El Canto del Loco

El Canto del Loco
Background information
Origin Algete, Madrid, Spain
Genres Rock
Pop rock
Pop punk
Power pop[1]
Years active 1994-2010
Labels Sony BMG (2000-2008)
Sony Music (2008-2010)
Website www.elcantodelloco.com
Past members Dani Martín
David Otero
Chema Ruiz
Carlos Gamón
Iván Ganchegui
Jandro Velazquez

El Canto del Loco (The Singing of the Madman in English) was a Spanish pop rock band, although its members recognize that some of their songs are more in the style of power pop.[2] The name of the band comes from the song El Canto del Gallo by Radio Futura.

The group sometimes known through the abbreviation ECDL was created in 1994 by Dani Martín and Ivan Ganchegui (who left the group in 2002) although the final line up would not come together until years later. Influenced mainly by other Spanish groups from the 1980s and with five studio albums, El Canto del Loco has gone on to sell more than a million albums,[3] making them one of the most successful bands on the Spanish music scene in recent years.[4][5][6]

The group announced their separation in 2010 as the members of the group wanted to pursue solo careers.

ECDL received three nominations for the MTV Europe Music Awards in the category of "Best Spanish Artist", which they won on two occasions,[7] and they were awarded two Premio Ondas as "Best Live Act" (2004)[8] and "Best Spanish Artist or Group" (2005).[9]

History of the group

Origins

El Canto del Loco began in 1994 when Dani Martín was studying at the Cristina Rota School of Dramatic Arts.[10] There, he met Iván Ganchegui, a guitarist, and their shared musical tastes resulted in the formation of the band. Both were fans of Radio Futura and in particular of their song El canto del gallo (The Song of the Rooster), which led them to name the group El Canto del Loco.[11] At this time the group also included a female drummer, a bassist and another guitarist. However, the latter soon left the group because of other commitments,[11] and the day before their first concert David Otero, Dani’s cousin, joined the group as a substitute.[10]

The drummer and bassist also decided to leave the group not long after. The band’s original drummer was replaced by Jandro Velázquez, an electrician,[10] who was the son of friends of Dani’s parents and who he first met in a flamenco competition.[11] The position of bassist was filled by Chema Ruiz who was studying physiotherapy at the same university as David and who was a friend of one of his friends.[10] With this line-up the band started to meet in a warehouse in the Algete area of Madrid in order to rehearse and their friends would act as critics.[10]

Beginnings and first albums

A year later the group recorded a demo record, which they sent to different record companies. However, it was only when Dani met the record producer Pedro del Moral that they got their first opportunity.[11] Moral listened to the demo and took it to the Ariola record company (currently Sony BMG), where Paco Martín, who had discovered groups such as Radio Futura and Hombres G, heard it. The group then received a call from Martín, who proposed a trial concert along with two other groups, with the objective that the record company would sign one of them. Despite the fact that the concert was not very good El Canto del Loco were eventually signed to the record label.[10]

The group’s first studio album went on sale on 16 June 2000, produced by Alejo Stivel, the former singer with the Spanish group Tequila. Before this album went on sale it was suggested that the group change their name, with other suggestions including "Superratones" (Super Rats), "Los móviles" (The Mobiles) and "La dulce sonrisa de Lulú" (Lulú’s Sweet Smile). However, the group decided to keep their name and for this reason the first album was also called El Canto del Loco.[10]

Jandro Velázquez (left) and Chema Ruiz (right) during a concert.

The arrival of Nigel Walker as producer produced a change in direction for the group and their second album, called A contracorriente (Against the Flow), was released on 1 March 2002, which had a more mature style.[12] In the same year El Canto del Loco also received a nomination at the MTV Europe Music Awards for "Best Spanish Artist", although the group Amaral actually won the award.[13]

Estados de ánimo (2003-2004)

Following the voluntary exit of Iván Ganchegui from the band, the rest of the group decided to take a break. However, a few days later David and Dani had both written several songs on their own and it was decided to record them using the four remaining members of the band. After a delay due to the busy work schedule of Nigel Walker, who was working on the new album by La Oreja de Van Gogh, the group recorded their third studio album which they called Estados de ánimo (States of Mind) and which went on sale on 26 May 2003.[14]

In August of the same year their song Pasión (Passion), from the El canto del loco album, was included on the sound track of the film La fiesta (The Party), directed by Carlos Villaverde and Manu Sanabria, which is famous for being one of the cheapest Spanish films ever made (on a budget of 6,000 euros).[15] In October, the group collaborated in the recording of the album Tony Aguilar y amigos (Tony Aguilar and friends), organized by the Los 40 principales disc jockey Tony Aguilar. In collaboration with a number of other singers, El Canto del Loco played on the song Latido urbano (Urban Beat), which was the single taken from the album and which went on sale in November of that year. The profits from the record went to children’s oncology hospitals run by the Asociación Española contra el Cáncer Spanish Cancer Association.[16] They also recorded another of the songs on the album along with Aguilar himself, called Casi un Universo (Almost a Universe).[17]

