Los Prisioneros: Чилілік рок тобының тарихы

Chilean rock band

Los Prisioneros ("The Prisoners") were a Chilean rock band formed in San Miguel, Santiago, in 1982. Considered one of the most important Latin American bands of all time, they've been evaluated as pioneers of Rock en español (Rock in Spanish) by Latin American media and musicians, and as the band with the strongest socio political impact in Chile. The group would develop a new wave sound that would have its roots in British punk rock, in particular The Clash, and would incorporate rockabilly, reggae and ska influences, and later on synthpop, and would make themselves known for their controversial, witty and subversive lyricism that criticized the socio economic structures, education and societal attitudes of dictatorship era Chile and Latin America as a whole. This would cause their music to be banned by the Chilean mainstream media between 1985 and 1990, but their music would continue to spread there, aided by word of mouth and shared homemade cassette tapes. After changing their name to Los Prisioneros, they would record their first album, La voz de los '80, and release it on the independent record label Fusión Producciones, and would initially struggle to achieve mainstream popularity before signing to EMI Records in 1985, re releasing their first album on vinyl records and cassettes. From that point on, they would reach mainstream success in all of Latin America, in particular, Peru. Starting with the release of 1986's Pateando piedras and 1987's La cultura de la basura, González would begin to incorporate Depeche Mode inspired synthpop sounds and rhythms to their music, to the dismay of Narea. Tensions between the two band members would come to a halt during production of 1990's Corazones, when Narea would learn of an affair between González and his wife, and would leave the band, being replaced by Cecilia Aguayo on keyboards, and Robert Rodríguez on bass. This new incarnation of Los Prisioneros would not last long, and the group would dissolve in 1991, marking the end of the "first phase" of the band. Following the release of the compilation album Antologia, su historia y sus exitos, Los Prisioneros would reunite in 2001, and would play two reunion shows in Santiago's Estadio Nacional to a total of almost 150,000 people, a feat no other Chilean band has accomplished since. They would record a self titled reunion album in 2003, and González and Narea would have another falling out, Narea would leave the band once again, with Los Tres frontman Alvaro Henríquez joining the band, recording the covers album Los Prisioneros En Las Raras Tocatas Nuevas De la Rock & Pop. Shortly after, Sergio "Coty" Badilla and Gonzalo Yáñez would join the band, and would form part of the lineup that would record their sixth and final studio album; Manzana and would go on tour in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Chile. On February 18, 2006, in Caracas, Venezuela the band would perform their last concert. Jorge González moved to Mexico, leaving Tapia and Badilla in Chile. Musically, Los Prisioneros marked the beginning of a new musical era in Chile, leaving behind the 1960s folk inspired music of Víctor Jara and Violeta Parra, and starting the new era of Nuevo Pop Chileno (New Chilean Pop)., setting the stage for many other Chilean bands, such as Aparato Raro, Cinema, Upa!, Valija Diplomática, Aterrizaje Forzoso, Electrodomésticos, Banda 69, Fulano, among others. Songs like "La Voz de los '80", "Muevan las Industrias", and "Tren al Sur" are among the most famous, important, and musically influential songs of Latin America, and the song "El baile de los que sobran" became an anthem for the 2019 2022 Chilean protests. In 2023, Rolling Stone would name Corazones among the 50 best Latin American albums of all time.

