División Minúscula
Encyclopedia
División Minúscula is a Mexican
rock
band from Matamoros, Tamaulipas
, which is becoming increasingly popular in Mexico and gradually making an impact on the U.S. Latin alternative scene.
. The band disbanded briefly when its members went off to college in Monterrey
, Nuevo León. Soon thereafter, the four-piece reunited to join that city’s burgeoning rock scene, eventually hooking up with Toy Hernandez, the man behind Control Machete
, who signed them to his Sones del Mexside label.
The group’s 2001 debut, Extrañando Casa (Homesick), was well received, earning them the distinction of being "the first" Mexican band to play punk’s latter day, slap happy incarnation with Spanish language lyrics. Remarkably, a five-year hiatus ensued, as the members of División Minúscula went back to Santoy Rules to finish their degrees and, in some cases, to help with family businesses. This year, the band reunited and released a new record to the instant delight of at least 50,000 fans – the number of non-pirated copies sold to date in a market paralyzed by piracy and file-sharing.
The new recording, Defecto Perfecto (Perfect Defect) is blessed with crystal clear production. Loud, punchy guitars stay crisp and sharp on well-rounded compositions like "Soundtrack" and "Sismo" which is currently making the rounds on Mexican modern rock-oriented radio stations. It’s the well conveyed sincerity of the acoustic "Cada Martes" (Every Tuesday) and the slower "Me Tomé una Pastilla" (I Took a Pill).
The group were nominated in the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
in two categories. In Promising Artist (Artista Promesa) alongside Axel Fernando, Calle 13
, the Colombian singer and Grammy award winning, Fonseca
and Jesse & Joy
, Best Alternative Act (Mejor Artista Alternativo) with Calle 13, Miranda!
, Zoé, El Otro Yo
and Panda
. They didn't win in both categories. Calle 13 won in Promising Artist and Panda in Best Alternative Act.
División Minúscula recently played an industry-friendly gig in Los Angeles and will return to the U.S. for a round of dates sometime in 2007.
Their second album, Defecto Perfecto, was certified Gold by AMPROFON
on May 31, 2007.
Recently, Ricci Pérez left the band, and Efrén Barón took his place as lead guitar.
In late 2009 they held a private fan meeting in Javier Blake and Kiko Blake's home town, Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
Kiko Blake - Drums
Alejandro Luque - Bass
Efrén Barón - Guitar
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band from Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
, which is becoming increasingly popular in Mexico and gradually making an impact on the U.S. Latin alternative scene.
History
The four members of División Minúscula, Javier Blake (singer-guitarist), Ricci Pérez (guitarist), Kiko Blake (drummer) and Alejandro Luque (bassist), formed the band in late 90s, in the town of Matamoros, TamaulipasMatamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
. The band disbanded briefly when its members went off to college in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Nuevo León. Soon thereafter, the four-piece reunited to join that city’s burgeoning rock scene, eventually hooking up with Toy Hernandez, the man behind Control Machete
Control Machete
Control Machete is a Mexican hip hop group from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Its members are Fermin IV , Patricio "Pato" Chapa Elizalde, and Toy Kenobi .-History:...
, who signed them to his Sones del Mexside label.
The group’s 2001 debut, Extrañando Casa (Homesick), was well received, earning them the distinction of being "the first" Mexican band to play punk’s latter day, slap happy incarnation with Spanish language lyrics. Remarkably, a five-year hiatus ensued, as the members of División Minúscula went back to Santoy Rules to finish their degrees and, in some cases, to help with family businesses. This year, the band reunited and released a new record to the instant delight of at least 50,000 fans – the number of non-pirated copies sold to date in a market paralyzed by piracy and file-sharing.
The new recording, Defecto Perfecto (Perfect Defect) is blessed with crystal clear production. Loud, punchy guitars stay crisp and sharp on well-rounded compositions like "Soundtrack" and "Sismo" which is currently making the rounds on Mexican modern rock-oriented radio stations. It’s the well conveyed sincerity of the acoustic "Cada Martes" (Every Tuesday) and the slower "Me Tomé una Pastilla" (I Took a Pill).
The group were nominated in the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
MTV Video Music Awards Latin America
Premios MTV Latinoamérica was the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 to celebrate the top music videos of the year in Latin America and the world. They are presented annually and broadcast live on MTV Networks Latin America...
in two categories. In Promising Artist (Artista Promesa) alongside Axel Fernando, Calle 13
Calle 13 (band)
Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar , who calls himself Residente and Eduardo José Cabra Martínez , who calls himself Visitante Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, a subsection of San Juan, Puerto Rico), who calls...
, the Colombian singer and Grammy award winning, Fonseca
Fonseca
Fonseca is a common Portuguese, Galician and Italian surname, whilst the variation Fonseka is common in Sri Lanka. A habitational name from any of several places named for a spring that dried up during the summer months, from fonte seca ‘dry well.’...
and Jesse & Joy
Jesse & Joy
Jesse & Joy are a Latin Grammy Award–winning Mexican pop duo formed in 2005 by siblings Jesse and Joy .-History:...
, Best Alternative Act (Mejor Artista Alternativo) with Calle 13, Miranda!
Miranda!
Miranda! is an Argentine electro pop band formed in 2001. Band members include Alejandro Sergi , Juliana Gattas , Lolo Fuentes , Bruno de Vincenti , and since 2003, Nicolás Grimaldi...
, Zoé, El Otro Yo
El Otro Yo
El Otro Yo is an Argentine band of alternative rock and originally of Temperley, Buenos Aires, formed at the beginning of the decade of 1990 and influenced mainly by Nirvana, Pixies and Sonic Youth...
and Panda
Panda (band)
Panda is a Mexican alternative rock band formed in Monterrey, Nuevo León in 1996 as part of the musical movement known as Avanzada Regia...
. They didn't win in both categories. Calle 13 won in Promising Artist and Panda in Best Alternative Act.
División Minúscula recently played an industry-friendly gig in Los Angeles and will return to the U.S. for a round of dates sometime in 2007.
Their second album, Defecto Perfecto, was certified Gold by AMPROFON
AMPROFON
Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas is a non-profit organization integrated by multinational and national record companies in Mexico. Established on April 3, 1963, it groups phonographic companies that represent more than 70 percent of the market in Mexico...
on May 31, 2007.
Recently, Ricci Pérez left the band, and Efrén Barón took his place as lead guitar.
In late 2009 they held a private fan meeting in Javier Blake and Kiko Blake's home town, Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
Members
Javier Blake - Vocals, GuitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Kiko Blake - Drums
Alejandro Luque - Bass
Efrén Barón - Guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Discography
- Extrañando Casa (2001)
- Defecto Perfecto (2006)
- Sirenas (2008)
Singles
- "Televidente" (2003)
- "Cursi" (2004)
- "Sismo" (2006)
- "Veneno Es Antídoto (S.O.S.)" (2006)
- "Sognare" (2007)
- "Control" (2008)
- "Las Luces de Esta Ciudad" (2009)
- "Tan Fuerte, Tan Fragil" (2009)