One of the top Rock en Español bands in Mexico, and somewhat of a game changer, has been the Maldita Vecindad Y Los Hijos del Quinta Patio. There are several ways to translate the name but the most popular is “The Neighborhood of The Damned and the Sons of The 5th Block. They are usually just called by their short name, Las Malditas and everyone knows who they are. They were one of the original Spanish Language rock bands from Mexico and have been very influential in defining the genre, especially in Latin America.
To begin with, they embraced the Pachuco style of dress where young Latinos dressed in flashy clothes with hats and shiny shoes. Plus, there were fancy cars with lift kits and remote control shocks that could bounce down the road and show off. For the most part, the followers of the style didn’t have the money that they portrayed, but were hoping to get there someday soon. Those in the band, however, usually did have the money, cars, and women, showing off was part of their style. When they made music videos, everything was about the money and wealth.
The most influential bands of the Pachuco style and the rock music they sang were Cafe Tacuba, Mana, Maldita Vecindad, Caifanes, and several others. They mostly began in an older part of Mexico City and spread out from there. There are still some of the old hangouts in that part of the city but it is now a tourist attraction that draws people from all over the country and world for the food, music, and older architecture.
Their First Commercial Success Was El Circo, Their Second Album
El Circo, meaning “The Fence” gained Las Malditas their early success and notoriety that helped them sell a substantial number of records. At the time, the 800,000 albums that were sold was a milestone that hadn’t been surpassed in the genre up until then. The Malditas then became an opening act for larger American bands such as INXS, Bob Dylan, Faith No More, Jane’s Addiction, and Leonard Cohen. This gave them more exposure among rock enthusiasts even though they sang nearly all their songs in Spanish.
The lineup of the band featured Roco on vocals, Tiki on various guitars, Aldo on bass guitar, Sax on the saxophone, trumpet, and also guitar, Lobito and Pacho on drums and percussion instruments. All the members of the band used shortened names and pseudonyms as was part of their style. They were always considered a top concert to attend because of their high energy performances, that combined jokes, dancing and fun with hard rock rhythms that drove home a point in the lyrics.
They also had many other types of music mixed in like Afro-Caribbean, swing, punk rock, reggae, and a type of called ska as well. Ska music is a mixture of reggae, calypso, and American jazz that was unique to the Caribbean at the time. They were quite popular in the border states like California, Texas, Florida and on south into Mexico and Central America. One of their great strengths was their ability to create new music that pushed the envelope and helped expand the audience for the genre. This helped spawn other large Latin Rock bands like Mana, Juanes, and Cafe Tacuba as well.
Some of the band’s most popular songs were cover songs of groups like Tigres Del Norte, Juan Gabriel, and Armando Manzanero that the band gave their unique style and vocals to, changing them into their own, while maintaining the original lyrics and tune.
Their Latest Album Of 2010 Is Showing A Change In Society
While they still have their original roots, they are now writing songs that speak of the huge change in society and culture that is affecting their generation of Latinos as well as others around the world. The economy has changed into a global one, causing loss of employment for many thousands while opening up new opportunity to those with the right education and foresight. Their album titled Circular Colectivo, has the same energy that they’ve always had but with a newer message for their fans and followers of a new generation. They are a great band to see in concert and have a solid list of singles that any follower of Rock in Español would appreciate.
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