In 1979, songwriter Jorge González (bass, lead vocals), Miguel Tapia (drums, backing vocals) and Claudio Narea (guitar, backing vocals), met during their first year of High school or Secondary Education as it is known in Chile. They attended The «Liceo Number 6 from San Miguel, Santiago de Chile. Their high school has since been renamed Liceo Andres Bello. In 1980, Jorge and Claudio, along with brothers Rodrigo and Alvaro Beltran, formed the band "The Pseudopillos" (the Pseudo thieves). The group created humorous songs a cappella (mostly by Jorge and Claudio), using everyday objects as percussion. Simultaneously, Jorge had a band with Miguel, where they would pretend to be John Lennon and Paul McCartney from the Beatles. After watching them play; Narea nicknamed them "Los Vinchukas". "Vinchukas" are small insects of northern Chile; this nickname inferred that the Jorge and Miguel were «The Chilean Beatles». As they all got to know each other, they eventually invited Narea to join the band Shortly after Alvaro Beltran joined on guitar, and Miguel Tapia, who had received a drum set as a gift from one of his sisters, took over the drums. The quartet made its live debut on May 14, 1982, at their High School and had moderate success. At the end of 1982 Jorge and Miguel wanted to buy a bass drum pedal, but Claudio and Alvaro disagreed with them. Rodrigo, who was not part of the band, intervened causing the dissolution of Los Vinchukas and Los Pseudopillos a few days after graduating high school. Gonzalez and Tapia continued playing together, but Claudio did not speak to them for two or three months while working to raise money for college. Rodrigo, who had reconciled with Jorge and Miguel, convinced Claudio to return to the band. At this critical phase, the band decided to use a brand new name, this time seriously. First they chose Los Criminales ("the Criminals") reflecting their views as being outsiders, but Miguel suggested the name Los Prisioneros reflecting more accurately their reality in the authoritarian repressed Chile of the 1980s The rest liked the name, and on July 1, 1983, they debuted with the name Los Prisioneros at Festival de la Canción del Colegio Miguel León Prado (Miguel Leon Prado High School Song festival). At that time the band members were Jorge González as bass player and lead singer, Claudio Narea on the guitar and Miguel Tapia playing drums, percussions and backing vocals. That same year, Jorge González entered the University of Chile School of Arts, where he met several people whom although unknown at the time would become stars of the "Nuevo Pop Chileno" (New Chilean Pop). Singers such as Igor Rodríguez —who would eventually become a member of the band "Aparato Raro"— and future members of Los Prisioneros Robert Rodríguez and Carlos Fonseca with whom he established an instant friendship. It was not long before Jorge Gonzalez y Carlos Fonseca dropped out of the university. Shortly afterwards, Jorge González began to work at the Fonseca's family business (a record store called Discos Fusión), while Carlos Fonseca went out looking for new talent. Some time later Jorge asked Carlos Fonseca to be the manager of the band.

In October 1987 they started recording their third album La cultura de la basura (Culture of Garbage or Junk Culture). Jorge González promised the other band members they would all write together. As it turned out Gonzalez wrote the album by himself while Narea and Tapia composed 4 songs together: "Somos solo ruido" (We Are Only Noise), "Algo Tan Moderno" (Something So Modern) "El Vals" (The Waltz) and "Lo estamos pasando muy bien" (We Are Having A Good Time). During those sessions, the first disagreements within the band began. Caco Lyon could not stand Jorge's apathy and nonchalance, and left the recording sessions. Thus leaving the job to his assistant Antonio Gildemeister, who was an amateur in training. He was left to make the recordings and mixing, resulting in the roughness and crudeness of the album's final sound. Lyon later would say that the record was very messy and not properly filled. The album was released on December 3 of that year. They sold 10 000 copies in advance sales, but did not surpass the success of Pateando piedras, being only able to sell 70 000 copies. This was considered by media critics as an artistic and commercial failure of the band although, ironically, it was still double platinum. For González, the album was neither a commercial, nor an artistic failure of the band; nevertheless, he considered it to be a low point for the band. Claudio, Fonseca, and Miguel blamed Jorge, saying that he got too relaxed because he was not the only one composing as it had been in the past. Fonseca liked the song "Lo Estamos Pasando Muy Bien" (We Are having A Good Time) but he believed the other songs by Narea were similar to «Mostrar La Hilacha» (Showing Loose Thread) one of his other compositions. He added a new song, which opens the album, titled "We are Sudamerican rockers". This version of the album was released only in Chile. Today, it is considered by some the best album of the band (in the original edition) according to Juan Marquez of El Mercurio. González and Fonseca had a heated argument over the choice of the first single, Que No Destrocen Tu Vida (Don't Let Them Destroy Your Life), a song about parents meddling in the lives of their sons. The song was probably inspired by Claudio's struggles with his parents. Gonzalez and Fonseca disagreed over which song was appropriate for Chilean radio circulation. Fonseca wanted "Maldito Sudaca" (Damn South American) as the single: a song about the racist attitudes of Spaniards toward South Americans; "Sudaca" is a racial Slur used by Spaniards, which infers people from South America, as being inferior. In the end "Que No Destrocen Tu Vida" was chosen as the single, while Maldito Sudaca became much more popular in Chile and Latin America. On March 28, 1988, Los Prisioneros called a press conference to explain the promotional tour for La Cultura de la Basura: 40 dates were announced from Arica, Chile's northernmost city to Punta Arenas, Chile's southernmost city. The tour later would also include other South American countries and Mexico. At the end of the press conference; Cristián Rodríguez —a former representative of the Independent Record Label Fusion who was invited by Miguel Tapia— asked about the last question on the plebiscite/referendum coming up in October of that year, concerning the military dictatorship of General Pinochet still ruling in Chile at the time. Jorge González answered immediately and without hesitation: « In the upcoming plebiscite we will vote NO (En el plebiscito votaremos que No)»
After the plebiscite, the band returned to Argentina to participate in the commemoration of the 40 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in a concert organized by Amnesty International, which had sought to make it in Chile, but was not able to due Pinochet's opposition. On October 14 of 1988 in the World Cup Stadium in Mendoza, Los Prisioneros shared the stage with Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Bruce Springsteen, Youssou N'Dour, the Mendozino group Markama and Chilean Group Inti Illimani, performing together the song "Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley to an audience between 10,000 and 18,000 Chileans and Argentinians. <blockquote>Chilean people were happy to be outside their country. They felt liberated. But the experience was strange because we were not too comfortable in Argentina. There was always this tension between Argentinians and Chileans. We did not leave with a pleasant memory.

