THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,530) Los York’s* — “La Punta De Mi Lengua”/”The Tip of My Tongue”
Wonderfully moody garage rock by “one of the most successful and groundbreaking [bands] in Peruvian rock”. (Fidel Gutierrez Mendoza (courtesy of Google Translate), https://rockperuanorollos.blogspot.com/search/label/Yorks). “”Much of Los York’s 68 is better than average Latin American garage rock, especially . . . the moody “La Punta de Mi Leguna”. (Mark Deming, https://www.allmusic.com/album/los-yorks-68-mw0000490565) “The York’s . . . make it clear that Lima was the capital of garage music made in the Southern Hemisphere in the sixties, and that it had little to envy the North American totems of the style”. (Javi Sánchez Pons, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywe1fj-Jdas)
Ah, Los York’s. Mon Falcon writes (courtesy of Google Translate):
“Their spectacular live performances, fronted by [Pablo] Luna, led to the label “rhythm sickness” (disease rhythm) being used to refer to their music, eventually becoming known as El Conjunto Enfermedad [Set Disease] as the band’s surname…. Los York’s performances were later compared to those of The Stooges, with Pablo Luna transformed into a spasmodic Iggy Pop, writhing at a frenetic pace during the songs and ending up destroying microphones, sound systems, and lighting equipment.”
And Arturo Vigil write (courtesy of Google Translate):
Pablo Luna is remembered for destroying around 48 microphones, countless fluorescent lights, and light bulbs in various explosive performances. Pablo, a redhead with Afro-Peruvian features, sang with his sweet, warm, and rhythmic voice, which could abruptly shift into a cathartic and furious paroxysm, with doses of true rage and violence. Walter Paz, in charge of the lead guitar and second vocals, contributed a distinctive color and sound with his performance, perhaps due to his musical training and admiration for Ray Charles, The Animals, and the Motown sound in general. He also composed most of the lyrics, arrangements, and musical transcriptions. The guitar complement was provided by Román Palacios with his marked instrumental and stage power. “El flaco” (The Skinny One). As they called Jesús Vilchez, the band’s bassist, he displayed a marked feeling and creativity, which gave the group a very special harmonic depth. His androgynous and provocative movements are remembered, driving mad and desperate, in the irremediable screams of tender teenagers. Pacho Aguilar, a drummer endowed with charisma and a special sense of humor, brought all his personality to the percussion, projected on his wonderful Roxy drum kit, giving the “Sick” Yorks their sound.
Of the LP, Mark Deming writes:
[A]s the decade wore on their music began to take on the influence of the psychedelic revolution, and this album suggests that in 1968 the group was beginning to walk between two worlds at once. Most of Los York’s 68 sounds like the work of a solid, no-nonsense garage band with tough, lean guitar work and a drummer who isn’t afraid to hit, but vocalist Pablo Luna sounds uncommonly passionate on even the most ordinary numbers, and when the band starts to hit a groove on something with a bit more drive, he lets forth with plaintive murmuring and frenetic wails that sound like the cries of a man possessed. And when Luna really hits the top, the rest of the band seems eager to follow him . . . . [I]t’s when these guys stumble into the musical Twilight Zone that this really becomes something special. . . .
While the group began in 1966 playing fairly typical fare inspired by the British Invasion and American garage rock hits of the day, Luna was a powerful vocalist not afraid to make with some freaked-out emoting, and as the band began experimenting with its sound as the decade wore on, Paz started working noise and feedback into his solos. The group’s first album, Los York’s 67, was a strong but straightforward affair; they began dipping their toes into psychedelia and other more adventurous sounds on their next LP, Los York’s 68, which featured . . . some of Paz’s best guitar work.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/los-yorks-68-mw0000490565, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/los-yorks-mn0001881774#biography
Alexz gives us some history (courtesy of Google Translate):
The band’s history begins when Román Palacios and Pacho Aguilar meet, and from there, the idea of forming a group is born. . . . Walter joins the group while still in school. The group was almost formed, but they needed a vocalist, so they began the search. At a matinee at the Tauro cinema, the group Press was performing, in which Pablo Luna sang. Their electrifying performance was what caught Román and Pacho’s attention, and they invited him to rehearse with them. Pablo accepted. . . . Their first recording (a 45 rpm) was released in March 1967. They later recorded a few more 45 rpm records. One of the recordings, “Abrázame,” is said to have sold more than 40,000 copies, a rare occurrence for the MAG label. Pablo Luna later left, but it was only temporary. Enrique Palacios replaced him briefly. With Pablo Luna’s return, Los York’s released their first LP, York’s 67, on the MAG label. This was the album that catapulted them to fame. Radio stations at the time played their songs, and young people enjoyed their music. Songs like “Abrázame,” “Vete al Infierno,” and others received a Gold Record. . . . Fernando Quiroz took part in the recording of this album, replacing Walter Paz. Fernando participated in most of the songs and played second guitar on others. Their fame grew so great that they had their own radio and television show. This program was titled El show de Los York’s on Channel 11. In 1968, they released their second LP, York’s 68. With this album, they established themselves on the rock scene. . . . In 1969, Los York’s signed with El Virrey. Pacho Aguilar left the band. He was replaced by Freddy “Puro” Fuentes Arana, who had previously played in Los Belkings, El Polen, and other important groups of the time. The record label MAG tried to persuade Los York’s to stay, but to no avail. MAG, however, did not stop there and began releasing a Los York’s album, but added a new vocalist, Pablo Villanueva “Melcochita.” . . . [He] had previously participated in the previous album, providing backing vocals and percussion. This album also included some songs that Los York’s had recorded for the label. The album’s title was York’s 69. . . .
* “They both agree to name the band after New York City, as they liked the music from that part of the US.” (Alexz (courtesy of Google Translate, https://web.archive.org/web/20071028081004/http://www.rockclasicolatin.blogspot.com/2007/09/los-yorks.html) However, “Pablo ‘Pacho’ Aguilar Salazar, the drummer . . . . says that those who claim that Los York’s is an allusion to the Big Apple are mistaken, but the truth is that it was named that way because the original singer used the stage name Willy York.” (courtesy of Google Translate, https://rockperuanorollos.blogspot.com/search/label/Yorks)
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