Gustavo Cerati would turn 66: profile of an icon of national music that still marks generations today

This August 11 The birth of one of the great names of Argentine and Latin American rock is remembered: Gustavo Cerati. Voice and guitar Soda Stereo and architect of a solo work that marked generations and left a different way of making music.

Cerati grew in the Barracas neighborhood, where he began to show his interest in music and the arts since childhood. His childhood passed between guitars, drawing notebooks and a permanent curiosity that would later translate into high -flying songs. In adolescence, he formed his first bandspresenting at school parties and neighborhood meetings.

Destiny began to take shape at the end of the 70s, when he met Héctor “Zeta” Bosio at the University of El Salvador. There, the musical affinity resulted in a project that, after adding to the drummer Charly Alberti In 1982, he would give life to Soda Stereo. The trio broke into the Buenos Aires scene and, in a few years, became a continental phenomenon, taking rock in Spanish to stages where only Anglo -Saxon artists arrived.

Gustavo Cerati and Soda Stereo

He Soda Stereo’s record debut arrived in 1984 With the homonymous album, produced by Federico Mourawhich already anticipated its own style: pop melodies, care arrangements and a visual aesthetic that marked trend. Topics like You need vitamins and Treat me gently They quickly became classics.

Continental consecration was consolidated with albums such as Nothing personal (1985) and Signs (1986), that led the band to turn through Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, in full political and cultural opening of the region. The 1987 tour, registered in White noiseHe brought together thousands of people in each city and confirmed that Argentine rock could be successfully exported.

Soda Stereo.avif

Soda Stereo: The first trio album arrived in 1984 under the production of Federico Moura.

In 1990, Animal song sealed a moment of artistic maturity, with hymns like Of light music and On the edge. The “Animal Tour” toured more than thirty Argentine cities and marked a before and after on the show production scale in the country. The group also landed in Spainmanaging to penetrate a market historically closed to Latin American rock.

In the early 90s, Cerati gave the first indication of the end of the band, when he took with Daniel Melero, Holy Colors. Finally, after launching Stereo dream (1995), Soda Stereo announced his separation. The 1997 farewell tour had the brooch the Historical concert at River Platewhere Cerati pronounced the already mythical “Thank you Total!”. That moment was recorded in The last concertdouble album that remains reference for fans.

Soda Stereo Ultimo Show 2.jpg

Thank you, Total! The mythical phrase pronounced by Gustavo Cerati at the closure of the tour “You will see me return”in 2007.

The solo stage and you will see me return

The Soda stereo separation He opened the door to an intense creative stage. Gustavo Cerati debuted alone with Yellow love (1993), recorded parallel to his work with the band, but it was with Puff (1999) when he showed a more experimental sound turn, incorporating electronics, orchestrations and climates that expanded his musical palette. In 2001, he presented 11 symphonic episodesa live record with Orchestra of the Theater Colón, where he reversed classics of his repertoire.

They followed him It is always today (2002), with a strong presence of synthesizers, and Here we go (2006), a return to electric guitars that earned several international awards and tours.

Cerati.jpg

Gustavo Cerati suffered a stroke during a presentation in Caracas that left him in a coma.

In 2007, nostalgia and the desire to meet the public led to Cerati, Bosio and Alberti to embark on the tour You will see me return. With 22 concerts in nine countries and stadiums full throughout America, the meeting exceeded expectations and placed again Soda Stereo In the center of the scene.

Your latest studio album, Natural force(2009), was recorded between Buenos Aires and the United States, and won the Latin Grammy for best rock album.

He May 15, 2010after a recital in Caracas, Cerati suffered a stroke that left him in a coma. For more than four years, his followers maintained hope of their recovery. On September 4, 2014, his death at age 55 caused a massive farewell: the Buenos Aires legislature was filled with musicians, colleagues and fans who sang their songs as the last tribute.