At the end of the year the group won the "Best Spanish Artist" award at the MTV Europe Music Awards beating artists such as Alejandro Sanz and La Oreja de Van Gogh.[18]

In January 2004, they were commissioned to record a new version of the theme tune for the television series 7 vidas (7 lives), which had previously been interpreted by the singer Raimundo Amador.[19] In the summer of that year they participated in a tribute album for Radio Futura, called Arde la calle (Burn the Street!) on which they interpreted the song Escuela de calor (School of Heat).[20]

Zapatillas (2005-2007)

David Otero and Dani Martín during a concert.

David Otero visited the island of Phi Phi (Thailand) in March 2005, where he saw the damage caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Along with other artists he decided to found an organisation called Kuarkx with the objective of collecting money for those affected by the disaster.[21] Otero, with the help of his cousin Dani, wrote the song Despiértame (Wake me up!) and made it available over the Internet where it could be downloaded for 1.15 euros.[21] When El Canto del Loco were recording their new album they decided to include the song and dedicate a proportion of the album's profits to the same cause.[22] Their new album, which was called Zapatillas (Sneakers), was released on 21 June.

The group released their first album outside Spain in September of the same year. It was aimed at the United States and Latin America and was called 12 estados de ánimo (12 States of Mind), it is a compilation album containing the best songs from the three albums they had so far released in Spain.[23] That same month the group was nominated for the third time in the MTV Europe Music Awards category for "Best Spanish Artist".[24] The group gained second prize in the event celebrated in November in Lisbon.[7]

In July 2006, while they were touring with Hombres G, they released a collection of their concerts in indoor venues. The collection was called Pequeños grandes directos (Great Little Gigs) and included recordings of performances in the Sala Caracol in Madrid (22-11-2002); Sala Bikini in Barcelona (30-12-03) and Sala Oasis in Zaragoza. The collection was released in a limited edition of 50,000 copies.[25]

After finishing the Zapatillas tour and before Dani Martín started filming Yo soy la Juani (I am the Juani) directed by Bigas Luna rumours started to circulate regarding the possible break up of the group. The group denied these rumours and simply stated that after a long break they would return with new songs.[26]

The group also participated in the recording of a compilation album in aid of a Telethon held by TV3. The album, which went on sale on 10 December 2006, was sold for 9 euros with the proceeds going to charities working with people suffering from chronic pain. It sold in conjunction with a number of Catalan newspapers (Avui, El Punt, La Vanguardia and El Periódico de Catalunya). The song chosen by the group was "Puede ser" (It Can Be), from their second studio album A Contracorriente, but with the difference that it was sung in Catalan under the title Pot ser. The song was later included on the compilation album Arriba el telón (Raise the curtain).

In 2007, Dani and David, along with the manager of El Canto del Loco, Carlos Vázquez, created the record label El Manicomio (Madhouse) Records, which was supported by the multinational Sony BMG and which released the debut album of the group Sin Rumbo (Without Direction).[27]

Personas (2008-2009)

The recording of the group's next album started in October 2007 and lasted until February 2008.[28] The album went on sale on 1 April under the name Personas (People). On release of the album El Canto del Loco also announced a tour to start at the end of 2009, where they would be supported by the group Sin Rumbo and the singer Lucas Masciano.[29]

On 12 June 2008 Jandro announced that he would leave the group citing personal reasons. Despite this the group confirmed that the tour would not be affected and would take place with a new drummer,[30] Carlos Gamón, who had previously played with the group Amaral and the singer Najwa Nimri.[31]

The group played in the Rock in Rio festival on 28 June that year. This was the first time that the festival had been held in Spain.[32] They received poor critical reviews although the performance was popular with their fans.[31]

De personas a personas 2008

The album "De personas a personas" (From people to people) was released at the end of 2008. It was a special limited edition of their "Personas" album with a new format (at 30x30cm the packaging was the same size as a vinyl album). However, the album was more than a rerelease of "Personas" as in addition to the 13 songs from the original album there were also six new songs and a DVD containing a lot of unpublished material.

Radio La Colifata presenta a El Canto del Loco 2009

In 2009 El Canto del Loco released two albums. The first was 'Radio La Colifata presenta: El Canto del Loco' which contained 19 of the group's hits recorded live in Buenos Aires as well as a previously unpublished song called Quiero aprender de ti (I Want to Learn From You) and also a DVD with new videos.

