Molotov (band)

Molotov is a Mexican rap rock band formed in Mexico City in 1995. Their lyrics, which are rapped and sung by all members of the group, feature a mixture of Spanish and English. The band members switch instruments and roles depending on what song they are performing.

MOLOTOV
Molotov in September 2008
Background information
OriginMexico City, Mexico
GenresAlternative rock, hip hop, rap rock, nu metal, rap metal, funk rock, funk metal
Years active1995–present
LabelsUniversal Music Latin Entertainment
Websitehttp://www.molotov.mx/
MembersIsmael Fuentes de Garay
Micky Huidobro
Paco Ayala
Randy Ebright
Past membersJay de la Cueva
Iván Jared Moreno[1]

Biography
Molotov in Managua, Nicaragua

The band began in 1995 when two friends, Tito Fuentes (guitar) and Micky "Chicho" Huidobro (bass), started playing together. On September 21 of the same year, Javier de la Cueva "J" and Iván Jared Moreno "La Quesadillera" joined them becoming the first line up for the band. Iván Jared Moreno, "La Quesadillera", would eventually leave, to be replaced by Randy Ebright (who joined the band in October 1995[2]), the only US-born member of the band. Around February 1996 de la Cueva would also leave, being replaced by Paco Ayala, establishing the four-member line-up that has remained consistent over the years.

Throughout 1996, the band played in many underground locations in Mexico City and began to have a small group of fans. Their success finally came when they opened for Héroes del Silencio in Monterrey and later for La Lupita in Puebla. During a concert in which they opened for Illya Kuryaki and The Valderramas, talent hunters from Universal offered them to record an album. It was a difficult period, and the band had to sell cassettes during the concerts while they prepared their album.

In July 1997, they released their debut album ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas?, which took its name partly from Maná's album ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? generating controversy with stores refusing to sell it because of its lyrics and cover. Molotov went out to the street to sell their discs as a form of protest. The lyrics include a mixture of politics, sex and expletives, which made it hard for Molotov to enter mainstream media. In 1998, they participated with the song "Payaso" in the album Volcán: Tributo a José José a tribute to legendary singer José José.

Molotov received a recognition without precedent for a hip-hop group in Spanish. Urban publications such as Vibe said about them: "[Molotov's music] is incendiary by nature… with darts poisoned aimed directly to the heart of the oppressive paternalism of the government."[3] For example, the song "Gimme Tha Power" contained lyrics such as "Hay que arrancar el problema de raíz y cambiar el gobierno de nuestro país" (translated: We have to rip out the problem by the roots and change the government of our country). These lyrics reflected aspects of the tumultuous political climate of the late 1990s. In 2000, popular vote elected a president from a different political party than that which had held the presidency, uninterrupted, since 1940 (see Politics of Mexico).

In 1998 Molotov released Molomix, an album with remixes of Donde Jugarán...?, including a version of the classic Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody" titled "Rap, Soda y Bohemia", and a new song, "El Carnal de las estrellas", which attacks the Mexican television network Televisa, as a response to its refusal to air the band's videos.

In September 1999, Apocalypshit was released and the band toured Europe, including Russia and were also a part of the 1999 Vans Warped Tour.[4] In 2001, after a couple of years of touring, they took a rest by contributing to the soundtrack of the films Y tu mamá también (in which the soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy[5]) and Atlético San Pancho,.

They were part of the Watcha Tour 2000[6], which included 17 shows with Los Enanitos Verdes, Aterciopelados, Café Tacuba, and A.N.I.M.A.L.

In 2003, the band's new album, Dance and Dense Denso, was released with the Grammy-winning single, "Frijolero," which became the band's biggest hit to date.

In 2004, the band released Con Todo Respeto, which consisted of covers of groups such as The Misfits, Beastie Boys, ZZ Top, and Los Toreros Muertos.

