from 1976 to 1981. He came to power in a coup d'état that deposed Isabel Martínez de Perón...
was the president of Argentina. At that time, repression, disappearances and censorship reached new heights. Perhaps as a result of the ambitious and complicated nature of its musical project, the band did not achieve popularity.
Finally, in that year, the band said goodbye during the "Festival del amor" ("Festival of Love"), which was recorded, and released three years later on the LP Música del alma ("Music of the soul"). After the concert, Charly went to a hotel with Zoca. There they made a decision to escape to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil.
Genesis of a new sound: Serú Girán
In São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Charly met Zoca's parents. The Pederneiras being a family of artists, they were fascinated with Charly. Artistically speaking, García was influenced by certain Brazilian artists, notably Milton Nascimento
Milton Nascimento
-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
. Despite Sui Generis' commercial successes, Charly was destitute. In 1978, he lived a nature-centered lifestyle with Zoca in Brazil, fishing and gathering fruit. Soon David Lebón, an Argentine musician and a friend of Sui Generis, joined them. Having a new musical partner, Charly again played, and the seed of a new musical project was planted. Charly was now determined to form a new band, but he was still broke. Making his way back to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, he began a new search for bandmates.
Charly needed a bass player and a drummer, and he found both when he saw a band called Pastoral play. There he recruited a talented 19-year-old bass player, Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar is an Argentine musician, with a lifetime of experience in jazz, Argentinian folk music, and rock and has had a successful career as a solo artist. He is very well known for giving rock songs a jazz-oriented style, by playing the fretless bass, with a big influence from Jaco Pastorius...
, as well his old partner from La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros, drummer Oscar Moro. The new band comprised Charly García on keyboards, guitar and voice, David Lebón on guitar, percussion and voice, Pedro Aznar on bass, keyboards and voice, and Oscar Moro on drums. Charly and David were the main songwriters.
Charly now had a complete band, but still lacked money. At this point Charly signed a contract with a production group, although the terms of this deal were not advantageous to Charly. He did raise enough money to return to São Paulo with his new bandmates and record their first album. The band chose the name Serú Girán
Seru Giran
Serú Girán was an Argentinian rock supergroup. From 1978 the group consisted of Charly García , David Lebón , Pedro Aznar , and Oscar Moro . It is considered one of the best in the history of Argentine rock, both musically, and conceptually and staging...
. "Serú Girán" was a combination of meaningless words Charly had invented as part of an eponymous nonsense song he wrote in São Paulo. The other band members liked the name so much that they also called their first album Serú Girán, featuring the song "Serú Girán".
The band returned to Buenos Aires with great expectations for García's new project. Their first show, in the traditional Arena Obras Sanitarias
Arena Obras Sanitarias
Arena Obras Sanitarias, also known as Estadio Obras Sanitarias is an indoor arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Built in 1978, it holds 3,030 people, and 4,700 for concerts....
, was again advertised as "Charly García... and Serú Girán", due to contractual reasons. Thereafter, however, the name "Charly García" would no longer appear in the advertising — the band would simply go by Serú Girán. That first show was poorly received, the public having expected a new incarnation of Sui Generis. Serú Girán was completely different. The band had a new sound in which Aznar's fretless bass guitar was a key component, and a striking aesthetic with lyrics full of poetry. Puzzled audiences requested Sui Generis' old songs. In 1978, disco music was fashionable in Argentina. As a joke, Serú Girán played a song called Disco Shock, angering the public, whose rejection marred the show.
The following day, the "specialized" press called Serú Girán the worst band in Argentina and charged that David Lebón's vocals on their songs sounded "homosexual". The band's relationship with the media was not cordial. One number of a popular Argentine magazine called Gente carried a disparaging article titled "Charly García: ¿Ídolo o qué?" ("Idol or what?"). Despite the chilly reception, Serú Girán's members were convinced they had a good project and persisted, organizing more shows. They eventually garnered some acceptance from an audience that warmed up to their style.
Serú Girán carried on during 1979 and evolved markedly. Their new LP was titled La grasa de las capitales ("Grease", or "Fat", "of the Capitals") and its cover was a joke directed at the magazine Gente. The stronger and more direct nature of the lyrics, which criticized the media, including specifically magazines (especially Gente), fashionable music, radio and so on almost got them sent to jail. The public, however, gave the album an enthusiastic reception. The band's shows improved progressively, and eventually were performed in larger venues. The "specialized" press changed its tune, and a romance seemed to develop between the people and Serú Girán.
