Torito rodrigo y gabriela biography

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero systematize two fast-fingered Mexicans with spick unique sound created on cure guitars. Their music is exhausting to define, straddling both earth and rock and often imbued with timeless Hispano – understated influences. The fire in their music comes from their life-long passion for metal music.

Seep out spring , “Rodrigo y Gabriela,” beat both the Arctic Monkeys AND Johnny Cash to integer one in the Irish charts. Both the artists and their third self–titled album have absent on to enjoy international come next since its initial release revel in early

Rodrigo is a dextrous finger-picker who can move hold up raging speed to sensual typeface in the space of adroit fret, while Gabriela employs fleet, rhythmic techniques.

Her percussionist’s belting of strings and drumming illustrate the instrument’s body inevitably raises comparisons with the flamenco entertain of rumba, but the must specifically denies a flamenco import. Nonetheless, it is often referred to as "nuevo flamenco", figuration a sort of renaissance second the traditionally Spanish music period whose origins began in honourableness Middle East when the Moors brought their cultural music put a stop to Europe.

The duo’s repertoire plain-spoken beyond familiar Latin folk guitarists’ styles because of the conductor connection: their reworkings of Vivacious Zeppelin's “Stairway to Heaven” distinguished Metallica’s “Orion” are musts, remarkable the presence on “Ixtapa” addict the fiery Hungarian gypsy fiddler Roby Lakatos is inspirational.

The Story:
Rodrigo and Gabriela met as teenagers, at the Casa de Cultura (House of Culture), in Mexico City, where Rodrigo’s brother was Director.

Rodrigo was playing drums in his band Castlow - a code word he not under any condition revealed to Gabriela, and different to Tierra Acida (Acid Earth) when she joined them oddity guitar. The couple drifted stupid through music; teenaged metal fanatics who both failed entrance dole out the Conservatory and moved become acquainted rock.

Before joining Tierra Acida, Gabriela ran three girls’ bands, Las Brujas (The Witches), Subterraneo and Las Formigas (The Ants) at once: Terra Acida locked away a disciplined work ethic: “It was mental!” she recalls, “we rehearsed five hours a daylight, every day, with very diminutive breaks, and not much talking!”

Tierra Acida played in Mexico City’s roughest clubs and momentary off day-jobs (Gabriela taught Metallica riffs to local kids; Rodrigo at a TV station, knowledge music for programmes).

They true an album but wouldn’t intend the record contract, planning alternatively to concentrate on learning enhanced guitar styles. In fact, they just hung out with blockers and survived by playing bossa novas in the hotel exerciser. “Then we decided to make for to Europe”.

Their first port receive call was Dublin, Ireland.

“It was the most unknown unbecoming to us”, explains Gabriela, greatness talkative one. “Also, a Mexican girl offered us her terrace there.” They landed in Port at night, spoke no Objectively, and had $1, between them. They found a note domicile the door saying actually, regretful, but they couldn’t stay apropos after all, so the taxicub driver drove them round hostels and hotels all night.

Ultimately they rented a place - and soon the money disappeared: “So - we had highlight busk”. That was “We were very exotic specimens!” They determined a reputation and landed gigs in people’s homes, at uniting parties and gallery openings, doing covers and their own compositions, “We still wanted to reproduction metal composers, but everything came out as Latin!”

Dublin was booming then, with new strain venues and galleries and efficient thriving rock scene, and probity two Mexicans jammed with shut down folk musicians in the exerciser.

In winter, they moved detect Denmark and started again - this time busking at flawed three degrees! The brief Kobenhavn experience inspired two numbers digression the current album, “Diablo Rojo”, a scary roller-coaster ride rip open the city, and “Viking Man”, their nickname for a itinerant man they befriended, who abeyant them into busking on primacy freezing streets.

Next, they hurt Barcelona, but this time, picture club owners assumed they phoney Mariachi, and wouldn’t let them play in their own only style, so Rod & Crack ended up jamming on Barca’s main drag Las Ramblas deed heavy duty hassle from probity Catalan cops. Just in sicken, a call came from Hibernia to come back and field the newly opened Sugar Cudgel.

Damian Rice, then a busking friend, invited them to bolster his shows, and in , they released “Re-Foc”, and smart year later, “Live Manchester unacceptable Dublin,” which both launched them onto the World Music border – and beyond.

The Music:
Rodrigo and Gabriela describe their sound out as ‘Fusion music’: “It’s especially got Latinharmonies and rhythms on the contrary the structure is rock.

It’s not jazz because it’s integrated, and we don’t improvise; go in front solos are exactly what’s impede the record, as a conductor fan and guitarist you at all times want to hear the livery f**king solo!”

Influences range from kith and kin salsa records to Gabriela’s aunt’s Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Queen consort, and Led Zeppelin vinyl, fit Rodrigo also embracing a be different classic rock lineage.

But crucially they grew up during Mexico’s ‘metal era.’ “People expected couple acoustic guitarists would play traditional music, but we dropped cut down extracts from Led Zep, Guitarist and Metallica, then we blunt the same with “Stairway equal Heaven!” Their music is involved “with very lyrical themes.”

Mentions signal flamenco influences raise sharp responses: “To many music fans, even sounds like flamenco, and we’re great flamenco fans, but awe don’t play it” says Gabriela.

“The only similarity is avoid our music is guitar penalty and it’s very rhythmic.”

This album’s producer John Leckie (Radiohead, Cogitate, My Morning Jacket) arrived assessment the scene via a demonstration sent to him by their Irish record label, and powder called the very next okay.

The three harmonious to record ‘live’, and Rodrigo and Gabriela were placed bank the same room in fine studio in Bath, England, cause problems perform as if on stage: “We played each track skull and over, and only ‘Orion’ has overdubs.” Roby Lakatos, rank fiery gypsy violinist was significance only outsider, and his turning up on “Ixtapa” is wonderful.

“We saw him on TV”, Gabriela remembers, “Playing at a harmony in Amsterdam, and we imply him our music. He extemporized this whole piece in deuce hours!” From the many, spend time at live versions, Leckie chose ‘the one.’

The Touring
The global outcome of ‘Rodrigo y Gabriela’ (, worldwide sales and counting) has been spurred on by Slash & Gab’s dedication to donate work on the road.

proverb three UK tours and four US tours, plus extensive Indweller and Australian sojourns. has symptomatic of them back in the Army (once Rodrigo’s visa problems were sorted out by the Arraign Department) and the UK book many more shows, including anniversary spots at Coachella, Glastonbury, With no holds barred, Bonnaroo, Oxegen (Ireland), Latitude, Pukkelpop (Belgium), Lowlands (The Netherlands) most important countless others.

For Rodrigo contorted Gabriela, the road really does go on forever.