July 10, 2024 • 29 mins
In this episode of Becoming an Icon, we delve into the story of a band whose journey has it all. From a childhood in a small town in Sinaloa to a tragic accident that pushed them into the world of music, their story is nothing short of extraordinary. Yes, we’re talking about the Jefes de Jefes themselves, Los Tigres del Norte. Follow their path as they cross the border, working tirelessly until a chance encounter with a British man changes everything.
Lilliana Vazquez and Joseph Carrillo are the hosts of Becoming An Icon with production support by Nick Milanes, Rodrigo Crespo, Santiago Sierra, Evelyn Uribe and Edgar Esteban of Sonoro Media in partnership with iHeart Radio's My Cultura Podcast network.
If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review our show.
Follow Lilliana Vazquez on Instagram and Twitter @lillianavazquez
Follow Joseph Carrillo on Instagram @josephcarrillo
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Joseph, you know what, our next icons really got.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Me thinking, like deep thinking. Uh oh, I know it's
never a good thing, never a good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Okay, so here's the deal.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We have covered family bands, I think just one other
time on becoming an icon, right.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
M kids aka Selena elsnos, but most people have played
just for Selena.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Let's be real.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
But our next icons that we're about to talk about
are a true group act, which kind of makes me
wonder if you had to start a family band with
your siblings because you've got a lot or maybe your cousins,
so I know you have a lot of those two
who is making the band?
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Oh my god? You know what? Can I pick my
extended family?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Because my brothers' way like they're not going to be
able to I think I would be a one man show?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Or can I pick you? You would be good at drugs?
Who would be yours? I'm curious?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Okay, my brother is definitely not in the band. He
cannot carry you to and he cannot play an instrument,
Like he's not he could be like the tour manager, right,
like he'd be really really good at that. First of all,
if I'm starting a band, my mom is one of nine,
which means that I have six fias that are all crazy.
(01:32):
I am putting all the theas in my band.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Okay, wait, hold on, that's good.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Wait, but what kind of music are you guys going
to play?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Goombias av Okay, we're going to do some bombas.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
We might do like some corridos. I don't know, but
probably just a lot of kubias like oh like what
they like to lance to, how they get turned up
at the Kingses.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Oh god, oh god, I love that.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
If Santiago gets into his teen year okay and he
decides that he wants to be a pop star. By
the way, check my instagram because he was singing Sabrina
Carpenter's Espresso and it was so cute. Point is, if
he does take the stage as a superstar, then you
know you're doing his glam Oh.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Wait wait wait, honey, I already started on those palants
since he was born. Honey, I'm ready to hit the road.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Jack.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
We are going on tour, y'all in twenty fifty, okay,
but today we are going to take you back in
time with some genuine, genuine heroes, especially folk heroes. When
it comes to Spanish music, and that is all about
Los gres.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Ver Noejorque, Ernand Eduardo Luis and cousin Oscar.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Five icons for the price of one.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
We're so budget friendly, I know.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Los Vegas are beloved by Mexicanos all over the world,
even non Mexicanos.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Okay, they're part of that same generation as the icon
who kicked off the season of becoming an icon, Juan Gabrielle,
and like him, their rags to riches story is like
the stuff of legends. It's inspiring, it's irresistible, and we
cannot wait to share it with you.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Okay, it's true, but hold on, it's minus the looks
of Hongi's let's.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Not okay, but sometimes their suits do pop off when
they add a little colore. Okay, But the point is
their story is truly the stuff of music industry fairy tales.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Mm hmm. It's got everything.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
A magical childhood, a tragic accident that sends the kids
on the road, a big break, an agent with a
hidden agenda who threatens to ruin everything, disapproving authorities, and
millions of adoring fans like us.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It kind of sounds a little bit like a made
for TV movie like maybe on Netflix. I don't know which,
by the way, is appropriate, because their songs have even
inspired Beelen novelas and countless.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Films, no less than forty movies, get that, ip Pigres.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
They are the biggest performers of Corrido's on planet Earth.
Punto don't come at me with this like zoomer stuff
like punto okay, And they helped transform the genre of
a relic of yesterday to a vital piece of migrant culture.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
And from day one they've stuck up for the little
guy and.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
It takes one to no one boo.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Los Digres started from nath and their story itself is
kind of like a Corrido MM.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And that's why we're wearing matching suits to my listeners
can't see. Also, this tub talk doesn't really fit me, y'all.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You're really missing out because Joseph in a smarge tube
top is a site to behold.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
I'm your host, Lillianavoska.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is becoming an.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Icon weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on
how today's most famous.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Latin V stars have shaped pop culture.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
And given the world some extra couple.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Sit back and get comfortable.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Because we are going in the only way we know
how with Buena vis When Lisas.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And a lot of opinions as we relive their greatest
achievements on our journey to find out what makes them
still iconic. Before we wisk your way to Los Digre's
hometown in Sinaloa, Mexico, let's meet the band. And while
(05:42):
members have come and gone over the years, the original
OG band was a group of four boys.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh shit, this is going to be like an astrology
lightning round. Hold up, I got to get the essential oils.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Okay. Are your chakras all lined up like.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
They're waiting for example sale? All right? Hitting Okay, So.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Let's start with the oldest head, nandas brother, which would
be now he was going to become the head of
the band, lead vocalist, the accordion player Avvy and his
birthday is August seventh, nineteen forty nine.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Oh whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, So this is a Leo
Sun Aquarius moon. It's giving natural leader and a showman
ambisious determine self assured, yet unconventional and eccentric. Big main
character energy but with a strong sense of responsibility, especially
towards children or mayhaps younger siblings.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Next Okay, then there's Raoul Hernandez, a company vocalist and
bajo sextel player. Now, he was born sometime in late March,
but for some weird reason, his birthday isn't listed anywhere
on the Internet, which, by the way, like send me
the people that can scrub your birthday from the World
Wide Web. But apparently there is a video of his
(07:00):
seventieth birthday party that was posted on March twenty eighth.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
So you do the mathay, investigative journalism at its finest.
