Let the music play on
Let the music play on
ARGENTINA BEST POP/ROCK STAR IN THE 80s
One of the most significant Argentine pop/rock acts of the 1980s and early 1990s was Soda Stereo. The band was founded in 1982 as a trio by percussionist Charly Alberti, bassist Zeta Bosio (born Héctor Bosio), and guitarist/vocalist Gustavo Cerati. (born Carlos Ficcichia). During the band's peak, their impact extended to the rest of Latin America, and a successful reunion in 2007 demonstrated how long-lasting Soda Stereo's distinctive sound was. The Police, Television, and Talking Heads were some of the new wave bands that the group was originally influenced by.
Similar to those bands, Soda Stereo adopted an ever-evolving sound based on pop music but frequently incorporating elements of new wave, ska, reggae, soul, noise rock, and electronica. The band's members were concerned with video clips, shows, outfits, and graphic design because image was essential to them.
Without referencing the restoration of democracy in 1983 following seven years of military rule, it is difficult to explain the revival of the Argentine rock movement in the early 1980s. Even though Soda Stereo didn't speak about politics, their emergence coincided with a new political climate, placing them in the same camp as groups like Virus and Los Twist. Soda Stereo were by far the most well-known and enduring band to come out of the post-dictatorial rule administration.
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MUSIC CAREER
They achieved widespread success with their debut record, 1984's self-titled Soda Stereo, which featured ironic lyrics and a fusion of pop, reggae, ska, and new wave. With tracks like "Nada Personal" and "Cuando Pase el Temblor," which helped open the doors of the Latin American music market, the band's fame grew on their subsequent album, Nada Personal. When they issued Signos, one of their best albums, in 1986, their success was amplified. As national media sources started to take them seriously, Soda Stereo set out on a lengthy tour of Latin America, which culminated in the release of the live album Ruido Blanco. Carlos Alomar, the guitarist for David Bowie, arranged the band's fifth album, Doble Vida, which was recorded in New York in 1988. The trio added soul music elements to the record using horn arrangements. The EP Languis, a small piece that did well financially, came after the album. Soda Stereo's business underwent a successful upgrade in 1990. Cancion Animal, which put a strong focus on raw guitars, marked a shift in the band's sound and contributed to their peak in popularity. Daniel Melero's involvement, an Argentine techno/pop pioneer who revitalized the band's sound and attitude, played a significant role in that shift. During that period, he was known as "Soda's fourth." By the end of 1991, the band had performed for 250,000 people in the streets of Buenos Aires and had finished editing the EP Rex Mix, which included some songs taken from live performances and a brand-new studio cut.
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The delicate duo album Colores Santos by Gustavo Cerati and Daniel Melero, which mixed some experimentation with synth pop songs, was released at the start of 1992. Also released in 1992, the excessively experimental Dynamo turned out to be Soda Stereo's most divisive and least popular record. Following that, the band ran into trouble with some individual endeavors, including Cerati's Amor Amarillo. Rumors of the band's demise circulated, but they continued playing for a few more years. They went back on the road in 1995 and released Sueo Stereo, one of their calmest and most unhurried albums, along with Comfort y Msica Para Volar, an MTV Unplugged record. The acoustic-focused album mixed several outtakes from the previous studio album with several classic tracks played live (with some electric instrumentation). The band's final tour began in 1997, but after 15 years of collaboration, personal issues had grown between the members. The live albums Gira: Me Veras Volver 1 and Gira: Me Veras Volver 2 feature two of the extremely successful performances Soda Stereo played after reuniting ten years later.
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Gustavo Cerati unfortunately suffered a stroke that left him with brain damage after a performance in Caracas in May 2010 after building a successful solo career; he remained in a coma for more than four years before passing away in September 2014. In 2017, Cirque du Soleil released the platinum-certified Sep7imo Dia, an album of remixed Soda Stereo tracks used in a number of tribute performances.
