Mexican Rock Music: Evolution and Key Bands
Mexican Rock Music: From the 50s to Today
In the 1950s and 1960s, Rock and Roll from the U.S. arrived in Mexico, especially through Elvis Presley, and imitators appeared everywhere. Presley’s figure was decisive, as much as The Beatles. However, after the movement of 1968 (Plaza de Tlatelolco), rock was prohibited and went underground. This began the genesis of its own movement, based in Tijuana.
The 1960s: The Beginning
In 1961, the scene started strong with groups like:
- Los Rebeldes del Rock
- Los Teen Tops
- Los Locos del Ritmo
- Los Hooligans
- Los Hermanos Carrion
- Los Crazy Boys
- The Black Shirts
Among many others, they began recording in Castilian, and covers attracted the upper and middle youth to this new phenomenon. The Spiders, an original group from Guadalajara, displayed a musical prowess that was not known among the youth of the time. Between 1968 and 1971, there was a peak of creativity and color with the emergence of dozens of bands like:
- Pilaseca
- Toncho
- The Ritual
- Peace and Love
- Enigma
- The Spiders
- Three Souls in My Mind
- Dug Dug’s
- Love Army
- La Revolucion de Emiliano Zapata
Others attribute the success to Carlos Santana.
The 1970s: Avándaro and Underground
Near Toluca, in the valley of Avándaro, the Festival Rock y Ruedas (1971), also known as the Mexican Woodstock, was organized. After this, rock was banned, and the incipient movement became underground. Very few groups survived the crisis. Most of the musicians ended up playing in tropical and romantic bands. One survivor was Three Souls in My Mind, who managed to be very popular, singing in Castilian, and later renamed El Tri.
The 1980s: Progressive Rock and “Rock en tu Idioma”
In the 1980s, progressive rock flourished with the appearance of dozens of bands, including:
- Iconoclasta
- Chac Mool
- The High Fidelity Orchestra
- Nobilis Factum
- Cast
- Aleacion 0720
- Carlos Beltran
- Delirium
- Kromlech
- Praxis
- Nazca
- Culto Sin Nombre
- Vector Escoplo
The same applies to Punk and New Wave, including Ritmo Peligroso, the first Mexican punk band. Groups with only acoustic guitars also appeared (“Rock Movement”), including Rockdrigo, Jaime Lopez, Eblen Macary, Roberto Ponce, Cecilia Toussaint, and Nina Galindo. With the success and dissemination of Spanish and Argentine rock, the media poured into the Mexican bands that had changed their names: “El Tri”, “Ritmo Peligroso”, and “Kenny y los Electricos”. Groups of different tendencies began to bloom: pop, new wave, progressive, heavy metal, blues, etc. Juan Hernandez y su Banda de Blues also emerged.
By the end of the 1980s, the “Rock en tu Idioma” movement began, a commercial movement influenced by Argentinian bands. Mexican groups born into the middle-class university scene emerged, such as Caifanes, Maldita Vecindad, Cafe Tacuba, and Mana, achieving stellar sales and great international recognition.
The 1990s: International Projection and “Avanzada Regia”
In the 1990s, the flowering of progressive rock continued, now with international projection, being recognized by various forums and labels from Europe and America. Some of these groups are:
- Banda Elastica
- Frolic Froth
- Cabezas de Cera
- La Barranca
- Gallina
- Humus
- Ulises
- José Luis Ledesma
- Jaime Villarreal
- Nirgal Vallis
- Smoking the Century Away
By the late 1990s, with a much more developed industry, groups like Molotov, Los de Abajo, and Control Machete came to light. These and many other bands worked in a mix of styles, some mixing rock and hip-hop, with irreverent lyrics and personal themes, with a strong dose of social criticism.
In the same years, the “Avanzada Regia” emerged, with bands from Monterrey (Zurdok, Plastilina Mosh) and Guadalajara, which would become the birthplace of rock after Mexico City (La Dosis, Azul Violeta). These bands encompassed all trends: Britpop, indie, punk, punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, trip-hop, glam, and new punk.
The 2000s to Today: A Global Market
Today, the Mexican market is one of the most important in the world. The most visible faces are Julieta Venegas, Ely Guerra, Mana, Zurdok, and Jaguares (formerly Caifanes), among others.
Cafe Tacvba: A Case Study
Cafe Tacvba began their career in 1989 when Mexican rock had already developed its own identity. They further deepened it, considering Mexican music and placing it in a privileged position.
- A Revolutionary Approach: They did not worship the U.S. Their formation was innovative: a quartet without drums, with a lead singer, bass, and two multi-instrumentalists.
- Revaluing the Mexican Past: The update of that legacy immediately drew attention in the U.S. and Europe. Their breakthrough came with the album Re (1994). Boleros, cumbias, and other popular rhythms played by contemporary rockers charmed and seduced audiences everywhere.
- Cultural Pride: With this album, the foursome was proud of its culture, its music, its icons, and its traditions. They believed that their contribution was in itself and not on industry-standard patterns. Mexican and Latin American rock proudly wore their roots.
- Avalancha de Éxitos: A tribute to popular Latin American songs, with songs by Leo Dan, Juan Luis Guerra, Bola de Nieve, and Alberto Dominguez.
- Reves/Yo Soy (1999): An ambitious project, one instrumental album and another with songs.
- Political Engagement: They accepted an offer from MTV to interview Subcomandante Marcos in the jungle of Chiapas. Again, the indigenous metacommunication appeared, claiming their Mayan and Aztec ancestors in the Mexican collective unconscious. This is present in the aesthetics of the group, in the singer’s guttural sounds, and the transience of his name: Ruben Albarran has evolved to the degree of nicknames getting very sui generis: Cosme, Anónimo, Nr̈u, Amparo Tonto Medardo In Lak’ech, Rita Cantalagua, Gallo Gasss, and Sizu Yantra.
- Vale Callampa (2002): A tribute to Los Tres.
- Cuatro Caminos (2003): They moved closer to rock, with a drummer, bass, and guitars. Outstanding tracks include “Zero y Uno”, “Eo (El Sonidero)”, and “Eres”.
- Si No (2007): Their latest album brings a strong sound, full of guitar riffs, programming, and keyboards, away from Mexican folklore and closer to a rock sound. The disc was produced by the “King Midas” of music, Gustavo Santaolalla.
- Musical Range: They range from Beach Boys harmonies to XTC-style new wave, with echoes of The Who to Depeche Mode synthesizers.
- Continuity: “Volver a Comenzar” highlights humor and self-reflection, as the band continues their style.