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Argentine Groups - T-U-V-X-Z
The first legendary figure of Argentine rock, José Alberto Iglesias was born on September 16th, 1945, in San Martín, Province of Buenos Aires. He was also known as Tanguito, Tango, Ramses or Ramses VII.
In mid 60s, he formed Los Dukes and later became a regular at La Cueva -the famous venue at Pueyrredón Avenue in Buenos Aires- where he met Litto Nebbia, Moris, Javier Martínez, Pajarito Zaguri, Miguel Abuelo and poet Pipo Lernoud, among other rock celebrities.
Legend has it that one night in the men's toilet (restroom) he wrote the first verses of ‘‘La Balsa’‘. Nebbia heard it and finished the song with new lyrics and chord changes. ‘‘La Balsa’‘, as originally recorded by Los Gatos, became the first mayor hit of Argentine rock history.
In 1968 Tanguito got his first record deal and released a single for RCA as Ramses VII: ‘‘La princesa dorada’‘ (with lyrics by Lernoud) b/w ‘‘El hombre restante’‘ (a Donovan-oriented song with an orchestra). Nobody bought it.
The following year, encouraged by Pedro Pujó (co-owner of Mandioca label) and Javier Martínez (Manal), Tango recorded some demos for a future album. A now rare single was released from these sessions and the song ‘‘Natural’‘ (now as Tanguito) was included on the compilation LP Pidamos peras a Mandioca (MLP 335).
His life became miserable. He was often imprisoned for misdemeanours and wound up in an asylum. In May 19th, 1972 he run away from the institution and was found dead on the railway. Suicide or accident? Nobody seems to know.
In 1973, producer Jorge Álvarez (the other Mandioca co-owner) grabbed the mediocre session tapes and released them as a post-mortem album. The legend was born.
In the 90s, a movie loosely based on Tanguito's life story -aptly titled Tango Feroz (Savage Tango)- turned into the Top Argentine Box Office Success of all time! (Most of his former mates refused to collaborate with the film. Thus the soundtrack has nothing to do with his actual work. Just a tip: ‘‘La Balsa’‘ is not even mentioned!).
The LP has been reissued on LP and CD. The singles are available on compilation CDs as well.
- RUBEN TUCCI (v)
- PELUSA CARDOZO (lg)
- HORACIO ZANOR (g)
- HUGO MENA (b, v)
- JULIO SEGOVIA (d)
No! This is not Van Morrison's famous band, but one of the three groups that producer Pedro Pujó (co-founder of Mandioca label) brought from the Province of Santa Fe to cut a single. (The other two were Brujos and Xawks). Cardozo, Tucci and Segovia still work with music. Segovia currently lives in Rome, Italy.
The 7’‘ went unnoticed and now is highly collectable, as all Mandica label releases are.
- ROQUE NARVAJA (g,v)
- AMADEO ALVAREZ (v,b)
- CUERVO TÓRTORA (d)
This short-lived outfit was formed by Roque Narvaja after leaving La Joven Guardia for the first time. Amadeo (ex-Los In) and Cuervo (ex-Conexión Nro 5) joined him for this flower-power adventure.
They only cut two good songs written by Litto Nebbia (Los Gatos): ‘‘El hombre X’‘ and ‘‘Mi cumpleaños’‘. In 1971, both tracks were included on the compilation LP Todo el Circo (La avanzada del rock) (RCA Vik LZP-1195) together with songs by Almendra and Los Gatos.
The group split and Narvaja returned to La Joven Guardia. Later on he pursued a solo career.
‘‘El hombre X’‘ was also included on a compilation CD.
- HECTOR SARDOU (ac g.,v)
- JOSE MARIA SARDOU (fl,v)
- NORA BASILE (ac g,v)
This was another vocal oriented lightweight folk group.
