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Authenticity Over Novelty
07/09/2001 1:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Bryan Reesman
Thanks to the current "Latin explosion" mesmerizing American media lately, every record label has been trying to exploit musicians whose ethnicity or music has ties to the Spanish-speaking world. But let's face it--simply having a last name like Lopez while performing pop tunes or sampling bongos and Spanish guitars in a house mix makes one about as Latin as Pat Boone is metal. There are some artists, however, who really are expanding the boundaries of Latin music, and on its sophomore album Union, Puerto Rican metal band Puya proves it is the real deal. As drummer Eduardo Paniagua declares: "If we're going to do it, it has to be genuine."
While Puya's major-label debut Fundamental spotlighted an animated blend of salsa and funky Latin jazz with new-school metal ferociousness, Union truly showcases Puya's immense potential by enhancing both sides of the group's music: The sound of roaring guitars and earthy Latin percussion makes for an explosive combination. Both Paniagua and singer Sergio Curbelo beam when they hear this.
"Thank you!" exclaims Curbelo. "It's exactly what we wanted," agrees Paniagua. "I'm stoked, dude," adds the singer. "Everybody's getting it, everybody's understanding it. Everybody says exactly what we set out to do with this record. They hit it right on the head."
The Puerto Rican quartet was very aware of the novelty factor of a "salsa metal" band when it unleashed Fundamental back in 1999. "It definitely was being perceived [that way] at the beginning, because it was so different," confirms Curbelo. "But I think a lot of people changed their minds once they saw us live. That turned it around. We let 'em know that we want to be around for a while. When we get up onstage, we mean business."
"One of the things that we tried to change with this record," adds Paniagua, "was to let people know that we're essentially a heavy rock band. We have songs in English as well as in Spanish. But the main purpose that we want to achieve is for kids that love heavy music to be able to rock to [our music], just like [with] any other band that they like, and not categorize it as rock en español or this or that. It's a rock band with Latin influences."
Even so, the band is undeniably a fusion group in its amalgamation of its Latin roots with modern heavy rock. "Somebody that is heavily into Latin music and salsa--even if they don't like rock too much--when they hear the percussion and Latin stuff [in our songs], they know that it's for real, that it's real players and people that know the language of music," Paniagua assures.
Many listeners already tuned into the vibe with Puya's last album. "Oasis," a song expressing pride for the band's Puerto Rican homeland, hit number one on metal radio, becoming the first Spanish language song to do so. The video for "Oasis" was recently listed in MTV's Best Metal Videos Of All Time countdown, while the song received an ASCAP award in 2000 for "Cancion Rock." Billboard also presented the band with a Latin Music Award for best rock/fusion album of the year for Fundamental. "We were singing in Spanish mainly, and touring the U.S. all the time with American bands," recalls Paniagua. "It definitely got a lot of attention. We did better than most rock bands singing in Spanish in the United States."
"We were fortunate enough to be able to make a second record," notes Curbelo. "A lot of new bands don't make it, and we were one of the fortunate few."
With the new Union--which was produced by GGGarth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Kittie, Mudvayne) and Mudrock (Godsmack, Powerman 5000)--Puya has further flexed its musical muscles. Aside from the band's four members, the CD features performances by renowned rumba percussionists Angel Cachete Moldonado (an eternal supporter of the band), Anthony Carrillo, Edgar Lebron, and Raphael Vargas, who has been touring and playing with the band for a year and a half and who has won a Grammy himself. Curbelo says that Vargas is the best bongo player in the world right now. Other guests include pianist Brenda Hopkins Miranda (sister of bassist Harold Hopkins), trumpet player Juancito Torres, singers Aurelig "Yeyo" and Eva L. Ortiz, percussionists Carlos Rodriguez and Jose De Leon, guitar player Gilberto Alomar, and guitarist John Dones (formerly of Puerto Rican thrashers Cardinal Sin).
It's an impressive collection of musicians. One should not be surprised by that, however, since Puya has actually been together since 1990 and steadily built up its reputation in Puerto Rico with fans and musicians alike before coming to the U.S. When asked if there is any likelihood that some of the band's well-known friends may come on the road with them, Curbelo replies: "We could afford to have them in the studio, but I don't know if we could afford to have them on the road." Either way, their presence has enhanced an album that could help break Puya through to a wider audience.
The language barrier has not been a problem for Puya. The group performs songs both in English and Spanish (and provide translations in its liner notes when needed). And when it comes to its lyrics, Puya explores serious themes rather than penning odes to sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll en español. "The kids look up to you, and for them, we feel like we have some sort of responsibility with the lyrics," explains Paniagua.