On January 18, 2007, Molotov's official website addressed a separation rumor, saying that it could neither be confirmed or denied but that more information would be coming soon.[7] A few weeks later, the band confirmed on its website that it would indeed be touring and posted dates starting April 3 in Ventura, California, and ending April 15 in Dallas, Texas. Despite no official break-up update, many radio stations announced the tour as Molotov's last.

In 2007, the band released its album Eternamiente (a portmanteau of eternamente [eternally] and miente [he lies]) with the hit song "Yofo." which opened with first week sales of nearly 1,000 copies.[8]

In 2008, the song "Apocalypshit", from the album of the same name, was used in the first episode of Breaking Bad, during camper scene.[9]

Molotov performed at the 2009 Coachella Music Festival.[10]

In an interview, the band talked about the possibility of releasing a live DVD. In a later interview, Randy Ebright said the DVD would possibly be directed by Alfonso Cuaron, with whom they worked on the soundtrack for Cuaron's 2001 film Y tu mamá también. The band's manager, Jorge Mondragón, has said that a book would be published recounting their 15 years as a band.

Band lead guitar Tito Fuentes said that their next album would be released independently during 2010.

On May 14, 2010, it was announced that the band would perform on Mexico City's Zócalo for the first time in the band's history, after being denied the venue five times before. The band performed in a concert along with other bands such as Jaguares and Maldita Vecindad to protest against Arizona's SB 1070 law.[11]

The band recorded their performance in the "Creation of Peace" festival in Kazan, Russia. In May 2012 this was released as the live album Desde Rusia con amor, with an accompanying DVD.

They worked with Mexican film director Olallo Rubio, providing their music to a documentary called Gimme the Power in which Rubio analyzes Mexico under the power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional). The documentary was released on June 1, 2012.[12][13]

Members

Note: The members switch instruments depending on what song they are performing; the below list shows their main roles in the band.

  • Ismael Fuentes de Garay – guitar, bass, vocals
  • Miguel Ángel Huidobro Preciado – bass guitar, drums, vocals
  • Juan Francisco Ayala Gonzalez – bass guitar, guitar, vocals
  • Randall Ebright – drums, guitar, bass, vocals

Timeline

Discography
Studio albums
Remix albums
Compilation albums
Live albums
  • Desde Rusia con Amor (2012)
  • MTV Unplugged (2018)
  • ¿Dónde Jugarán lxs Niñxs? (2019)

Awards

Band awards:

Dance and Dense Denso:

Con Todo Respeto:

  • Latin Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group

Eternamiente:

  • Latin Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group

Desde Rusia Con Amor:

  • Latin Grammy for Best Rock Album 2012[15]

"Agua Maldita"

  • Latin Grammy 2014 Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group[16]

References
  1. "20 AÑOS ROMPIENDO LAS REGLAS". Reporte Indigo. August 5, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  2. Smyers, Daryl (August 5, 2013). "Molotov: 20 Years of Swear Words and Latin Grammys". Dallas Observer. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  3. Weingarten, Marc (September 1998). "Molotov and Plastilina Mosh - The revolutionaries". Vibe. pp. 120–121. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  4. "Warped Tour Lineup to Include Cypress Hill, Blink 182, Sevendust, Others". CMJ News Music Report. April 5, 1999. p. 4. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  5. "Grammy". Grammy. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  6. "Molotov, Ozomatli Set For Watcha 2000 Tour". Mtv. August 2, 2000. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 19, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Yehuda, Aya Ben (November 10, 2007). "Rock Three Times". Billboard. p. 16. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  9. "Music From Breaking Bad Season 1". AMC. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  10. Cohen, Jonathan (January 20, 2009). "McCartney, Killers, Cure Anchor Coachella Lineup". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  11. "The Arizona Prairie Fire Spreads". FNS. May 16, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2169326/
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. Jason Archer
  15. "Latin Grammy 2012 winners". CBS News. December 4, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  16. "Las Nominaciones de la 15a. Entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY reflejan una mezcla diversa de talentosos artistas y creadores de música a lo largo del mundo de la Música Latina". Latin Grammy. September 24, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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