Los Iracundos

Los Iracundos
Background information
Origin	Paysandú
Genres	Nueva ola, rock and roll
Years active	1958-present
Website	Los Iracundos

Los Iracundos are a popular Uruguayan band from the city of Paysandú, active since the 1960s. Their music can be classified as rock and roll, including many ballads.

History

The Group was formed in 1958 in Paysandú, Uruguay and was originally formed by six musicians who called themselves "Los Blue Kings".

The original band members were Eduardo Franco (vocals and composer), his brother Leonardo Franco (lead guitar), Juan Carlos Velázquez (drums), Juan Bosco Zabalo (rhythm guitar), Hugo Burgueño (bass guitar), and Jesús María Febrero (keyboards).

1960s

Los Iracundos reached international fame with early songs like "Calla", "Todo terminó", "El desengaño", "La lluvia terminó", "Felicidad", "Tu ya no estarás", "Es la lluvia que cae", and "El triunfador." Most of these songs were included on their album "Iracundos en Roma", their most successful album and the one which even took them to the big screen in films like "Este loco verano".

Los Iracundos debuted on stage on October 10, 1961, at the historic Florencio Sánchez Theatre. In less than two years, they recorded their first album with the record "Clave", which included the songs "Reten la noche" and "Madison", as well the songs "A Saint Tropez" and "Despierta Lorenzo."

Their most successful and most recognizable song from this decade was "Puerto Montt", written by Eduardo Franco and Cacho Valdez. It was recorded on October 16, 1968, at the RCA Studios in Argentina and was played live for the first time at the Buenos Aires Festival de la Canción on November 11, 1968.

1970s

During the 1970s, Los Iracundos cemented their popularity with many other recognizable songs such as "Te lo pido de rodillas," "Y te has quedado sola," "Chiquilina," "Soy un Mamarracho," "Rio Verde," "Tu me diste amor, tu me diste fe," "Cada noche mia," "Me estas matando," and "Y me quede en el bar." In 1972, the band performed at the Viña del Mar festival in Chile in one of their most successful performances.

Every year they released an album, in some cases even two, as the band decided to compose their own songs with a more original style. In that decade, they released a total of six albums with songs such as the instrumental "Tango joven" and "Él Ultimo Café", written and sung by Eduardo Franco. They did also release EPs, mini plays and 45s singles, such as "Por eso, estoy preso." In this period, most of the songwriting was thanks to the creative input of Eduardo Franco, Hugo Burgueño, Leonardo Franco and Juan Carlos Velázquez, resulting in songs such as "Y me quedé en el bar", "Cada noche mía" "Como pretendes que te quiera", and "Fue una fábula".

1980s

At the beginning of the 80s, the band appeared in the Argentine film "Locos por la música" along with other musicians like Boney M, singing the song from their 1979 LP "Tu me diste amor, tu me diste fe", "Esa esquina". 1981 brought success with the LP "Tormenta de verano". In 1982 their song "40 Grados" was also recorded in Portuguese; they also re-released the 1978 song "Pasión y vida" and the 1979 song "Tu me diste amor, tu me diste fe" for the Portuguese-language market.

1983 brought more success with the album "Los Iracundos", also named "Aprontate a vivir". In 1984, they released the album "Tú con él", with most of the songs composed mainly by Eduardo Franco. They enjoyed another hit with the song "Las puertas del olvido", a hit in United States and also in many Latin American countries.

1985 saw the end of their relationship with the record company RCA Victor, with whom they had been signed since the early 60s. The last album for the company was a compilation called "20 Grandes éxitos" with five new songs. In March of that year, on the advice and with the organization of bass player Hugo Burgueño, they visited Bolivia, also playing at the Calama Song Festival in Chile.

In 1986, now with the record company Microfonon Argentina, they released "Iracundos 86" after successful tours, with songs like "Me voy o me quedo" and "Pedazo de papel". They also released the compilation "Historia de los Iracundos". Because of personal problems, Burgueño failed to participate in the subsequent tour of the United States, afterward leaving the band.

The following year, saw the last album they released with lead singer, Eduardo Franco and the first one without Burgueño, entitled "Eduardo Franco y sus Iracundos". The album contained songs that were modest successes in Latin America, such as "Por que me hiciste trampa" and "Dime quíen".

On April, 3rd, 1988, the band made their last appearance with Franco, in their native Paysandú, at the Beer Festival, in Spanish "El Festival de la Cerveza".

On February 1, 1989, Franco died of Hodgkins' Lymphoma at the age of 45 at his home in Paysandú.

1990s

After, Franco's death, the rest of the band members, except Burgueño, released a new album with songs composed mainly by Franco called "Iracundos 1990". In 1992, keyboardist Jesús Febrero left the group and in November of the same year, rhythm guitar player, Juan Bosco Zabalo died from heart problems at the Concepción de Uruguay Hospital. Before his death, he was living in Entre Ríos, Argentina.

By 1994, the group was reduced just to Eduardo Franco's brother Leonardo and Juan Carlos Velázquez, so they hired Jorge Gatto as their new lead singer. They released a new album with songs again composed mainly by Eduardo Franco, providing the modest hit "Con la misma moneda", which helped to revive their careers. They also participated at the 26th Edition of the Iberoamerican Song Festival in Quito, Ecuador in 1996, also releasing the song "Quiero estrenar el amor contigo" composed by Eduardo Franco, which proved to be a minor success.

In 1997, record company BMG-Argentina digitally re-released the band's original studio albums from 1963 to 1987, with the approval of Hugo Burgueño who had the rights of the band's name.

In 1999, the band released which prove to be their last album to date, a remake of many of their classical hits, with the vocals of Gatto. From that point, the band decided to focus exclusively on live performances mainly in Latin America and some parts of Europe.

2000s

Jesús Febrero, the band's original keyboardist, who later left the group to tour with his band "Los Iracundos de Febro", died at his home on August 2, 2003. Four years later, in 2007, Leonardo decided to join Febro's band, with drummer Velázquez, the only member of the original line up. He decided to tour in his own, as well Hugo Burgueño, who toured with his son, Lucas, who sang and wrote as well material for an album called "Seguimos Cantando" along with his father. As well other material like "Disco Azul" and "Según pasen los años" which consisted of covers of other artists.

On December 1, 2015, on a tour on Guatemala with Los Iracundos de Febro, Leonardo died from a cardiac arrest.

To this date

Juan Carlos Velazquez still tours to this date with a hired band, using the name "Los Iracundos". Members consist of Manuel Paz (Vocals), Richard La Nasa (Guitar), Diego Insua (Keyboard) and Andres Archundia (Bass).