Molotov (band)

Molotov
Molotov
Background information
Origin	Mexico City, Mexico
Genres	Alternative rock, hip hop, rap rock
Years active	1995–present
Labels	MCA International PolyGram Latino Universal Music Latino Machete Music OCESA Sei Track (artist management)
Website	http://www.molotovoficial.com.mx/
Members
Tito Fuentes Miky Huidobro Paco Ayala Randy Ebright
Past members
Jay de la Cueva Iván Jared (La Quesadillera)

Molotov is a four-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican rock band formed in Mexico City on September 23, 1995. Their lyrics feature a mixture of Spanish and English, rapped and sung by all members of the group. Musically, Molotov blends heavy basslines with heavy guitar riffs. Many songs, such as "Gimme Tha Power" and "Frijolero," are politically inspired, addressing issues such as disenfranchisement within Mexico and immigration in the United States. The band's lyrics are risqué, playful, and frequently aggressive. The band is currently working on their 7th album, which is scheduled for release in 2011.

Biography

The band began in 1995 when two friends, Tito Fuentes (guitar) and Micky "Fled" Huidobro (bass), started playing together. On the 21st of September of the same year, Javier de la Cueva "J" and Iván Jared "La Quesadillera" joined them becoming the first line up for the band (although La Quesadillera later left and was replaced by Randy Ebright, the only American-born member of the band). Around February 1996 Javier left the group and Paco Ayala took his place. Throughout 1996, the band played in many underground locations in Mexico City and began to have a small group of fans. Their success finally came when they opened for Héroes del Silencio in Monterrey and later for La Lupita in Puebla. During a concert in which they opened for Illya Kuryaki and The Valderramas, talent hunters from Universal offered them to record an album. It was a difficult period, and the band had to sell cassettes during the concerts while they prepared their album.

In July 1997, they released their debut album ¿Dónde Jugarán Las Niñas?, which took its name partly from Maná's album ¿Dónde Jugarán los niños? generating controversy with stores refusing to sell it because of its lyrics and cover. Molotov went out to the street to sell their discs as a form of protest. The lyrics include a mixture of politics, sex and expletives, a fact that almost literally got them banned from Mexico, and caused them to move to Spain for some time. In 1998, they participated with the song "Payaso" in the album Volcán: Tributo a José José a tribute to legendary singer José José.

Molotov received a recognition without precedent for a hip-hop group in Spanish. Urban publications such as Vibe said about them: "[Molotov's music] is incendiary by nature… with darts poisoned aimed directly to the heart of the oppressive paternalism of the government. They've become the Latin response to our Rage Against the Machine. For example, the song "Gimme Tha Power" contained lyrics such as "Hay que arrancar el problema de raíz y cambiar el gobierno de nuestro país" (translated: We have to rip out the problem by the roots and change the government of our country). These lyrics reflected aspects of the tumultuous political climate of the late 1990s. In 2000, popular vote elected a president from a different political party than that which had held the presidency, uninterrupted, since 1940 (Politics of Mexico).

Molotov released Molomix, an album with remixes of Donde Jugarán...?, including a version of the classic Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody" titled: "Rap, Soda and Bohemias," and a new song: "El Carnal de las estrellas," as a response to Televisa's refusal to air the band's videos.

In September 1999, Apocalypshit was released and the band toured Europe, including Russia. In 2001, after a couple of years of touring, they took a rest by contributing to the soundtrack of the films Y tu mamá también (in which the soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy) and Atlético San Pancho,.

They were part of the Watcha Tour 2000, which included 17 shows with Los Enanitos Verdes, Aterciopelados, Café Tacuba, and A.N.I.M.A.L.

In 2003, the band's new album, Dance and Dense Denso, was released with the Grammy-winning single, "Frijolero," which became the band's biggest hit to date.

In 2004, the band released Con Todo Respeto, which consisted of covers of groups such as The Misfits, Beastie Boys, ZZ Top, and Los Toreros Muertos.

On January 18, 2007, Molotov's official website addressed a separation rumor, saying that it could neither be confirmed or denied but that more information would be coming soon.[1] A few weeks later, the band confirmed on its website that it would indeed be touring and posted dates starting April 3 in Ventura, California, and ending April 15 in Dallas, Texas. Despite no official break-up update, many radio stations announced the tour as Molotov's last.

In 2007, the band released its album Eternamiente (a portmanteau of eternamente [eternally] and miente [he lies] ) with the hit song "Yofo."

Molotov performed at the 2009 Coachella Music Festival.

In an interview, the band talked about the possibility of releasing a live DVD. In a later interview, Randy Ebright said the DVD would possibly be directed by Alfonso Cuaron, with whom they worked on the soundtrack for Cuaron's film Y Tu Mama Tambien. The band's manager, Jorge Mondragón, has said that a book would be published recounting their 15 years as a band.

Band lead guitar Tito Fuentes said that their next album would be released independently during 2010.

On May 14, 2010, it was announced that the band would perform on Mexico City's Zocalo for the first time in the band's history after being denied the venue 5 times before. The band performed in a concert along with other bands such as Jaguares and Maldita Vecindad to protest against Arizona's SB 1070 law.

The band recently recorded their performance in the "The Creation of Peace" festival in Kazan, Russia for a future DVD release. They are also currently working on their upcoming new album.

Members

• Ismael "Tito" Fuentes de Garay - vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar
• Miguel Ángel "Miky" Huidobro Preciado "Huidos" - vocals, bass guitar, drums
• Juan Francisco "Paco" Ayala Gonzalez - vocals, bass guitar, drums, electric guitar
• Randall "Randy, El Gringo Loco" Ebright - drums, vocals, electric guitar

Note: The members switch around on instruments so it depends what song they are performing.

Discography

• ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas? (1997)
• Molomix (1998) remix album
• Apocalypshit (1999)
• Dance and Dense Denso (2003)
• Con Todo Respeto (2004)
• Con Todo Respeto (Unlimited Edition) (2005) special edition of Con Todo Respeto
• Eternamiente (2007)

Awards

Band awards:

• 1998

MTV Video Music Awards - International Viewer's Choice (Latin America, North and South): "Gimme Tha Power"

• 2003

MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica 2003 - Best Group or Duet,Best Alternative Artist,Best Artist from Mexico.

• 2004

Viña del Mar International Song Festival - Antorcha de Plata,Antorcha de Oro,Gaviota de Plata.

¿Dónde Jugarán Las Niñas?:

• Double Platinum Record in Spain
• Quadruple Gold Record in Mexico
• Golden Record in Argentina and Colombia.
• Platinum Record in Chile and United States.

Dance and Dense Denso:

• Latin Grammy for Best Music Video (Frijolero).
• MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamérica 2003 for Video of the Year (Frijolero)

Con Todo Respeto:

• Latin Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group

Eternamiente:

• Latin Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group

External links

• Official website
• Molotov on Myspace
• Molotov (band) on Twitter
• Molotov (band) on OCESA Sei Track