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Okay, I'm going to go with the aris son. So
that's a little headstrong, bold and direct.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Interesting since he would end up going solo in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Oh, Spicy could be a Gemini moon wanting to try
something new, or a Leo moon looking for some more
creative glory, or maybe a Scorpio moon embracing change in
confronting the self.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
But hey, we're just speculating. Next.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Next, El Primo cousin Oscar the drummer, because of course,
the cousin is always the drummer.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I was going to ask you to be our drummer, I.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Mean drummers, by the way, very important role in the band.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Now he was born May twenty seventh, nineteen fifty.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Okay, Gemini's son Libra Moon. Curious and sociable. He's a
jack of all trades, but that sense of balance keeps
him from being a master of none. All right, boo,
bring us home?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Okay, Last, but not Lesvana the baby brother ed Nan Ernandez,
bass player and a companying vocalist, born nearly nine years
after the eldes nandas brother on June twenty second, nineteen
fifty eight.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
A cancer sun and virgo moon Ednancito lives in his
feelings introverted to a fault and a bit critical, but
he's a realist who supports his loved ones. I love
a cancer okay.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So how does that all add up?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
It doesn't. But it's family, okay.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I mean, there has never been a truer statement told.
It's so true, it doesn't make sense, it doesn't add up.
We don't know how it works, right, And by the way,
do I need to pay you a bonus for all
those readings?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I literally feel like I just did a face off
on an astrological family feud, like I'm on a sky
high vibration.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Somebody gave me my weed pin.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Oh okay, let's slow things down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Okay, I'm going to take you on a little trip
back in time across the border to a little town
in Sinela, Mexico named Rosa Morada.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Hmmsda. Sounds like a place for a retreat.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, probably not quite, because this is a town with
a population in the hundreds, hundreds, hundreds.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Like, Okay, we're gonna keep this retreat real short.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Yes, but don't forget.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We are going to take in the sites because Rosa
Morada is marked by miles of ranches back dropped by gorgeous, rolling,
distant hills.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Okay, Julie Andrews are there?
Speaker 5 (09:36):
Sounds thank god, we're an audio format, right, Okay, I'm
gonna let.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Hernandez tell you about it. Here's what he said.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
In the ranch, there was nothing. You wake up in
the morning and all you hear are the little birds, doves, sparrows, cardinals.
I found it very curious when the birds started singing
all at the same time. I thought it was marvelous.
I used to imitate little birds. That's how you start
to learn music through sounds. I understood it after I
was taught the musical notes from the birds trills.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Okay, now it's giving snow white, like did these birds
help them get dressed?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I think you're confusing that with Cinderella, and no, not
quite and as idyllic as we're making ros somewhat out
of sound. It's not to say that things were perfect.
This is still rural farm country in Mexico, Like.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
There are more cows than there are people, farm country.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Bingo, And when there's more cows than people, families end
up using the kids as farm hands, the Ernandas boys.
Dad used to tell them school comes first, but we
also have to work. So after class, the boys went
straight to the tomato fields. Then they'd come home.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
And play literally with what energy? I mean?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
I asked myself the same thing.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
But like kiddos literally run on fumes, like they don't
need sleep, they don't need food, They just.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Have kid energy.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
I love you, Santhia.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Okay, So none of this boys worked and played hard,
but they didn't just learn music from the birds like
a Disney movie.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
No, they didn't.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You can imagine these kids didn't have any money to
buy instruments, so it was the cousins who came through.
One cousin, Jose Angulo, bought Forrge his first guitar, and
another cousin, Jove, taught him his first guitar chords.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Damn. The only thing my cousins ever taught me was
how to flip someone off.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
That's, by the way. The only thing my cousins ever
taught me was how to chug a sema and not vomit.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Ooh you no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
You don't want to chug a zema a zima wine clothes?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know I did. I used to. I used to
witch all rangers.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
This is why you don't need brothers and sisters, because
the cousins are up to no good. All right, but
I will say what you were taught.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Joseph, who does come in handy on a playground, It
does anyway, with holdhands learning his way around the sixth string,
the other Nanes brothers Raoulin or Nunn started to sing
with him just for fun, and Joseph, you just might
know what kind of music they were playing?
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Who me? Yes you.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Let's flash back quickly to our very first Selena episode.
The melodies and vocal sensibilities of the Hannel drew from
generations of farmhands who enjoyed the songs of traveling musicians.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Oh okay, I see. All I needed was to know
where I fit in the story.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
You're the wandering musician in my past life.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Do you think that we played together in that way,
like maybe I was your accompanist, you.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Were one hundred percent and you followed me around with
an accordion. Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yes, So basically you and I invented the Hannel music.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
You are welcome people.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Okay, damn, I didn't know we were doing past life
aggressions on this retreat.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
I had to book this way in advance.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You literally do so much for us.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Listen. I am a working mom. I can handle it all.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
So no Mexican music or came from generations of traveling
musicians singing songs that told stories AKA us and our pastors.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And the Hano music, which we learned about from Selena
is kind of just an evolution of Northeno music.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Which means the poka, accordion and guitars are all there,
but none of these boys are A long way from Texas.