Their debut album was arranged by Mario Muscio and featured an orchestra and several unknown session players. The remarkable tracks are the nice ‘‘Niña tierra’‘ and ‘‘Las Malvinas Rock’‘ (‘‘The Falklands Rock’‘ -years before the conflict), a rock number.
On their second LP, María Cristina Sánchez played drums (the first Argentine woman to play drums on a record!), Daniel Tizato played wind instruments and again Muscio arranged and played guitar and keyboards. The best track was written by Willy Gardi (leader of El Reloj): ‘‘Blues para cierta gente’‘.
Surprisingly enough they actually released a third album that included unreleased Charly García (ex-Sui Generis & La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros) songs. It seems they had an important friend working at the record company...
None of their albums have been reissued on any format... and nobody seems to care!
- HÉCTOR AYALA (ac g.,v)
- EDUARDO FAZIO (ac g.,v)
Yet another acoustic duo to emerge in the early 70s.
Their debut album was a forgettable folk-rock opera (?) featuring an orchestra conducted by Jorge Calandrelli.
Their second and best remembered album featured some nice songs, like the title track "Mi cuarto’‘ (‘‘My room’‘) still a minor hit that described an average -but socially-correct- teenage bedroom. For the album cover they used a famous Van Gogh picture.
By the end of the decade, Vivencia released six more LPs and several singles (not of interest for this book) some of them featuring fine musicians like Machi Rufino (ex-Pappo's Blues and Invisible).
Compilations, reissues and CDs are available.
- RICARDO SOULÉ (lg,v) AB
- WILLIE QUIROGA (b,v) AB
- RUBÉN BASOALTO (d) AB
- JUAN CARLOS "YODY" GODOY (g,v) A
The Three Musketeers were actually four. To the three pioneering foundation groups of Argentine Rock (Los Gatos, Manal and Almendra) we should add a fourth: Vox Dei.
Vox Dei was formed in Quilmes (a big suburb beer factory city South of Buenos Aires). First called Mach 4, they used to sing in English until they heard Manal and Almendra. Producers Pedro Pujó and Jorge Álvarez signed them for their label Mandioca not before suggesting to them that they change their name after ‘‘Vox Populi, Vox Dei’‘ (in Latin: ‘‘The word of the people is the Word of God’‘).
Their first single (titled Sin Ropa) was straightforward rock & blues. The a-side ‘‘Azúcar amarga’‘ was also included on the compilation LP Mandioca Underground (MLP 331).
After several gigs in Buenos Aires they released their second single for Mandioca: ‘‘Presente’‘ b/w the rock & roll ‘‘Dr. Jekill’‘. ‘‘Presente’‘, now a big classic, is a beautiful ballad with superb lyrics (about how ephemeral life is, thus the importance of ‘‘living the present time’‘).
Caliente, their excellent first album, followed. This LP included rock & blues numbers such as ‘‘Reflejos’‘, ‘‘Cuero’‘, ‘‘Compulsión’‘ or ‘‘Total qué’‘, with some soul-rock -’‘No es por falta de suerte’‘- and great ballads like the aforementioned ‘‘Presente’‘ and ‘‘Canción para una mujer (que no está)’‘, also released as a single.
By mid 1970, Mandioca went bankrupt and Vox Dei wound up on the label Disc Jockey. The group was into heavy work composing a conceptual album based on The Holy Bible (no less!). For several reasons Yody Godoy left during the recording sessions. Nevertheless the double LP was finally released as La Biblia, Vox Dei's indisputable masterpiece.
La Biblia is magnificent for both its music and lyrics. Soulé did a terrific job summarising in just a few lines the most important facts of the Holy Book. Musically the band turned hard-psycho, with chirping driven guitars et al. ‘‘Genesis’‘, ‘‘Las Guerras’‘, ‘‘Profecías’‘ and especially ‘‘Libros Sapienciales’‘ turned into Vox Dei standards. A truly wonderful album taht is absolutely recommended!
