Formed by singer and actor Rubén De Leãn, this Argentine group also featured ex-La Cofradia de la Flor Solar member Néstor Paul and Black Amaya, who'd been with Pescado Rabioso.
They played a blend of rock, blues and comedy. The best cut is El Tapiz Magico, a gentle slow-paced pop-rock song untypical of the album. For the album, Ciro Fogliatta was on piano, Mariano Tito on organ and female backing vocals -including Susana Silva, then owner of an important import record store in Buenos Aires- were guests.
The LP was fairly interesting, though a little dull. "El fondo del ojo" (with the psycho touch of Claudio Gabis’s sitar and wah-wah guitar), the rock "Chicas que patinan", "El tapiz mágico" and "No lo veo" are the most inspired moments.
Soon after the album was released -delayed due to production difficulties- the band split.
"After leaving beat group Séptima Brigada, guitarist Jorge Montes, formed his own band, called Montes Mahatma. Shortening their name to Montes, they released in 1973 their one and only single ("Pájaro nocturno/Un viaje al mar") and in 1974 their classic LP "Cuando brille el tiempo" with songs composed by Jorge and his brother Luis Miguel (author of the drawing from the cover). "Cuando brille el tiempo" stands as one of the best records from 70s argentine rock, but sold poorly and remained a cult classic and Jorge Montes an underground guitar hero. Montes toured South America and soon split, and Jorge Montes played in one of Pappo´s bands. Guest bassist Alex Zucker joined prog rockers Alas." (Montes on MySpace)
"En el camino de Dios hacia el sol" opens this remarkable LP, followed by the crazy wah-wah hard rock "Arde Roma", "El ascensor" and the melodic "Hoy (cuando brille el tiempo)" with a guitar full of effects and skills. Side b opens with "Arco Iris" that switches from the calm to the fury in minutes, followed by "Fuera del sol" (on a Pappo's Blues style). "Epílogo de Crossville" and "Días después" closes the album with lots of effects that remind the glorious Electric Ladyland.
In short: a highly recommended guitar album, with excellent vocal work and solid rhythm section.
Despite the good reviews, the record went unnoticed and sold poorly. The group toured South America (something unusual at that time) and split. Jorge Montes played briefly with Pappo and later disappeared. It is said that he was killed in Ecuador in a drug-related event in the 80s.
Triángulo (1974) is the fifth album by the argentine hard rock band Pappo's Blues. (BUY IT!)
1. Malas compañías 2. Nervioso visitante 3. Mirese adentro 4. Hubo distancias en un curioso baile matinal (parte I) 5. Hubo distancias en un curioso baile matinal (parte II) 6. El buzo
The recording of Pappo's Blues Volumen 4 was marked by the return of David Lebón and Black Amaya and the incorporation of Alejandro Medina. (BUY IT!)
1. Fiesta cervezal 2. Gato de la calle negra 3. Abelardo el pollo 4. Semilla de sésamo 5. Con Elvira es otra cosa 6. Sol de armonica 7. El palacio de la montaña en invierno
By the time in which they recorded the third album (Pappo's Blues Volumen 3), there had been two changes in the group: David Lebón (bass) left, and his place was taken by C.A Machi Rufino and Black Amaya, whose place was taken by Pomo. (BUY IT!)
1. Stratocaser boodie 2. Pajaro metyalico 3. Sucio y desprolijo 4. El sur de la ciudad 5. Sandwiches de miga 6. El brujo y el tiempo 7. Trabajando en el ferrocarril 8. Caras en el parque 9. Siempre es lo mismo nena
Pappo's Blues Volumen 2 (1972) is the second album by the argentine band Pappo's Blues. (BUY IT!)
1. El tren de las 16 2. Llegara la paz 3. Insoluble 4. Hay tiempo para elegir 5. Desconfio de la vida 6. Solitario Juan 7. Blues de Santa Fe 8. Cementerio
Pappo's Blues was an Argentine hard rock/blues band leaded by Norberto "Pappo" Napolitano that suffered a constant change of musicians.
In 1971 Pappo's Blues recorded its first album, called simply "Pappo's Blues". The second one, "Pappo's Blues Volumen 2" was recorded in 1972. By the time in which they recorded the third album (Pappo's Blues Volumen 3), there had been two changes in the group: David Lebón (bass) left, and his place was taken by C.A Machi Rufino and Black Amaya, whose place was taken by Pomo.
The recording of Pappo's Blues Volumen 4 was marked by the return of David Lebón and Black Amaya and the incorporation of Alejandro Medina.
