Aterciopelados

Essentially a collaboration between vocalist/guitarist Andrea Echeverri and bassist/arranger Héctor Buitrago, Aterciopelados has recorded eight albums since they originally teamed up in Bogotá, Colombia in the early 1990s as "Delia y los Aminoácidos". "Héctor was an essential revelation in my personal and musical life", said Andrea. "He brought new aesthetics, unsuspected rebellion, and truckloads of music."[10] Buitrago came from a hardcore punk background, heading up a group called La Pestilencia, while Echeverri had been drawn into the fledgling scene through art school friends. "When I was young I listened to boogaloo by Richie Ray and later stuff like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Yes", said Héctor. "The first time I bought a bass guitar, I'd never had one in my hands before. I began to write songs by ear."[10] Héctor and Andrea went on to open one of Bogotá's only rock clubs, and their relationship is one of Latin rock's most successful artistic partnerships.

Aterciopelados play at Bumbershoot, Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington.

Aterciopelados' first album, Con El Corazón en la Mano (With my Heart in my Hand), features crashing, distorted guitars and a loud punk drumbeat.

With their second album, El Dorado (The Golden One), Aterciopelados began to expand their horizons, including traditional llanera rhythms of the Colombian countryside as well as the rock–bolero sound of their first big hit, "Bolero Falaz" ("Talkative Bolero"). "At first what we were doing was very elementary", said Andrea. "But since we've played out a lot, learned to compose, and made a few records, even though we haven't had a lot of formal training in music, we've just learned how to develop. We've done it in a very instinctive way, but I think it's very valid." The hit song "Bolero Falaz" not only had a strong rock-ballad feel, but it showcased Andrea's powerfully seductive voice, one influenced by her mother, who sang boleros, rancheras, and tangos, and the great legends of nueva canción, Iike Joan Manuel Serrat, Mercedes Sosa, and Pablo Milanés. The song broke the band on MTV Latin America and made them stars all over Latin America.

Their third album, La Pipa de la Paz (The Pipe of Peace), was recorded in London with legendary Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera producing. The album's signature songs, "Cosita Seria" ("A Little Something Serious"), "Chica Difícil" ("Difficult Girl"), and "Baracunatana" were hard-driving Latin rock classics that defined Echeverri's coy, new-feminist attitude by teasing macho men. After releasing La Pipa de la Paz, Aterciopelados was able to tour in the U.S., recording an MTV Unplugged appearance in early 1997.

The following year Caribe Atómico (Atomic Caribbean), which was recorded in Manhattan with guest appearances by guitarists Arto Lindsay and Marc Ribot, further expanded Aterciopelados' sound into the world of electronica.

Gozo Poderoso (Powerful Joy), their fifth album, is a melodic, moody manifesto for the vibrantly eclectic Latin alternative movement. It is world music for a new world. Recorded in Bogotá and produced by Héctor Buitrago, this album led the way to independence and development of their own true sound. Following the album's release, Aterciopelados won a Latin Grammy award for Best Rock Group.[2]

A couple of years later came Evolución, a collection of greatest hits.

In 1996, Aterciopelados performed "Una Hoja, Una Raiz (One Leaf, One Root)" along with Diego Frenkel and Laurie Anderson for the AIDS benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin produced by the Red Hot Organization.

In 2006, Aterciopelados released Oye (Listen) (Nacional Records), a return to the more organic, rock sound reminiscent of their earlier work on albums like La Pipa de la Paz. Produced by Héctor Buitrago and mixed by Thom Russo (Johnny Cash, Juanes, Kinky and Illya Kuryaki), the album's first single, "Complemento", is an upbeat declaration of love from someone who has found her soulmate; the person who complements her. The album also features Aterciopelados' trademark social and political commentary on songs like "Don Dinero" ("Mr. Money"), which questions the idea of money as the solution to all problems, and "Oye Mujer" ("Woman, Listen") which asks of women, "Are you a human being or the erotic fantasy of some guy?" The band continues to win over audiences around the globe playing shows in Mexico, Central and South America, Europe and the U.S.

Aterciopelados' single and video "Canción Protesta" ("Protest Song") from the album Oye continues to make waves for its outspoken social and political commentary against war and injustice. The video features the group using guitars fashioned out of former machine guns – the special guitars were given to Aterciopelados by the United Nations in support of its efforts to take guns off the streets of Colombia.