The song "Bridge" is an homage to the late Latin bandleader Tito Puente. "'Puente' in English is 'bridge,'" explains Curbelo. "At the same time, it's about a lot of things. As I was actually recording the song, I lost my cousin. It talks about crossing over to the other side, but it's also a song about positivity, about doing things, trying to realize your dreams today: Don't wait till tomorrow, start it today, do it today. Cross that bridge right now."
The politically charged "Pa'Ti Pa'Mi"--one of the album's Spanish-language songs whose title translates "for me and for you"--criticizes the military situation in Vieques, the island off the coast of Puerto Rico where U.S. Marines regularly perform combat exercises using live ammunition and real bombs. The band makes its message clear: "Look for she's crying to you/Because she's being abused/The machine is coming to destroy." Simply put: Get out!
Another track, "People," addresses the issue of racism, urging people to come together despite their color or creed. It echoes the name of the album, Union, which means the same thing in English or Spanish and, as Panigua observes, "unites those two worlds." Currently on the road with Fear Factory (another band with Latin members) until early August, Puya will be uniting fans all across the country.
The members of Puya may have developed camaraderie with other like-minded bands, but even so, given the current nu-metal wave that is sweeping the country, do they feel any pressure to compete with the never-ending supply of heavy bands? "Totally the opposite," asserts Curbelo. "Nobody sounds like us, and we don't want to sound like nobody, either. We want to be in the same genre, but we want to do our own thing. No pressure, man. If the world's ready for us, we're ready for the world. We've been waiting. If not, you know what? It'll happen at some point. We'll keep fighting till we get there." They won't be alone.
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.Sergio Curbelo & Ed Paniagua of "PUYA"
Combining heavy riffs with sultry Latin beats, Puya, with the release of their latest album Fundamental, have created a new mass appealing sound. Signed to MCA's main label instead of it's Latin label, this band from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico are set for crossover success. Sepultura immediately come to mind as predecessors for the combination of Metal and Latino music. However Puya play their own brand of music, whereas Sepultura welds the styles, Puya combine the styles, creating wild juxtapositions of beats and riffs sure to catch any music fans interest because of it's uniqueness. Featuring Eduardo Paniagua (drums), Ramon Ortiz Pico (guitar), Harold Hopkins (bass), and Sergio Curbelo (vocals), the band has just begun a tour of the states.
Q: I've been listening to your new CD "Fundamental" for a few days now and your guys really sound terrific. Has your music changed since the beginnig ?
A: When we started the band ? No, not quite. We've been playing for almost ten years now and we started in Puerto Rico, and I think the music has evolved a lot, but still from the beginning it has influences from the traditional music, along with rock, because we listened to both when we were growing up. But it definitely evolved and finally after we moved out of Puerto Rico for the first time back in '92-'93, we were living in South Florida for like 4 years and it was like all def metal hard core. But that rubbed onto us a little bit and the music got heavier and it got very Latin. Back then, we had more English songs then we do now, but that doesn't mean that we aren't going to do it again.
Q: This seems to be a banner year for Spanish music ?
A: Yes, it has been a great year. We had an opportunity to go to South America for the first time this year - a couple of times actually. We went on a tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers all through South America and then we went back to Mexico, but just played two shows in Guadalajara and Mexico City. So, the following is starting to grow in South America as well. A record just came out recently down there. In the States, in three days, it is going to be a year old.
Q: You have a lot of energy in your band. Is that always the momentum in your music.
A: It's mainly about the energy. That's what we like to project on a live show. For us, we still haven't really captured that on our record, like to our fullest. Even when we did our record back in '95, "In Delaya" (??), the quality as the sound wasn't as good as this one, but you can still feel the rawness in the music - the energy was there.
Q: Are you going to do a live album?
A: Maybe. That's been in conversation.
Q: What Latino bands influenced you musically, and also, what metal bands?
A: Latino bands - well there is bands that I like a lot from Uruguay called "Poyote Hasacino". They are not very famous, but I think they are more known in South America, but they haven't crossed over too well yet. Like Mala Tov Blue Herea from Mexico, Santana. I also like traditional Salsa. I also like older stuff like Hector Lavoe. I also like classic rock like Jimi Hendrix and Santana. On the heavy side - everything from Temple of the Dog, Pantara etc.
Q: I read somewhere that when you lived in Puerto Rico, you were limited to certain music?