On the same year the discographic company edited "Triángulo" and in 1975 "Pappo's Blues Volumen 6" with songs that had already been recorded, in which Pappo played with Eduardo Barbagnatti and Eduardo Beaudoux.
In 1978 Pappo, this time with Alejandro Medina playing bass and Darío Fernandez with the drums, recorded Pappo's Blues Volumen 7.
On November 14th 1980 the band officially dissolved, but "Pappo's band" kept playing occasionally.
The band recorded Hombre Suburbano in 1994; Caso Cerrado in 1995 and Auto Rojo in 1998. (BUY IT!)
Volumen 1 1. Algo ha cambiado 2. El viejo 3. Hansen 4. Gris y amarillo 5. Adiós Willy 6. El hombre suburbano 7. Especies 8. Adonde está 9. La libertad
"A legend from Uruguay. Leader and singer of mythical band Opus Alfa playing together with members of Días de Blues and Psiglo. Hard-rock and blues "a la Vox Dei, Pescado Rabioso". Lyrics in Spanish."
"Figueroa was the lead singer of Uruguay psych band Opus Alfa, which evolved into Dias de Blues (without him). It was an amicable split, however, and the members of Dias de Blues performed on the first album. The music on Con Todos is a fairly run-of-the-mill mixture of rock and blues, with an emphasis on acoustic guitar and singing. As such, while it is presumably an important political and cultural document, from a purely musical standpoint it is less likely to be of interest. There is some tasty organ playing on one cut, though. Magica Fuente is somewhat more musically interesting, with some weird effects and more of a drug vibe, but essentially continues the same style, even over longer tracks such as the eight-minute “Fuego de Dragon”. There is also a track with some harp playing, perhaps foretelling Figueroa’s subsequent search for enlightenment from eastern gurus. The CD concludes with a two minute Opus Alfa bonus track. I think this reissue will be welcomed by South American psych collectors, and will go unnoticed by everyone else."(Sean McFee @ Expose Progressive Music)
"Born on October 1st, 1949, this excellent singer and bass player formed his first beat group, The Seasons, while still a teenager. (The Seasons released two singles and an LP -Liverpool at B.A. [Microfón IP100] sung in English. Medina was credited as... "Rodney"!).
After playing with Manal (the extremely important pioneer group of Argentine rock) he joined Billy Bond y Pesada.
Like his mates, he released his own solo album with them as guests: Claudio Gabis & Kubero Díaz (guitars), Jorge Pinchevsky (violin), Isa Portugheis, Juan Rodríguez, Pomo & Zurdo Roiztner (drums), along with the ever present Bond producing.
This great album features the hard rock "Yo sé que a veces pierdo la cabeza", the blues "Un estado natural", the acoustic full-of-effects blues "Tiempo de reflexión", and "Blues en mi menor para cantar al amanecer", with great guitar work, among other songs. Even the cover, drawn once again by Juan O. Gatti, was great. A highly recommended album, especially for those fans of La Pesada's and Pappo's Blues records.
Medina later played with Pappo in Aeroblues and Pappo's Blues. In the 80s he participated on Manal's comeback and in the 90s he released a solo CD.
His debut album was not reissued on any format and is very rare." (via Magic Land)
"After the break up of Piel de Pueblo, outstanding guitarist Nacho Smilari and drummer Carlos Calabró joined Masllorens (ex-La Joven Guardia) and formed Cuero.
The debut album was a hard rock effort lead by Nacho’s brilliant guitar. The instrumental "Tiempo después", "Nuevamente el momento", "No sé si voy a enloquecer", the blues "Escucha mi voz", and the long psycho "Paula acurrucada en un color" are the remarkable tunes. This is a recommended album for those who like Piel de Pueblo, Montes, Rockal y la Cría and Pappo’s Blues.
Cuero soon split after Smilari’s departure to the USA. But later Nacho returned and the group recorded a very good album with the help of excellent musicians such as Bernardo Baraj (ex-Alma y Vida) on sax and flute, Osvaldo López (ex Los In) on drums, Adalberto Cevasco on bass, Raúl Parentella on electric piano and Joe Coco on percussion.
This second LP is almost Latin jazz-rock instrumental music with good guitar playing. It is obvious that his trip to the USA had influenced him quite a bit.
Both records went unnoticed (specially the second one) and had never been reissued on any format. The first one is harder to get." (via Magic Land)
Billy Bond was at the center of the Argentinean psych scene, and the concept behind La Pesada Del Rock N Roll was a simple one--anyone could join, anyone could quit. They played bombastic, chunky rock that is as fun as Blue Cheer but with this South American flourish that pulls it closer to the fun-loving, anything-goes feel of, say, Os Mutantes. In the words of Billy Bond himself to a fired-up crowd in 1972: "Break it all, kids."
