Rodrigo Sánchez (born 9 January 1974) and Gabriela Quintero (born 11 June 1973) grew up in middle-class families in Mexico City. Their parents listened to flamenco, jazz, and rock music, and they both enjoyed heavy metal bands like Metallica, which later proved influential to Rodrigo and Gabriela.[7]
Rodrigo and Gabriela met at the age of 15, at 'la casa de la cultura' (House of Culture) in Mexico City, where Rodrigo's brother was the director.[8] Quintero was in a drama class and at the suggestion of his brother, Rodrigo met up with her. She remembers "this 15-year-old boy there, dressed in a black ... with messy hair. Yet he was different to the other metal-heads his age: he seemed very serious and didn't drink or smoke". The two bonded over their interest in music and they soon became a couple.[9]
In the early 1990s, Sánchez formed a heavy metal band called Tierra Ácida (Acid Land) with his brother. Quintero joined them in 1993 "as they couldn't get a guitarist who would please Rodrigo".[9] When a record deal for the band fell through in 1997, Sánchez and Quintero left Mexico City for the resort town of Ixtapa on the Pacific coast of Mexico. They played in beach-side bars and hotels for nine months where "we wanted to play a different kind of music, something we could make as our own".[10]
Sánchez and Quintero dated for many years before ending their relationship (but not their musical partnership) in 2012. "We're now better friends by far," said Quintero. "We no longer behave like 15-year-olds and it's allowed us to grow up."[9]
Career
Rodrigo y Gabriela in concert at Red Rocks Amphitheathre
Growing frustrated with the limited scope of the domestic Mexican rock scene, the duo moved to Europe. After travelling around, they took up residence in Dublin, Ireland, in 1999, despite not speaking any English.[9] Playing live gigs in various pubs and busking on Grafton Street where they began to play "many cover songs, which we enjoyed. Then we began to put in our own songs, and we've built up our repertoire from there".[10] They became friends with fellow musician Damien Rice who invited them to open for one of his shows. He also introduced the duo to Niall Muckian, who became their manager.[9] In the first half of 2001 they recorded a 9-track demo called Foc of their own material supplemented by some covers, also featuring an appearance by Zoe Conway.[10]
As interest in the band grew, it was decided to re-record the songs on the demo as re-Foc in 2002 with a number of friends, including Lisa Hannigan who provided vocal stylings and Conway, who by now also was a feature of the live set-up of the duo.[11] The album appeared on Muckian's own Rubyworks Records as he found that "because it is all instrumental, we found it hard to get major-label interest or any radio-play, so I put it out myself".[12] As interest grew, the duo were offered further support-slots, which resulted in an eight-track live-album recorded in Dublin and Manchester, released in 2004.[13]
The eponymous album, Rodrigo y Gabriela, entered the Irish Albums Chart at #1 beating Arctic Monkeys and Johnny Cash to the top spot.[14] It was released internationally on March 13, 2006, having been given an earlier Irish release. Rodrigo y Gabriela, which was produced by John Leckie, includes covers of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Metallica's "Orion". The duo lists Metallica as being among their key influences, alongside other heavy metal bands such as Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Overkill.[15] The other tracks are original works inspired by the places they have been and the people they have met.
The duo had their national American TV debut on Late Show with David Letterman on December 18, 2006, performing "Diablo Rojo". Their song "Tamacun" featured in the pilot episode of AMC's Breaking Bad in January 2008. Live in Japan was released on October 20, 2008, in the United Kingdom, and includes 14 tracks, and a bonus DVD containing five videos.[16] The Led Zeppelin cover can be found on the album Rhythms del Mundo Classics. Their feature on MTV gave them a huge boost in popularity in the United States. This led to a feature on Nightmare Revisited, a tribute album to Danny Elfman's music from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. The duo performed an instrumental version of "Oogie Boogie's Song".
Their song "Santo Domingo" was chosen as the StarbucksiTunes Pick of the Week for November 10, 2009.[17] The duo was the musical guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson that aired on CBS-TV on October 28, 2009, and was re-run on December 29, 2009. They performed "Buster Voodoo". They performed on Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny on December 31, 2009.[18]
The duo was the musical guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that aired on NBC on March 23, 2010, to promote their album 11:11 and on Lopez Tonight which aired on TBS March 25, 2010. They headlined the West Holts stage on the Sunday night at Glastonbury 2010[19] and played the King Tuts Tent at T In The Park on 10 July 2010.[20] They also had a spot on the main stage at Latitude festival that same July and they managed to draw in a huge crowd.