Expectations were high in 1980 for Serú Girán's new long play, which would be called Bicicleta ("Bicycle") -- a name that Charly had favored for the band (but was panned by the other members). The band sounded more mature on this record. The music was modern and strong, a key feature being the melodies. The role of the bass guitar was again central, and Pedro Aznar's work became more prominent.
In 1979, Charly almost went to jail because of the band's lyrics, considered too clear and direct in some quarters. Even as the music's political message became stronger, it was concealed in an effort to avoid censorship and another close call with the authorities. But the message remained, ready to be heard by ears that wanted to hear it. "Canción de Alicia en el país" ("Song of Alice in the (Wonder) Land") drew an uncanny analogy between Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's story and the Argentine military government. "Encuentro con el diablo" ("Meeting with the Devil") is a reference to the band's meeting with Albano Harguindeguy
Albano Harguindeguy
Albano Eduardo Harguindeguy was a general of the Argentine Army, and the interior minister of Argentina under dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, during the National Reorganization Process ....
, who was frequently referred to, behind his back, as the "Devil". A military man, he was Security Minister during those years. He gave talks to some artists, ordering them to tone down their work or leave the country — a policy that led many artists to leave Argentina at that time.
Eventually, the band was very commercially successful; fans found its shows amazing and considered Serú Girán's music Charly's best ever. Serú Girán was dubbed "The Argentine Beatles", and Charly began to receive recognition as a great artist. Serú Girán was the first popular rock band that drew a following from among both the rich and the poor; rock was no longer circumscribed to its historically marginal position. In a recent interview, David Lebón said, "Actually we were much more like Procul Harum than the Beatles, a legendary band: a rock "viola" (slang for guitar) player (Lebón), a classical pianist (García) an infernal percussionist (Moro) and a virtuoso bass player (Aznar)".
Luis Alberto Spinetta was another Argentine rock star of the time. His first band, Almendra, was one of the first in Argentine rock, getting its start before Sui Generis; now he had a band called Spinetta Jade. Perhaps because his style was darker, more complicated, and found harder to understand by many, he was a less popular star than Charly, and they were portrayed as enemies. Luis and Charly put that myth to bed on September 13, 1980, as their bands, Serú Girán and Spinetta Jade, played together in what has been considered one of the greatest shows in the history of Argentine rock.
Patricia Perea, a journalist who worked for a magazine called El Expreso Imaginario ("Imaginary Express"), was not among the fans of Serú Girán. The magazine disliked them and criticized them strongly after they played in Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, Perea's hometown. Serú Girán took revenge on Ms. Perea through their fourth LP: Peperina, directed at her, featuring a song about her which was also called "Peperina". In Córdoba Province, the traditional Argentine infusion yerba mate
Yerba mate
Maté, yerba maté or erva maté , Ilex paraguariensis, is a species of holly native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay...
is mixed with the herb "menta peperina" (Bystropogon mollis, similar to peppermint
Peppermint
Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...
), which is also used as a tea. Followers of the band considered Peperina a fantastic album with great melodies, superb performance from Aznar, and the songs—which are critical, especially of high society—poetic. Peperina can be viewed as a summary of Serú Girán's work.
One of the songs on Peperina is titled "Llorando en el espejo" ("Crying in the mirror"), and contains a phrase that says "La línea blanca se terminó/no hay señales en tus ojos y estoy/llorando en el espejo..." ("The white line is up, /(there are) no signs in your eyes and I'm/crying in the mirror..."). With its sad melody, the tears, the mirror, and that "white line", the song seems to portray cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
addiction. At the time, these lyrics did not draw much attention.
Peperina carried a political message. The song "José Mercado" ("Market Joe") was a clear reference to José Martínez de Hoz, the minister of economy. The lyrics "José Mercado compra todo importado (...) / José es licenciado en economía, pasa la vida comprando porquerías" (which translate as "Market Joe only buys imported stuff (...) Joe has a degree in economy, spends his life buying garbage") referred to Argentina's policy of economic liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, with its profusion of imported (and often low-quality) products.