A: That's not quite right. When they wrote the bio of the band, like the guy who came up with that, that was his way to explain to somebody that doesn't know anything about us or Puerto Rico, how the style of music came about, but its more like a fable. There is actually many stations in Puerto Rico and many influences from all over the world because we get music from South America, Central America, as well as the United States. Everything is like a funnel. Everything goes through it. The music that has the most exposure down there as far radio and media, it's like Latin music, like salsa, maybe some reggae, some underground rap. But for heavy music like this, there is not much heavy output, but we we're trying to change that.
Q: Do you go to Puerto Rico sometimes?
A: Yeah, we go there every year. We just did a show a month ago. It was really good. We are a hundred miles from Argentina which is also a great band, a heavy metal band, and also Resorta from Mexico from Guadalajara.
Q: It sounds like your music is beyond heavy metal. Are you in another classification by yourself now?
A: I don't know. We don't really think about that. We write what satisfies us and we let other people hear it and get into it in their own way. Writers always want to put a label on music. It's heavy, it's hard core, but it's Latino as well. It has a lot of influence from Latin music. I don't know what you want to call it. The first thing that people do when they hear you is try to compare you with someone, what does he sound like.
Q: You have a sound of your own, but people have a tendency to compare new bands to somebody else, like System of Down (??) Korn, sometimes they have to do that to understand you music.
A: Yeah, it takes awhile like that. When its something really fresh like that, like the process of education, it always takes a little while.
Q: How is the acceptance is America?
A: It's been really good so far. We have incredible opportunities to play some big crowds, like the OZ Fest and concerts like that and the acceptance has been great. It's a little different the vibes of the crowd when you play to a loving crowd. It also varies and depends on the city you are playing. Some cities have more loving.
Q: You use Spanish and English in your lyrics, is there any kind of system to that?
A: No, not really. The main lyric writers are Harold and Ramon, our guitar player and usually it just happens in a natural way. The way that works better and flows better in the song. We don't decide it's going to be in English or Spanish, they start writing. Sometimes it starts in English and it could have some verses in Spanish - just how it flows better. No rules to that. Some songs are fully Spanish. It varies. We have a song we wrote recently. Its going to come out on the animated movie Heavy Metal 2 . You know it's the squeul to Heavy Metal. It's coming out in February with a bunch of new bands and I think System of Down is in it,I don't know who else. We have a track in it and its all fully in Spanish.
Q: Movie tracks are the latest for bands. Have you experienced this?
A: I don't necessarily for that type of thing, we did it gladly because it's a cool thing to be in, like it's a classic movie. We generally don't do anything just for the show.
Q: So there's no hard rock scene in Puerto Rico?
A: There's an audience for it and bands go down there and do concerts. There is a big audience. People buy the records. Those bands have a lot of records down there, but there just not exposure as far as radio or anything. Its different. It's like underground. There's a lot of kids that like it.
Q: How does it feel that MCA records signed you.?
A: We feel really lucky to be able to just do this and bring our music to these crowds. I am glad that a label like MCA took that risk. They have Spanish bands along with other bands. I respect them for that.
Q: Are you on another label also?
A: No, a long time ago, we did an independent CD. It didn't really get any distribution. It was a new label. We were like their first band. It was just starting. At least the word got around enough to where we got to music people and everything that followed. The producer on this record, Gustavo Santoalalla (fabled producer/auteur responsible for Cafe Tacuba and Molotov's crossover success) in Miami, he has his own label.
Q: When you are recording a live album, do you get much direction from the producer?
A: No - well we always tell him our ideas with the songs already. We play in pre-production and decide what goes and what doesn't go. The producer puts his input in it and his suggestions. Ultimately, we are the ones doing it and we have the last word. But yeah, we always have open ears for suggestions and we try them and if they work, they work. We're not like - oh, we're not going to do that. If we don't like them, then we'll say we don't like them. But it seems to work. We share the same vision and we don't want to change the band. We want a good environment to work.
Q: Are you able to try new songs on the road?
A: Yeah - definitely. Actually, we are playing one tonight that is not new, but it's never been recorded and we've been playing it the last few shows. It's called "Insecto", it's like really heavy and fast. It seems to pump up the crowd every time, so we have been doing it and maybe considering recording it in the future, but there is a lot of new material coming up and we have plenty of songs. It's like when we play them live, it's a test. Depending on people react, we might or might not record it.
Q: The reason I ask that, is that a lot of bands don't get time to practice on the road, but it's a good idea to try them out.
