Guatemalan rock
Encyclopedia
Guatemalan Rock or Rock Chapín is a genre of rock music
which has been developing in Guatemala since the mid 1960s.
bands of that time included S.O.S. (Rony de Leon, Chepito Hope, David de Gandarias), Caballo Loco, Apple Pie (Tito Henkle, Luis Zetina, Rico Molina & Gentry), Cuerpo y Alma, Banda Clásica, Cerebro, La Compañía, Siglo XX, Eclipse, and Pastel de Fresa. One remarkable milestone was the unprecedented creation in 1973-74 of the rock opera
Corazón del sol naciente (Heart of the Sunrise) by Sol Naciente, a large youth group formed by dancers, solo vocalists, an extended chorus, as well as band which included Guatemalan percussion instruments besides "unplugged" acoustical guitar
s, piano
, and solo violin
. Some of the band members later formed the group Alción.
A very important and popular band during the 1980s and 90s was Alux Nahual
, one of the Spanish
lyrics writing and singing rock bands, that has published a number of recordings in Guatemala. At their beginnings they were heavily influenced by progressive rock bands such as Kansas and Jethro Tull, though they added a very important native theme to their lyrics, it never really evolved into their sound. Their members nowadays are active musicians giving reunion concerts but mostly keep working as individuals producing and performing.
Another popular band was Extincion, which opened for bands such as Control Machete
and Enrique Bunbury
, they characterized for their hard lyrics and speed metal sounds.
Guatemalan rock bands such as Radio Viejo, Ricardo Andrade y los Últimos Adictos (which disbanded after their leader, Ricardo Andrade, was murdered in Sanarate, El Progreso), Bohemia Suburbana, Viernes Verde and Viento en Contra have enjoyed popularity among high-school and college students during the 1990s and 2000s, like Fabulas (http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/fabulas) and La Tona too, being Bohemia Suburbana the most influential band to emerge from the scene around that decade. Fusing influences like U2 and Soda Stereo, Bohemia Suburbana created something rooted on very well crafted melodies and arrangements, though never relying on Guatemalan native sounds. Their most noted influences came from underground American and European sounds and some South American and Caribbean. However, the band has not been able to sustain itself and has been coming and going without major achievements in the recent years.
On the contrary, Viernes Verde, which originated almost simultaneously with Bohemia Suburbana, has remained active even with lineup changes, and is currently the most active and some argue the most popular band in Guatemala. It also enjoys some success in El Salvador, México and USA. Viernes Verde began the year of 1993 when the four original members decided to form this group. They are also the founders of the rock festival "La Garra Chapina" which was created by them to help newcomers into the rock industry in Guatemala. According to their official band web page, the idea of this concert was to transmit their message through audiovisual aids to represent historical moments of Guatemala. This concert event was one of the first to be fully broadcast live by national radio stations in Guatemala. This concert had a full house and has been continued annually since the year of 1999. Viernes Verde started as a grunge band, but has evolved into different music styles which gives the band one of its distinctive characteristics. The sounds of Viernes Verde, based on the majority of their songs, would identify with the alternative rock genre. One of the main factors that allows this group to gain such a strong popularity is their ability to appeal to a broad audience. On their first album titled, “Cenizas Bajo Tus Pies”, they have six tracks in Spanish and four in English. Having songs in both languages allows them the opportunity to connect with a greater audience.
Some of the bands of Guatemalan rock active in the present are Razones de Cambio, El Tambor de la Tribu, Malacates Trebol Shop, Viernes Verde, Redhka, La Gran Calabaza, El Clubo, Viento en Contra, Sinattra, Legión, Vitriolo, Bohemia Suburbana, and Especies, among many others. Newer bands, like 4 Tiempos, have emerged in the early 2000s. Hedras Ramos http://www.hedrasramos.com is a young rock guitar player, perhaps the most prolific guitarist representing Guatemala in countries like England and Romania on rock world guitar competitions like Guitar Idol http://www.guitaridol.tv and Ziua Chitarelor 3 respectively.
Guatemalan Rock And Roll came to be an influence in the broader Guatemalan society that was synonymous with rebellion, yet it never provided a medium in which a broad base of youth from the 60s and 70s could make something influential enough to affect change in all sectors of society. There were some major factors that prohibited it from being popularly accepted among the country of Guatemala. During this time period around the 70's there was a lot of corruption and social unrest occurring in Guatemala. The police would often search and arrest audience members of these rock gigs, as well as many other types of gatherings. On occasion, musicians would go missing and would never be found or would be found dead. Another factor was that rock music was mainly produced in English. It took some time for the transition of rock music from English to Spanish to be accepted as rock among the people.
Today, the sound of the bands has so much to do with what North America produces, and the only efforts to make something original have been, seeking for the fusion of native elements with the "rock" sound. A unique case in the scene is the rock band Sobrevivencia from Huehuetenango
whose lyrics are sung in Mam, a Mayan language spoken in the Guatemalan northwest.
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...
which has been developing in Guatemala since the mid 1960s.
Guatemalan Rock Music
The rock movement with Spanish texts began in Guatemala in the mid 1960s. One of the first representatives of the rock movement was Luis Galich, with his band Santa Fé, who played gigs and concerts in Guatemala City and some of the towns. Bands like Plástico Pesado, later renamed Quetzalumán, were more on the side of the experimental. Other psychedelicPsychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
bands of that time included S.O.S. (Rony de Leon, Chepito Hope, David de Gandarias), Caballo Loco, Apple Pie (Tito Henkle, Luis Zetina, Rico Molina & Gentry), Cuerpo y Alma, Banda Clásica, Cerebro, La Compañía, Siglo XX, Eclipse, and Pastel de Fresa. One remarkable milestone was the unprecedented creation in 1973-74 of the rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
Corazón del sol naciente (Heart of the Sunrise) by Sol Naciente, a large youth group formed by dancers, solo vocalists, an extended chorus, as well as band which included Guatemalan percussion instruments besides "unplugged" acoustical guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, 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 solo violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. Some of the band members later formed the group Alción.
