Maldita Vecindad y su activismo contagioso

(Servicios de HoyDallas) -- The buzz continues to build for Maldita Vecindad’s big return, as the Mexican rock pioneers release their first studio album in 12 years this week. The group had a raucous showcase at SXSW as the Austin Chronicle praised them for their “incessant skank and viral activism.” The touring powerhouse will bring their renowned live show for album release shows in Southern California and the midwest in the coming weeks.

“‘Circular Colectivo,’ is like the universal symbol of unity,” lead vocalist Roco explains. “The cycle of life, the information that passes from mouth to mouth, the circles of peace and dance, the blood in the body, the movements of the people, of the towns, the hearts of everyone beating together at the same time.”

‘Circular Colectivo’ was produced by Greg Landau in his San Francisco studios. The new album’s first single is "Pura Diversion (Fút Callejero),” a fitting anthem in a World Cup year. The track puts Maldita’s anti-capitalism approach into a simple soccer metaphor: “futbol negocio no es de nosotros, sin comerciales, pura diversion” (“soccer business is not our game, it's much more fun without commercials”). Basically, soccer is the one place where the poor man can defeat the rich one – in the game of the neighborhood.

“Quinto Patio Ska” travels across the band’s lengthy catalog of songs – a look back at their history. “Chacahua (El Grito De Luz)” is a tribute to the often-neglected African presence within Mexico. “Corrido Para Digna Ochoa” is a techno corrido that explores the story of the human rights activist who was murdered in 2001. “Expedientes Marcianos” is a Norteño ska track that reflects on global warming.

“We’ve never stopped playing and so throughout this whole time, we’ve written so much new material,” guitarist Pato says. “Finally, we put the songs to tape and we are so pleased with the result.”

Forming in 1985, Maldita Vecindad began playing in Mexico City’s underground circuit, developing an original fusion of rock, ska, and traditional folk rhythms. Their sophomore release, ‘El Circo,’ was a landmark album for Latin rock, selling a record-breaking 700,000 copies in Mexico alone, which was unheard of for a supposed underground act.

‘El Circo’ was produced by the renowned Argentine producer, Gustavo Santaolalla. Santaolalla encouraged the group to experiment and embrace the sounds and stories of the streets. The lead track, “Pachuco,” quickly became an instant classic and anthem for an entire movement. From there, the band only released several other studio albums, most recently being ‘Mostros’ in 1998.

“After the album, ‘Mostros,’ our contract was finished with our label [BMG],” Roco says. “At that time, we had other offers on the table but we preferred to stay independent and begin to work with an infrastructure that permitted us to release albums in complete freedom. When we started with Maldita, our vision was pretty clear: to open doors for Mexican rock.”

“But when we released ‘Mostros,’ we also realized that our mission wasn’t the same anymore,” Roco continues. “We had done what we had wanted to help achieve: Mexican rock was known throughout Latin America. But it had also become a total industry, now everyone wanted to be a rocker! So we decided we had to create other goals.”

Maldita Vecindad paved the way for a generation of Latin rock musicians and fans. With songs that explore narratives and personalities within urban life, they continue to tear down cultural barriers and sell out major venues around the globe.