Rock Nacional
Listened to passionately throughout the country, Argentina's homegrown rock music - known simply as rock nacional - is something of an acquired taste, though amongst its numerous charismatic performers there's something for just about everyone. Rock nacional first began to emerge in the 1960s with groups such as Almendra , one of whose members, Luis Alberto Spinetta , went on to a solo career and is still one of Argentina's most successful and original musicians and Los Gatos , who in 1967 had a massive hit with the eloquent La Balsa and two of whose members - Litto Nebbia and Pappo - went on to solo careers. From a sociological point of view, though, the significance of rock nacional really began to emerge under the military dictatorship of 1976-83, usually referred to simply as El Proceso. At the very beginning of the dictatorship, there was an upsurge in rock concerts, during which musicians such as Charly Garcia , frontman of the hugely popular Seru Giran and now a soloist, provided a subtle form of resistance with song titles such as No te dejes desanimar (Don't Be Discouraged), which helped provoke a collective sense of opposition amongst rock fans. It wasn't long, however, before the military rulers clamped down on what it saw as the subversive atmosphere generated at rock concerts - one of the few opportunities for collective gatherings under the regime. In a famous 1976 speech, Admiral Massera referred to "suspect youths", whose immersion in the "secret society" of clothes, music and drugs associated with rock music made them potential guerrilla material. The clampdown began in 1977-78, with tear gas used at concerts, police repression and government-issued recommendations that stadium owners should not let their premises be used for rock concerts. Attempts to move the rock scene to smaller venues were equally repressed, and by the end of the 1970s many bands had split up or gone into exile. In 1980 cracks began to appear in the regime: a growing recession saw powerful economic groups withdrawing their support, whilst the military leaders themselves were riven by internal conflict, and a subtle freeing up of the public sphere began, followed by the slow resurgence of rock concerts. In December 1980, a concert by Seru Giran attracted 60,000 fans to La Rural in Palermo: led by Charly Garcia, the fans began to shout, in full view of the television cameras "no se banca mas" (We won't put up with it anymore). Without abandoning their previous repressive measures, the military regime, now under the leadership of General Viola, began to employ different tactics to deal with rock's subversive tendencies, producing its own, non-threatening rock magazine, and inaugurating a "musical train" which travelled around the country with some of Argentina's most famous rock musicians on board. Under Galtieri, however, there was a return to a more direct, authoritarian approach - though by now it was proving increasingly difficult to silence the opposition to the military. Rock concerts had begun to attract mass audiences again; together with religious pilgrimages to Lujan, they provided the only significant gathering of young people during this dark period of Argentinian history. By 1982, the rock movement was a clearly cynical voice in society, creating massively popular songs such as Fito Paez 's self-explanatory Tiempos dificiles (Difficult Times), Charly Garcia's Dinosaurios , whose title is a clear reference to the military rulers and Maribel by Argentina's finest rock lyricist, Spinetta, dedicated to the Madres de Plaza de Mayo. When the Malvinas conflict broke out, Leon Gieco 's Solo le pido a Dios clearly expressed antiwar sentiment and a commonly held suspicion of the government's motives in lines such as "I only ask of God/ not to be indifferent to war/ it's a giant monster and it stamps hard/ on the poor innocence of the people". After the dictatorship ended, rock returned to a more apolitical role, typified by the lighthearted approach of 1984's most popular group, Los Abuelos de la Nada . However, one of the founding members of Los Abuelos, Pappo , went on to a solo career, making heavy rock and appealing to a predominantly working class section of society who felt that their lot had improved little with the coming of democracy; Pappo's music seemed to sum up their frustration with the system. One of the most popular groups of the 1980s was Sumo , fronted by the charismatic Luca Prodan , an Italian who had come to Argentina in an attempt to shake off his heroin addiction (an uncharacteristically sensitive recording of Sumo's is a version of the Velvet Underground's Heroin ). Sumo made sometimes surreal, noisy, reggae-influenced tracks, expressing distaste for the frivolous attitudes of Buenos Aires' upper-middle-class youth on tracks such as Rubia tarada (Stupid Blonde). Luca Prodan died of a heroin overdose in 1987, but is still idolized by Argentinian rock fans. Like Sumo, the strangely named and massively popular Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota (lit: Patricio Rey and the little balls of Ricotta) - who first began playing together in La Plata in the 1970s, though didn't record until the 1980s - made noisy, though slightly more serious, tracks with enigmatic titles such as Aquella