A: That's what did with a heavy metal song. We wrote it while we were on the road. It was Harold's idea and he wrote it and we tried it on some of the shows while we were on the road and it was really cool.
Q: Puya means black coffee. Does it mean anything else?
A: It doesn't really mean black coffee, but in Puerto Rico it's a slang word to describe coffee which is straight up - no sugar; but Puya basically is anything that has a point. Like anything sharp, anything that stings. Puya is the actual edge. It varies. Like this instrument called a "guido", I don't know if you have ever seen it, your scratch it with what looks like a comb, a Latin instrument, that's called a Puya also. It's easy to remember and short and powerful and that's why we like it.
Q: Is this your third album ?
A: No, on a major label, it's our first. Before this, we had the Indie label CD, and before that we had a cassette we did, but it wasn't any label. It was just us doing a demo with a friend of ours in Florida. He had some recording gear at home and we did it in his house. It had six songs. If you can get your hands on that, you're the master. I don't even know how to get that.
Q: Was that transferred to a CD, or was it just cassette?
A: No it was never put on CD. It was a 6 song cassette and does not exist anymore.
Q: Are any of those songs you use now?
A: Yeah. There is one, "Men a Nino_" the international one, the one they sell in South America and it has like two extra songs.
Q: You don't get a break for a while?
A: At the end of February we finish in Atlanta, and then after that we are taking some time off to finish writing our new CD. It's going to be like writing and rehearsing and stuff like that and we are also taking some time off because Ramon, our guitar player, his wife is having a baby next week so he needs to be at home for a while. And we are going to take that break to write music and we go into the studio in March and put out a new record for the summer and we are off again and start a big tour.
Q: Where are you going to record?
A: We haven't decided that yet. We don't know who is going to produce this record either, but it's going to be a different producer. We are probably going to the basic tracks .
Q: What kind of drums are you using?
A: Right now I have a premier set that I have been playing for 5 to 6 years. Recently, I have been talking to the people from Taramond (??) and I might get some kind of endorsement from them, so maybe I'll be using Taramond (??) too.
Q: Have you ever tried electronic drum set?
A: Not live. I have messed around with it in the studio a couple of times. I have never had one. I never bought one. I have played it in the stores. To me, it doesn't compare to a real drum set - just the way it feels. I mean if you are doing electronic music, that's the kind you need to have, but for our kind of music, it has a full body sound.
Q: Did you ever incorporate Tabalas (??)?
A: In the drum set? I have done it before - like a long time ago, but I haven't done it recently, and we have Rafael doing the conga's and cymbalis (??), so that takes care of that and a good drum set. We kind of play it like that. SERGIO:
Q: How would you describe our song writing process? Is it just you and Harold?
A: No, a lot of it's Ramon and Harold bringing basic ideas, or sometimes full ideas, and then practice what you have lyric-wise and I collaborate with Ramon and Harold on some of the songs, but a lot of times they bring in lyrics. It all depends, some of the songs like I said are collaboration and some of them, if they have a good idea, then we will just go with it, because it's all about you know, here is something great, not about who gets to write what.
Q: Do you sometimes incorporate your lyrics to a song - like a song someone else is already starting?
A: No, most of the times we will write lyrics after the music is written. The lyrics will be the last thing. Sometimes, when we collaborate, maybe Ramon has written the first verse and then I'll come up with the second verse. There is even one song in "Mundoz" (??) which is "Keep It Simple", which Ramon did his own verse, Harold did his own verse, and I did my own verse and we respectively each sang our own verse. It all depends.
Q: I was curious, when you are incorporating Spanish music, how can you switch off from Spanish to English - is that something that comes natural?
A: Yeah. I guess it comes from just being able to speak both of them. Sometimes I'll sing something like a paragraph, and then the last sentence, I'll process it in Spanish and I'll have to think for a moment and translate. It just happens like that, it's like an automatic thing.
Q: Who was raised in New York?
A: Ed Paniagua, was born in New York, but raised in Puerto Rico.
Q: Does Puerto Rico have pretty much everything the United States has?
A: Pretty much. Anything you can get here in the States, you get over there. Video games, movies, everything. Culture wise, it is totally different. Commercial wise, it's pretty much the same. Except, we do have things that are pretty typical of Puerto Rico. Like what we call chito ricos, like little homemade little establishments where some of the older folks or local folks who don't have very much money, they will have a home business, like they will make typical fast foods in Puerto Rico like tortillas and stuff, or like little bars and stuff like that. They don't think about carding people to drink. If you look 17 or older, you'll probably be able to drink. If you look over the bar, you can drink. It's a party town for sure. In a lot of aspects it's a lot like here, but in a lot of aspects its not. Like the people, the language, the climate, everything.