In 1996 Los Prisioneros were seen again after several years, and started collecting the band's success, and unreleased songs, covers of some songs released abroad discarded songs, with more oddities from the time of Los Pseudopillos, Los Vinchukas, Gus Gusano y Los Apestosos. They created a compilation which sold 100.000 albums dobles.54Later, 40 songs were selected and featured in a double compact disc compilation album titled,Ni Por La Razón, Ni Por La Fuerza (Nor by reason, Nor by force). Its cover shows the faces of Jorge González, Miguel Tapia and Claudio Narea above the face of Bernardo O'Higgins, Jose Miguel Carrera and Manuel Rodríguez, considered the Fathers of the Chilean Homeland. The compilation album was promoted through the radios with the song "Las sierras Eléctricas", a song originally written and composed for the album Corazones, in 2001 a new version of This song was used to announce the reunion of the group in two shows of the National Stadium. They played privately in one event, in Balmaceda 1215, however, there was no talk about getting back together, nor the media showed any interest with the news, this album was re released in others formats like; in 2012 when the compilation album was released on Vinyl. In 1998 Jorge and Miguel were reunited, along with the Venezuelan artist Argenis Brito, to form the trio "Los Dioses" (The Gods), they launched a tour titled "Lo Mejor de Los Prisioneros" (The Best of The Prisoners) and toured Chile and Peru, interpreting classics of the prisoners, and did some gigs not but were not very successful. Gonzalez's aggressiveness and carelessness in front of his audiences pushed the public away. One Day Jorge collapsed due to his addiction to drugs and finally left the trio in March 1999, without releasing an album. Argenis Brito Miguel and continued together under as a duo under the new name "Humanitarian Reason". In 2000 Jorge suddenly stopped promoting his latest solo album, and he traveled to Cuba, to overcome his drug addiction in the Villa Center Detoxification Quinque in that country. In October 2000 Carlos Fonseca released under the label Warner Music, the tribute album Tributo a Los Prisioneross, made up of 18 groups in Chile, with Jorge González doing Chorus vocals. A month later, and produced by Jorge Gonzalez El Caset Pirata and the compilation of hits from the band recorded live from 1986 to 1991.57 40 As an advance, they released a single before the album's release on October 30, titled "No necesitamos banderas"(We Don't Need Flags), a presentation of the 1992 farewell tour banda. the album sold 20 000 copies. On August 31, 2011, it was re released along with the other 3 albums La cultura de la basura, Pateando piedras and La voz de los '80.