1981 may have been the best year for the band in terms of live performances. In 2000, a Serú Girán fan found some tape recordings of a December 1981 show at the Teatro Coliseo and took them to Serú Girán drummer Oscar Moro, who "cleaned" them for the CD Yo no quiero volverme tan loco ("I don't want to go that crazy") published in 2000.
In early 1982, Pedro Aznar left the band to study at Boston's Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
. (It is a very common mistake to assume that Aznar left Serú for Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
's band, one of his favorite musicians. Aznar joined Metheny's group just one full year later, in 1983). In March 1982, Serú returned to Obras Sanitarias to say goobdye to Pedro and put on a highly successful show which was recorded, and released that year as No llores por mí, Argentina ("Don't cry for me, Argentina"). With the loss of Aznar, the band initially considered the idea of having David Lebón play both guitar and bass. But David and Charly had some differences chalked up to "musical taste", and without Pedro things were not the same. Moreover, both were mature enough to begin their own careers and that was the end of Serú Girán...for the time being.
Solo career
In 1982, Argentina was undergoing political change. After the Falklands WarFalklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in June, social chaos erupted and the military government lost much of its power. The kidnappings had stopped and censorship had weakened.
Charly García debuted as a soloist with a double LP, Pubis Angelical ("Angelical Pubis"), which was the eponymous movie's soundtrack, and the powerful Yendo de la cama al living ("Going from the bed to the living room"). Four hit songs from this album left their historical mark:
- "No bombardeen Buenos Aires" ("Don't bomb Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
") showed the panic in lived out in the city during the Falklands War, and strongly criticized the army, especially the President Leopoldo GaltieriLeopoldo GaltieriLeopoldo Fortunato Galtieri Castelli was an Argentine general and President of Argentina from December 22, 1981 to June 18, 1982, during the last military dictatorship . The death squad Intelligence Battalion 601 directly reported to him...
(Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
from Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, on the other side of the trenches at that time, also criticized Galtieri in their Final Cut 1983 album). - "Yendo de la cama al living" ("Going from the bed to the living room") used the experience of being trapped in a confined space as a symbol of the repression of ideas.
- "Inconsciente colectivo" ("Collective unconsciousness") was a message of hope and liberty for the stricken Argentine people.
- "Yo no quiero volverme tan loco" ("I don't want to go that crazy") was a song about the adolescent spirit of freedom and rebelliousness.
The LP's presentation took place in December at the Ferrocarril Oeste Stadium (or Ferro). As the song "No bombardeen Buenos Aires" drew to a close near the end of the show, backdrop props simulating Buenos Aires were destroyed with fireworks.
In 1983, Charly left Buenos Aires with a small suitcase. When he came back to Buenos Aires from New York, he brought a quality LP titled Clics Modernos ("Modern Clix") that was different from anything previously done in Argentine rock — it was highly singable rock music you could also dance to. Its strong message referred the past years: Exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
in "Plateado sobre plateado (huellas en el mar)" ("Silver on Silver, Footprints on the Sea"), repression in "Nos siguen pegando abajo" ("They keep hitting us down there"), "No me dejan salir" ("They won't let me out") and "Los dinosaurios" ("The Dinosaurs"), a nostalgic but defiant remembrance of those who were kidnapped or killed.
On December 10, the course of Argentine history took a turn as the government became a democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. Charly performed many well-received shows in 1984, and recorded another album during its last months. García also recorded an LP called Terapia intensiva ("Intensive care"), another movie soundtrack. Piano Bar was released in 1984, completing García's golden trilogy. .
During these years, García's band was home to many future Argentine music stars, including Andrés Calamaro
Andrés Calamaro
Andrés Calamaro , is an Argentine musician, composer and Latin Grammy winner. His former band Los Rodríguez was a major success in Spain in the 1990s. He became one of the main icons of the Argentine rock in the last two decades and has sold over 1.3 million copies.-Abuelos de la Nada:Calamaro was...
, Fito Páez
Fito Páez
Rodolfo "Fito" Páez Ávalos is an Argentine popular rock and roll pianist, lyricist, Spanish language singer and film director.-Early career:...