Q: Are you all the original members?
A: Yeah. When the band first started it was Ramon, Harold and Ed and they were just jamming. Then after that, I went through college in Boston for a little while, for like 3 years, and during that time, they played with another drummer friend of ours, Eugene, and then after awhile, he went to college. When he was out, there was another drummer, and they were instrumental and another singer was in the band for a little while and then he left. Then I came in 1992. Then in 1993 we went back to Florida, that's when the other drummer left and we had another name - the band was called something else - and when the other drummer quit, Eugene was the first one everybody thought about. We called him up and pulled him out of college and asked him to come back.
Q: When did you really feel like we have something really good here, and people were noticing it?
A: I think just hearing the music, I think the first time I ever heard the music they were playing, I knew. You just knew it was going somewhere. But as far as getting big opportunities to play big shows, it just started in the past year. What's good though is, some bands to get big quick, and sometimes you get frustrated and say "damn, I wish it would happen", but sometimes its better to just let it roll naturally and let it roll slowly like with System. Because those people were coming to see System because it took them so long, it them a long time. Thank You it's been a real pleasure...
Hi there, I hope all is well with you. Skindred’s new release "Shark Bites and Dog Fights" comes storming in September 22, and their video for "Stand For Something" is getting high marks already!
Skindred's New Single Is Featured In Kerrang! Play list.
Skindred's new single, "Stand For Something" is currently featured in this month's Kerrang! as on of the "10 Songs You Should Hear Now!"
PRE ORDER SHARK BITES AND DOG FIGHTS NOW FOR ONLY $6.99 RIGHT HERE
Gracias por aceptarnos y bienvenido a Universal Rock de Puerto Rico. Aquí nos dedicamos a promosionar las bandas que están empezando y también las que ya están establecidas. Cualquier tipo de Rock será bienvenido y no importa si es de Puerto Rico o alguna parte del mundo, si es algo que impactará a Puerto Rico aquí será anunciado.
Si tienes algún evento que quieras promosionar nosotros podríamos ayudar.
Thanks for adding us and welcome to Universal Rock of Puerto Rico. We are dedicated to promote bands that are starting and bands that are established. Any type of rock is welcomed, it doesn’t matter if it’s from Puerto Rico or another part of the world, if is something that will impact PR we will announce it.
Aqui te dejo otro capitulo de mi ya tradicional y aventurado AdelA TV.
El festival musical mas grande en el que AdelA ha participado hasta ahora . Un evento llamado X5 de Radio Xtrema 92.9 Fm en el bello puerto de Manzanillo Colima. AdelA comparte escenario con Nikky Clan, Alison , J.I Mendoza, Big Metra entre otros. Cheka esta nueva y divertida aventura y vive de cerca el ambiente en Back Stage.
Hey bro, massive sound you have there. I'm half Portuguese so I love the amped up latino sounds that aren't faddicised, much like Ankla, muito bem dudes. I saw your thread on the Bielers website, my user name is downunderchunk! Always happy to share new finds, especially o/s finds, as we get limited exposure to lesser known or underground chunk here in sunny Aus. hope to swap some decent finds in the future bro. Horns up........duc
Espero lo disfrutes (Concierto Digital 91.7 COLIMA... ADELA ,KUDAI ,BARRIO ZUMBA)
Un saludo
WATTS !!!!
Buddy (AdelA) www. myspace. com/adelaband www. adelaband. com
si quieres saber sobre estudios DiSOUND (diseño y produccion musical en general) cheka www.myspace/disoundproducciones Lalo de Dios Alvaro Ruiz TEL: en GDL (33)38 25 44 74
LA MAQUINA DE LA MÚSICA CADA VEZ VA CON MAS FUERZA, LA EDICION DE DICIEMBRE SALDRÁ PRONTO ASI QUE ESTÉN ATENTOS PARA QUE NO SE QUEDEN SIN SU EJEMPLAR; EL LANZAMIENTO OFICIAL DE MUSIC MACHINE SERÁ A COMIENZOS DEL PROXIMO AÑO JUNTO A LA TERCERA EDICION, LOS INVITAMOS TAMBIÉN A QUE SE PROGRAMEN ESTE FIN DE AÑO CON MÁS DE 40 EVENTOS PARA TODOS LOS GUSTOS MUSICALES.
![CJ [HellectricBass]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/103/s_06fb23357dba4131ae6cb57880a94112.jpg)
