Los Pies Negros | Biography

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Biography

The history begins on the month of December of 1991 when Werner Rodríguez decide to find some musicians with the purpose of build a SKA/OI! band. Werner talk to his cousin Wilmer Laboy about his project and Wilmer decide to join them. Wilmer, better known like Wimbo found the first drummer to join the band. The new drummer, Evan, with only eleven years old decided to be the first drummer for the band. Werner, at this moment think in the two possible names for the new band, "Imagen Propia" or "Los Pies Negros", Werner decide for Los Pies Negros because the name was more adequate for the ideal and purpose of the band. After this facts the band started to do some versions of songs from bands like 'The Cure' , ‘Decibelios’, ‘Korroscada’ and some other bands. In the meantime the band started to make some auditions trying to find the right singer. Without good luck in this moment Mr. Juan Rivera, leaving the alternative rock band "the Waves" appears with the proposal to play the guitar and sings. With the fact that no singer founded we decided to give him the opportunity to do the job.

In the beginning of 1992 and after some practices we decide to change the drummer for some personal reasons. After some auditions we selected Pablo, a friend of us that participated in a punk band with Juan y Werner. This punk band was one of the first punk bands in Puerto Rico named The Frontside Generation. With our new drummer we did some of our hits original songs of today's. For personal reasons Pablo left the band after only some practices. Then for Pablo join in the drummer position Hiram, who left the band in only two or three practices only. After Hiram left the band we decide to find a very valuable and responsible person to play drums in the band. At the same time join the band Los Pies Negros Mr. Alexis Matos on keyboards and Mr. Lester Irrizarry on drums. With the join of these two new members the bands get strong and stability. After some months of intensive practice the band did a set of original songs and some covers and join the band the first brass section, Lilly and her brother. On July 31, 1992 the band realized their first live performance presenting their act in the ISLAND ROCK CYCLE produced by the recognized promoter Melba Miranda. On August 9, 1992 the band recorded their first demo of seven songs recorded in garage-mode by their five principal members and their first brass section. After the disillusion of the recording product they decide to kept out the first brass section. On October 2, 1992 the band present their second live perform with the "SKA" band from Mayaguez named Skapulario in La Nueva Casona located in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. On December 26, 1992 Los Pies Negros present their live perform in La Tea from El Viejo San Juan alternating with the ‘SKA/CORE’ band named Falta de Juicio.

On January 5, 1993 the band started with the first recording of promotional aspect for the band in the island. This recording was the one that named the band like the first one of doing a original SKA songs in Puerto Rico. Mr. Fernando Díaz and his independent label FUERA DE ORDEN RECORDS was the people involved in the first distribution of this recording of the Band. With the incredible acceptance of the first recording the band find a new brass section. The members of the new brass section were the trumpet's Javier Figueroa and Eric in the trombone. With the new acquisition the band started to work with the new material and did a lot of important events for the valuable increase of the band. The band begins to gain popularity and respect not only in the SKA scene, they grow in the Puerto Rico overall scene. After some time of doing a great job the trombonist Eric decide to left the band because he moved to the states to start a new life.

Los Pies Negros presented their live act in the Carlos Alomar auditions on April 2, 1994. Alomar was a famous "boricua" guitarist who had worked with musicians like John Lennon, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and others. This important auditions produced by Melba Miranda were celebrated in Metropolis Club in Santurce, Puerto Rico. At the same day the band presented their live act in the first National SKA Festival celebrated in The Warehouse, Ponce. On March 27 of 1994 the band started to record their second demo called “Moviendo los Pies” with their five principal members on it plus Javier Figueroa and Enock on the horn section. Some months later Los Pies Negros were visited to one of their practices by the Spanish language representing of the Independent Record Label Moon SKA NYC Records (Chris Acosta). The recording "Moviendo los pies" was out by the month of June of 1994. At he same time for the first time in the life of the band they appeared on a International Compilation of SKA music produced by the Independent French record label named Tripsichord Productions. The compilation named "We Don't Skare" give to the band an international recognize because was the only one of Spanish language in the selected bands for the compilation. With some months of conversations with Moon SKA NYC the band was invited to participate on the International SKA Festival named SKAVOVEE II. Like three weeks before the SKAVOVEE Festival our drummer Lester decide to left the band to join another band named Burning Face. Obligated to do some auditions to find a new drummer the band incorporated Mr. Doval to play the drums on the USA Tour' 94. On November 23, 1994 Los Pies Negros did their first live performance out of the island in the SKAVOVEE II Festival with recognized bands like The Toasters, Scofflaws, The Pietasters, and King Chango. The festival was celebrated in Club S.O.B’s from NYC. Two days later they moved to New Haven, Connecticut to play a show with 32 Tribes and Spring Heeled Jack in the Club Tunn In. With an incredible acceptance in the USA Tour '94 the band arrived to the island to participate in an important event, the National Rock Festival named “La Tierra de la Paz” and this presentation was the last one of the drummer Doval in the band. After this the band did some drummer's auditions and Mr. Manuel Pagan join the band.