On October 21, 2008, Aterciopelados released the album Rio (River) on Nacional Records, aggressively building upon the creative momentum of Oye. The album was recorded in Bogotá and mixed by Héctor Castillo (Brazilian Girls, David Bowie, Gustavo Cerati) in New York City. It is an impassioned, socially conscious record with the group's signature organic rock sound. The album's opener and title track is a call to action that finds Aterciopelados at a new level of creativity and musicality. It coincides with a proposed Colombian constitutional referendum that declares that access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right for all Colombians and provides for maintenance and preservation rights. "Musically and lyrically, the track 'Rio' is unlike any previous Aterciopelados song", Echeverri says. "I'm even singing in a different way than in the past. With this one, we reached an entirely new place."[11]

In "Bandera" ("Flag"), Aterciopelados speak out on immigration, another issue close to home. "We have toured across the world many times, yet every time, certain countries give us so much trouble when entering", Echeverri explains. "My problems with traveling are so small compared to others across the world but I thought I could give all these people a voice."[11] The album's guests range from rapper Gloria "Goyo" Martínez (of Colombian hip hop act Choc Quib Town) on "28", to the Andean group Kapary Walka on "Madre" ("Mother") and "Aguita" ("Little Water"), and even include Echeverri's daughter on "Ataque de Risa" ("Laughing Fit"). Aterciopelados launched an extensive tour[9] of the United States in April 2009 in support of Rio.

In addition to their many albums as "Aterciopelados", in 2005 and 2006 Echeverri and Buitrago made individual albums: Echeverri's self-titled Andrea Echeverri and Buitrago's ConEctor. Andrea Echeverri is centered around Echeverri's experiences being pregnant, giving birth, nursing, and loving.[12] ConEctor, which translates both as "with Héctor" and "connector", connects musicians, ideas, paths, and results in a potent inner perspective of contemporary spirituality. It features several guest artists including Echeverri, Alex Ubago and Julieta Venegas.[13]

In 1997 and 1998, they received Grammy nominations.

Aterciopelados won a Latin Grammy award in 2001 following the release of their album Gozo Poderoso for Best Rock Group.[2]

In 2001, Aterciopelados was recognized by the writers of Time magazine as one of the top 10 contemporary global bands (those bands located outside of the United States.) The list included U2 and the Rolling Stones.[17]

In 2007 they won the Latin Grammy award for Best Alternative Album for Oye. They had received two Latin Grammy nominations that year, including Best Alternative Album for Oye (Nacional Records) and Best Alternative Song for the single "Complemento."[2]

Oye also won the group a Premio Lo Nuestro award in 2008 for Album of the Year.[18]

In 2010 at "Premios Shock" event, they received a tribute produced by Cesar Lopez and Julio Monroy, bands like Juan Galeano and EsteMan play their songs in this tribute.

• "We're opposed to the cliche about rockers, that all the songs sound the same, the poses and the lyrics — we have been inspired by all of world music, by rock, by electronica, and especially Latin American popular music, which hasn't been difficult because those were the sounds that we grew up listening to..." —Héctor Buitrago of Aterciopelados.[10]
• "If we are invited to a worthy cause, we are there. Only by respecting Mother Earth and the rights of everyone can the world truly live in harmony." —Andrea Echeverri of Aterciopelados.[19]

"Aterciopelados Nominated for Two Latin Grammy Awards" (Press release). Nacional Records. August 2006.

"Aterciopelados Biography: Contemporary Musicians (Enotes.com)". Retrieved 2008-01-08.

"Aterciopelado telúrico (Semana.com)". Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2008-01-08.

"Héctor conexión, Héctor mensajero (visionchamanica.com)". Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-08.

"The National Geographic Music Interview: Aterciopelados". Archived from the original on 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2008-12-01.

"Aterciopelados discuss the new album "Rio"" (Video Interview). Retrieved 2008-12-08.

"Aterciopelados Receive Two Latin Grammy Award Nominations for Their New Album Claroscura". Retrieved 2018-09-20.

"How Aterciopelados Keep Rewriting the Latin Alternative Playbook (rollingstone.com)". Retrieved 2018-11-14.

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