, Pablo Guyot, Willy Iturri, Alfredo Toth and Fabiana Cantilo
Fabiana Cantilo
Fabiana Cantilo is a singer and songwriter from Argentina. She has sold more than 5 million records in her career.- Soloist :* Detectives * Fabiana Cantilo y los Perros Calientes...
.
1985–1989
After the success of Piano Bar, which was García's consecration as a soloist, 1985 was a year to slow down. Charly met again with Pedro AznarPedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar is an Argentine musician, with a lifetime of experience in jazz, Argentinian folk music, and rock and has had a successful career as a solo artist. He is very well known for giving rock songs a jazz-oriented style, by playing the fretless bass, with a big influence from Jaco Pastorius...
in New York by chance, but they took advantage of this meeting and recorded Tango. The disc had some interesting material, but it did not achieve commercial success primarily due to limited distribution.
In 1987, García came back with Parte de la Religión ("Part of the Religion"), a very interesting LP. Many songs from that LP became hits. Two of them, "No voy en tren" ("I don't take the train") and "Necesito tu amor" ("I need your love") are the perfect symbol of García's dichotomies: the first one says "" ("I don't need anybody around me"), and the second one says "" ("I need your love/your love saves me and is useful to me"). This LP is also featured a song, "Rezo por vos" ("I pray for you"), which was part of a project with Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta
Luis Alberto Spinetta , is an Argentine musician. He is one of the most influential rock musicians of South America, and together with Charly García is considered the father of Argentine rock. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the residential neighbourhood of Belgrano...
that was never finished.
In 1988, Charly made his acting debut at the age of 36, playing a nurse in the movie Lo que vendrá ("What is to come"), the soundtrack of which he also composed. Being a nurse had long been one of García's obsessions. Later that year, the Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
festival wrapped up in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Starring international and local rock stars, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, Sting, Charly García and León Gieco
León Gieco
Raúl Alberto Antonio Gieco, better known as León Gieco is a pop-folk music composer and interpreter. He is known for mixing popular folkloric genres with Argentine rock, and for lyrics with social and political connotations...
were there.
In 1989, Puerto Rican pop star Wilkins
Wilkins Vélez
German Wilkins Vélez, commonly known as Wilkins , is a Puerto Rican pop music singer and composer.-Early years:Wilkins was born in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, but raised in Mexico City, Mexico. His father, Germán Vélez Forestier, was a radio announcer and part-time singer...
invited Charly to record his classic "Yo No Quiero Volverme Tan Loco", alongside Ilan Chester
Ilan Chester
Ilan Chester is a celebrated Venezuelan singer, keyboardist, arranger and composer. Born in Israel in 1952, of European parents, Ilan emigrated to Venezuela in 1953.- Biography :...
, from Venezuela, as a tribute to "Rock en Español"; the song was featured in Wilkins' L.A-N.Y. album.
Later that year, Charly released a new album, Cómo conseguir chicas ("How to get girls"). This would probably be his last "normal" album. He described it as "Just a bunch of songs that were never published for different reasons".
Charly's father had long ago told him, "Never write an anagram for someone if you don't want him or her to be pissed off". During the Serú Girán years, his friend David Lebón told him something similar: "Do not write a song for a woman if you love her, because she'll leave you". The LP includes a song titled "Shisyastawuman" (a deliberately direct transliteration of "She's just a woman"), the first song García recorded in English that was written to a woman. The woman left him after hearing the song, just like Lebón had warned. A song named "Zocacola" that Charly dedicated to Zoca was included in this LP as well. A couple of months after the disc was released, Zoca left him.
García had changed. Physically, he looked older. His music was dark, and the earlier symphonical García from La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was gone. Now, Charly's sound was closer to either punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, with violent songs such as "No toquen" ("Do Not Touch"), or a depressive and dark style as shown in "No me verás en el subte" ("You Won't See Me in the Subway"). Different and adverse times lay ahead.
For the international tour in 1989/1990, García formed a new band with Hilda Lizarazu, who sang backup vocals for Charly.