In the beginning of 1995 and with the incredible acceptance in the SKAVOVEE II the recording "Moviendo los Pies" was started to be distributed by the independent label Moon SKA NYC. At the same time one song of the band appeared on the Latin SKA compilation named 100% Latin SKA Vol. 1 produced by Moon SKA NYC. On May 1995 Los Pies Negros, for first time in their music carrier they presented their live act in the famous restaurant across the world, The Hard Rock Cafe located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. With a really great performance in this show the band was invited to do the same show the following Saturday. On July 22 the band celebrated their 3rd anniversary in Hard Rock Cafe in San Juan P.R. Some days later the same event was celebrated in the Long branch Pub, Aguadilla. On October 28 present their act in the Halloween Concert IV celebrated in Aguadilla with bands like La Mancha Del Jardin, Sol De Menta, El Manjar de los Dioses and more . On June the band presented their act in the Rock Bands festival named RUANOVA celebrated in Ponce City with bands like Skapulario, Los Inconformes, Alarma, La Mancha del Jardin, El Manjar de los Dioses, and more. On July the band was invited to participate in a Labyrinth Media International split 7" together with Magadog but for some cloisters in the contract the band decide to not participate. On November the record label Angry Poong Taang Records try to do a deal with the band to include the song "Playa Y SKA" in one of their compilations but for some reasons the cd was never produced.

On 1996 the band perform the most important live acts in the island and with this the band start with the most significant internal problems. In the beginning of the year Los Pies Negros started to work with Beatriz Rodriguez, a very recognized lady in the Puerto Rico music scene. On march 10 the band started to record their third recording in the Time Machine Record Studio in Yauco. At the same time the band is registered on Best Unsigned Bands produced by Musician fanzine. On April 27 Los Pies Negros presented their live act in the Hispanic Rock Festival ‘Bud Light’ with bands like Tren Urbano and Los Enanitos Verdes. Some months later the second volume of the international sla compilation "100% Latin SKA" was out. In the summer of this year Los Pies Negros present their live act together with the local punk rock band La Experiencia de Toñito Cabanillas, opening the act for the Mexican band Las Victimas del Dr. Cerebro. After this event the band decided to close all business with Beatriz Rodriguez. Then a subterranean management Corporation presented a record deal to the band but for some "cloisters" in the contract the band decided to reject the deal. For some personal reasons against the attitude of the singer, Mr. Wilmer Laboy decided to left the band.

1997 Los Pies Negros decide to record again in one studio in Hatillo using like a producer Mr. Norman Dunn, who worked with bands like Raven, Anthrax and Agnostic Front. In the same year a Latin SKA compilation was out including one of the new songs of the band recording. The compilation named ‘Puro SkaÑol’ Vol 1 was produced by Aztlan Records in California. With this song and without promotion the band were positioned in the TOP TEN list of one of the most recognized radio station of Spanish Language Rock from Miami, Florida. In the middle of the year the band present their live act in the MDA (Muscular Disease Association) Tele-Marathon transmitted by the local Channel 11. In the same year in the Big Screen from NY the film about "robber and cops" by ASH was presented. For the film BANG! the NY local minor label decide to did the soundtrack of only SKA bands. In the Bang! soundtrack Los Pies Negros were the only band with Latin sound and Spanish Language. The production of the soundtrack was in charge of Moon SKA NYC and Europe distribution by Polygram Records. At the end of the year Los Pies Negros end their recording.

On 1998 Los Pies Negros included one new track in the compilation of the best Puerto Rico Rock Scene named Coquí Rock. The idea of BMG Latin and their producer was to put the best national bands in the same compact disc. In this same year Mr. Manuel Pagan left the band and the country and then join the band again Mr. Lester Irrizary, who was part of the band in the early days of the band. After this the live act presentations went down and the band decide to incorporated a manager who is case of internal conflicts in the band later. On December were invited to participate in the First Hispano-American SKA Festival to be placed in Mexico City. With a lot of internal problems the band decided to reject the invitation to participate in the festival.

In the beginning of 1999 the band were invited to participate again in a SKA Festival to be celebrated in México. With the invitation to the festival some controversy occurred in the band. After a weeks if intense discussion the band decide to fire the manager. With this decision made the singer of the band, supported with the keyboardist decided to work in conjunction with the ex-manager and broke up the band. The band broke up and the bassist-owner of the band decide to accept the deal of the presentation in the Mexican Festival. Join the band new great musicians with the courage and the ability to put the band on the top. After some months of practices the band presented their live act in the Aztec land on December 11 , 1999 . The band presented their act in front of the best SKA scene never seen in the Leandro Valle Stadium with bands like La Vela Puerca from Uruguay, Panteón Rococó from México, Desorden Publico from Venezuela, La Severa Matacera from Colombia and many others.

In the early year 2000 the court case against the singer/guitarist started in the Department of State of Puerto Rico fighting for the truth, the real owner of the rights of the band. A lot of months of waiting an answer definitely the truth wins the case giving the rights of the band to the owner.

2001, the year when the new ERA in the history of Los Pies Negros begin, The Return of Los Pies Negros. After one year of inactivity in the country that the band were born, joined the band Mr. Wilmer Laboy, first guitarist and one of the founders of the band. With his ideas the band began to work their new material After this success joined the band a new singer with new great ideas that help a band to create their new sound. On October, 2002 Los Pies Negros presented the "Mexico Tour 2002" making some presentations in Mexico DF. Los Pies Negros started to record their new CD this summer specifically in the month of June 2003. This new CD will be containing 13 songs of completely SKA that reflect the new ERA of Los Pies Negros, an Evolution, a really Big Step. Their past experiences constituted a big role in the grow of the members personally and like a band. Los Pies Negros 2003 are here for a long time!!!!!

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