Rodrigo González
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo González, better known as Rockdrigo or El profeta del nopal ("The Nopal
Prophet"), was a Mexican
musician and songwriter. He founded the Movimiento Rupestre ("Cave Movement"), a voice-and-guitar folk music
scene that strongly influenced Mexican rock
. The early death of this tamaulipeco musician in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake
gave him legendary status among listeners of the Mexican rock.
Rodrigo was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas and studied at the Félix de Jesús Rougier school in Tampico
, where he was a good student. He always liked psychology
, he even studied by a brief time at the Universidad Veracruzana
in Xalapa
before moving to Mexico City
in 1977 with the desire to make music.
He arrived to the capital and began playing in bars and cafe
s. At first, he survived by singing covers in the streets of the city "in the English style." Then he developed an interest in "seeing what happens at an existential level, being a street musician." Over time, he began to create an oeuvre from his experiences on the streets.
The lyrics of Rockdrigo mixed the urban lifestyle with the troubles of the urban poor, and found many listeners among students. His songs could also be tender, such as "Metro Balderas
," the ballad about losing a lover in metro station
, which is still being played both inside the train (mainly in the Metro line going to the university), and by other rock musicians. In 1985 Rockdrigo began to become well-known in the capital. Writers such as José Agustín
commented on his songs.
At the time of his death he was living in an apartment in colonia Roma
, one of the areas most affected by the September 19, 1985 earthquake
. His daughter, Amanda Escalante, has recently begun her own career as the singer, he even went to the moon Amandititita
.
Posthumous:
Nopal
Nopales are a vegetable made from the young cladode segments of prickly pear, carefully peeled to remove the spines. These fleshy pads are flat and about hand-sized. They can be purple or green...
Prophet"), was a Mexican
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...
musician and songwriter. He founded the Movimiento Rupestre ("Cave Movement"), a voice-and-guitar folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
scene that strongly influenced Mexican rock
Mexican rock
Mexican rock music, often referred to in Mexico as rock nacional , originated in the 1950s with covers of standards by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers, among others, bands such as Los Rebeldes del Rock, Los Locos del Ritmo, Los Crazy Boys, Los Nómadas, and Javier Bátiz soon arose...
. The early death of this tamaulipeco musician in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
The 1985 Mexico City earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck Mexico City on the early morning of 19 September 1985 at around 7:19 AM , caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people and serious damage to the greater Mexico City Area. The complete seismic event...
gave him legendary status among listeners of the Mexican rock.
Rodrigo was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas and studied at the Félix de Jesús Rougier school in Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
, where he was a good student. He always liked psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, he even studied by a brief time at the Universidad Veracruzana
Universidad Veracruzana
Universidad Veracruzana a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the south-east region of México and has a good projection in all México...
in Xalapa
Xalapa
Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...
before moving to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in 1977 with the desire to make music.
He arrived to the capital and began playing in bars and cafe
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s. At first, he survived by singing covers in the streets of the city "in the English style." Then he developed an interest in "seeing what happens at an existential level, being a street musician." Over time, he began to create an oeuvre from his experiences on the streets.
The lyrics of Rockdrigo mixed the urban lifestyle with the troubles of the urban poor, and found many listeners among students. His songs could also be tender, such as "Metro Balderas
Metro Balderas (song)
"Metro Balderas", as it is generally known, or more precisely, "Estación del metro Balderas" , a song by Mexican Rock Musician Rodrigo González or "Rockdrigo" González, refers to a man looking for a woman who got lost in the crowd at Mexico City Metro station Metro Balderas.This song, along with...
," the ballad about losing a lover in metro station
Mexico City Metro
The Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
, which is still being played both inside the train (mainly in the Metro line going to the university), and by other rock musicians. In 1985 Rockdrigo began to become well-known in the capital. Writers such as José Agustín
José Agustín
José Agustín Ramírez Gómez is a Mexican novelist.-Career:Agustin's first novel, La Tumba was the brief but provocative story of a Mexican upperclass teen, deemed indecent by the public but gathering praise from older writers...
commented on his songs.
At the time of his death he was living in an apartment in colonia Roma
Colonia Roma
Colonia Roma is a colonia or neighborhood located in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City just west of the city’s historic center. The area was a very shallow part of Lake Texcoco, dotted with tiny islands and one small island village of Aztacalco during the pre-Hispanic period...
, one of the areas most affected by the September 19, 1985 earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
The 1985 Mexico City earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck Mexico City on the early morning of 19 September 1985 at around 7:19 AM , caused the deaths of at least 10,000 people and serious damage to the greater Mexico City Area. The complete seismic event...
. His daughter, Amanda Escalante, has recently begun her own career as the singer, he even went to the moon Amandititita
Amandititita
Amandititita is a Mexican singer and songwriter of cumbia. She is the daughter of the late Rodrigo Gonzalez, a noted musician and poet who died in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake....
.
Music
- Hurbanistorias (Urban stories, 1983), a self-made record
Posthumous:
- El profeta del nopal (The Nopal Prophet)
- No estoy loco (I'm not Crazy)
- Aventuras en el DF (Adventures in DF)
Films
- No tuvo tiempo: La Urbanistoria de Rockdrigo González by Rafael MonteroRafael MonteroRafael Montero is a script writer and film director known as one of the leaders of New Mexican Cinema. He is known for the feature films Cilantro y Perejil, El Costo de la Vida y Corazones Rotos .He has written and directed television programs, short films, commercials, documentaries and feature...
- Un toke de roc by Sergio García Michel
- ¿Cómo ves? by Paul LeducPaul LeducPaul Leduc may refer to:* Paul Leduc , Mexican film director.* Paul Leduc , politician and lawyer in Ontario, Canada* Paul LeDuc , Canadian wrestler...