Los Violadores
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 in Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Founder | Hari "B" (Pedro Braun) |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
| Products | Punk rock music, albums |
Los Violadores (translated as The Rapists in English) is an influential Argentine punk rock group recognized as pioneers of the punk movement across Latin America.
History
Established in Buenos Aires in 1981 by guitarist Hari "B" (Pedro Braun), the band’s initial members also included Stuka on bass, Pil Trafa handling vocals, and Sergio Gramatika on drums. Due to censorship imposed by the military regime over their provocative name, which implied defiance of the law, early gigs occasionally saw them performing under the alias Los Voladores.
Following Hari's exit, Stuka transitioned to guitar duties while El Polaco was recruited to play bass. Their first album, Los Violadores (1983), produced by Michel Peyronel of Riff and released through the Umbral label, featured the notable track "Represión". The subsequent 1985 release, Y ahora qué pasa, eh?, contained the popular single "Uno, dos, ultraviolento", which received significant radio play.
By 1985, creative disagreements arose between Pil Trafa and Stuka concerning the band's musical style. Stuka infused post-punk and gothic rock elements influenced by groups such as The Cure and U2, particularly evident on their 1986 album Fuera de sektor. Conversely, Pil Trafa preferred maintaining a classic punk approach, showcased on 1987's Mercado indio.
Their later albums under CBS/Sony—Y que Dios nos perdone (1989) and Otro festival de la exageración (1991)—were followed by a farewell tour that included prominent Argentine punk bands like Attaque 77 and 2 Minutos. This tour concluded with a 1991 performance at Estadio Obras Sanitarias, featuring British punk legends U.K. Subs.
The group reunited in late 1995 with fresh additions such as bassist "Polaco" Zelazek and guitarist Anel Paz, releasing Otra patada en los huevos and staging comeback concerts at Cemento Discotheque. Stuka returned in 2000 but departed once again in 2003.
Momentum was regained with the release of 2006’s Bajo un sol feliz, followed by an appearance at the 2009 30 años de Punk festival alongside Cadena Perpetua and 2 Minutos. That same year saw the launch of their album Rey o reina through Leader Music.
In May 2011, frontman Pil Trafa announced the band's dissolution. However, in 2015 he confirmed a reunion of the classic lineup—comprising Stuka, Gramatika, and Zelazek—which resulted in the double live album Luna Punk: Rompan todo.
Studio albums
- 1983 - Los Violadores
- 1985 - Y ahora qué pasa, eh?
- 1986 - Fuera de sektor
- 1987 - Mercado indio
- 1989 - Y que Dios nos perdone
- 1991 - Otro festival de la exageración
- 1996 - Otra patada en los huevos
- 2000 - Lo mejor de Los Violadores (re-recorded tracks)
- 2006 - Bajo un sol feliz
- 2009 - Rey o reina
Live albums
- 1990 - En vivo y ruidoso
- 1996 - Histórico (La verdadera historia) (2 CDs)
- 2003 - En vivo y ruidoso II
- 2016 - Luna Punk: Rompan todo...
EPs
- 1986 - Uno, dos, ultravioladores
- 2004 - Y va... sangrando
Compilation albums
- 1992 - Grandes éxitos
- 2001 - Obras cumbres
See also
Further reading
Cavanna, Esteban M. El nacimiento del punk en Argentina y la historia de Los Violadores. Buenos Aires: Interpress Ediciones, 2001.
Sainz, Alfredo. "Arde Belgrano: Los Violadores in la UB, 17 de Julio de 1981." In Derrumbando la Casa Rosada: Mitos y leyendas de los primeros punks en Argentina 1978-1988, edited by Daniel Flores, pages 39-52. Buenos Aires: Pioloto de Tormenta, 2011.