Biography:
Soda Stereo was one of the most important Argentine pop/rock bands of the '80s and early '90s. Their success and influence was spread to the rest of Latin America. Created as a trio in 1982 and dissolved in 1997, the band was formed by guitarist/vocalist Gustavo Cerati, bass player Zeta Bosio (born Héctor Bosio), and drummer Charly Alberti (born Carlos Ficcichia). In the beginning they were deeply influenced by new wave and bands such as the Police, Television, and Talking Heads. Musically, they had an ever-changing style based on pop that avoided their own formulas, pursuing new sound territories exploration (as U2 did in the international scene). They were a pop band that took elements from different styles such as new wave, ska, reggae, soul, noise rock, and electronica in different times in their career. But it was not only music: from the very start they were very concerned about all the aspects related to image: video clips, shows, clothing, and graphic design. It's not possible to explain the beginnings and the renaissance of the Argentine rock movement in the early '80s without mention the return of democracy after seven years of military government in 1983. Although Soda Stereo was not a band that sang about political topics, their first steps were signed by the free expression and the hopes of the new political situation, aligned somehow with bands like Virus or Los Twist. Out of all the bands that emerged from that post-dictatorial rule government, Soda Stereo was far the most popular and enduring. With their first album, the self-titled Soda Stereo, released in 1984, they reached national success with joyful and ironic lyrics, and a sound that combined pop, reggae, ska, and new wave. By those times they were accused of superficial and frivolous. The second album, Nada Personal, strengthened the popularity of the band with some instantaneous classics such as "Nada Personal" and "Cuando Pase el Temblor" that opened the doors of the Latin American musical market. But this was amplified in 1986 when they released Signos, one of the best albums of their career. The musical arrangements and the lyrics reached a subtlety never heard before from the band's production, and led the press to take them seriously. They embarked in an extensive tour through Latin America that brought the live album Ruido Blanco. In 1988 the band recorded in New York their fifth album, Doble Vida, produced by David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar. The trio used intense horn arrangements that gave soul music flourishes that differed from how they previously sounded. This album was followed by the EP Languis, a minor work that did well commercially. The year 1990 represented a sudden and successful movement for the band when they released Cancion Animal. Although it was a big change, with a raw sound based in guitars, the band's popularity was as it peak. An important part of that change is due to Daniel Melero, an Argentine techno pop pioneer who renewed the band's sound and attitude. He was called "Soda's fourth" during those times. By the end of 1991 they played to 250,000 people in Buenos Aires' streets and edited the EP Rex Mix containing some songs extracted from live shows and a new studio song. In the beginning of 1992 Gustavo Cerati and Daniel Melero released the delicate duo album Colores Santos, which combined some experimentation with synth pop songs. Melero's influence reached until the recordings of the next studio album, Dynamo. This 1992 work was very controversial: some love it as the band's best, others hate it, while the most just ignored it. Anyway, this record, the lowest seller of their career, settled definitely the band's concern with experimentation. After that the band started an impasse with some solo projects, such as Cerati's Amor Amarillo, and some tragedies and losses. The dissolution rumors were on the rise, but that was not going to happen yet. In 1995 they were on the road again, releasing their calmest and most relaxed work, Sueño Stereo, followed by a (kind of) MTV unplugged album, named Comfort y Música Para Volar, that juxtaposed classic songs performed live (not necessarily unplugged) with some outtakes from the last studio album. Personal problems between the members and different artistic criteria, increased by 15 years of co-existence, led the band to announce its end in 1997. Before that the group did a farewell tour through Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, and finally Argentina. On September 20, 1997, Soda Stereo played their last show, in front of 65,000 people. ~ Iván Adaime, All Music Guide