Por mi y por todos mis compañeros

In addition ECDL also released Por mi y por todos mis compañeros (For Me and All My Mates) in 2009. It was an ambitious project that contained 11 standards of Spanish music all of which were recorded, arranged and produced by the band. It included songs from Smash, Piratas, Quique González, Enrique Urquijo, Los Ronaldos and Joan Manuel Serrat among others. The release also included a DVD called Y por mí el primero (And For Me the First), which contained a recording of the band's rehearsals.

Members

Influences

The group's main musical influence has been groups such as Radio Futura, of who they are known fans, Los Ronaldos, Los Rodríguez[33] and Hombres G, who they are also good friends with. They have also been influenced to a lesser degree by groups such as Alejo Stivel (a member of this band was their first producer), Nacha Pop, Nachote Popeye[34] and Duncan Dhu.[35]

The members of the group also recognize that some of the songs on their album Estados de ánimo were also influenced by more recent bands such as Estopa (Tow), La Cabra Mecánica (The Mechanical Goat), M Clan.

Collaborations

El Canto De Loco collaborated with Mexican singer, Natalia Lafourcade in the song Contigo, which became popular in Mexico. El Canto De Loco has also collaborated with Spanish band, Sueño De Morfeo

Awards and nominations

Year Result Category Award
2002 Nominated New Spanish Group Premios Amigo (Friend Awards)
2002 Nominated Best Spanish Group Premios Amigo (Friend Awards)
2002 Nominated[36] Best Spanish Artist or Group MTV Europe Music Awards
2003 Winner[37] Best Spanish Artist or Group MTV Europe Music Awards
2004 Winner[38] Best Live Artist Premios Ondas (Wave Awards)
2005 Winner[37] Best Spanish Artist or Group MTV Europe Music Awards
2005 Winner[38] Best Spanish Group
2006 Winner[39] Best Tour (along with Hombres G) Spanish Academy of Musical Arts and Sciences Music Awards
2006 Winner[39] Best Group Spanish Academy of Musical Arts and Sciences Music Awards
2008 Winner[40] Best Spanish Group Premios Ondas (Waves Music Awards)
2008 Winner[41] Best Group of Duo Premios 40 Principales (Top 40 Awards)
2008 Winner[41] Best Album: Personas Premios 40 Principales (Top 40 Awards)
2008 Winner[41] Best Song: "Eres tonto" (You Are Stupid) Premios 40 Principales (Top 40 Awards)
2008 Winner[41] Best Musical Video: "Eres tonto" Premios 40 Principales (Top 40 Awards)
2008 Winner[41] Best Tour or Concert Premios 40 Principales (Top 40 Awards)

Discography

Type Title Year Copies sold Record Company / Label
Studio album El Canto del Loco 2000 111,000[42] Sony Music
Studio album A contracorriente 2002 150,000[42] Sony Music
Live album + DVD/VHS El Canto del Loco Live, Sala Caracol (22-11-2002) 2003 Limited edition:
20,000[14]		 Sony Music
Studio album Estados de ánimo 2003 244,000[43] Sony Music
Live album El Canto del Loco Live, Sala Bikini (30-12-03) 2004 Limited edition:
20,000		 Sony Music
Studio album Zapatillas 2005 421,000[42] Sony Music
DVD/UMD Hombres G & El Canto del Loco, Vicente Calderón Stadium (6 July 2005) 2005 Sony Music
Live album El Canto del Loco Live, Sala Oasis (15-10-05) 2006 20,000 Sony Music
Compilation album Pequeños grandes directos 2006 Limited edition:
50,000[44]		 Sony Music
DVD ECDL Episode 1 (Las Ventas - Madrid) 2006 Sony Music
Compilation Arriba el telón 2007 Sony Music
Studio album Personas 2008 300,000[45] Sony Music
Reissue De personas a personas 2008 Limited edition Sony Music
Compilation + studio album Radio La Colifata presenta a El Canto del Loco 2009 60,000 Sony Music
Rereleases Por mi y por todos mis compañeros 2009 60,000 Sony Music