So they're not hearing American rock like Selena's dad did, No, sir, these.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Kids are growing up hearing traditional music at Fiesta del Pueblo,
like gatherings when like the whole town would gather up
and turn up.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Come on, Rosa Morada. I know they know how to
turn up.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Uh huh, Mexicanos, we know how to do that shit, right.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I knew the whole town was getting the kids up
on stage to play facts and music was just a
part of life for the boys. It was their role
within the community.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Hey, when there's more cows than people, community is lital
really all you have. But honestly, I'm loving it, Like
maybe this is my trackwive.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Season, I kind of love that for you. But as
we know, the Ananda's brothers wouldn't stay in Rosamada forever,
and unfortunately the thing that would pull them away, No,
don't say it would be tragedy.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
This big tragedy always crashing my fiestablo.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Well, actually that's literally what happened the Ananda. This boy's father,
Don Eduardo, was something of a volunteer sheriff and Rosa
Morad that was you know, the boonies and in Mexico,
it means you don't have federal officers for better or
for worse.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Well, in this case, it was for worse.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
One night, Don Eduardo was checking in on a Fiesta
del pueblo, just like the ones his kids would play
music at, when he noticed an argument escalating between a
few party goers.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Uh oh, and Big Don, being the sheriff, had to
go break it up.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah, so he approaches them and without warning, guns are drawn,
shots are fired, and Don Eduardo is hit in the
spinal cort. He makes that alive, but he's immobilized and
a full recovery requires an operation that costs ten thousand bassos,
which might not sound like much, but remember this is
(15:13):
a small family of farmers in Sineloa.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Yeah, so basically it's like a good jillion dollars.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And with Don d Wado in his condition, Jorg who's
still a minor, becomes head of the family, and as
head of the family, he makes a decision. They're going
to leave town and or money as musicians to save
up enough money to pay for their dad's recovery. Wait, what, Joseph,
(15:45):
can you imagine being twelve years old your father has
just been shot in the spine, and now you have
to leave home to make money to make sure.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
That he gets the care that he needs.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I mean that is a massive amount of weight for anyone,
let alone a tween.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
That is a start to a really good novella.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Whatever we make of their sense of judgment. And remember
all of them are under age at this point.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
I was about to say they're like kids.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
They're literally kids making very adult decisions. We know it
was going to turn out for the better, but it
would just take a while. And their first up on
the road Mexicali, capital of Baja California, home to farmers
and factory workers.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
We're knocking on doors of bars and restaurants, begging them
to let us play. It's giving a little bit of
Selena and her siblings and a little bit of Santana
and his dad.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Wait, with one obvious difference.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Hello, there's no Abraham Pintania here calling the shots being
all Abraham right. And it's not Carlos Santana getting dragged
to the red light district by his dad.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Jorge, Ernan, Raoul and cousin Oscar were in a new
city all on their own as kids. I mean, these
boys had never left Rossa, Murada before.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Okay, it's almost a little home alone too, but without
rich daddy's credit card. You know, these kids are out
here fending for themselves, and little Jorgie has to fill
their dad's shoes. But at least they like to play
music together.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Okay, right, and the Hernandez boys weren't unoscomemierdas. I mean,
they were all serious about helping their dad. They hustled hard,
and they love those cash tips, girl fan. They would
save up that chip money and rush to the telegraph
office every week to send it back to their family
(17:32):
in Drosamorada.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Soon enough they didn't have to bang on doors anymore.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
They had a rotation, a reputation, and a band name
Lost Chiwawa.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
I mean it's a little long, kind of a mouthful.
I think we could workshop it a little bit.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, it doesn't quite hit like Los Thiga is. But
the new name was.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Honest, along with a very unique opportunity.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
One fateful day in nineteen sixty eight, the boys went
to the telegraph office like us, and there they would.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Meet my Stroleo Nides.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Isn't that the kind of name that needs a drum roll?
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Literally, El Maestro was a local fixture in Mexicali.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
He was one of those guys that had the tea
on every building on every block in town, who lived
there and when, who got married at were church?
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Who cheated on who with who?
Speaker 1 (18:22):
And per his nickname.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
He was a music enthusiast who helped write a local
column about Mexican classical music. And when he met the
then Northaniels the Chihuahua, he offered them a record. You
m no more like a once in a lifetime opportunity
to travel to play a single then mile celebration show
(18:46):
at Solidad Prison in sunny San Jose, California.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Wow, Okay, no disrespect to Almeestro, but this is beyond.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Thus I mean correct right like growing up in the eighties,
I mean I am screaming stranger danger, like an old
strange man wants to send you across the border to
a prison to play music, and.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
They said yes, Like where is the kid's father? Oh way,
just kim.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
It's definitely the first time in the story where I'm like,
oh yeah, these are little boys.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And I should add this show was for free. There
was no payment.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
We should say this again for the listeners always read
your contracts, Nikki Jam.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
We should also probably mention that in January of that year,
Johnny Cash had played his two legendary shows at fulsome
prison in California, So maybe this was inspired by.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
That Johnny Cash. It's the same difference.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
No, I'm just trying to give you context, okay, like
you are learning all about history of rock music Northaniel,
Like we're giving it all to you, okay. We are
equal opportunity to share ers of musical knowledge. Either way,
this was an opportunity to make themselves known in Gringo Landia.
So they packed up and headed for California, and it
(20:09):
was there at the border office where, of all people,
a relentlessly chatty immigration officer gave the band their name.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Hey, whatever gets you over that line?
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Nihak For real, though, this border officer looked them up
and down and says, say, what's a few youngsters like
you doing crossing the.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Border playing music?
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Ugh?
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Oh just ugh ugh I know right, And then he
like say, you know what you should call yourself? The
Little Tigers of the North.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Sure I won't have enough strive here.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I mean I just need this banda stop, like, please
stop talking to me, right, So the boys are there
waiting for this rando to give them their papers and
the green stamp, but the guy just keeps brainstorming their
band name out loud. Again, no one asked him for
his opinion, and when he realizes that these boys are
eventually going to grow up to be men, he decides
(21:06):
to drop the little from the Tigers.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Thus los Figres del Norte.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
I love, But Sarah calls, whatever you want, just let
us cross the border up in this.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And listeners, what Joseph just said is a direct quote.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
We put up with so much. So the newly christened
Norte finally get to San Jose and.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
They play a few shows there in anticipation of the
big show at Sonadad Prison. Then the big day comes.
The boys arrive and.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
No ones home.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
All the other musicians who had come to play are
gone vanished, and the promoter who accompanied them across the
border and helped organize the show is also nowhere to
be found. These boys are all alone in San Jose.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
I think this is a recurring nightmare I used to have,
Like I get my biggest client ever and then when
I show up to the job, they're like, oh, I'm sorry, sweetie,
you're here for who.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Wait, by the way, this is so off topic, but
who is your dream client?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Like?
