R OCK AND P UNK I N C HILE (1970 S AND 1980 S )

N UEVA O LA American Rock had influenced musicians in Chile since its inception in the 1950’s but took off after the movement “Nueva Ola” in the 1960’s “Nueva Ola” consisted of Latin American musicians who initially just translated American pop songs, but eventually created original works. “Nueva Ola” represented the beginnings of youth counterculture. Chile developed its own hippie subculture of the 1960’s including its own “Woodstock” (Piedras Rojas festival in Santiago, 1970.)

G ENERATION G APS Rock and punk groups present different forms and aesthetics of resistance Unlike “Nueva Cancion”, punk and rock were only loosely tied to leftist political programmes. Content of music protests social norms, hypocrisy and dogmatisms. By the late 1970’s and 1980’s, punk and rock had differentiated itself completely as a youth genre rebelling against both the authoritarian regime and the Allende-era idealism of the previous generation.

L OS J AIVAS Formed in 1963 in Viña del Mar by brothers Eduardo, Gabriel and Claudio Parra and Gato Alquinta. Originally called “Los High and Bass” referring to the vocal ranges of members. Although group emerged during the Nueva Cancion period, stylistically their music bridges Rock and Folk genres. From its early days, music incorporated folklore stylings (Andean rhythms and instruments) with progressive rock. Music is more aesthetic than political. Lyrics describe Romantic ideals such as imagination, dreams, love and unity. (“Todos Juntos”) Group exiled to Argentina in 1974, then to Europe in Continued recording and touring through the 1970’s.

L OS PRISIONEROS Group formed as High School students in Santiago’s “ comuna San Miguel ” core members included Miguel Tapia, Jorge González and Claudio Narea. Jorge and Miguel originally had a Beatles cover band called “Los vinkuches”. After Claudio joined they went through several name changes landing on “Los prisioneros” in reference to Chile’s political situation. Sound is generally defined as “punk” (with The Clash as a main musical influence) but also showcase influences of reggae, techno, synth-pop and ska.

First album “La voz de los ochenta” was named 3 rd best album of all time by Rolling Stone Chile. Group received limited airplay in Chile due to censorship and Chilean radio’s preference for Argentine musicians like Soda Stereo. Group’s performance at La sexta teleton was purposefully cut off by commercials. Album was eventually re-released under the EMI label in 1985 and sold 150,000 copies. Music is socially critical without recourse to oppositional political philosophy. Comments on apathy and hypocrisy of Chilean society of the eighties, the impotence of the left and the stupidity of “poseurs”

A PARATO R ARO Created in 1984 by Igor Rodriguez at the University of Chile (Classmate of Los Prisioneros’ Jorge Gonzalez) Started as a jazz fusion band but later moved more towards synth pop after being exposed to the music of Depeche Mode Played mostly in universities, recorded a self-titled debut in 1985 Single “Calibraciones” had tremendous success. Record label forced band to change lyrics referring to dictatorship.

L OS P INOCHET B OYS Formed in 1984 by Daniel Puente and the Conejero brothers at the Universidad Catolica in Santiago Unlike other punk/rock groups of the era, Los Pinochet Boys didn’t start off performing covers but wrote and performed their own songs from the beginning. Name refers to the way the dictatorship “infantilized” Chileans. Group had no musical experience and had mostly broken or second hand instruments

Started to get noticed after music included in the theatrical production of Medea by Vicente Ruiz. Played shows in cafes in the underground. Response by the regime to the group was immediate. During one of their first performances at a bar called La Luna, police threw a bag full of mud into their instruments. Police also infiltrated concerts and threw beer bottles at the band to shut them down. Travelled to Argentina and Brazil to try and perform, but was unable to attract an audience. Only four of the group’s songs were ever recorded. In 2008 the story of the group was recuperated by various authors who had been in the underground scene in the 80s in the book “Los Pinochet Boys”

D ISCUSSION : M USIC Which song (either those we listened to today or last week) did you like the most? What attracted you to it? How would you define the concept of “resistance”? How do the two genres of Chilean popular music we looked at (Nueva Cancion and its offshoots vs. Rock/pank chileno) differ in their practice of it? Discuss Violeta Parra’s influence on the Nueva Cancion movement and on Latin American music as a whole? How does Nueva Cancion differ from Canto Nuevo (Isabel Alduante, Sol y Lluvia) aesthetically? In what way does Los Jaivas defy genre? (or why are they awesome?)

How did the Chilean youth culture of the eighties differ from that of the youth culture of the seventies in terms of political ideals? Discuss the relationship between American/European pop music and the various types of Chilean popular music we looked at (Nueva cancion, Canto nuevo, rock and pank). Compare how each of these movements approach the cultural hegemony of English language popular music.