Soda Stereo
Soda Stereo was one of the most important Argentinian Pop and Rock bands of the '80s and early '90s. Their success and influence was spread to the rest of Latin America.
Created as a trio in 1982 and dissolved in 1997, the band was formed by guitarist and vocalist Gustavo Cerati, bass player Zeta Bosio (b. Hector Bosio) and drummer Charly Alberti (b. Carlos Ficcichia). In the beginning they were deeply influenced by the New Wave and bands such as The Police, Television and Talking Heads. Musically, they had an ever changing style based on pop that avoid their own formulas, pursuing new sound territories exploration (as U2 did in the international scene). They were a pop band that took elements from different styles such as new wave, ska, reggae, dark, soul, noise rock and electronica in different times in their career. But it was not only music: from the very start they were very concerned in all the aspects related to image: video clips, shows, clothing and graphic design.
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History
It's not possible to explain the beginnings and the renaissance of the Argentinean rock movement in the early '80s without mention the return of democracy after seven years of Military Government in 1983. Although Soda Stereo was not a band that sang about political topics, their first steps were signed by the free expression and the hopes of the new political situation, aligned somehow with bands like Virus (band) or Los Twist. Out of all the bands that emerged from that post dictatorial rule government, Soda Stereo was far the most popular and enduring.
With their first album the self titled Soda Stereo released in 1984 they reached national success with joyful and ironic lyrics, and a sound that combined pop, reggae, ska and new wave. By those times they were accused of superficial and frivolous. The second album Nada Personal it strengthened the popularity of the band with some instantaneous classics, such as "Nada Personal" and "Cuando Pase el Temblor", that opened the doors of the Latinamerican musical market. This was amplified in 1986 when they released the Signos LP. The musical arrangements and the lyrics reached a subtlety never heard before from the band's production, and led the press to take them seriously. They embarked in an extensive tour through Latin America that brought the live album Ruido Blanco (White Noise).
In 1988 the band recorded in New York their fifth album, Doble Vida, produced by David Bowie's guitarrist Carlos Alomar. The trio used intensely horn arrangements that gave soul music flourishes, that someway apart them from how they used to sound. This album was followed by the EP Languis, a minor work that did well commercially. The year 1990 represented a sudden and successful movement for the band, when they released Cancion Animal. In spite of the big change it supposed, with a raw sound based on guitars, the band's popularity was as its peak. An important part of that change is due to Daniel Melero, and Argentinean techno pop pioneer that renewed the band's sound and attitude. He was called "Soda's fourth" during those times.
By the end of 1991 they played to 250,000 people in Buenos Aires's streets and edited the EP Rex Mix containing some songs extracted from live shows and a new studio song. In the beginning of 1992 Gustavo Cerati and Daniel Melero released the delicate duo album Colores Santos that combined some experimentation with synth/pop songs. Daniel Melero's influence reached till the recordings of the next studio album Dynamo. This 1993's work was very controversial: some love it as the band's best, others hate it while the most just ignored it. Anyway this record, the lowest seller of their career, settled definitely the band's concern with experimentation. After that the band started an impasse signed by some solo projects, such as Gustavo Cerati's Amor Amarillo, and some band relative's tragedies and losses. The dissolution's rumors were on the rise but that was not going to happen yet.
In 1995 their were on the road again, releasing their calmest and relaxed work Sueño Stereo followed by the (kind of) MTV Unplugged, named Comfort y Música para Volar, that juxtaposed classic songs performed live (not necessarily unplugged) with some outtakes from the last studio album. Personal problems between the members and different artistic criteria, increased by the difficulties of 15 years of coexistence, led the band to announce their end in 1997. Before that the group did a farewell tour through Mexico, Venezuela, Chile and finally Argentina. The 20th of September of 1997 Soda Stereo played their last show in front of 65,000 people at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, which also produced the live records El Último Concierto A y B (1997).
Discography
- Soda Stereo (1984)
- Nada Personal (1985)
- Signos (1986)
- Ruido Blanco (1987) (Live)
- Doble Vida (1988)
- Languis (1990)
- Canción Animal (1990)
- Rex Mix (1991)
- Dynamo (1993)
- 20 Grandes Éxitos (1994)
- Zona de Promesas (1994)
- Sueño Stereo (1995)
- Comfort y Música Para Volar (1996) (MTV Unplugged)
- Chau Soda (1997)
- El Último Concierto A (1997) (Live)
- El Último Concierto B (1997) (Live)
- El Legado de Soda Stereo, Vol. 1 (1999)
- El Legado de Soda Stereo, Vol. 2 (1999)
- Serie 2000 (2000)
- Obras Cumbres, Vol. 1 (2001)
- Obras Cumbres, Vol. 2 (2001)
- Leyendas: Solamente los Mejores (2004)
Videography
- Una Parte de la Euforia (2004)