To promote La Biblia live, guitarist Nacho Smilari (ex La Barra de Chocolate, and future Piel de Pueblo and Cuero) joined Vox Dei. With this line-up they also recorded a single with two non-album tracks.
Jeremías Pies de Plomo, their next album, found the power trio back to hard rock and blues. Another excellent album, Jeremías includes great songs like ‘‘Jeremías’‘, ‘‘Detrás del vidrio’‘, ‘‘Ritmo y blues con armónicas’‘ (yet another Soulé classic) and the ballad ‘‘Sin separarnos más’‘. Soulé does a wonderful job both with his guitar and harp (he might be the best rock harmonica player in Argentina). A rare single with picture sleeve was also released from this LP.
Their next album, Cuero Caliente, was actually a remake of their debut. Vox Dei (as a trio) re recorded all songs from Caliente minus ‘‘No es por falta de suerte’‘, plus ‘‘Azúcar amarga’‘ and ‘‘Dr Jekill’‘ (from the singles). The result was good enough to satisfy the needs of those who did not own the original LP (hard to find even in those days).
The band was filmed for the movie Rock hasta que se ponga el Sol playing ‘‘Jeremías, pies de plomo’‘ and ‘‘Las Guerras’‘ (the latter inside a Methodist Church). Since they were on another label, their performance was not included on the soundtrack album.
Then Vox Dei signed for CBS and recorded a very good album -Es una nube no hay duda- with better production. Best moments are the title track (written by Quiroga, now a classic), ‘‘La verdadera historia de Sam, el montañés’‘ and ‘‘Prométeme que nunca me dirás adiós’‘.
To conclude their contract with Disc Jockey a live album was released. La nave infernal was recorded during a national tour and featured old and unreleased songs. Unfortunately the sound quality is far from being good, but the performance is so energetic that the album is fun to listen to. Live albums were unusual in those days for a rock group in Argentina.
At this point we can say that the good days for Vox Dei were over. In 1974 they recorded a second album for CBS: Vox Dei para Vox Dei, a mediocre effort. Then Ricardo Soulé quit and the story changed.
Quiroga and Basoalto released two disappointing albums: Estamos en la pecera with Carlos Michelini on guitar and vocals, and Ciego de Siglos with Raúl Fernández and Enrique ‘‘Avellaneda’‘ Díaz on guitar (both ex-La Máquina).
Ricardo Soulé went to England and met band The Heavy Metal Kids. This group recorded some Soulé songs for their debut album. In 1976, back in Argentina, Ricardo recruited brothers Rodolfo and Alejandro Pensa (bass & drums) and released Vuelta a Casa (RCA AVS-4519) a very good hard rock and blues album and a single with two non-LP tracks (‘‘Cuéntame dulce’‘ b/w ‘‘Inexplicable para mí’‘ [RCA Vik 31A-2683]). (Note: the album was also recorded in English; the vinyl version was never released, but these sessions were included as bonus on the CD).
In 1978 Soulé rejoined Vox Dei and the old trio recorded a new album for Polygram, the satisfactory Gata de Noche (Polydor 2387160). However, Vox Dei sort of split again.
Willie Quiroga formed a heavy metal group, Destroyer, and released an album in 1982. Soulé recorded two more solo albums in 1982 and 1985.
Not friends enough, not enemies enough, Soulé, Quiroga and Basoalto occasionally reunited... occasionally split. They had a big successful comeback in 1986, split again, toured again together and so forth.
‘‘Presente’‘ goes like this: ‘‘All things have an ending/ nothing can avoid that/ all things have a conclusion/ everything must end... ". Maybe Vox Dei should listen to their own songs!
All their LPs, except Mandioca's Caliente, have been reissued on vinyl -sometimes with different covers. Of all compilations Lo Mejor de Vox Dei (Disc Jockey 11077) and Los éxitos de Vox Dei (Disc Jockey 14022) are recommended.
Their entire albums with Soulé are available on CD. The CD version of Caliente includes the Mandioca singles as bonus.