"By this time, Bond was escorted by Alejandro Medina, Kubero Díaz, Claudio Gabis, Jorge PinchevskyLa Pesada 4 and Isa Portugheis. Together, they released a final album of good rock and blues numbers, including the great "No nos paran más", the pshyco blues "Hacia algún lugar", and the steady riff of "Pinchevsky Rock", Pappo’s "Estamos hartos", the childish rhyme inspired "Que sepa volar", the long blues "Año 1939" and the minor hit "Concientemente todo, todo lo podrás lograr". Once again, all selections were segued using animal sounds. A pretty good LP, though not as good as the first two." (via Magic Land)
"Argentina's rock scene remained fairly underground and didn't thrive a whole lot in terms of homeland awareness until after the Falklands War in the 1980's when the government banned English-speaking music from radio, causing the focus to shift on the country's own scene, finally getting some musicians paid. But the British influence had already seeped in to its foundation via the assorted Beatles-worshippers and burgeoning 1960's Beat scenes in Buenos Aires and also Uruguay (whose Los Shakers were a huge influence around South America). As time progressed, the hard rock/psych scene was throwing down fully in the early 1970's: groups like Pescado Rabioso, Almendra and Kubero Diaz getting into prog realm while keeping it still primitive and powerful. Early records by Billy Bond y la Pesada del Rock and Roll (translated: "the heavy guys of rock and roll"!) sported some especially killer jams, with violinist Jorge Pinchevsky (who'd later play with Gong) jumping on board for their second album. When Bond played an outdoor Buenos Aires festival in 1972, police harrassed audience members who were moving up from the cheaper seats to the empty closer seats (at Bond's urging) and the band motivated the fans to smash the place up. The musical result of this experience was a weird, experimental opera called Tontos (1973)." (via WFMU)
"This event was the basis of the following La Pesada album: Tontos released later that year (1972). The foldout red cover (meaning blood) only read "Tontos (operita). 20 de octubre de 1972 + por Billy Bond y la Pesada del Rock - Volúmen 3. Había una vez..." ("Fools (little opera). October 20th, 1972 + by Billy Bond and the Heavy Guys of Rock - Volume 3. Once upon a time..."). Once again, Billy was showing off his ironic sense of humour! But the record, an uninspired experimental piece of nonsense, had only one real song -the superb angry rocker "Tontos"- surrounded by noises and tape effects.
The group was immortalised performing an even wilder version of "Tontos" on the movie Rock hasta que se ponga el Sol, filmed live during the BARock Festival. Bond was savage at the vocals and Gabis at his best. Unfortunately, being on a different label, the song was not included on the movie soundtrack LP." (via Magicland)
Heady and heavy work from Billy Bond and La Pesada Del Rock & Roll -- a guitar heavy group from Argentina, and one with plenty of blues rock overtones! The guitars are definitely turned up to 11 here -- jamming with an intensity to match some of the best hard rock sides from Peru reissued by the Lazarus label in recent years -- and like those sets, there's a sound here that's an intensification of earlier beat group modes -- taken into much harder territory for the 70s. The production is great -- earthy, trippy, and a little bit spooky -- and the album's got an oddly unsettling feel, one that's familiar at first, but then increasingly estranged as the record moves on. (Dustygroove.com)
Billy Bond y La Pesada's second album (1972), another excellent LP featuring AlejandroLa Pesada 2 Medina on bass, Pappo, Kubero Díaz and Poli Martínez on guitar, Javier Martínez and Luis Gambolini on drums, Jorge Pinchevsky on violin and Billy Bond on vocals. Remarkable tracks are: "La pálidad ciudad" -by Kubero, with a great rocker guitar job and Pin’s violin; "La máquina" ("The damned killer machine!") -sung by Medina with Pappo on guitar; "Blues para mis amigos" -the lyrics describing the members of the band; and "Para que nos sirven" -a great rock number. All selections were segued with fragments of a so called "Vida y obra del negro Julio", actually a simple melody played by Pinchevsky and Pappo on violin and piano. All and all, this was a harder LP than the first one, as the text on the cover would read: rocks+blues+rocks+rocks= Billy Bond y La Pesada!
This LP also included the controversial blues version of "La marcha de San Lorenzo" -a patriotic military march- which was immediately banned (consider that few years later the Armed Forces took the government). (Magicland) (BUY IT!)