In 2003 the band released their first new album since Claudio Narea left the band in 1990. It was titled self titled, Los Prisioneros. The reviews for the album were quite mixed, some loved it while others did not or thought that the band no longer sounded like Los Prisioneros. The album had a whole new sound, but it kept the political lyrics of the band in most of their songs. Basically the first half of the album is very centered in the rock genre while the second half moves into more of an electronic and acoustic folk guitar influence. They made two videos for the album, one for "San Miguel" and one for "Ultra Derecha". They then began a tour to promote the album in 2003. The same year, Los Prisioneros played in the famous music festival of Viña Del Mar in Chile. This was a live broadcast show and a very controversial one. Jorge González changed or added lyrics expressing his anger towards George W. Bush, about the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, and other major things happening in Chile. By this time, Jorge was becoming very outspoken which caused controversy, and tension began to become quite noticeable between Jorge and Claudio. In September, Claudio Narea was dismissed by the band, the remaining members said they talked it out like gentlemen, and decided to keep the reason of his dismissal between the three, and then until the band's final break up in 2006, Los Prisioneros would face on and off controversy from certain newspapers and sometimes even from Claudio. During a press conference to announce Claudio's departure, and to announce his replacement, who was called "the guest of honor in the guitar", the press kept bringing the subject of Claudio's departure. The Band members became annoyed and told several of the press members that they would not give any details regarding the breakup between Los Prisioneros and Claudio and would refuse talk about it. Eventually, Jorge lost his temper and knocked down all the microphones and threw a glass jar of water (which was on the table) to the ground, then he left the conference and so did Miguel and "the guest of honor in the guitar, who was Álvaro Henríquez. The latter one left with a big smile on his face and waved goodbye.

Los Prisioneros went into the Rock & Pop studios to record their live studio covers album with guest musician Álvaro Henríquez, of Los Tres fame. The album En Las Raras Tocatas Nuevas De La Rock & Pop features only two original Los Prisioneros songs while the rest are but covers. Some of the covers include "Es La Lluvia Que Cae" originally by the Rokes, "Birthday" by the Beatles, "Alone Again (naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan and many others. In this album they record songs by other bands like Virus and the Children's mini series "31 Minutos". They also make new versions of 2 songs from their previous Albums ( "Concepción" and "En el cementerio"). The album had a limited production and is now a hard to find collector's item.

On September 5, 2001, the original lineup of The Prisoners was to officially launch the return of the group with a single. It was a new version of "Las sierras eléctricas" recorded for the occasion after 12 years, this song was originally recorded by the trio before Narea output Hearts in 1989 and was published posthumously, "Ni por la razon, Ni Por La fuerza"(Not by reason, Nor by Force) The same year EMI edited the double album ""Antologia, Su Historia Y Sus Exitos" (Anthology, its history and successes), although similar to other Large successes, the first album is full they decided to remove the last album, which only lasted 55 minutes. The label had contractual problems, because they could not edit a record without the consent of the band as they had to accommodate their wishes. Also included, in its original version, "Las sierras eléctricas" that was not owned by EMI. Later that same year, the original band members, González, Tapia and Narea, meet again to perform two concerts at the National Stadium in Santiago on November 30 and December, with a great acclaim and press coverage, which the musicians had never had that up until that point. They appeared in several front pages of newspapers, and there was such a congregation and emotional reunion. Los Prisioneros became the first and so far the only group to fill twice the National Stadium, a record surpassed in 2007 by Soda Stereo to exceed 126 000 tickets sold in two dates, with the tour "will see me back again". In 2002 they recorded this memorable performance in a live album and DVD, while the band did a successful tour through Chile and various countries in Latin America. It is at this time the band started to create small controversy for Jorge Gonzalez remarks while performing. In Peru, González said he was ashamed of the "Anti Peruvian attitudes" of his fellow Chilean countrymen. Then, as in the case of the 2002 Teleton, where González made sarcastic comments about the companies associated with the event, accusing them of using the Teleton for their own benefit, turning it into a business. Until this day, those events are well remembered and talked about. In February 2003, they had a strong and successful time at the Festival of Viña del Mar festival winning all the awards and in June 2003, Los Prisioneros released to the market a new album (the fifth of their career) simply titled Los Prisioneros. Although it was far away from the band's original sound. Things that made the band famous, the social critique and anti neoliberal policy was not absent. The album achieved gold and platinum, and "Untra Derecha" ultra right and San Miguel are the themes that emerged as singles. Some months later, yet again Claudio Narea is leaving Los Prisoners this time the reasons for his departure are published on the band's website. This dismissal was communicated to me on 18 August, as part of a meeting, to which I was summoned by George and Michael. Without dialogue nor discussion, Jorge González simply informed me that "we do not want to play with you anymore." Jorge accused me of wanting to outshine the band, and accused me of discussing problems within the band with friends who are outside the band. He was particularly upset by an interview in June, with the newspaper Las Ultimas Noticias, despite the fact that the interview was about my own personal matters and did not reveal any misfeasance about the band. Tapia and González keep playing together with guest musicians. The big surprise was the temporary admission into the band of Álvaro Henríquez «formerly from Los Tres Band and from "Los Pettinellis" band (Chilean Rock Bands)»; with whom he recorded the album of covers and re releases: Los Prisioneros En Las Raras Tocatas Nuevas De la Rock & Pop (The Prisoners In The New Strange Playings of Rock & Pop), recorded at the same radio Station. On October 23 the prisoners were nominated as "Best Central Artist" by MTV Latin America, 64 who commemorated its ten years of existence and it was the band's second award, which is why they put together the supergroup, "Los Black Stripes" for the opening, with different exponents of Latin rock, including Jorge González, who shared the stage with the likes of Charly Alberti and Juanes. Then Alex Lora (El Tri) started singing "We are Sudamerican rockers", then joined with Jonaz and Rosso (Plastilina Mosh members), following them, González appeared singing "Bolero Falaz" (false Bolero) "by the Aterciopelados and then shouted "Viva Cuba". Jorge González later proceed to criticize MTV's new line up, saying that at first, MTV was oriented to true rock but today, the television station had become a sellout channel like all the other ones with a reality show, with Ricky Martin and Alejandro Sanz.