1990–1993 The days of excess
In 1990, Charly had many ideas but no band. Another important member of the band, Fabián "Zorrito" Von Quintiero, had left to join another band, Los ratones paranoicos (The Paranoid Mice). Hilda Lizarazu and Carlos García López started a band called Man Ray. Charly was now alone. For his new disc, Filosofía barata y zapatos de goma ("Cheap Philosophy and Rubber Shoes"), he called many of his old friends, who helped record most of the songs. Assisting him, among others, were Andrés Calamaro, Rinaldo Rafanelli, Fabiana Cantilo, "Nito" Mestre, Pedro AznarPedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar is an Argentine musician, with a lifetime of experience in jazz, Argentinian folk music, and rock and has had a successful career as a solo artist. He is very well known for giving rock songs a jazz-oriented style, by playing the fretless bass, with a big influence from Jaco Pastorius...
, Fabián Von Quintiero and even Hilda Lizarazu. The first issue came once the disc was released. Its last song was a rock version of the "Himno Nacional Argentino
Argentine National Anthem
The Argentine National Anthem is the national anthem of Argentina. The name of the song originally was Marcha Patriótica , and was later renamed Canción Patriótica Nacional and finally Canción Patriótica . A copy published in 1847 called it Himno Nacional Argentino and the name has remained ever...
", or the Argentine national anthem. Amid controversy, García's version of the national anthem was forbidden for some days, but García was victorious, a judge authorizing the song. Many people liked it, seeing it as a fresh, sincere, strong and respectful version of the old song.
That year, the Government of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
organized Mi Buenos Aires Rock (My B.A. rock), a public rock festival on Avenue 9 de Julio, the city's most famous avenue. The artists were to play for half an hour, but Charly played for over two hours. He closed the festival playing his version of the national anthem to one hundred thousand people.
In December 1992, Charly again embraced his past and surprisingly re-joined Serú Girán
Seru Giran
Serú Girán was an Argentinian rock supergroup. From 1978 the group consisted of Charly García , David Lebón , Pedro Aznar , and Oscar Moro . It is considered one of the best in the history of Argentine rock, both musically, and conceptually and staging...
. Charly García, David Lebón, Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar is an Argentine musician, with a lifetime of experience in jazz, Argentinian folk music, and rock and has had a successful career as a solo artist. He is very well known for giving rock songs a jazz-oriented style, by playing the fretless bass, with a big influence from Jaco Pastorius...
and Oscar Moro were back after ten years. A new album was recorded, titled Serú 92. It enjoyed great commercial success, but musically was sharply different from Serú Girán's other discs.
Serú Girán performed two huge shows at the River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
Stadium - Buenos Aires' largest. Serú Girán had always been at its best when live, the four members playing very well together. This time, in Moro's words, "the show sounded like Charly García and Serú Girán".
1994–2006 the Say No More era
In 1994, Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
, the leader of Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, tragically ended his own life, adding to his legendary status in the eyes of the fans who saw him becoming a hero. Being one of them, García dyed his hair blonde.
Also during 1994, the Soccer World Cup was being played in the United States. Soccer player legend Diego Armando Maradona was involved in a dispute with FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
regarding a drug test for ephedrine
Ephedrine
Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine commonly used as a stimulant, appetite suppressant, concentration aid, decongestant, and to treat hypotension associated with anaesthesia....
doping, which he failed, preventing him from playing. After Diego was sent home, Argentina lost two important matches and was knocked out of the World Cup. When the last match was about to end, Charly called Diego on his cell phone and sang to him "live" the Maradona's Blues, a song he composed for him. Diego cried when he heard "Un accidente no es pecado/y no es pecado estar así" ("An accident is not a sin/And is not a sin to be like this"), and the two struck up a friendship.
1995 was again a musical year. García formed a new band for touring on summertime (with María Gabriela Epumer, Juan Bellia, Fabián Von Quintiero, Jorge Suárez and Fernando Samalea) and named it as "Casandra Lange". His idea with the band was play songs Charly had heard as a teen, such as "Sympathy for the Devil" (Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
–Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) and "There's a Place" (John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
–Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
). He recorded the performances and edit a live album, Estaba en llamas cuando me acosté ("It was on fire when I went to bed"). All of the songs in this album are in English except for "Te recuerdo invierno" ("I remember you, winter"), which García had written in the early '70s but never recorded with Sui Generis
Sui Generis
Sui Generis is one of the most important rock bands in Argentine history, enjoying enormous success and popularity during the first half of the 1970s and a following that lasts to the present throughout South America...
