La Castañeda – Band

La Castañeda

There is a Mexican band by the name of La Castañeda that was very popular, starting back in the 1980s. Although it was considered to be an upstart band, continued to perpetuate, creating album after album. They came out with four additional albums in the 90s and three more in between 2004 in 2010. It is a group that is well-known and Mexico, not so much in the United States or worldwide, but they did have a good following. Here is a quick overview of La Castañeda, Mexican band that has produced some very unique music over the years.

Where Did They Get Started?

This band started in Mexico City. It was fronted by the lead singer of Salvador Mareno. He had developed is experiencing as a vocalist with another band called La Caja, enabling him to deliver some of the great ballads and strong vocals, that define him as one of the best Mexican rock singers in history. In fact, it is stated that prior to this singer, there was very little that could actually define what Mexican rock actually was. After their first album came out which was Servicios Generales, they were able to sign with BMG and even offer bonus tracks as part of the deal that they were given.

Where Did They Get Their Name?

The Name La Castañeda is actually derived from a psychiatric hospital, one that was actually established prior to the Mexican Revolution. It was closed in 1968, yet there are some people that still believe that the name came from the more popular New Age books written by writer and anthropologist Carlos Castaneda. Over the years, they decided to change their sound, constantly re-creating themselves, yet still adhering to rock as their main motif in their music. They incorporated punk, blues, and even jazz into some of their songs. Most people will agree that the songs that they sing have a very mysterious and dark sound, reflecting a type of madness is not only the sounds of the musical instruments but the words that were used when they were singing.

The Success Of The Group

This came in the form of a couple different versions of the group, each under a different name. Under La Castañeda, they produced a total of seven albums, and under the name of La Casta, they came out with two separate albums in 2004 in 2006. Although some of these were under BMG, nearly half of them were Independent, whereas others were under Culebra and StakaRock. In each of these albums, there is a distinctive sound which will certainly remind people that it is still La Castañeda.

Overview Of Their Live Performances

Live performances often define musical groups. This is certainly true with this rock group that often used paintings on the stage. They also used a wide variety of costumes, uniforms, and they would often have people performing aerial dances or what could be interpreted as a circus act. There were urban elements, rusty tambos, and even the keyboards and drums were distinctive for this group. There were also dancers, actors, actresses, and many other definitive characteristics that can only be found in their live performances.

If you are interested in listening to La Castañeda, it is a group that is going to cater to those that have more of a bent toward rock music. However, like the American musical group Queen, they are known for their very flamboyant performances, something that makes them very different from other Mexican rock groups in history. If all you want to do is listen to the music, you will not be disappointed. You do not have to have a live performance to understand why this group is so good. It is a defining group for Mexican rock, one that you will often hear mimicked in other rock groups that have since originated since the 1980s.

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