In 2010, Rodrigo y Gabriela contributed a live version of their song "Hora Zero" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation.[21] Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in the Congo.
They played the Nice Jazz Festival on 23 July 2010, and the McMenamin's Edgefield outdoor concert in Portland, Oregon on August 14, 2010, as well as the Ravinia Festival on August 28, 2010, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 30, 2010. In September, 2010, the duo announced a hiatus from touring due to stress injuries caused by Gabriela's heavily percussive style of playing.[22] However, they did manage to play five sold-out nights at Shepherd's Bush in London.
On January 20, 2011, Rodrigo y Gabriela entered the studio with Hans Zimmer to write and record sessions of the score from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.[23] The soundtrack was released on May 17, 2011, three days before the film's general release.[24] On July 9, 2011, Rodrigo Y Gabriela performed a live set for Guitar Center Sessions on DirecTV. The episode included an interview with program host, Nic Harcourt.[25] On July 25, 2011, Rodrigo y Gabriela released another live album entitled Live in France. Rodrigo y Gabriela were featured in the 2011 DreamWorks film Puss in Boots, scored by Henry Jackman. During 2011, Rodrigo y Gabriela recorded in Havana, Cuba, with C.U.B.A., a 13-piece Cuban orchestra, and special guest musicians (Anoushka Shankar on sitar and Le Trio Joubran on oud).
In January 2012 they released Area 52, their first album backed by other musicians. The tracks on the album are mostly re-worked versions of songs that have appeared on their duo albums, Rodrigo y Gabriela and 11:11. Reviews were mixed, with some tracks criticised for the backing band drowning out the guitar work that fans love but others praised where the guitar workouts "are allowed space to breathe by lighter salsa-style backing".[26]
Reviewing one of their gigs, The Independent noted that "Rodrigo y Gabriela's secret is maybe quite simple. They are resourceful musicians, and are open-hearted, happy entertainers. That, very often, is what people want."[31] Both Rodrigo and Gabriela play Yamaha NX series electro nylon string guitars exclusively. Rodrigo plays the slimmer neck NTX1200 and Gabriela plays the more traditional sized NCX2000 and NCX1200.
Metallica is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 12, 1991, by Elektra Records. Recording sessions took place at One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles over an eight-month span that frequently found Metallica at odds with their new producer Bob Rock. The album marked a change in the band's music from the thrash metal style of their previous four albums to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound.
"Whiskey in the Jar" is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song, about a rapparee (highwayman) who is betrayed by his wife or lover, is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs and has been recorded by numerous artists since the 1950s.
"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. A power ballad, it was released in 1992 as the third single from their self-titled fifth studio album, Metallica. The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number 6 on the UK Singles Chart, number 1 in Denmark, and reached the top ten on many other European charts. "Nothing Else Matters" was featured as a playable track in the music video game Guitar Hero: Metallica. Recognized as one of Metallica's best known and most popular songs, it has become a staple in live performances.
"Master of Puppets" is a thrash metal song by American metal band Metallica, released on July 2, 1986, as the only single from the album of the same name. It was also issued as a promo single in the US by Elektra Records.
Rodrigo y Gabriela is the second studio album by Mexican musical duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was first released in Ireland on February 17, 2006, where it debuted at number one on the Irish Albums Chart. The album included covers of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Metallica's "Orion", two artists who the duo say influenced their music.
re-Foc is the first widely available album by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, released in 2002. Some songs are re-recorded versions of those that appeared on Foc, a 9-track demo put together by the band in April/May 2001. The demo was "recorded at home, without microphones - everything was played through the guitar pick-ups. This meant that some of the percussion on the strings sounded very quiet". Others were written for the album, which features contributions from the violinist Zoë Conway and bodhrán player and percussionist Robbie Harris.
The discography of American heavy metal band Metallica includes 11 studio albums, eight live albums, three extended plays, 44 singles, 10 video albums, 43 music videos, one soundtrack album, one collaboration album and three box sets. They are a San Francisco-based metal band formed in 1981 by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich (drums). After several bassist and lead guitarist changes, the band settled on Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammett, respectively. Metallica started playing locally, releasing their first widely circulated demo, No Life 'til Leather, in 1982. The demo caught the attention of Johny Zazula, who signed Metallica to Megaforce Records. The band released Kill 'Em All in 1983, and the following year they released Ride the Lightning. After Ride the Lightning was released, Metallica left Megaforce and signed to Elektra Records. In March 1986, the band released its third studio album, Master of Puppets, which was Metallica's first album to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). While promoting the album, Burton was killed in a bus accident. Jason Newsted was hired as a replacement. The band's first release to feature Newsted was The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited, and then followed by ...And Justice for All in August 1988, which peaked at number six on the Billboard 200.