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Cool? Is that Kate Planchet? I know, I just love
her and her skin.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I just want to stick my fingers in her mouth
because she so her skin is so supple, and I
just want to, like, I don't know, she's so gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Also, your style and aesthetic really vibes because she's so
minimal and just naturally gorgeous, and you are all about
really like minimal beautiful, like letting people's features and skin
be the hero.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Not the makeup.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
I want to look like her.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Let's manifest it, like, let's let's make it happen. Okay, sorry, guys,
back to Los Vegos. Okay, So to this day, Los
Digos still don't actually know what happened. It's a genuine mystery.
So iHeart, if you're listening and you want to make
a little like mystery show about music, can we make.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
A podcast about what? Yes, let us hold that faithful
day at the prison?
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Oh my god, yes, let us host it. We could
totally solve this mystery.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Me and you, I mean I am basically FBI like,
don't cross me, don't try to hide shit from me,
like I will find you, I will track you, I
will use all the computer programs like I have my ways.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I love that. So Los Digaas found themselves more than
a thousand miles away from their hometown of Rossamorada, with
nothing to their name but their clothes, instruments, and savings.
So like, how could anything get worse?
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I have an idea. How about their passports go missing?
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Shut your button? This is like the se about losing
your purse.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Ah okay, So here's what's happening. You are an immigrant,
a stranger in a stranger land, and in the blink
of an eye, your one legal lifeline is missing.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
So the boys suddenly find themselves seen Babels La Mia
right around the corner, like cut down.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I have to say, I know this happened a long
time ago, but this feeling of like not having your
paper as you brought bell as your shit in order,
like very present today for so many people. Like yeah,
it's not a feeling that goes away, Like by the way,
I'm a US citizen and like if I misplaced my
passport or if I am going to cross into Mexico,
like I've crossed in you know, through d Wana, because
(24:23):
it's close to here.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
It's I still am like.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Oh my god, doesn't it feel so scary.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I'm like, are they gonna let me back? I feel
like I'm going to go to jail.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, I feel like I'm just gonna be stuck and
I'm going to jail randomly, Like I don't know why
I would go to jail.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I just don't have a passport.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Because you just feel guilty, Like you just feel like,
oh my god, what if they don't let me, Like
when I cross over, like at an airport, or at
any any checkpoint, any immigration checkpoint, Like when I see immigration,
I'm scared, Like I don't feel I can be holding
my passport and I'm still nervous.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Oh my god, we're programmed.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
This is the sad part, right, So imagine this at
like ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen years old.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, trauma.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
But fortunately for Losgees, an immigrant family took pity on
them and offered them lodging in their home. So the
boys went back to playing bars and restaurants, A.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Dollar here, a quartered there, whatever they could manage for
Poppy's surgery. They were on borrow time, and they stayed
on their grind.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Jote worked as a janitor at San Jose State University
and took English classes, while the rest of the boys
worked as gardeners. But as fate would have it, yet
another mysterious stranger would show up, and this one would
eventually turn things around for Los Theiites.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
The same year they were ghosted at solad that prison.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Wait ghosted at sold a Prism. That's to relea my
debut country on them.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Losgas de Norte, who are now between the ages of
ten and fifteen, find themselves singing on a local San
Jose rai And.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
As we've learned this season, radio in the fifties and
sixties is legit magic. Putting your voice on the airwaves
is basically like putting your intentions out in the universe.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Just supercharged, and the airwaves carried Los thegis music to
the ears of someone very unexpected, an expat from Manchester,
England who did not speak a word of Spanish but
was fascinated by the Northeno sound of Los Figras.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
His name was Artwalker, but Los Figos like to call
him Arturo Kaminante.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Oh cute, okay, so Arturo walks up to them and says, hey, kids,
I've got a record company and I'm going to up
your game.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
And even though this sounds like an Amber alert way
to happen, it does turn out that Arthudle's got the guds.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I think of all the episodes we've done, this is
the one that you should absolutely make sure Santi does
not listen to.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I mean, I just finished watching the Nickelodeon documentary. Like
I can tell you this, my child is not going
anywhere near the entertainment industry, okay, and my child is
never going to think that they need the help of
a strange British Man to make it in any bus
but definitely not the music business. All right, Now, here's
the calasting question for you, because this is my favorite
(27:13):
part of our fake production company. Who should we cast
to play the strange British man in the Los Fgos biopic.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I'm just gonna say, honestly, Hugh Grant, because he is
just the quintessential British guy that we all need in
our lives.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So Hugh Grant delivers on his promise and he buys
Los Figas all new instruments, gets them studio time and Bam.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
They record their first.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Album MMMA like ra mora misicos, which can we talk
about the title for the love of My children like
they were little boys.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Yeah, they were singing the gorridles that they knew from home.
And we're gonna get into the history of goridos next episode,
because it's obviously an ex loastive genre and music right
now and we want to get into the details.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
But again next episode. For now, let's just go back
to the boys.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Let's just say that the boy's sound was fresh, but
still unpolished, and success did not come quickly.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
So the boy's life in Drossa, Morada was go to school,
pick tomatoes, play music. Now in San Jose it looked
pretty much the same, only Jorgia had to clean toilets
and learn English and sometimes they sing in the studio.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
These boys would record four consecutive albums under the wing
of Arturo Caminante, but as I entered the nineteen seventies,
they weren't getting much traction and they started to think
about calling it quits.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
But when Sennor Caminante heard this, he pulled the fire
alarm and reorganized the band. All the boys switched instruments, except.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Then they added a saxophone player.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Named lube Oibo, who had a distinctly Northeniel playing style
that gave the thiga sound a little extra heat.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
By this point, Jorgio was now a grown up and
officially the band leader, so art Walker took him to
US Angeles to meet with a promising songwriter named Angel Gonzalez.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And this is the songwriter who would show Jorgia the
tune that would propel Los Figris to heights.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
They've never even dreamed of.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Wait, can I do it?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Of course?
