Los Lobos
Los Lobos is an American rock band, heavily influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country music, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as boleros and norteños.
Los Lobos released an independent LP in the late 1970s, and an EP in 1983. Their first major-label, critically acclaimed release was 1984's T-Bone Burnett-produced How Will the Wolf Survive? They released a follow up album entitled By the Light of the Moon in 1987. In the same year they recorded some Ritchie Valens covers for the soundtrack to the film La Bamba, including the title track which became a number one single for the band. In 1988 they followed with another album, La Pistola y el Corazón featuring original and classical norteño songs. Seen as akin to commercial suicide, the album sold poorly.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the band toured extensively throughout the world, opening for such acts as Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead.
Los Lobos returned with The Neighborhood in 1990, and the creative and wildly experimental Kiko (produced by Mitchell Froom) in 1992. In 1991, the band contributed a lively cover of Bertha, a song which they often performed live, to the Grateful Dead tribute/rain forest benefit album Deadicated.
On the band's twenty-year anniversary they released a two-CD collection of singles, out-takes, live recordings and hits entitled Just Another Band from East L.A.
In 1995, Los Lobos released the children's record Papa's Dream on Music for Little People Records. The band also scored the film Desperado and contributed tracks to several other soundtracks and tribute albums. In 1996 they released Colossal Head. In spite of the fact that the album was critically acclaimed, Warner Brothers decided to drop the band from their roster. Los Lobos spent the next few years on side projects.
Los Lobos signed to Hollywood Records in 1999, and released This Time. Hollywood also reissued 1977's Del Este de Los Angeles. In 2000, Rhino/Warner Archives released the Cancionero: Mas y Mas boxed set.
In 2002, the band released their Mammoth Records debut, Good Morning Aztlan; they released The Ride in 2004.
Los Lobos released its first full-length live-show DVD Live at The Fillmore in 2004. The DVD captures the band's act over a two-day period in July at the famed San Francisco venue.
On the night of October 23 1999, while the band was on tour, Sandra Rosas, wife of Cesar Rosas, was kidnapped from her house. She was found dead on November 22 2000. Her half-brother Gabriel Gomez was convicted of her kidnapping and murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The Spanish name Los Lobos means The Wolves, but Lobos in Mexico are also people of mixed African and Amerindian racial descent; see Zambo.
Members
Discography
- Si Se Puede!, 1976
- Los Lobos Del Este De Los Angeles, 1978 (LP), reissued on CD in 2000
- ...And a Time to Dance, 1983
- How Will the Wolf Survive?, 1984
- La Bamba [Original Soundtrack], 1987, US 2xPlatinum
- By the Light of the Moon, 1987
- La Pistola y El Corazon, 1988
- The Neighborhood, 1990
- Kiko, 1992
- Just Another Band From East L.A. - A Collection, 1993
- Music for Papa's Dream, 1995
- Colossal Head, 1996
- This Time, 1999
- El Cancionero Mas y Mas, 2000 (boxed set)
- Good Morning Aztlán, 2002
- The Ride, 2004
- Ride This - The Covers EP, 2004
- Live At The Fillmore, 2005
- Acoustic En Vivo, 2005
DVD
- Live At the Fillmore, 2004
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album |
| US Modern Rock | |||
| 1990 | "Down on the Riverbed" | 16 | The Neighborhood |
| 1991 | "Bertha" | 24 | Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead |
"La Bamba" went to #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart in 1987. It is one of only a few non-english songs to top the charts in the US.
See also
Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen
External links
References
- Gale, Dan (2005). Los Lobos LP/DVD Discography. Retrieved February 24, 2006.