vaca solitaria cubana (that solitary Cuban cow), often touching on the dissatisfactions felt by many young Argentines in the aftermath of the dictatorship. Another success story of the 1980s and 90s - albeit in a very different vein - was Fito Paez , whose 1992 album El Amor despues del amor , with its sweet melodic tunes - one of them inspired by the film Thelma and Louise - sold millions throughout Latin America. Paez also made an anthemic recording Dale alegria a mi corazon (bring happiness to my heart), inspired by Diego Maradona. One of Argentina's most original bands also emerged in the 1980s - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs , with their diverse and often frenetic fusion of rock, ska, dub, punk and rap. An irreverent and ironic sense of humour often underlies their politicized lyrics, all belted out by their charismatic, astringently-voiced lead singer, Vincentico, and backed up with a tight horn section and driving Latin percussion. Their classic album is El Leon (1992), on which you'll find their most famous anthem, Matador (a savage indictment of the military dictatorship of the 1970s). Their follow-up, Rey Azucar (1995), is also vibrant, including songs like Mal Bicho (Bad Critter), another with a guest appearance from Mick Jones, and a tongue-in-cheek Spanglish version of the Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever , sung in duet with Debbie Harry. Though countless new groups have sprung up in the last ten years or so, rock nacional 's most enduring figures are still Charly Garcia - whose wild exploits fill the pages of gossip magazines - Fito Paez, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Leon Gieco, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Pappo and rosarino songsmith, Litto Nebbia , who has also made some excellent tango recordings.
your food is yummyisabella says "i think yalls food is super dooper yummy keep up the good work
" whatsamanth says "nothing. you can survive on your own. dont go there its a horrible place." what you needkatie says "bring lots of food and water. try to bring non perishable food. and bring warm and cold clothes. you will need it." Buenos Aires City of DesignBob Frassinetti says "In August 2005 Buenos Aires was appointed City of Design by the UNESCO. This is recognition the city of “good airs” shares with other top notch design areas of the world such as Berlin, Montreal.
This appointment evidences recognition towards what Buenos Aires is doing in this particular area, and it cannot be understood if not put in perspective to the recent boom that took place in this area recently. BA features a constant flow of movement in terms of design, from mind-blowing creations to average regular, items the broadness of the design movement in the Argentine capital provides a wide rainbow of options featuring something for every taste.
Buenos Aires has been among the firsts of the American Continent to take upon the challenge of design together with Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Mendoza in Argentina –as well-. The turning point in contemporary design in South America can be dated at the end of the 1950s and all throughout the 60s. The decade of 1960 was a strong decade for innovation, creation and design in the deepest sense of the words. The Arts in general had a strong input back then, and design was not an exception, from aesthetics to usefulness, Argentina has been taking upon the challenge of designing new and innovative objects ever since. After a couple of decades of ups and downs, ins and outs, always in tune with the general panorama of what was going on in our country, today, Buenos Aires is breeding and furthering some interesting aesthetic and conceptual approaches to objects.
In terms of industrial design today in Argentina, there are at several different disciplines working in an avant-garde creations and innovating in theory and practice in this sense. The range goes from industrial products to vehicles, furniture and lighting, making of Buenos Aires a design spot pretty much hyper-comprehensive in terms of design for the visitors.
An interesting insight on design in Buenos Aires is provided by worldly known Argentine architect and designer Ricardo Blanco in his book entitled Crónicas del diseño industrial en la Argentina – Chronicles of the Industrial Design in Argentina-, where he reconstructs the path of evolution thru means of a particular historical perspective and journey. Not aiming to cover the entire historical process, but more in the sense of providing an organized insight into the world of useful aesthetics, Blanco attest to evidence the intention and cultural bases of the Argentine design path.
Thru means of the current literature and the ever growing production of industrial design objects Buenos Aires takes upon new airs of discovery, as it mutates from the traditional city of beef and tango to a much more interesting and amusing spot of arts, design and aesthetics… And all in all, in the meantime we explore the new inputs of design we can always stop to enjoy the delightful Argentine cuisine and culture, but now in a broader and richer way.
Bob Frassinetti, Buenos Aires, Argentina" GanjaFaith says "look for ganja at all times"
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