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Boo, that's next time on becoming an Icon.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
On the next Becoming an Icon, Contrabando Ytracion finally launches
Los Figras career along with the Narco Corridon. Becoming an
Icon is presented by Sonoro and Iheart's Michael Gurda podcast network.
(29:47):
Listen to Becoming an Icon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Joseph, you know what, our next icons really got.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Me thinking, like deep thinking. Uh oh, I know it's
never a good thing, never a good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Okay, so here's the deal.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We have covered family bands, I think just one other
time on becoming an icon, right.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
M kids aka Selena elsnos, but most people have played
just for Selena.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Let's be real.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
But our next icons that we're about to talk about
are a true group act, which kind of makes me
wonder if you had to start a family band with
your siblings because you've got a lot or maybe your cousins,
so I know you have a lot of those two
who is making the band?
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Oh my god? You know what? Can I pick my
extended family?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Because my brothers' way like they're not going to be
able to I think I would be a one man show?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Or can I pick you? You would be good at drugs?
Who would be yours? I'm curious?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Okay, my brother is definitely not in the band. He
cannot carry you to and he cannot play an instrument,
Like he's not he could be like the tour manager, right,
like he'd be really really good at that. First of all,
if I'm starting a band, my mom is one of nine,
which means that I have six fias that are all crazy.
(01:32):
I am putting all the theas in my band.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Okay, wait, hold on, that's good.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Wait, but what kind of music are you guys going
to play?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Goombias av Okay, we're going to do some bombas.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
We might do like some corridos. I don't know, but
probably just a lot of kubias like oh like what
they like to lance to, how they get turned up
at the Kingses.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Oh god, oh god, I love that.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
If Santiago gets into his teen year okay and he
decides that he wants to be a pop star. By
the way, check my instagram because he was singing Sabrina
Carpenter's Espresso and it was so cute. Point is, if
he does take the stage as a superstar, then you
know you're doing his glam Oh.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Wait wait wait, honey, I already started on those palants
since he was born. Honey, I'm ready to hit the road.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Jack.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
We are going on tour, y'all in twenty fifty, okay,
but today we are going to take you back in
time with some genuine, genuine heroes, especially folk heroes. When
it comes to Spanish music, and that is all about
Los gres.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Ver Noejorque, Ernand Eduardo Luis and cousin Oscar.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Five icons for the price of one.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
We're so budget friendly, I know.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Los Vegas are beloved by Mexicanos all over the world,
even non Mexicanos.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Okay, they're part of that same generation as the icon
who kicked off the season of becoming an icon, Juan Gabrielle,
and like him, their rags to riches story is like
the stuff of legends. It's inspiring, it's irresistible, and we
cannot wait to share it with you.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Okay, it's true, but hold on, it's minus the looks
of Hongi's let's.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Not okay, but sometimes their suits do pop off when
they add a little colore. Okay, But the point is
their story is truly the stuff of music industry fairy tales.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Mm hmm. It's got everything.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
A magical childhood, a tragic accident that sends the kids
on the road, a big break, an agent with a
hidden agenda who threatens to ruin everything, disapproving authorities, and
millions of adoring fans like us.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It kind of sounds a little bit like a made
for TV movie like maybe on Netflix. I don't know which,
by the way, is appropriate, because their songs have even
inspired Beelen novelas and countless.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Films, no less than forty movies, get that, ip Pigres.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
They are the biggest performers of Corrido's on planet Earth.
Punto don't come at me with this like zoomer stuff
like punto okay, And they helped transform the genre of
a relic of yesterday to a vital piece of migrant culture.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
And from day one they've stuck up for the little
guy and.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
It takes one to no one boo.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Los Digres started from nath and their story itself is
kind of like a Corrido MM.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And that's why we're wearing matching suits to my listeners
can't see. Also, this tub talk doesn't really fit me, y'all.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
You're really missing out because Joseph in a smarge tube
top is a site to behold.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
I'm your host, Lillianavoska.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is becoming an.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
Icon weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on
how today's most famous.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Latin V stars have shaped pop culture.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
And given the world some extra couple.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Sit back and get comfortable.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Because we are going in the only way we know
how with Buena vis When Lisas.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And a lot of opinions as we relive their greatest
achievements on our journey to find out what makes them
still iconic. Before we wisk your way to Los Digre's
hometown in Sinaloa, Mexico, let's meet the band. And while
(05:42):
members have come and gone over the years, the original
OG band was a group of four boys.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh shit, this is going to be like an astrology
lightning round. Hold up, I got to get the essential oils.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Okay. Are your chakras all lined up like.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
They're waiting for example sale? All right? Hitting Okay, So.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Let's start with the oldest head, nandas brother, which would
be now he was going to become the head of
the band, lead vocalist, the accordion player Avvy and his
birthday is August seventh, nineteen forty nine.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Oh whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, So this is a Leo
Sun Aquarius moon. It's giving natural leader and a showman
ambisious determine self assured, yet unconventional and eccentric. Big main
character energy but with a strong sense of responsibility, especially
towards children or mayhaps younger siblings.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Next Okay, then there's Raoul Hernandez, a company vocalist and
bajo sextel player. Now, he was born sometime in late March,
but for some weird reason, his birthday isn't listed anywhere
on the Internet, which, by the way, like send me
the people that can scrub your birthday from the World
Wide Web. But apparently there is a video of his
(07:00):
seventieth birthday party that was posted on March twenty eighth.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
So you do the mathay, investigative journalism at its finest.
You're welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Okay, I'm going to go with the aris son. So
that's a little headstrong, bold and direct.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Interesting since he would end up going solo in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Oh, Spicy could be a Gemini moon wanting to try
something new, or a Leo moon looking for some more
creative glory, or maybe a Scorpio moon embracing change in
confronting the self.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
But hey, we're just speculating. Next.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Next, El Primo cousin Oscar the drummer, because of course,
the cousin is always the drummer.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I was going to ask you to be our drummer, I.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Mean drummers, by the way, very important role in the band.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Now he was born May twenty seventh, nineteen fifty.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Okay, Gemini's son Libra Moon. Curious and sociable. He's a
jack of all trades, but that sense of balance keeps
him from being a master of none. All right, boo,
bring us home?
