Miercoles de Musica: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Vicentico and Sr. Flavio, core members/founders of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, constructed a band whose sound is as diverse as spanish rock gets. To even label the Argentine band as purely "rock" is useless. Tracking their 20 plus years, one can listen to their influence in all of their songs: Refences to the Panamanian salsa legend Ruben Blades, who they collaborated with on "Hoy Llore Canción." Reggae covers in the Cadillacs' native Spanish tongue of The Specials' "Rudy," The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go," as well as "Revolution Rock,"and The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," which was a collaboration with unmistakable vocals by Debbie Harry. Jazz cannot be left out of the styles that influenced Los Fabulosos: They throwback to Thelonious Monk in "La Marcha del Golazo Solitario," and a tribute to Dave Bruebek's famous "Take 5" quintuple meter in "Niño Diamante."

Whether Los Fabulosos sang songs of heartbreak, ("Venganza," or the mournful "Rio de Lagrimas,") love's happiness or scornfulness: (the tender collaboration with Celia Cruz in "Vasos Vacios" and "No Pienses Que Fui Yo,") songs with sense of humor which showed of every brass and percussion instrument within the band: ("Surfer Calavera,"/ "El Muerto,") and politics: The defiant "Manuel Santillan el Leon," Latin Americans in L.A. have had plenty of canciónes to draw upon and relate to. For those who are not so diehard fans, one can at least remember dancing at fiestas or singing along to "El Matador,"which, thanks to D.J.s at numerous backyard fiestas and clubs has turned into a pop dance tune despite its political undertones, as well as "Mal Bicho." 

Fabulosos, you are as ecclectic as our Latino culture itself. Gracias for giving us much to choose from and appreciate.