Vox Dei is a rock band from Argentine that is most well known for the recording of the country’s first concept album. The band was active between the years of 1967 and 1981 before briefly separating. They reunited in 1986 and continue to play to this day. However, over their 50-plus years of playing music, the band has seen several members leave and many new members join. Today, only one original member of the band remains.
Vox Dei has recorded a total of thirteen studio albums between the years of 1970 and 2005. They have also recorded an additional six live albums between 1973 and 2015. Most of the albums released by the band were a huge commercial success. It is believed that the band released some of their best music during the 1970’s when the band recorded a total of 10 different albums.
The Beginning Of The Vox Dei
The band originally consisted of four different members. There was Ruben Basoalto on the drums, Juan Godoy on the guitar and performing vocals, Ricardo Soule also on the guitar and performing vocals, and Willy Quiroga who played the bass guitar as well as some vocals. After forming, the band spent most of their first years performing cover songs for popular rock bands like The Byrds and The Rolling Stones.
A year after coming together, in 1968, they recorded a demo of a cover for the Percy Sledge song, “When a Man Loves a Woman”. This initial demo earned the attention of a few professionals in the industry. Most notable was the Mandioca company, which decided to hold an audition for the band at a local theater. After this performance, the band decided that a new direction would work best and began to focus on creating original Spanish music.
The first album released by the band was entitled Caliente. It was completed in 1970 and was the band’s only album recorded for the Mandioca company. Mandioca would go bankrupt while the band was recording their next album and the Disc Jockey label would take over in their place.
Launched Into Stardom
It was the band’s second album, La Biblia, that marked their launch into stardom. La Biblia was the first concept album to be released in Argentine. This album was exceptionally powerful and completely changed the way that rock music was viewed in the country. Highly ranking religious figures in the country even recommended the album to younger listeners because of the inspired lyrics.
This was also the first time that the band received a serious change to the line-up. Yodi Godoy left the band and Nacho Smilari took his place. Vox Dei then went on a national tour following the massive success of La Biblia. It wasn’t long before their band was a household name in Argentine.
Separation And Reunion
The band would eventually split ways in 1981. They performed one final show at Estadio Obras Sanitarias and many people believed it would be their last time together. Some band members went on to focus on solo careers while others formed their own bands.
Five years later, Vox Dei would play their first reunion show. The band played their famous La Biblia at multiple sold-out shows. The following year, in 1987, the band released their 12th official studio album. The band would continue to fall apart and then get back together on multiple occasions over the next decade.
Today, the band is considered far more stable than it has been in some time. The band celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2017. They are scheduled for more appearances in the future and many hope to hear a new album in the future.
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