Born in Italy, Juliano Canterini began as singer of the new argentine beat music generation during the 60s. Backed up by musicians like the Fattoruso brothers (ex-Los Shakers), he released several singles both on his own and with his group Los Guantes Negros, along with two LPs: Yo, Billy Bond (Music Hall 719) in 1968 and Las dos caras de Billy Bond (Music Hall 2039) in 1969. All featuring straight beat ballads.
Also, he was one of the owners of the mythical club La Cueva at Pueyrredón Avenue, cradle of the Argentine rock, that later moved to Rivadavia Avenue. There, he met most of the musicians who formed the Argentine rock movement by the end of the decade.
At this time his will was to form an "open" outfit; that is, a band which everybody could join and leave whenever wanted. La Pesada (The Heavy Guys), thus, seemed to be in a state of anarchy -but Billy was there to keep the order.
By the end of 1970, Billy Bond y La Pesada released their first album, on Music Hall label, comprising rock’n’roll, blues and hard-rock songs with psycho touches and humorous ironic lyrics. Featured musicians included Pappo, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Javier Martínez, David Lebón, Vitico, Pomo, Black Amaya, Poli Martínez, Luis Gambolini, Nacho Smilari and Cacho Lafalce.
This great debut includes tracks like: "Salgan al sol" -written by Martínez with a brilliant Pappo wah-wah guitar solo-; "Divertido, Reventado" -credited to Pappo and Mandioca founder Pedro Pujó, which was actually a rip-off of Hendrix’s "You got me floatin’"; "El parque" -an excellent piece written by Spinetta as a preview of Pescado Rabioso, featuring himself on bass and Pappo on guitar; "Cada día somos más" -a song with a steady beat; and my personal favourite: "Verdes prados". The later had been released on the compilation LP Pidamos Peras a Mandioca (Mandioca MLP 335) credited to Billy Bond alone. In this song Bond was backed up by a beat-oriented combo: Daniel Hoomer on guitar, Carlos Ávalos on bass, Alejandro Baró on organ and Cacho Arce on drums. Ávalos, Baró and Arce were all ex-Los Bichos.
Pretty soon, Jorge Alvarez and Pedro Pujó (owners of the then defunct pioneer independent label Mandioca) joined Bond to form a working team to produce other groups. Alvarez went to the executive desk, Bond to the mixing console, and the La Pesada musicians to the recording studios. This way, they took the almost exclusive control of the argentine rock with Music Hall and Microfón labels as headquarters. (In 1973, the Microfón subsidiary label Talent -managed by Álvarez- would gather the progressive groups). Consequently, La Pesada was the main backing band for the likes of Raúl Porchetto, Sui Generis, Claudio Gabis, Maximiliano, Kubero Díaz, Jorge Pinchevsky, Alejandro Medina and Pappo’s Blues, among others, during 1972 and 1973. (via The Magic Land) (BUY IT!)
"Orion's Beethoven formed in Argentina in the late 60's, but it took them over four years to release their debut album. 'Superangel' eventually came out in 1973, and was a good progressive effort, influenced in parts by The Nice and ELP with the inclusion of classical excerpts in the music. Guest musicians provide sax and percussion, and the sound is complex enough to please most progressive rock fans. The second track is a twelve minute suite which incorporates acoustic and hard rock sections, as well as a fine sax solo from Chachi Ferreyra. The final track 'Hijo Del Relampago' has a harder rock edge that much of what has gone before, and this could be the starting point for the direction that the band took for their second album."
"After another four year break the band produced 'Tercer Milenio' - a more rock orientated album. Opener 'Amistades Desparejas' is a great hard rock track with some stunning guitar, and the band sound like a completely different entity on this song. 'Ella y Los Colores' is a slower, but no less powerful song, but it seems that when they try to emulate their first album - as on the title track 'Nino Del Tercer Milenio' - with a more progressive offering it comes off less well in the context of the album. The heavy guitars are still there, and the guitar solo is pretty good, but the tune seems to have evaporated. 'Cancion Del Lobo' is a lengthy blues-based track, which gives guitarist Adrian Bar scope for one of his best solos. Album closer 'Hermano Silencio' is a hard rocker which is the equal of the first track, and so they bookend this release with some tasty heavy rock. Of the two I think that this album is my favourite, although you don't have to make that choice as they are both now available on one CD. Personally I was only after 'Superangel' as an example of Argentine prog-rock, but I am now glad that the second album was included as it was an unexpected bonus." (via PeterJolly) (BUY IT)
This superb guitar player was of course a member of the extraordinary La Cofradía de la Flor Solar and La Pesada.
As almost all of La Pesada’s members did, he recorded an excellent solo album in 1973 featuring Claudio Gabis on rhythm guitar, Alejandro Medina on bass, Jorge Pinchevsky on violin, Isa Portugheis on drums and Billy Bond on the mixing console, production and vocals. The fold out glossy cover included a beautiful drawing by Kubero.
