Rock en Español

Coming from a traditional Mexican-raised family, I was raised listening to Latin music. The music I typically listened to was Tejano, Norteño Music, Mariachis, and Cumbias. Although I listened to Latin music most of my childhood and teen life, one of the many Latin music genres I learned to admire in my early adulthood is Rock en Español, also known as Latin Rock or Spanish Rock. In learning about the different genres and how they evolved in the United States and other countries, I was curious to learn more about Rock en Español.
The three questions I wanted to explore on Rock en Español are: I. Where did Latin Rock/Rock en Español begin? II. Did Latin Rock/Rock en Español play any political impact in Latin American countries the way R&B did in the United States? III. How did the United States respond to Latin Rock/Rock en Español? The origin of Rock en Español can be traced to the popularity of Rock n’ Roll in Latin America in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Many individuals believe Rock en Español originated in 1958 from the hit song “La Bamba” from the famous American singer, songwriter and guitarist Ritchie Valens. Ritchie’s recording of “La Bamba” popularized Spanish-language rock throughout many Latin American countries. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that Rock en Español was truly born, and in the 1990s it became the movement that it’s known as today. A few of the most influential names in the history of Rock en Español are: Soda Stereo, Café Tacvba, Enanitos Verdes, Los Prisioneros, Hombres G, and one of my favorite bands Caifanes/Jaguares. As Latin American bands began to listen to Rock n’ Roll, it became apparent that local bands would have to inherit the sound of the American and British bands, who were highly accepted by the corporate media in Latin America, in order to be heard on the radio or appear on television. However, many Latin American musicians refused to be an imitation of the American and British Rock n’ Roll bands, so they formed a type of music that would represent their national heritage. Some artist wanted to merge their cultural sounds mixed with rock and to freely express themselves about the economic struggle and problems. It wasn’t until the 1980s that a new movement became the voice of freedom, rebellion and cultural pride which revolutionized the Rock en Español we listen to today. As Rock en Español became the ideal music to express feelings of love, anger, hope, and even spread positive message, some Latin Americans turned to Rock en Español to express their freedom against military dictatorships which usually ended in political affairs. Countries like Argentina, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico had even prohibited youths to express their political view through rock music on national television and radio stations. An example of this type of retaliation occurred after the Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968 in Mexico City. Like in many Latin American countries, Mexican Government banned rock concerts and prohibited students from any organization or activism; this was a negative form of rebellion amongst its youth. Instead, the only music accepted was either pop, ballads or anything that didn’t have a drop of rock. As many underground rock bands grew tired of being denied their freedom to express under their conservative government, in 1984 the Mexican Government lifted the ban on rock concerts and opened its doors to the many Rock en Español Bands from all over the Latin American countries. By the early 80s, Rock en Español was finally getting the attention it deserved by the media throughout the world. Bands from Central and South America as well as France and Spain played their songs at sold out concerts in many Spanish Speaking countries. As Rock en Español reached the United States, many Latinos began listening to the bands in their own language and then began to form their own rock bands. Radio stations, DJ’s, and record stores emerged to cater to the music many youths were craving for. Some of the songs that played a big role in the construction of the identity of Rock en Español in the United States are: Por Que No Se Van by Los Prisioneros, La Negra Tomasa by Caifanes, Sufre Mamon by Hombres G, Lamento Boliviano by Enanitos Verdes, Florecita Rockera by Aterciopelados, and of course Persiana Americana by Soda Stereo. As the years went by, many Rock en Español bands broke up or went solo in the early 90s. One band that diminished then returned a few years later under a new name was the band Caifanes. In 1995, Saul Hernandez, the lead singer of Caifanes, dreamt that he was playing inside a Jaguar’s mouth. This dream lead to the change of the band name Caifanes to Jaguares (Jaguars), which was formed from the skeleton band members Caifanes. Last year I was fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to Jaguares perform live at the Honda Center in Anaheim. I have been to many concerts but none like Jaguares. This 2 ½ hour live performance was full of great music and performances. I was astonished on how well the vocals and music from this live performance sounded. The drummer and the mass beats he played just rocked the Honda Center all night. The audience danced and sang every song that played. In comparing the live performance of Jaguares to the video performance I watched of PBS Behind the Scenes: Juanes, has given me the opportunity to compare two great rock bands. Juanes is a great performer to watch. He songs are very poetic but he plays the guitar like is idols Metallica and the Rolling Stones. The audience dances and sings along to every song Juanes plays. He captivates his audience with wonderful lyrics and rhythm he plays and sings. In comparing both performances, I have come to realization that Rock en Español is very unique amongst the different artist. Jaguares is really big on their drums and the heavy beats, whereas Juanes is big on his guitar. Overall, even though both bands are classified under the genre of Rock en Español, I can see both of them crossing over to other genres.
I have enjoyed doing this research and learning where and how Rock en Español has developed over the years. Latin American music is an amazing genre and I am sure there are is more to come.
Bibliography
Video Source: * Behind the Scenes: Juanes. Directed by Austin City Limits. United States: PBS Distribution, 2013.
Literary Source: * Lechner, Ernesto, Rock en Español: The Latin Alternative Rock Explosion. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, Inc., 2006. * McRae, Rick, "Rockin' las Americas: The Global Politics of rock in Latin/o America." The Free Library. 2005 Music Library Association, Inc. 01 Jun. 2014. * Kotarba, Joseph A., Merrill, Bryce, Williams, J. Patric, Vannini, Phillip, Understanding Society through Popular Music, Second Edition. New York: Routledge, 2013.
Online Source: * Quintana, Carlos, Rock en Español – Essential Artists (Online). http://latinmusic.about.com/od/poprock/tp/Rock-En-Espanol-Essential-Artists.htm
In this website, the top 10 most influential Latin Rock artist were listed. Each band played an import role in the history of Rock en Español, and this website helped me identify and understand the impact they incorporated into this amazing genre. * Rubio, Cristopher, (May 22, 2012). A look at Rock en Español (Online). http://www.beinglatino.us/entertainment/music/a-look-at-rock-en-espanol/
This website helped shine some light on the origin of Rock en Español. It was a good source when trying to seek where the genre of Rock en Español really began and from what. * Proefrock, Stacia, (2014). Jaguares (Online). http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jaguares-mn0000126862/biography
In this website, I obtained information on the Rock en Español band Jaguares. It explains how the once known group Caifanes has transformed and continued the legacy through their new name Jaguares.