In 2004, a new line up with Gonzalo Yáñez (as guest musician) and Sergio "Coti" Badilla, released their new album called Manzana. The album received great reviews, and sales, even though Jorge had said it would be hard to promote the album. The album featured a far more pop rock influence than the previous album. The album sounds as if Los Prisioneros were somehow realizing their roots and in some of the songs, it is evident of past Los Prisioneros albums that came out in the 1980s. While the album has a lot of electronic synths and in general electronic influence, each song pretty much stayed in the Rock genre. Their lyrics were a lot more up front than their previous album. They specifically attacked El Mercurio in the song "Mr. Right" about how that newspaper created propaganda against Allende and hinted that the Chilean coup of 1973 where Chile's then president (Salvador Allende) was mysteriously killed by (depending on the sources) himself or the army That Pinochet commanded. They made a video for "El Muro" and began a tour that same year to play in South and Central America, Mexico, the US and Canada. During the tours, two more videos followed, "Manzana" and "Eres Mi Hogar". By this time, the band members have privately agreed to dissolve the group around 2006 but officially they continue as a band, and they carry on as if everything is the same for the next 2 years. In late 2005, Jorge González the band's main vocalist agrees to an extensive interview by the noted Chilean Journalist and Writer "Emiliano Aguayo"; who in turn publishes a book titled "Maldito Sudaca: conversaciones con Jorge González" This book stands as a biographical account of the life of Jorge González and of the band. In addition the book has the most comprehensive discographical investigation of Jorge González as a musician. On February 18, 2005, they performed their last concert at the time in Caracas, Venezuela. After having successfully performed in Canada, United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Chile, over the past two years. The dissolving of the group was agreed upon long before; although their closest fans were already aware of it, the press not informed, They cited the reason for the break up on the fact that they were all living in different cities. While Jorge González had taken up residence in Mexico, Miguel Tapia and Sergio Badilla remained in Santiago.

In 2005, Gonzalo Yáñez left the band (he was only a guest guitarist) to continue on his next album as a solo artist. The band continued touring until the end of 2005, and Jorge González had relocated to Mexico, D. F. After a dismal tour in early 2006 (of dates which the band were in contract to perform) the band announced on their official website that the band would be over in March 2006. This proved to be true when Jorge announced his new group Los Updates which has seen a very well received first full length album in Europe, Japan and the United States where he has had good reviews by the specialized media in music. On the other hand, the differences between Claudio Narea and Miguel Tapia would keep them apart since 2003. They were brought together in 2009 forming a new project called "Narea and Tapia", performing several live shows. The group indicated that they were recording new songs and would published on December 20, 2010, for free download on the Internet.