El Alamo – Malos Pensamientos (1971)

The music of Peru is an amalgamation of sounds and styles drawing on Peru‘s Andean, Spanish, and African roots. Andean influences can be best heard in wind instruments and the shape of the melodies, while the African side can be noticed in the rhythm and percussion instruments, and European tinges are watched in the harmonies and stringed instruments. Pre-Columbian Andean music was played on drums and wind instruments, not unlike the European pipe and tabor tradition.

Andean tritonic and pentatonic scales were elaborated during the colonial period into hexatonic, and in some cases, diatonic scales. (!)

Let’s go to our artist:

The group was formed in Magdalena, rehearsing all along the year of 1970. Consisted of Luis Iturry on vocals and rhythm guitar, Tino Pow-Sang solo guitar, Ricardo Allison on drums and Arturo Montenegro on bass, their first tests were conducted at Luis Iturri’s family home in Magdalena. In the beginning, they did progressive rock, expanding through psychedelic rock, hippie Latin styles such as Jefferson Airplane and Santana. In April 1971, officially calling El Alamo they played with PAX and other bands in different parts of Lince, Magdalena, Pueblo Libre, and Jesús Maria.

In December 1971 they recorded their debut LP entitled Malos Pensamientos, the whole recording took it to place in just one day! That very day also had the support of Peruvian musician Aníbal López in congas and timbales. The art photo on the cover was made by Estanislao Ruiz, director of the legendary Rock magazine. Many of their songs had a lot of publicity in radios like Radio Miraflores, though the military dictatorship used to ban summarily (sic) all rock groups from that era. (!)

Thus, the band had to present yourself only in small venues such as El Embassy or La Fontana; right after a solo 45 RPM the band broke up in 1972, with all its members except for ‘El Chino’ Pow-Sang, retired from music, leaving a harmoniously Latin psychedelic print, being one of the many forgotten gems of Inca Rock scene.

Let’s go to our album:

Peru’s rock scene is really surprising, owing nothing to their close brothers such as Brazil, Argentina and Chile, acts such as Traffic Sound, Laghonia, Gerardo Manuel, Black Sugar, Pax, El Polen, We All Together, amongst (many) others grew domestic success in the 70’s and are continually being rediscovered in this century by Western audiences. With a sweet Latin rhythm, lots of fuzz and a melodic feeling, there’s a resemblance to the Telegraph Avenue entry, ready to fall in love?!

There are some live videos from nowadays presentations, but I couldn’t find more info, anyhow, it’s good to see Tino Pow-Sang rocking with these new guys, check it out!

The ‘IM’ Highlights are Pusher Men and Malos Pensamientos.

Jauku Ceļojumu!

Tracks Include:

A1 Candy

A2 Can You See Me

A3 Pusher Men

A4 Good Night

A5 Sweet My Woman

B1 Listen to Me

B2 I Cry

B3 Borgoña

B4 Malos Pensamientos