Uruguayan Invasion
Encyclopedia
The Uruguayan Invasion was a musical phenomenon of the 1960s similar to the British Invasion
, with rock
bands from Uruguay
gaining popularity in Argentina
.
bands like The Beatles
and The Rolling Stones
, many young musicians in Montevideo
, Uruguay began to imitate their sounds. Two bands in particular, Los Shakers
and Los Mockers
mirrored The Beatles and The Rolling Stones respectively. Popular bands of the Uruguayan Invasion sang in English
.
In the mid-1960s, as the British Invasion was at its height in the United States
, Uruguayan bands began a similar rise to fame in Argentina. Record labels began rapidly signing Uruguayan rock bands to promote in Argentina. Argentine television shows like Escala Musical
were also a springboard for many of the bands' popularity.
Like the British Invasion
, the Uruguayan Invasion had died down by the late 1960s, as it became more popular to record harder-hitting Spanish-language music. Spurred on by the band Los Gatos
's 1967 hit record "La Balsa
", most bands began to record in Spanish
. With the coming of the military dictatorship
in 1973, the Uruguayan Invasion effectively ended.
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
, with rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
bands from Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
gaining popularity in Argentina
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...
.
History
Inspired by BritishBritish music
British music could refer to:* Music of the United Kingdom* English music* Irish music* Scottish music* Welsh music* Celtic music...
bands like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, many young musicians in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Uruguay began to imitate their sounds. Two bands in particular, Los Shakers
Los Shakers
Los Shakers were a popular rock band in 1960s and was a part of the Uruguayan Invasion in Latin America. The band was formed in 1963 in Montevideo, Uruguay. They were modeled after The Beatles and even adopted similar haircuts and clothing, as can be seen in their record cover. The band sang many...
and Los Mockers
Los Mockers
Los Mockers were a popular 1960s rock band in Latin America that was part of the Uruguayan Invasion. They modeled themselves off of the Rolling Stones and covered many of their songs . The band was formed in 1963 on Montevideo, Uruguay but moved to Argentina in 1966 after winning a contract with...
mirrored The Beatles and The Rolling Stones respectively. Popular bands of the Uruguayan Invasion sang in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
In the mid-1960s, as the British Invasion was at its height in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Uruguayan bands began a similar rise to fame in Argentina. Record labels began rapidly signing Uruguayan rock bands to promote in Argentina. Argentine television shows like Escala Musical
Escala musical
Escala musical is a 1966 Argentine film....
were also a springboard for many of the bands' popularity.
Like the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
, the Uruguayan Invasion had died down by the late 1960s, as it became more popular to record harder-hitting Spanish-language music. Spurred on by the band Los Gatos
Los Gatos (band)
Los Gatos were an Argentine rock group of the late 1960s, members of the founding trilogy of Spanish-language rock in Argentina.- History:The group got their start in 1967...
's 1967 hit record "La Balsa
La Balsa
La Balsa was the name of a 1970 expedition led by Spaniard Vital Alsar to sail a Balsa raft from South America to Australia across the Pacific Ocean....
", most bands began to record in 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...
. With the coming of the military dictatorship
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
in 1973, the Uruguayan Invasion effectively ended.