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Collectivo Club
13 March 2007
The lack of investment in creating
independent labels in Mexico has meant that there is a vast gap between the
number of bands coming through with potential and the capacity of the
existing independents to handle such talent.
The solution for many of the shortfalls
that exist in terms of support for bands has come in the form of the
collective. A circle of trust with bands sharing resources is a common
occurrence in Mexico. Happy Fi Records from Monterrey is probably the best
known example of the collective in action with bands such as Niña and La
Live Band achieving relative success over the past few years. With a
combination of skill sharing in the production process and collective
bargaining giving sufficient strength to warrant signing a deal with EMI to
distribute CDs in large outlets in Mexico.
But Monterrey holds another excellent
example of collective action, Nene Records who hit the DF recently. In
Hayastan (Regina #18) in the Historic Centre three bands, Mama Burger,
Mockinpott and Los Implantes gathered after an impressive myspace
promotional campaign only to find a disappointingly small crowd to
entertain.
Nevertheless Mama Burger took to the stage
with the usual ferocity, the three girl one lad lineup punched out their
aggressive garage rock with complete conviction regardless of the lack of
attendees. The band describes their music as “a big bird eating a school
bus with lots of kids inside” and is delivered with an anger that grabs the
attention totally.
Mockinpott are the band Nene Records has
high hopes for. Formed in early 2006 they have just finished their
eponymous first EP which includes a captivating combination of electronic
and rock that gives a hint of late seventies British punk but also captures
something from key moments in alternative rock right up to the present day.
This provides it with both a retro and progressive dimension to the music
that creates a perfect present.
Finally Los Implantes playing late after
an early arrival and easily accessible bar had numbed most people’s
abilities to accurately perceive (well mine anyway!). With a strong showing
in a number of contests and their first release available in stores in el DF
and Monterrey the band has made solid progress in 2006. The surf rock
suggestion of the band is given many different twists to take it away from
the confines of the wrestling ring. Comic keyboards combine with sixties
riffs to create something both fresh and entertaining.
The conviction of Nene Records is clearly
displayed in their mission to create a compilation of bands from the city;
over a year of mixing and mastering work by Mou to balance 18 recordings
from 10 bands. The collection features those already mentioned plus Los
Rats, Bam Bam (Mou’s new project), Los margaritos, The A-Ah Experience and
La LLamarada finished off with a posthumous performance by Ruidos en el
Techo. The plan is to distribute the compilation through EMI in Mexico Nene
Records are hoping to nurture some of the best alternative talent in
Monterrey through to maturity.
http://myspace.com/nenerecords
http://myspace.com/dalebambam
http://myspace.com/mockinpott
http://myspace.com/mamaburger
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