Los Prisioneros - Biography
By Eric Brightwell
Los Prisioneros were a massively popular Chilean band. Initially working in a ska-inflected electro-punk vein, they moved in the direction of more commercial synthpop and scored hits along the way that were popular throughout nearly the entire western hemisphere. After their break-up, the reunited in the 2000s and subsequently broke-up once again.
In San Miguel, Chile in 1979, Jorge González and Miguel Tapia formed a high school musical duo whose first gig was at González grandmother’s house. Claudio Narea, a grade lower than the other two, soon joined on guitar. Quickly gaining confidence, the band soon began playing shows at high schools and elsewhere under a series of names, including Los Vinchucas, the Quechua-derived term for blood-sucking Triatoma protracta.
In 1983, González enrolled in university to study music and met Carlos Fonseca, whose father owned a small record label, Fusión Producciones. González’s band signed a deal with the label and Fonseca became their manager. After recording a demo, Fonseca and his father were impressed and committed to a full-length, La Voz de los ’80 (1984-Fusión Producciones), which arrived the following year. The trio shot a low-budget video at González’s house for the ska-inflected “Sexo.” The song hovered around the twenties on the charts. The pounding and pulsing title track was next released as a single and, in addition to filming a more ambitious video, the band performed the song on Sábado Gigantes, then still based in Chile (and pluralized) which catapulted them to stardom overnight.
Los Prisioneros signed to EMI in 1985 and began to play shows to sizable crowds. On their first album with the major, Pateando Piedras (1986 EMI), they played up the theretofore understated synthesizer component of their sound and applied synthpop’s lush atmosphere to their anthems. With the band's rising profile came a media ban imposed by the Pinochet dictatorship, which was the frequent target of the influential band's leftist lyrics and political actions. Nonetheless, they toured the country and the album went double platinum as their fame spread to neighboring countries. Los Prisioneros were invited that year to perform at Argentina's Chateau Rock Festival as well as another festival in Montevideo, Uruguay.
On their next album, La Cultura de la Basura (1987-EMI), with songs like "Maldita Sudaca," Los Prisioneros returned to their roots but for the most part synthpop and increasingly commerical pop dominated. The lyrics on the songs were among their most directly political and they toured around South America for months, using the stage to encourage action against Pinochet’s military rule. Frustrated by than expected sales of their latest album, the band returned to the studio the following year and re-recorded several of the songs. The video for "We Are Sudamerican Rockers," taken from the album, became the first video played on MTV Latinoamérica when it debuted in 1993. Meanwhile, tensions grew between González and Narea and Tapia added mediator to his responsibilities.
Claudio Narea eventually left Los Prisioneros and formed Profetas y Frenéticos. The remaining two moved ahead with him. Most of Corazones (1990-EMI) was recorded by a solo González in Los Angeles. Although the full reasons for Narea’s departure aren’t known, he was widely perceived to be the resident rocker and without him Los Prisioneros abandoned almost all vestiges of rock, instead releasing a wholly synthpop collection with more personal, romantic themes instead of the familiar political outlook. The first single, “Tren al Sur,” was an enormous hit, as was “Estrechez de Corazón.” Both singles even received considerable and sustained airplay on American radio stations. After a year of touring, they played what proved to be their final show in January of 1992 at Estadio Playa Ancha. Miguel Tapia went on to form Jardin Secreto with Cecilia Aguayo. Jorge González released a solo record, Esta Es Para Hacerte Feliz.
Los Prisioneros returned with the release of the live album, El Caset Pirata (2000-EMI), drawn from performances of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Following its success, the band reunited and on November 31 and December 1, 2001, they played to 140,000 fans at Santiago's Estadio Nacional, resulting in the live album, Estadio Nacional (2002-WEA International). A new studio album, Los Prisioneros (2003-WEA International), followed and featured an updated dance-rock sound. However, when the band returned to the studio, guest musician Álvaro Henríquez (of Los Tres) was in Narea’s place. This line-up produced the mostly-covers Los Prisioneros En Las Raras Tocatas Nuevas De La Rock & Pop (2003-WEA International). That same year, a tribute to Los Prisioneros was released, featuring major acts like Lucybell and La Ley paying homage to the Chilean masters.
A new line-up, featuring Gonzalo Yáñez and Sergio "Coti" Badilla, released Manzana (2004-International) which was promoted by a tour of the western hemisphere. Gonzalo Yáñez left in 2005 to pursue a solo career and González moved to Mexico City. Los Prisioneros fulfilled a tour obligation in 2006 and announced on their website that González was dissolving the band to focus on his new act, Los Updates, which pairs him with Loreto Otero. Once again, Los Prisioneros are retired.