Born in 1959, Gustavo Adrian Cerati is one of the most recognized and influential Argentine musicians. Cerati was considered a role model in the Ibero-American rock scene and his band was one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980’s and the 1990’s.
Cerati released seven studio albums with his band, Soda Stereo. He also released another five studio albums as a solo artist. His musical work extended beyond singing and songwriting to producing as well. He worked as a producer on eight albums, some of them for very well known musical artists, such as Shakira. In 2001, Gustavo Cerati played the role of a character named Jorge in the movie “Bien”.
His music, as well as the music of his band, won several awards over the decades. The awards included Grammys, Gardels, Latin Grammys, and MTV awards.
The Rise Of Soda Stereo
Gustavo finished with his country’s compulsory military service in late 1979. He then enrolled in a local university where he pursued an education in marketing. While at university he was introduced to Hector “Zeta” Bosio. They became quick friends and eventually decided to form a band because they shared many of the same musical interests and inspirations.
The band was on shaky grounds during the first few years. Many members would come and go. Eventually, in 1982, Charly Alberti would join the band and it would take on the name “Soda Stereo”. Two years later, in 1984, the band was signed to the Sony Music record label and they released their first album, Nada Personal.
Soda Stereo grew to become very popular very quickly. They were continually holding shows at larger and larger venues. 1985, they played at the Rock in Bali festival and later that year they played at the Festival Chateau Rock. The band played for more than 15,000 people at the Chateau Festival. It also provided national recognition for the band.
They continued to record award-winning albums and tour the country for the next 12 years. In 1997, the band released their final album and parted ways. Meanwhile, Gustavo had already spent a great deal of time building his solo career.
The Continued Fame Of Gustavo
Gustavo Cerati had begun recording solo albums several years before the band officially separated. His first solo album was released in 1993 and featured vocals from his wife, Cecilia Amenbar. The album was entitled Amor Amarillo and it featured the hit single “Te llevo para Que me lleves”.
Despite this previous album release, it was his 1999 album that many fans viewed as a proper solo debut. It was entitled Bocanada and it was his first solo album released since the band parted ways. The album very quickly achieved gold status in the country and it helped ensure that Gustavo remained in the spotlight even after his band was separated.
The turn of the new century did not slow Gustavo down. Instead, he started by recording the musical score for the movie +Bien as well as playing the role of Jorge in the movie. The soundtrack for the movie +Bien was nominated for a Latin Grammy.
Cerati released a new album in 2002 and then another in 2003. In 2004, a compilation album was released and it featured a number of his most recognizable solo hits. He continued after this with a tour of Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico.
Soda Stereo joined forces once again for a reunion tour in 2007. Unfortunately, Gustavo would suffer from a serious stroke in 2010. The stroke left him in a coma for several years. Four years later, he would die while still in a coma. Though he is dead, his music lives on and continues to inspire Spanish speaking musicians everywhere.
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