Toncho Pilatos
Encyclopedia
Toncho Pilatos was a Mexican
1970s rock
band. Along with Three Souls in my Mind (later known as El Tri
), it was one the most representative predecessors of the "under" scene of Mexican rock
. Developed as so-called "hoyos funkies"; their music transcended their live performances rather than commercial success.
. Polydor
issued their first album, with a double cover, within its 'Power Rock' series, something of a first for a Mexican band. The Toncho Pilatos album was so successful that it was even released in Germany
.
The tolerance and support supplied by Polydor was almost unique at that time, and both Bob Dylan
and Beck
commented on the influence of Toncho Pilatos' debut release. Critics were divided over the recorded work, but most agreed concert performances brought the best out of the Guadalajara
n based band. Their national television debut took place on 3 May 1974, on the television program
Hour Zero, with production from Luis de Llano, through Channel 4 of the DF. The violins of the Mariachi
New Tecalitlán also enhanced the presentation. In time, Toncho Pilatos incorporated the violinist Richard Nassau, originating from Chicago
, United States
, into the group.
Nevertheless, and in spite of the achieved success, it was not until 1980 that Toncho Pilatos returned to record their second studio album, Segunda Vez. To a large extent, this delay was because Mexican rock music had entered a low period, due to the repression and intolerance that arose after the Festival of Avándaro. At the end of the 1980s, Toncho Pilatos had disappeared from the scene. After several changes of membership, the group appeared in Los Angeles
, under the name of Toncho Indian Braves. In 1991, they recorded their third and final studio album, Soy un Mexicano.
Alfonso Toncho Guerrero died on 4 July 1992, at the age of 42 years, just a few months after the release of the album, and only weeks after the band's last television appearance. The legacy of Toncho Pilatos, with their Mexicanista sound and Spanish
lyrics
sowed the seeds for Mexican rock music.
Music of Mexico
The music of Mexico is very diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. It has been influenced by a variety of cultures, most notably indigenous Mexican and European, since the Late Middle Ages...
1970s rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band. Along with Three Souls in my Mind (later known as El Tri
El Tri
El Tri is a Mexican rock band from Mexico City fronted by Alex Lora. Founded in 1968 as Three Souls in My Mind, the group is regarded as influential in the development of Mexican rock music....
), it was one the most representative predecessors of the "under" scene of 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...
. Developed as so-called "hoyos funkies"; their music transcended their live performances rather than commercial success.
History
In spite of their Rolling Stones influence, Toncho Pilatos interpreted original instrumentationInstrumentation (music)
In music, instrumentation refers to the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, and to the properties of those instruments individually...
. Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
issued their first album, with a double cover, within its 'Power Rock' series, something of a first for a Mexican band. The Toncho Pilatos album was so successful that it was even released in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The tolerance and support supplied by Polydor was almost unique at that time, and both Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
commented on the influence of Toncho Pilatos' debut release. Critics were divided over the recorded work, but most agreed concert performances brought the best out of the Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
n based band. Their national television debut took place on 3 May 1974, on the television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Hour Zero, with production from Luis de Llano, through Channel 4 of the DF. The violins of the Mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
New Tecalitlán also enhanced the presentation. In time, Toncho Pilatos incorporated the violinist Richard Nassau, originating from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, into the group.
Nevertheless, and in spite of the achieved success, it was not until 1980 that Toncho Pilatos returned to record their second studio album, Segunda Vez. To a large extent, this delay was because Mexican rock music had entered a low period, due to the repression and intolerance that arose after the Festival of Avándaro. At the end of the 1980s, Toncho Pilatos had disappeared from the scene. After several changes of membership, the group appeared in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, under the name of Toncho Indian Braves. In 1991, they recorded their third and final studio album, Soy un Mexicano.
Alfonso Toncho Guerrero died on 4 July 1992, at the age of 42 years, just a few months after the release of the album, and only weeks after the band's last television appearance. The legacy of Toncho Pilatos, with their Mexicanista sound and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
sowed the seeds for Mexican rock music.
Discography
- 1971: Toncho Pilatos
- 1975: Toncho Pilatos: En Vivo en el Salón Chicago
- 1980: Segunda Vez
- 1987: Toncho Pilatos: En vivo en el Auditorio Magdaleno Varela
- 1992: Soy un Mexicano