Live: Manchester and Dublin is the first live album by Rodrigo y Gabriela, a Mexican guitar duo.
Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on September 12, 2008, through Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by Rick Rubin, marking the band's first album since ...And Justice for All (1988) not to be produced by longtime collaborator Bob Rock and co-produced by Hetfield and Ulrich. It is also the first Metallica album with bassist Robert Trujillo, and the second to share writing credit to all of the band's members.
Live in Japan is the second live album by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was released on independent label Rubyworks Records on October 17 and October 20 in Ireland and the UK, respectively. The album captures Rodrigo & Gabriela making their live Japanese debut, at Tokyo’s Duo club on March 30, 2008.
11:11 is the third studio album by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was released on independent label Rubyworks around the world from 2 to 8 September 2009. It guest stars Strunz & Farah on the song "Master Maqui" and Alex Skolnick on the song "Atman". The song "Buster Voodoo" was performed by the band on The Tonight Show hosted by Conan O'Brien on Thursday, 1 October 2009 and on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Wednesday, 28 October 2009. Each song on the album is a tribute to an artist that has inspired both Rodrigo and Gabriela.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2011 eponymous film. Hans Zimmer, who produced Klaus Badelt's score for The Curse of the Black Pearl and composed the music for Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, returned to score the fourth installment of the Pirates franchise. Collaborators included Rodrigo y Gabriela, which are listed as featured artists, and composers Eric Whitacre, Eduardo Cruz and Geoff Zanelli.
Area 52 is a 2012 album by acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and the Cuban orchestra known as C.U.B.A. It is Rodrigo y Gabriela's fifth album overall, and their first collaboration with another group. Their aim was to 'do our music with a Cuban orchestra that plays in a very traditional way, a fusion'. All the songs on this album are re-recordings of songs previously released in their previous two studio albums. The duo spent 20 days recording in Cuba where 'the pianist also made the arrangements for the orchestra. We’d play along with the musicians so they could hear our energy'. Afterwards, the band overdubbed solo parts at their own studio.
Live in France is the third live album by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was recorded at various dates in France on their 11:11 world tour. It was released on 19 July in the United States and 25 July in the rest of the world.
Rubyworks Records is an independent record label and music management company created in 2001 by Niall Muckian and based in Dublin, Ireland.
9 Dead Alive is the fourth studio album by Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela released on April 25, 2014, in Ireland and on April 29, 2014, internationally. According to their Twitter, "each track is a personal celebration of individuals who have passed on, but through their deeds and words still resonate in the 21st century", and is said to be a more rock-focused album compared to their Latin-focused material of the past. Its first single is "The Soundmaker", which is inspired by Spanish guitarist Antonio de Torres Jurado.
Hardwired... to Self-Destruct is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released as a double album on November 18, 2016, by their own label Blackened Recordings. It was their first studio album in eight years following Death Magnetic (2008), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career. It is also their first studio album released through their record label Blackened Recordings. Hardwired... to Self-Destruct was produced by Greg Fidelman, who engineered and mixed Death Magnetic.
Mettavolution is the fifth studio album by Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was released on April 26, 2019 through Rubyworks and ATO Records.
The Metallica Blacklist is a various artists tribute album featuring covers of every track from Metallica's 1991 self-titled album. The collection was assembled in conjunction with the original album's 30th anniversary. Most of the songs are covered multiple times, with 53 artists participating. The album was released in digital formats on September 10, 2021, and in physical formats on October 1, 2021.
In Between Thoughts...A New World is the sixth studio album by Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was released on April 21, 2023, through ATO Records. The album includes electric guitar elements as well as influences from jazz and classical music, in addition to the duo's established all-acoustic guitar sound. There are also contributions from the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, with string arrangements by Austrian composer Adam Ilyas Kuruc. The album was inspired by Rodrigo Sánchez's studies of the philosophy of nondualism as he recovered from COVID-19 in 2020, and the duo's interest in the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. It was produced at the duo's home studio in Ixtapa, Mexico.
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