The first track, "Todo es Rock", is an intense cut sung by Medina with the brilliant guitar reminiscent of the sound of La Cofradía de la Flor Solar. Next comes the piano and sound effects of "Spirtrepus" and "Polvo he de sacudir" with a variety of guitar sounds. "Una manera de llegar" is sung as a duo with Miguel Cantilo. (via The Magic Land)
Reissue of the only album (Music Hall, 1973) by superb guitarist Diaz and the rest of the members of La Cofradia de la Flor Solar; really psychotic stuff: heavy grunge riffs, ripping fuzzed leads and emotional approach to all the songs; extremely rare album features Argentine legends Billy Bond on vocals, Claudio Gabis on guitar, Alejandro Medina on bass, and Jorge Pinchevsky on violin; has three bonus tracks from La Cofradia, two are from their album, but the last one, La Palida Ciudad, from 1972, is previously unavailable on compact disc. (via Rockadrome)
"The group got their start in 1967. They recorded their first two singles "Ayer Nomás" and A-side "La Balsa", which turned into an unpredicted large scale hit in the argentine winter of 67, selling over 200,000 copies, leading to their full-length debut later that year. The following year they went on tour around the Southern Cone, and then released their 2nd album Seremos Amigos, permeating psychedelic rock during the height of that sub-genre of rock.
The band's third effort after a short break-up, 1969's Beat N°1, featured the addition to the group of Pappo. His rocking blues style with Litto Nebbia's more classical melodic approach at times made the album uneven, but also created quite dazzling passages of music that can be considered one of the earliest recordings of progressive rock anywhere in the world, previewing the rise of the genre around the world in the 1970s.
In 1970, Los Gatos released their fourth major album. Originally called Rock de la mujer podrida (literally "Rock from a fed up woman"), the band was forced to change the name of the release by government censorship to Rock de la mujer perdida, or "Rock from a lost woman". A harder rocking album with Pappo's fingerprints all over, it would be Los Gatos's last. Later that year Pappo left the band to form his own heavy blues-rock group Pappo's Blues. Los Gatos disbanded after a last batch of concerts, with Litto Nebbia kicking off his solo career." allmusic:
"Argentinean los Gatos derived from Rosario's Beatles-inspired band los Gatos Salvajes. Soon after the group moved to Buenos Aires to play at local venues, los Gatos released a single called "La Balsa" and a self-titled album in 1967. The following year, los Gatos issued a power ballad called "Viento Dile A La Lluvia," which became a classic song from the early Latin rock scene. After releasing Volumen 2, the band started touring South America, later recording its third album, called Seremos Amigos. In 1970, Norberto Napolitano replaced Galiffi, recording Beat, No. 1 and Rock De La Mujer Perdida. After los Gatos broke up, Litto Nebbia decided to go on his own, starting an outstanding solo career. In 1987, a live album recorded at Buenos Aires' Odeón Theatre in December of 1970 was released under the name of Inédito En Vivo."
"Rockal Y La Cria hail from Argentina, and were a heavy rock band from the 70’s. Their sole album from 1973 is characterized by some stunning guitarwork from Rockal (otherwise known as Rocky Rodriguez), and his songs give him plenty of room to show off his technique. The title track and ‘Dolares Y Tanques’ are particularly good examples of his skill, with the latter having a good psychedelic freakout towards the end. ‘Los Duenos De La Tierra’ has a distinct Latin American feel to it, with the acoustic guitar and bongos a welcome respite from the onslaught of the previous two tracks, but he can’t keep it up for long and the full band soon return to end the track. The blues are well represented here as well, with ‘Blues De La Noche Solitaria’ and ‘Golpeando Bajo’ featuring some outstanding blues guitar, while ‘Trotacalles’ combines the blues with a heavy rock backbeat for a great R’n’B style rocker. The album ends with a couple of more straight-forward rockers, with ‘Ya No Habra Mas Miedo En La Cuidad’ being the best - once again including a fine guitar solo – and ‘Ganando La Calle’ being a short instrumental with some bluesy harmonica blowing. This album was re-issued on CD ten years ago, and can still be found if you look hard enough. It is worth seeking out is you are into classic guitar rock with a touch of the exotic, and with Rodriguez being such a talented guitarist it is well worth the effort."
Formed by singer and actor Rubén De Leãn, this Argentine group also featured ex-La Cofradia de la Flor Solar member Néstor Paul and Black Amaya, who'd been with Pescado Rabioso.