Note: A new version of La Biblia (Talent SE-515) -performed by Billy Bond and other artists- was released in 1974. Vox Dei members did not play on this album, which is reviewed separately.
A newly recorded studio version of La Biblia, featuring 90s rock stars Andrés Calamaro, Alejandro Lerner and Fito Páez joining Vox Dei, was released by Warner Music in 1997.
Another rare group to record on Mandioca label.
Actually, Xawks had released a single on another label. ‘‘Decepción’‘ (‘‘Disappointment’‘) was very well sung and featured piano and vibes ...and an accurate title!
Then they recorded a song (‘’Territorio prometido’’) for the compilation album Mandioca Underground (MLP 331) with a piano and guitar beat sound. Their next single was a little better. Then they disappeared.
Both records are hard to get and were not included on any compilation.
Born Alberto García, Pajarito and his old friend Moris formed Los Beatniks, a pioneer Argentine rock group that managed to release a single.
A regular at legndary club La Cueva, Zaguri cut an extremely rare beat single as El 4to Pajarito -’‘Navidad espacial’‘ b/w ‘‘Un diablito en el cielo’‘- with fellows Litto Nebbia, Oscar Moro (both from Los Gatos), Alejandro Medina (Manal) and Moris, among others. It was a flop.
Soon afterwards he joined beat group Los Naúfragos. Pajarito played on their first LP and wrote half of the songs (Vuelvo a Naufragar -CBS 8927).
He left together with great guitarist Nacho Smilari to form La Barra de Chocolate, a very good group that released four singles and an excellent LP. ‘‘Alza la voz’‘, a minor hit, won at the Festival de Música Beat.
La Barra de Chocolate split and Pajarito cut his first single as Pajarito Zaguri: ‘‘Presidente del país’‘ b/w the more interesting ‘‘Hombre sin suerte’‘.
Zaguri then joined another mate from La Cueva, Rocky Rodríguez, and formed La Cría Rockal, but soon left with drummer Carlos Calabró for Piel de Pueblo, a group that released a great album.
In 1973, Pajarito produced the Rockal y la Cría LP (what was left of La Cría Rockal). He also played on one track.
Again a solo act, Zaguri released a good single (the ballad ‘‘El pampero libertad’‘ b/w the rock ‘‘Copado y colocado’‘) with the help of Alejandro Medina and other members of La Pesada.
In May 1975, he recorded some tracks with Kubero Díaz (ex-La Cofradía de la Flor Solar), Willy Pedemonte (ex-Piel de Pueblo and Grupo Sur) on guitars, Topo Dáloisio (ex-Diplodocum red and brown) on bass, Gastón Cubillas (ex-Grupo Sur) on sax and Guillermo Migoya on drums.
These tracks were finally included on the 1976
rock & blues LP Pájaro y La Murga del Rock & Roll. The rest of the
songs were recorded with Rudy Marcolongo and Eduardo Vallejo on guitars, Daniel Beiserman
on bass and A.A.Valman Lauría on drums. Pappo played the organ on
‘‘Intentando los blues’‘ and piano on ‘‘El vago del
Oeste’‘ (the latter sung in English by female jazz singer Lois Blues). Once
again Zaguri could not achieve any kind of success with his projects. He kept
playing in rock pubs and even released two more albums (1985 and 1994), but still no big
recognition!
All his singles are rare and the album is hard to get. None of his work has been reissued so far.
Alfredo Céspedes was a black ballad singer that recorded a soul single for the Mandioca label under the pseudonym Pot Zenda.
The single was produced by Edelmiro Molinari (Almendra, Color Humano) featuring brass and orchestral arrangements. Now a rare item, this PS 7" is collectable as every other Mandioca edition.
In 1971, Zenda recorded a second single for another label. Sung in English, the b-side was written by none other than Luis Alberto Spinetta (Almendra, Pescado Rabioso, Invisible); but still a disappointment!