References

  1. ↑ ECDL en pop.soniquo.com
  2. ↑ "El Canto del Loco - Disco". elcantodelloco.com. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  3. ↑ Ruiz, Cristina (27 March 2008). "El Canto del Loco enseña cuerpo y alma en 'Personas', su nuevo álbum de estudio". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  4. ↑ Pedrosa, M.J. "El Canto del Loco revoluciona al público en el Teatro de El Ejido". Diario Ideal. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
  5. ↑ De la Rúa, Álvaro; Herrero, Nacho (4 April 2008). "El Canto del Loco: "La ideología de nuestro sello es no hacer todo lo malo que nos han hecho"". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
  6. ↑ Blánquez, Javier (11 April 2008). "Anatomía de una gira". El Mundo. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Y ya van dos". MTV. 4 November 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  8. ↑ "Amenábar, Manolo García, La 2 Noticias y los Informativos de la SER, premios Ondas 2004". Cadena Ser. 27 October 2004. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "Amaral, El Canto del Loco, Coti y Coldplay, entre los ganadores de los Premios Ondas de la Música 2005". Los 40 principales. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Abril, Guillermo (6 April 2008). "El salto más cuerdo de los locos". El País. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "El Canto del Loco - Más información". click2music from Sony BMG. Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
  12. ↑ Cubillo, Igor (26 April 2002). "Artistas foráneos y variedad musical". El País. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  13. ↑ "Eminem, triunfador de los MTV Europe Music Awards otorgados en Barcelona". Los 40 principales. 26 April 2002. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  14. 1 2 Martín, Fernando (15 July 2003). "El Canto del Loco perfecciona su pop fresco y sólido con Estados de ánimo, su tercer disco". El País. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  15. ↑ Hernando, Jimena (9 January 2004). "El Canto del Loco, Hombres G y Mojinos Escozíos, entre los artistas de la BSO de La Fiesta". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  16. ↑ González, Tatiana (8 October 2003). "Diversos artistas colaborarán en el nuevo proyecto discográfico de Tony Aguilar". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  17. ↑ E.S. (5 November 2003). "Los 40 Principales estrena Latino urbano, el single solidario de Tony Aguilar". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  18. ↑ EFE (6 November 2003). "Timberlake arrasa en los premios MTV, presentados por una explosiva Christina Aguilera". El País. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  19. ↑ Hernando, Jimena (9 January 2004). "El Canto del Loco interpreta la nueva sintonía de la serie de TV, 7 vidas". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  20. ↑ Salas, Edu (13 August 2004). "Artistas españoles y latinos rinden pleitesía a Radio Futura en el álbum Arde la calle". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  21. 1 2 "David Otero y Dani Martín (ECDL) cuelgan Despiértame para ayudar a los afectados del tsunami". Los 40 principales. 17 March 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  22. ↑ Salas, Edu (19 April 2005). "El Canto del Loco graba en Madrid su cuarto álbum de estudio que estará a la venta en junio". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  23. ↑ Herrero, Nacho (2 September 2005). "El Canto del Loco publica su primer álbum fuera de España, 12 estados de ánimo". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  24. ↑ "Amaral, ECDL, Pereza, El Sueño de Morfeo y Melendi, nominados al MTV EMA español 2005". MTV. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  25. ↑ Cabezas, Dani (6 July 2006). "Nos da igual la crítica, nos reímos bastante de ella". 20 minutos. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  26. ↑ "El Canto del Loco no se separa, pero se va "de vacaciones"". 20 minutos. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
  27. ↑ Cubillo, Igor (26 April 2008). "Los caballos son los protagonistas". El País. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  28. ↑ El Canto del Loco, libreto del álbum Personas
  29. ↑ Herranz, Lucía (3 April 2008). "Arranca la gira de El Canto del Loco". 20 minutos. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  30. ↑ Herrero, Nacho (12 June 2008). "El batería de El Canto del Loco deja el grupo en plena gira". El País. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  31. 1 2 Quílez, Raquel (29 June 2008). "Chapuzón de El Canto del Loco". El Mundo. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  32. ↑ "Guía para sobrevivir en el Rock in Río Madrid". El País. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2008.
  33. ↑ Martín, Fernando (4 December 2000). "Ni más ni menos". El País. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  34. ↑ "Gira 2002: Los grupos - El Canto del Loco". Retrieved 9 May 2008.
  35. ↑ "El pop español reconoce la influencia de Duncan Dhu en la presentación de su disco-tributo". Los 40 principales. 4 October 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  36. ↑ "El Canto del Loco, en directo. Sala Caracol. 22-11-2002". La higuera. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  37. 1 2 "El cantante Justin Timberlake arrasa en los premios MTV". El Mundo. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  38. 1 2 "Amaral, El Canto del Loco, Coti y Coldplay, entre los ganadores de los Premios Ondas de la Música 2005". Los 40 Principales. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  39. 1 2 "Amaral obtienen tres Premios de la Música". La higuera. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  40. ↑ "Premios Ondas de la Música 2008". La higuera. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ganadores Premios Principales 2008". Premios 40 Principales. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  42. 1 2 3 "El Canto Del Loco presenta Personas en el Auditorio, con temas más maduros" (PDF). Malaga activa. 16–31 July 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  43. ↑ "El Canto del Loco en Los40.com". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  44. ↑ Iglesias, Gustavo (27 June 2006). "El Canto del Loco desvela los contenidos de la caja Pequeños-grandes directos". Los 40 principales. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  45. ↑ "El Canto del Loco, tripe disco de platino con Personas". Europa Press. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2009.

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