Los Crudos | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Pilsen, Chicago,Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Hardcore punk |
| Years active | 1991–1998, 2006, 2008–2009, 2012–present |
| Past members | Martin Sorrondeguy José Casas Juan Jimenez Ebro Virumbrales Oscar Chávez Joel Martinez Bryan Lenin Mando |
Los Crudos is an Americanhardcore punk band fromChicago, Illinois active from 1991 to 1998 and from 2006 onward.[1][2][3] Comprising allLatino members, the band paved the way for later Spanish-speaking punk bands in the United States[2] and helped to increase the presence of Latinos in the country's predominantly whitepunk subculture.[4] They have been described as "one of '90s punk's truly great bands"[5] and "one of the greatest hardcore bands...ever."[6] Paul Kennedy additionally describes them as "very popular in both the 'crusty' scenes in North America."[7]
The band formed in the early 1990s[1] by singerMartin Sorrondeguy and guitarist José Casas, who remained the group's consistent members through changing rhythm sections. Their lyrics were almost always sung in Spanish; the song "We're That Spic Band" (written in response to an audience member calling them a "spic band"[8]) is the sole exception.[2] Los Crudos' lyrics were explicitly political,[5] addressing issues such as class, police brutality, homophobia, andCalifornia ballot propositions directed against immigrants.[2][4] At concerts, Sorrondeguy would often speak at length about the songs' meanings between songs, partly as a way of getting around the language barrier (audiences were not always happy about this).[5][7] Their music was loud, fast, and energetic with songs built aroundthree chords or fewer.[2][5][7] "We're That Spic Band" and "Asesinos" (about "the disappearances of radical youth during military dictatorships in Latin America") have both been described as their most well-known songs.[7][9]
The band's first shows were inPilsen,[1] the Latino neighborhood in Chicago where the band members lived, and many of their lyrics were first sung there.[8] Sorrondeguy has said that, "One of the main reasons for singing in Spanish was to communicate directly with kids in our neighborhood."[4] In Pilsen, the band also worked closely with community agencies such asProject Vida, an AIDS prevention organization, and Project Hablo, a domestic violence support group.[4]
Los Crudos incorporatedDIY ethics into every aspect of the band's existence, including promoting and booking shows, recording music, touring, and silk-screening T-shirts.[2] They touredMexico (in 1994[7]),South America, Europe, and Japan, as well as touring the US many times.[5] The band's recordings were released onindependent record labels such asFlat Earth Records,Ebullition Records, and Sorrondeguy's labelLengua Armada Discos. The group's final rhythm section included bassist Juan Jimenez and drummer Ebro Virumbrales (also a member ofCharles Bronson[10] and MK-ULTRA).
Los Crudos played its last shows in October 1998, in the neighborhood which they started in,Pilsen.[5] After the band's breakup, Sorrondeguy became the vocalist forLimp Wrist, as well as releasing a documentary about Chicano and Latino punk[8] (Beyond The Screams: A U.S. Latino Hardcore Punk Documentary). He has also been in the bands Harto andTragatelo. Guitarist Jose now plays in the Chicago punk bandI Attack. Drummer Ebro became the vocalist for Chicago band Punch in the Face.[11]
The band played an unannounced reunion show in June 2006 at Southkore (America's first and largest[2] Latino punk festival), in Chicago'sLittle Village.[3] The festival, which also featured Tropiezo andLa Armada, attracted more than 400 fans.[3] They also played reunion shows in 2008's Chaos in Tejas festival in Austin, Texas[12] and in Los Angeles, California in 2008. In 2016, Crudos played shows in the Midwest and readied for a tour of the U.K. and numerous Scandinavian cities.
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