.
In May, Charly recorded Hello! MTV Unplugged, often considered the last time that the rock star played his music to his full potential.
Say No More arrived in 1996. Say No More was a new concept for García: "'Say No More' would be in music what painting directly on the canvas would be for a painter", he explained. He also said that the LP "will only be understood in 20 years". Some sparks of his genius showed, but longtime fans of Charly were not very fond of it at first. Today, however, the album is considered García's masterpiece, and "Say no more" the classic slogan identifying Charly García and all his music.
During 1997, García recorded Alta Fidelidad ("High Fidelity") with Mercedes Sosa
Mercedes Sosa
Haydée Mercedes Sosa, known as La Negra, was an Argentine singer who was popular throughout South America and some countries outside the continent. With her roots in Argentine folk music, Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of nueva canción. She gave voice to songs written by both...
. Both had known each other since his childhood, so they decided to publish a collaborative work on which Mercedes would sing her favorite García songs of all time.
In 1998, El aguante ("Holding On") was released. This production featured many covers translated to Spanish by García, like "Tin Soldier" (Small Faces), or "Roll over Beethoven" (Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
). A significant song which was not included was "A Whiter Shade of Pale", originally released by Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
, a band that Charly had always admired.
In February 1999, García performed at the close of the free public-rock festival "Buenos Aires Vivo III" (BA Live III). There he played a huge concert for 250.000 fans who attended one of the biggest concerts in Argentina to date. In July 1999, Charly agreed to give a private performance at the Quinta de Olivos
Quinta de Olivos
The Quinta de Olivos is an architectural landmark in the north side Buenos Aires suburb of Olivos and the official residence of the President of Argentina.-Overview:...
(the Argentine Presidential residence), at the invitation of the president, Carlos Saúl Menem. On a televised bit of this event he was seen in good spirits, carrying out antics such as playing with the security cameras, or trying to teach the president how to play the piano. A limited edition of a disc memorializing the famous concert, Charly & Charly, was released that year.
Maravillización 2000–2003
In 2000, Charly and Nito Mestre decided to bring Sui Generis back to life. For the special occasion, they both composed the songs for a new LP, "Sinfonías para adolescentes" ("Symphonies for Teenagers"). Of course, things were very different after 25 years, but young and older fans were excited by the idea of the return of Sui Generis. This new period would be marked by García's new "sound concept" of Maravillización or "Making something marvellous", replacing the old dark "Say no more" style.Finally Sui Generis played again in the Boca Juniors's Stadium, for 25.000 fans on December 7, 2000. Charly respected his fans and his old partner, and played for almost four hours in front of a delighted public, despite of the "differences" between the old and the new model Sui Generis, as regards sound, Charly's voice and behaviour, etc.
Many journalists and some fans criticized this return, stating that the main cause for it was the money and that both members of the band had changed so much, that the new album and show had nothing to do with the "real" Sui Generis.
During 2001, ¡Si! Detrás de las paredes ("B [the musical note]! Behind the Walls") was edited as the second and last Sui Generis's LP in this new era. It was a mash up between live versions of the Boca Juniors's concert, new songs (as "Telepáticamente") and some versions of old songs. (such as "Rasguña Las Piedras", featuring Gustavo Cerati, former leader of Soda Stereo).
Besides on October 23, 2001, Charly reached age 50. For the occasion, a special concert in the Colliseum Theater was organized.
After this interruption in his solo Career, Charly got back to the spotlight after releasing Influencia ("Influence") in 2002. This new disc contained some interesting songs that made an impact in the Latin American world of Rock, such as "Tu Vicio" ("Your Vice"), "Influencia" ("Influence", translated cover from Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
's original "Influenza") and "I'm Not In Love" (featuring Tony Sheridan). Even though it included old songs as "Happy And Real" (from Tango IV, 1991) or "Uno A Uno" ("One to one", from El Aguante, 1998) and different versions of the same songs, this was probably García's best album since 1994.
Live concerts of Influencia were probably Charly's best in a long, long time. With the strong support of María Gabriela Epumer in chorus and guitar, Charly showed up in many different concerts, such as two in the Luna Park Stadium, Viña del Mar and Cosquín Rock with correct performances.