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Okay, Last, but not Lesvana the baby brother ed Nan Ernandez,
bass player and a companying vocalist, born nearly nine years
after the eldes nandas brother on June twenty second, nineteen
fifty eight.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
A cancer sun and virgo moon Ednancito lives in his
feelings introverted to a fault and a bit critical, but
he's a realist who supports his loved ones. I love
a cancer okay.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So how does that all add up?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
It doesn't. But it's family, okay.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I mean, there has never been a truer statement told.
It's so true, it doesn't make sense, it doesn't add up.
We don't know how it works, right, And by the way,
do I need to pay you a bonus for all
those readings?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I literally feel like I just did a face off
on an astrological family feud, like I'm on a sky
high vibration.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Somebody gave me my weed pin.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Oh okay, let's slow things down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Okay, I'm going to take you on a little trip
back in time across the border to a little town
in Sinela, Mexico named Rosa Morada.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Hmmsda. Sounds like a place for a retreat.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, probably not quite, because this is a town with
a population in the hundreds, hundreds, hundreds.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
Like, Okay, we're gonna keep this retreat real short.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Yes, but don't forget.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We are going to take in the sites because Rosa
Morada is marked by miles of ranches back dropped by gorgeous, rolling,
distant hills.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Okay, Julie Andrews are there?
Speaker 5 (09:36):
Sounds thank god, we're an audio format, right, Okay, I'm
gonna let.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Hernandez tell you about it. Here's what he said.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
In the ranch, there was nothing. You wake up in
the morning and all you hear are the little birds, doves, sparrows, cardinals.
I found it very curious when the birds started singing
all at the same time. I thought it was marvelous.
I used to imitate little birds. That's how you start
to learn music through sounds. I understood it after I
was taught the musical notes from the birds trills.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Okay, now it's giving snow white, like did these birds
help them get dressed?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I think you're confusing that with Cinderella, and no, not
quite and as idyllic as we're making ros somewhat out
of sound. It's not to say that things were perfect.
This is still rural farm country in Mexico, Like.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
There are more cows than there are people, farm country.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Bingo, And when there's more cows than people, families end
up using the kids as farm hands, the Ernandas boys.
Dad used to tell them school comes first, but we
also have to work. So after class, the boys went
straight to the tomato fields. Then they'd come home.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
And play literally with what energy? I mean?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
I asked myself the same thing.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
But like kiddos literally run on fumes, like they don't
need sleep, they don't need food, They just.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Have kid energy.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
I love you, Santhia.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Okay, So none of this boys worked and played hard,
but they didn't just learn music from the birds like
a Disney movie.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
No, they didn't.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
You can imagine these kids didn't have any money to
buy instruments, so it was the cousins who came through.
One cousin, Jose Angulo, bought Forrge his first guitar, and
another cousin, Jove, taught him his first guitar chords.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Damn. The only thing my cousins ever taught me was
how to flip someone off.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
That's, by the way. The only thing my cousins ever
taught me was how to chug a sema and not vomit.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Ooh you no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
You don't want to chug a zema a zima wine clothes?
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know I did. I used to. I used to
witch all rangers.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
This is why you don't need brothers and sisters, because
the cousins are up to no good. All right, but
I will say what you were taught.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Joseph, who does come in handy on a playground, It
does anyway, with holdhands learning his way around the sixth string,
the other Nanes brothers Raoulin or Nunn started to sing
with him just for fun, and Joseph, you just might
know what kind of music they were playing?
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Who me? Yes you.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Let's flash back quickly to our very first Selena episode.
The melodies and vocal sensibilities of the Hannel drew from
generations of farmhands who enjoyed the songs of traveling musicians.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Oh okay, I see. All I needed was to know
where I fit in the story.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
You're the wandering musician in my past life.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Do you think that we played together in that way,
like maybe I was your accompanist, you.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Were one hundred percent and you followed me around with
an accordion. Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yes, So basically you and I invented the Hannel music.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
You are welcome people.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
Okay, damn, I didn't know we were doing past life
aggressions on this retreat.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
I had to book this way in advance.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You literally do so much for us.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Listen. I am a working mom. I can handle it all.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
So no Mexican music or came from generations of traveling
musicians singing songs that told stories AKA us and our pastors.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And the Hano music, which we learned about from Selena
is kind of just an evolution of Northeno music.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Which means the poka, accordion and guitars are all there,
but none of these boys are A long way from Texas.
