Los Saicos

Los Saicos
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1964 in Lima, Peru
Headquarters	Lima, Peru
Products	Music recordings, singles, albums

Los Saicos is a rock ensemble that originated in 1964 in Lima, Peru. Known for their rapid rhythms, intense screamed vocals, and forceful guitar riffs, they are widely acknowledged as early innovators of punk rock music.

During the mid to late 1960s, Los Saicos emerged as one of Peru’s leading bands, crafting a unique sound that blended surf elements with garage rock. Members Erwin Flores and Rolando Carpio composed original pieces, positioning the group among the first South American acts to exclusively produce self-written material.

Between 1965 and 1966, the band released six singles, with "Demolición" becoming a landmark track within Peruvian rock. Although their initial run ended in 1966, Los Saicos reunited in 2006 and continue to perform today.

1960s

Formed in Lima's middle-class Lince neighborhood in 1964, the band was initiated by guitarist and vocalist Erwin Flores along with drummer Francisco Guevara shortly after finishing high school. They brought in Roland "El Chino" Carpio from Los Steivos as lead guitarist and taught César "Papi" Castrillón bass guitar. Without a dedicated lead vocalist, Flores and Castrillón shared singing duties—Flores took on the more aggressive rock numbers while Castrillón handled melodic tunes. Initially called "Los Sádicos," they shortened the name to "Los Saicos," inspired by both the Seiko watch brand and Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho.

Starting their career performing at local spots, a notable appearance at Tauro Cinema during the Association of Music Journalists event caught industry attention. Their rebellious style led to several police detentions, including one incident involving props for a record cover photo shoot. In early 1965, their television debut on El Show del Diana earned them "best of the week" honors and secured a contract with DisPerú. Their first single, "Come On" / "Ana," achieved significant success across Peru.

Later that year, their single "Demolición," characterized by anarchistic lyrics celebrating the destruction of a railway station, reached number one nationally. They released three additional singles under DisPerú before moving to the larger IEMPSA label in 1966, where they issued "Besando a Otra" / "Intensamente." As their popularity waned and pressures increased, the group dissolved in 1966.

Following the breakup, members transitioned into conventional professions. Flores and Castrillón relocated to the United States; Flores recorded two solo albums that were not released, earned a degree in Physics, worked at NASA, and currently holds an executive position within the pharmaceutical industry while occasionally performing salsa music. Castrillón semi-retired and taught guitar locally. Carpio kept his musical history private until his children uncovered it; he passed away in 2005. Guevara died in Lima in May 2015.

Reunion

In 1999, the Spanish label Electro Harmonix reissued the recordings of Los Saicos after their music was brought to light by Peruvian collector Paul Hurtado de Mendoza. This 10-inch vinyl compilation gained international exposure, reigniting interest in the band's groundbreaking 1965 punk sound from Peru.

The surviving members came together again in 2006 in their native Lince, Lima, to participate in commemorative events, marking their first live appearance since 1966. After four decades away from the public eye, Erwin Flores returned to perform "Demolición" alongside the garage rock group Manganzoides in Peru. He subsequently delivered the same song live in Madrid in 2009 with Spanish band Wau y Los Arrghs!. In 2010, Los Saicos embarked on their inaugural international tour, performing in Spain after being acknowledged by ABC newspaper as "the world's first punk band."

The documentary Saicomania debuted at Lima's Julieta theatre in 2011, coinciding with a live show featuring local act Los Silver Mornings. The film later screened in San Francisco, attracting notable attendees such as Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys. Additionally, Los Saicos reunited for concerts in Buenos Aires.

In 2022, César "Papi" Castrillón toured both the United States and Mexico under the name Papi Saicos, delivering performances of Los Saicos' songs accompanied by the Mexico City/Seattle punk ensemble Mala Suerte. That same year, the band headlined Seattle's Freakout Festival, MonkeyBee Festival III in Mexico City, and Psyched! Fest in San Francisco. During MonkeyBee Festival III, Black Lips joined Castrillón on stage to perform "Demolición."

Legacy

Since 2012, all worldwide management and reissues of Los Saicos' complete recorded catalog have been exclusively handled by Spanish label Munster Records, which also oversees licensing and synchronization requests.

The psychedelic garage punk group The Black Lips acknowledges Los Saicos as a significant source of inspiration.

On May 26, 2006, the band was honored with a Civic Medal in Lima recognizing their musical achievements, accompanied by a commemorative plaque. Beyond their prominence within Peru during the 1960s, they are now celebrated as trailblazers of protopunk; their distinctive sound and lyrical themes prefigured the punk movement of the 1970s. Although they were unfamiliar with American garage rock or British outfits such as the Downliners Sect, their development mirrored that of North American bands like The Sonics and The Standells. The influence of The Beatles ushered in a "Golden Age" for Peruvian rock music, where Los Saicos played a pivotal role.

Discography

Albums

Wild Teen-Punk From Peru 1965 (1999) – Electro Harmonix (Spain)
Saicos (2006) – Repsychled Records
¡Demolición! - The Complete Recordings (2010) – Munster Records
Los Saicos [boxset] (2022) – Munster Records

Singles

"Come On" / "Ana" (March 1965) – Dis Perú
"Demolición" / "Lonely Star" (May 1965) – Dis Perú
"Camisa de fuerza" / "Cementerio" (1965) – Dis Perú
"Te Amo" / "Fugitivo de Alcatraz" (October 1965) – Dis Perú
"Salvaje" / "El Entierro de Los Gatos" (1965) – Dis Perú
"Besando a Otra" / "Intensamente" (1966) – El Virrey
"El Mercenario" / "Un Poquito de Cariño" (1969) – Dinsa
"Viejo y Enfermo" / "Tu Nombre En La Arena" (2016) – MCA Studies (Mexico)
"La Casa de Arroz" / "El Mercenario (Radio Edit)" (2016) – MCA Studies (Mexico)

1964–1966

Erwin Flores (rhythm guitar, lead vocals)
Rolando "El Chino" Carpio (lead guitar)
César "Papi" Castrillón (bass guitar, vocals)
Pancho Guevara (drums, vocals)

External links