A very important and popular band during the 1980s and 90s was Alux Nahual
Alux Nahual
Alux Nahual is the Latin rock band formed in 1979 by brothers Plubio and Alvaro Aguilar, and their cousin Ranferí Aguilar. Alux Nahual is a maya-quiche phrase naming a goblin similar to a leprechaun. The band's climax came in 1995 while performing in a sold-out show at Los Angeles Palace.The...
, one of the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
lyrics writing and singing rock bands, that has published a number of recordings in Guatemala. At their beginnings they were heavily influenced by progressive rock bands such as Kansas and Jethro Tull, though they added a very important native theme to their lyrics, it never really evolved into their sound. Their members nowadays are active musicians giving reunion concerts but mostly keep working as individuals producing and performing.
Another popular band was Extincion, which opened for bands such as Control Machete
Control Machete
Control Machete is a Mexican hip hop group from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Its members are Fermin IV , Patricio "Pato" Chapa Elizalde, and Toy Kenobi .-History:...
and Enrique Bunbury
Enrique Bunbury
Enrique Ortiz de Landázuri Izardui , born August 11, 1967 is a Spanish rock singer-songwriter.Bunbury was born in Zaragoza, Spain. He got involved in music in the early 1980s, making his debut in a high school band called Apocalipsis, and later played along with Proceso Entrópico...
, they characterized for their hard lyrics and speed metal sounds.
Guatemalan rock bands such as Radio Viejo, Ricardo Andrade y los Últimos Adictos (which disbanded after their leader, Ricardo Andrade, was murdered in Sanarate, El Progreso), Bohemia Suburbana, Viernes Verde and Viento en Contra have enjoyed popularity among high-school and college students during the 1990s and 2000s, like Fabulas (http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/fabulas) and La Tona too, being Bohemia Suburbana the most influential band to emerge from the scene around that decade. Fusing influences like U2 and Soda Stereo, Bohemia Suburbana created something rooted on very well crafted melodies and arrangements, though never relying on Guatemalan native sounds. Their most noted influences came from underground American and European sounds and some South American and Caribbean. However, the band has not been able to sustain itself and has been coming and going without major achievements in the recent years.
On the contrary, Viernes Verde, which originated almost simultaneously with Bohemia Suburbana, has remained active even with lineup changes, and is currently the most active and some argue the most popular band in Guatemala. It also enjoys some success in El Salvador, México and USA. Viernes Verde began the year of 1993 when the four original members decided to form this group. They are also the founders of the rock festival "La Garra Chapina" which was created by them to help newcomers into the rock industry in Guatemala. According to their official band web page, the idea of this concert was to transmit their message through audiovisual aids to represent historical moments of Guatemala. This concert event was one of the first to be fully broadcast live by national radio stations in Guatemala. This concert had a full house and has been continued annually since the year of 1999. Viernes Verde started as a grunge band, but has evolved into different music styles which gives the band one of its distinctive characteristics. The sounds of Viernes Verde, based on the majority of their songs, would identify with the alternative rock genre. One of the main factors that allows this group to gain such a strong popularity is their ability to appeal to a broad audience. On their first album titled, “Cenizas Bajo Tus Pies”, they have six tracks in Spanish and four in English. Having songs in both languages allows them the opportunity to connect with a greater audience.
Some of the bands of Guatemalan rock active in the present are Razones de Cambio, El Tambor de la Tribu, Malacates Trebol Shop, Viernes Verde, Redhka, La Gran Calabaza, El Clubo, Viento en Contra, Sinattra, Legión, Vitriolo, Bohemia Suburbana, and Especies, among many others. Newer bands, like 4 Tiempos, have emerged in the early 2000s. Hedras Ramos http://www.hedrasramos.com is a young rock guitar player, perhaps the most prolific guitarist representing Guatemala in countries like England and Romania on rock world guitar competitions like Guitar Idol http://www.guitaridol.tv and Ziua Chitarelor 3 respectively.
Guatemalan Rock And Roll came to be an influence in the broader Guatemalan society that was synonymous with rebellion, yet it never provided a medium in which a broad base of youth from the 60s and 70s could make something influential enough to affect change in all sectors of society. There were some major factors that prohibited it from being popularly accepted among the country of Guatemala. During this time period around the 70's there was a lot of corruption and social unrest occurring in Guatemala. The police would often search and arrest audience members of these rock gigs, as well as many other types of gatherings. On occasion, musicians would go missing and would never be found or would be found dead. Another factor was that rock music was mainly produced in English. It took some time for the transition of rock music from English to Spanish to be accepted as rock among the people.
Today, the sound of the bands has so much to do with what North America produces, and the only efforts to make something original have been, seeking for the fusion of native elements with the "rock" sound. A unique case in the scene is the rock band Sobrevivencia from Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango is a city and a municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala. It is also the capital of the department of Huehuetenango. The municipality's population was over 81,000 people in 2002...
whose lyrics are sung in Mam, a Mayan language spoken in the Guatemalan northwest.
External links
- http://www.rockchapin.org/
- http://www.rockrepublik.net/
- http://www.musica.com.gt/
- http://www.reacktor.com/
- http://www.elcircodelrock.com/
- http://www.viernesverde.com/
- http://www.hedrasramos.com/
- http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/fabulas