So they're not hearing American rock like Selena's dad did, No, sir, these.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Kids are growing up hearing traditional music at Fiesta del Pueblo,
like gatherings when like the whole town would gather up
and turn up.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Come on, Rosa Morada. I know they know how to
turn up.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Uh huh, Mexicanos, we know how to do that shit, right.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I knew the whole town was getting the kids up
on stage to play facts and music was just a
part of life for the boys. It was their role
within the community.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Hey, when there's more cows than people, community is lital
really all you have. But honestly, I'm loving it, Like
maybe this is my trackwive.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Season, I kind of love that for you. But as
we know, the Ananda's brothers wouldn't stay in Rosamada forever,
and unfortunately the thing that would pull them away, No,
don't say it would be tragedy.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
This big tragedy always crashing my fiestablo.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Well, actually that's literally what happened the Ananda. This boy's father,
Don Eduardo, was something of a volunteer sheriff and Rosa
Morad that was you know, the boonies and in Mexico,
it means you don't have federal officers for better or
for worse.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Well, in this case, it was for worse.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
One night, Don Eduardo was checking in on a Fiesta
del pueblo, just like the ones his kids would play
music at, when he noticed an argument escalating between a
few party goers.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Uh oh, and Big Don, being the sheriff, had to
go break it up.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yeah, so he approaches them and without warning, guns are drawn,
shots are fired, and Don Eduardo is hit in the
spinal cort. He makes that alive, but he's immobilized and
a full recovery requires an operation that costs ten thousand bassos,
which might not sound like much, but remember this is
(15:13):
a small family of farmers in Sineloa.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Yeah, so basically it's like a good jillion dollars.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And with Don d Wado in his condition, Jorg who's
still a minor, becomes head of the family, and as
head of the family, he makes a decision. They're going
to leave town and or money as musicians to save
up enough money to pay for their dad's recovery. Wait, what, Joseph,
(15:45):
can you imagine being twelve years old your father has
just been shot in the spine, and now you have
to leave home to make money to make sure.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
That he gets the care that he needs.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I mean that is a massive amount of weight for anyone,
let alone a tween.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
That is a start to a really good novella.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Whatever we make of their sense of judgment. And remember
all of them are under age at this point.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
I was about to say they're like kids.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
They're literally kids making very adult decisions. We know it
was going to turn out for the better, but it
would just take a while. And their first up on
the road Mexicali, capital of Baja California, home to farmers
and factory workers.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
We're knocking on doors of bars and restaurants, begging them
to let us play. It's giving a little bit of
Selena and her siblings and a little bit of Santana
and his dad.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Wait, with one obvious difference.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Hello, there's no Abraham Pintania here calling the shots being
all Abraham right. And it's not Carlos Santana getting dragged
to the red light district by his dad.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Jorge, Ernan, Raoul and cousin Oscar were in a new
city all on their own as kids. I mean, these
boys had never left Rossa, Murada before.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Okay, it's almost a little home alone too, but without
rich daddy's credit card. You know, these kids are out
here fending for themselves, and little Jorgie has to fill
their dad's shoes. But at least they like to play
music together.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Okay, right, and the Hernandez boys weren't unoscomemierdas. I mean,
they were all serious about helping their dad. They hustled hard,
and they love those cash tips, girl fan. They would
save up that chip money and rush to the telegraph
office every week to send it back to their family
(17:32):
in Drosamorada.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Soon enough they didn't have to bang on doors anymore.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
They had a rotation, a reputation, and a band name
Lost Chiwawa.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
I mean it's a little long, kind of a mouthful.
I think we could workshop it a little bit.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Yeah, it doesn't quite hit like Los Thiga is. But
the new name was.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Honest, along with a very unique opportunity.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
One fateful day in nineteen sixty eight, the boys went
to the telegraph office like us, and there they would.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Meet my Stroleo Nides.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Isn't that the kind of name that needs a drum roll?
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Literally, El Maestro was a local fixture in Mexicali.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
He was one of those guys that had the tea
on every building on every block in town, who lived
there and when, who got married at were church?
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Who cheated on who with who?
Speaker 1 (18:22):
And per his nickname.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
He was a music enthusiast who helped write a local
column about Mexican classical music. And when he met the
then Northaniels the Chihuahua, he offered them a record. You
m no more like a once in a lifetime opportunity
to travel to play a single then mile celebration show
(18:46):
at Solidad Prison in sunny San Jose, California.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Wow, Okay, no disrespect to Almeestro, but this is beyond.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Thus I mean correct right like growing up in the eighties,
I mean I am screaming stranger danger, like an old
strange man wants to send you across the border to
a prison to play music, and.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
They said yes, Like where is the kid's father? Oh way,
just kim.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
It's definitely the first time in the story where I'm like,
oh yeah, these are little boys.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And I should add this show was for free. There
was no payment.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
We should say this again for the listeners always read
your contracts, Nikki Jam.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
We should also probably mention that in January of that year,
Johnny Cash had played his two legendary shows at fulsome
prison in California, So maybe this was inspired by.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
That Johnny Cash. It's the same difference.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
No, I'm just trying to give you context, okay, like
you are learning all about history of rock music Northaniel,
Like we're giving it all to you, okay. We are
equal opportunity to share ers of musical knowledge. Either way,
this was an opportunity to make themselves known in Gringo Landia.
So they packed up and headed for California, and it
(20:09):
was there at the border office where, of all people,
a relentlessly chatty immigration officer gave the band their name.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Hey, whatever gets you over that line?
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Nihak For real, though, this border officer looked them up
and down and says, say, what's a few youngsters like
you doing crossing the.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Border playing music?
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Ugh?
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Oh just ugh ugh I know right, And then he
like say, you know what you should call yourself? The
Little Tigers of the North.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Sure I won't have enough strive here.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
I mean I just need this banda stop, like, please
stop talking to me, right, So the boys are there
waiting for this rando to give them their papers and
the green stamp, but the guy just keeps brainstorming their
band name out loud. Again, no one asked him for
his opinion, and when he realizes that these boys are
eventually going to grow up to be men, he decides
(21:06):
to drop the little from the Tigers.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Thus los Figres del Norte.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
I love, But Sarah calls, whatever you want, just let
us cross the border up in this.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And listeners, what Joseph just said is a direct quote.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
We put up with so much. So the newly christened
Norte finally get to San Jose and.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
They play a few shows there in anticipation of the
big show at Sonadad Prison. Then the big day comes.
The boys arrive and.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
No ones home.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
All the other musicians who had come to play are
gone vanished, and the promoter who accompanied them across the
border and helped organize the show is also nowhere to
be found. These boys are all alone in San Jose.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
I think this is a recurring nightmare I used to have,
Like I get my biggest client ever and then when
I show up to the job, they're like, oh, I'm sorry, sweetie,
you're here for who.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Wait, by the way, this is so off topic, but
who is your dream client?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Like?
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Cool? Is that Kate Planchet? I know, I just love
her and her skin.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I just want to stick my fingers in her mouth
because she so her skin is so supple, and I
just want to, like, I don't know, she's so gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
Also, your style and aesthetic really vibes because she's so
minimal and just naturally gorgeous, and you are all about
really like minimal beautiful, like letting people's features and skin
be the hero.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Not the makeup.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
I want to look like her.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Let's manifest it, like, let's let's make it happen. Okay, sorry, guys,
back to Los Vegos. Okay, So to this day, Los
Digos still don't actually know what happened. It's a genuine mystery.