Finally in October 2003, Charly released Rock and Roll, Yo ("Rock and Roll, Me"), dedicated to María Gabriela. The songs weren't as good as those in Influencia, his voice often sounds out of tune and, once again the LP contained too many versions and translated covers such as "Linda Bailarina" ("Pretty Ballerina", Michael Brown) or "Wonder" ("Love´S in Need of Love Today" by Stevie Wonder). This time his shows weren't so convincing, and Epumer's absence could be felt by the fans.
Drop into the background (2004–2008)
Plaza de Mayo
The Plaza de Mayo is the main square in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is flanked by Hipólito Yrigoyen, Balcarce, Rivadavia and Bolívar streets....
in Buenos Aires at the invitation of the Madres de la Plaza for their 30th Anniversary. He routinely performs throughout Argentina and South America.
Also, since 2004, one of his most remarkable "positive" landmarks was to play once again in Casa Rosada, the Argentine government palace. This was one of the many concerts organized there by the Argentine ex-president, Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
.
The great return (2009-present)
According to ClarínClarín (newspaper)
Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, published by the Grupo Clarín media group. It was founded by Roberto Noble on 28 August 1945. It is politically centrist but popularly understood to oppose the Kirchner government...
newspaper, on 14 June 2008, Charly García was taken to a hospital in the city of Mendoza, Argentina due to a violent episode that he carried out in a hotel in Mendoza. Sources relate the incident to overdose of drugs and alcohol.
After the incident García's friend, Palito Ortega
Palito Ortega
Ramón Bautista Ortega Argentine singer and actor, better known as Palito Ortega. Ortega reached international fame, particularly in Latin America and Spain, during the 1960s, when Rock and Roll music was popularized among teenagers in the region.- Youth :Ortega was born to a very poor family in...
, took Charly to his country estate in Provincia de Buenos Aires where Ortega had him be treated with several doctors and psychiatrists to cure his addiction. The recovery process took almost an entire year.
After the long recovery, a cured Charly came back in August 2009 with a new song called "Deberías Saber Porque" (You Should Know Why). The song became a hit and soon Charly embarked on a large tour through Chile and Perú to promote his return. On October 23 García celebrated his 58th birthday with an amazing concert in Velez Sarfield's Stadium, Argentina. This concert has been referred to as "The Underwater Concert" because of the heavy rain that fell. His tour continues, and new concerts are being added all the time.
Sui GenerisSui GenerisSui Generis is one of the most important rock bands in Argentine history, enjoying enormous success and popularity during the first half of the 1970s and a following that lasts to the present throughout South America...
- 1972 - VidaVida (album)Vida is the debut album of Argentine folk rock group Sui Generis, released on 1972.-Track listing:...
("Life") - 1973 - Confesiones de InviernoConfesiones de InviernoConfesiones de Invierno is the second album of Argentine folk rock group Sui Generis, released on 1973.The song "Rasguña Las Piedras" is surrounded by a macabre urban myth. The myth states that the song is a tribute to one of Charly García's closest friends, with whom he had a strong emotional...
("Winter Confessions") - 1974 - Pequeñas anécdotas sobre las institucionesPequeñas anécdotas sobre las institucionesPequeñas Anécdotas Sobre las Instituciones is the third album of Argentine progressive rock group Sui Generis, released on 1974....
("Little Anecdotes about Institutions") - 1975 - Adiós Sui Generis I & IIAdiós Sui Generis (album)Adiós Sui Generis is a live album by Argentine folk rock group Sui Generis, recorded during the last show given by the band, on September 5, 1975, at the Luna Park.-Track listing:#"Instituciones"...
(live) ("Good Bye Sui Generis, Volumes 1 and 2") - 1993 - Adiós Sui Generis III (live from 1975) ("Good Bye Sui Generis, Volume 3")
- 2000 - Sinfonías para adolescentes ("Symphonies for Teenagers")
- 2001 - ¡Si! Detrás de las paredes (live) ("B [the musical note]/Yes! Behind the Walls")
- The Title "Si", could be interpreted as 2 different things things. In Spanish, "Si" means "Yes", but in Solfege, a means of remembering Musical Scales, "Si" (or "Ti") is the 7th note, which, in C Major, is B.
