After almost twenty-eight years in the music industry, Los Enanitos Verdes have managed to remain one of the all-time favorite Spanish rock bands.
The group was formed by three friends in November of 1979 in Mendoza, Argentina, the band’s hometown. The group was dubbed with their name, literally “green dwarfs,” by a journalist friend of theirs after an incident in Mendoza in 1979 dealing with supposed “green dwarfs” in a photograph.
After relocating to Buenos Aires in the early eighties and having unsuccessful attempts to launch a breakthrough album, the group released Aún sigo cantando in 1984 which became a success in Argentine radio stations and made the album a classic of Argentine rock. They gained popularity in surrounding countries with the hit track “La Muralla Verde” from their second LP Contrarreloj. This hit gave Los Enanitos Verdes the much-desired break that paved the path for them to become one of the best-known bands in Spanish rock history.
The band surged with contemporaries like Soda Stereo, and offered a sound that has been likened to the darkly romantic melodrama of artists like Billy Idol and Echo and the Bunnymen.
“Luz de Día” | video from: fbautista011
The group took a break from 1989 to 1992. Their next album, Big Bang (1994), went platinum and was followed by a tour that consisted of 129 shows in Argentina alone. Enanitos Verdes later showcased in American territory, which made the tour the most successful by an Argentine rock band.
Four years later, Los Enanitos Verdes were the first Argentine group to sign to an American recording company after signing with Polygram records. Soon after the group released Traccion Acustica (1998) which was a compilation of their hit songs in acoustic version; the album was nominated for a Grammy that year in the “Best Latin Rock Album” category. Their second consecutive Grammy nomination came the following year, this time for “Best Latin Rock/Alternative Performance”; Nectar was released that year as well, featuring the hit song “Cordillera.”
In August 2004 the group celebrated their 25th career anniversary by launching Live, an album with their greatest hits; that same year they were nominated for a Latin Grammy. Now promoting their very latest album, Pescado Original (2006), the band has proven that they are not going out of style any time soon.
www.losenanitosverdes.com
Members: Marciano Cantero (Vocals/Bass), Felipe Staiti (Guitar), Daniel Piccolo (Drums)