So iHeart, if you're listening and you want to make
a little like mystery show about music, can we make.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
A podcast about what? Yes, let us hold that faithful
day at the prison?
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Oh my god, yes, let us host it. We could
totally solve this mystery.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Me and you, I mean I am basically FBI like,
don't cross me, don't try to hide shit from me,
like I will find you, I will track you, I
will use all the computer programs like I have my ways.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I love that. So Los Digaas found themselves more than
a thousand miles away from their hometown of Rossamorada, with
nothing to their name but their clothes, instruments, and savings.
So like, how could anything get worse?
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I have an idea. How about their passports go missing?
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Shut your button? This is like the se about losing
your purse.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Ah okay, So here's what's happening. You are an immigrant,
a stranger in a stranger land, and in the blink
of an eye, your one legal lifeline is missing.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
So the boys suddenly find themselves seen Babels La Mia
right around the corner, like cut down.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I have to say, I know this happened a long
time ago, but this feeling of like not having your
paper as you brought bell as your shit in order,
like very present today for so many people. Like yeah,
it's not a feeling that goes away, Like by the way,
I'm a US citizen and like if I misplaced my
passport or if I am going to cross into Mexico,
like I've crossed in you know, through d Wana, because
(24:23):
it's close to here.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
It's I still am like.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
Oh my god, doesn't it feel so scary.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I'm like, are they gonna let me back? I feel
like I'm going to go to jail.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, I feel like I'm just gonna be stuck and
I'm going to jail randomly, Like I don't know why
I would go to jail.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I just don't have a passport.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Because you just feel guilty, Like you just feel like,
oh my god, what if they don't let me, Like
when I cross over, like at an airport, or at
any any checkpoint, any immigration checkpoint, Like when I see immigration,
I'm scared, Like I don't feel I can be holding
my passport and I'm still nervous.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Oh my god, we're programmed.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
This is the sad part, right, So imagine this at
like ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen years old.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Yeah, trauma.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
But fortunately for Losgees, an immigrant family took pity on
them and offered them lodging in their home. So the
boys went back to playing bars and restaurants, A.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Dollar here, a quartered there, whatever they could manage for
Poppy's surgery. They were on borrow time, and they stayed
on their grind.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Jote worked as a janitor at San Jose State University
and took English classes, while the rest of the boys
worked as gardeners. But as fate would have it, yet
another mysterious stranger would show up, and this one would
eventually turn things around for Los Theiites.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
The same year they were ghosted at solad that prison.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Wait ghosted at sold a Prism. That's to relea my
debut country on them.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Losgas de Norte, who are now between the ages of
ten and fifteen, find themselves singing on a local San
Jose rai And.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
As we've learned this season, radio in the fifties and
sixties is legit magic. Putting your voice on the airwaves
is basically like putting your intentions out in the universe.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Just supercharged, and the airwaves carried Los thegis music to
the ears of someone very unexpected, an expat from Manchester,
England who did not speak a word of Spanish but
was fascinated by the Northeno sound of Los Figras.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
His name was Artwalker, but Los Figos like to call
him Arturo Kaminante.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Oh cute, okay, so Arturo walks up to them and says, hey, kids,
I've got a record company and I'm going to up
your game.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
And even though this sounds like an Amber alert way
to happen, it does turn out that Arthudle's got the guds.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I think of all the episodes we've done, this is
the one that you should absolutely make sure Santi does
not listen to.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I mean, I just finished watching the Nickelodeon documentary. Like
I can tell you this, my child is not going
anywhere near the entertainment industry, okay, and my child is
never going to think that they need the help of
a strange British Man to make it in any bus
but definitely not the music business. All right, Now, here's
the calasting question for you, because this is my favorite
(27:13):
part of our fake production company. Who should we cast
to play the strange British man in the Los Fgos biopic.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I'm just gonna say, honestly, Hugh Grant, because he is
just the quintessential British guy that we all need in
our lives.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So Hugh Grant delivers on his promise and he buys
Los Figas all new instruments, gets them studio time and Bam.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
They record their first.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Album MMMA like ra mora misicos, which can we talk
about the title for the love of My children like
they were little boys.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Yeah, they were singing the gorridles that they knew from home.
And we're gonna get into the history of goridos next episode,
because it's obviously an ex loastive genre and music right
now and we want to get into the details.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
But again next episode. For now, let's just go back
to the boys.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Let's just say that the boy's sound was fresh, but
still unpolished, and success did not come quickly.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
So the boy's life in Drossa, Morada was go to school,
pick tomatoes, play music. Now in San Jose it looked
pretty much the same, only Jorgia had to clean toilets
and learn English and sometimes they sing in the studio.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
These boys would record four consecutive albums under the wing
of Arturo Caminante, but as I entered the nineteen seventies,
they weren't getting much traction and they started to think
about calling it quits.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
But when Sennor Caminante heard this, he pulled the fire
alarm and reorganized the band. All the boys switched instruments, except.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Then they added a saxophone player.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Named lube Oibo, who had a distinctly Northeniel playing style
that gave the thiga sound a little extra heat.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
By this point, Jorgio was now a grown up and
officially the band leader, so art Walker took him to
US Angeles to meet with a promising songwriter named Angel Gonzalez.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And this is the songwriter who would show Jorgia the
tune that would propel Los Figris to heights.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
They've never even dreamed of.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Wait, can I do it?
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Of course?
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Boo, that's next time on becoming an Icon.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
On the next Becoming an Icon, Contrabando Ytracion finally launches
Los Figras career along with the Narco Corridon. Becoming an
Icon is presented by Sonoro and Iheart's Michael Gurda podcast network.
(29:47):
Listen to Becoming an Icon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Lilliana Vazquez
Joseph Carrillo
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