PorsuigiecoPorsuigiecoPorsuigieco was a Folk-rock "super-band" by Charly García, Nito Mestre , Leon Gieco, Raul Porchetto and Maria Rosa Yorio . The band was active only in 1975. The only album that they released was Porsuigieco. They performed live only two times...
- 1976 - PorsuigiecoPorsuigieco (album)Porsuigieco is the only album by Porsuigieco, a "super-group" by Charly García, Nito Mestre, León Gieco, Raul Porchetto and Maria Rosa Yorio, released in 1976. In the first edition of the LP, the song "Antes de Gira" was substituted for a censured song: "El fantasma de Canterville". But, in 1993,...
(raúl PORchetto, SUI generis, león GIECO)
La Máquina de Hacer PájarosLa Máquina de Hacer PájarosLa Máquina de Hacer Pájaros was a mid 1970s progressive and symphonic rock band from Argentina, with strong influences by Genesis, Yes, and Steely Dan. In their brief two-year lifespan, they didn't have enjoy much public acceptance...
- 1976 - La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros ("The Bird Making Machine")
- 1977 - Películas ("Movies")
Serú GiránSeru GiranSerú Girán was an Argentinian rock supergroup. From 1978 the group consisted of Charly García , David Lebón , Pedro Aznar , and Oscar Moro . It is considered one of the best in the history of Argentine rock, both musically, and conceptually and staging...
- 1978 - Serú GiranSerú Girán (album)Serú Girán is the debut album by the eponymous band, brainchild of Charly García , released in 1978 and recorded partly in Brazil and the United States....
- 1979 - La Grasa de las CapitalesLa Grasa de las CapitalesLa Grasa de las Capitales is the second album by the Argentine Rock band Serú Girán, released in 1979. Following the deeply criticized debut album Serú Girán the band went in search for a different sound, one that could be closer to the fans expectations...
("Grease of the capitals") - 1980 - BicicletaBicicleta (album)Bicicleta is the third studio album recorded by the Argentinian rock group Serú Girán, released in 1980. The album is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the groups finest efforts, and subsequently went on to be ranked by the Rolling Stone Magazine as the 68th best Argentinian...
("Bicycle") - 1981 - Peperina
- 1982 - No llores por mí, Argentina ("Don't cry for me, Argentina")
- 1992 - Serú 92
- 1993 - Vivo I (live); Vivo II (live)
- 2000 - Yo no quiero volverme tan loco (live from 1981) ("I don't want to become that crazy")
Solo
- 1980 - Música del alma ("Soul's Music")
- 1982 - Pubis angelical/Yendo de la cama al living ("Angelical Pubis / Going from the Bed to the Living Room")
- 1983 - Clics modernos ("Modern Clix")
- 1984 - Piano bar (Charly García album)|Piano bar
- 1984 - Terapia intensiva ("Intensive care") [Soundtrack]
- 1985 - Tango (featuring Pedro Aznar)
- 1987 - Parte de la religión ("Part of the Religion")
- 1988 - Lo que vendrá ("Times to come") [Soundtrack]
- 1989 - Cómo conseguir chicas ("How To Get Girls")
- 1990 - Filosofía barata y zapatos de goma ("Cheap Philosophy and Rubber Shoes")
- 1991 - Tango 4 (featuring Pedro Aznar)
- 1992 - Radio Pinti (featuring Pedro Aznar and Enrique Pinti)
- 1993 - Funes un Gran Amor [Soundtrack]
- 1994 - La hija de La Lágrima ("The Tear's Daughter")
- 1995 - Hello! (MTV Unplugged)
- 1996 - Say No More
- 1997 - Alta Fidelidad (with Mercedes Sosa) ("High Fidelity")
- 1998 - El aguante ("The «Holding On»")
- 1999 - Demasiado ego ("Too Much Ego") (live)
- 1999 - Charly & Charly en Olivos (live, limited edition).
- 2002 - Influencia ("Influence")
- 2003 - Rock and Roll, Yo ("Rock And Roll, I")
- 2010 - El Concierto Subacuatico ("The Underwater Concert") (live)
- 2010 - Kill Gil
Cassandra Lange
- 1995 - Estaba en llamas cuando me acosté ("It Was On Fire When I Went to Bed")