Molotov (band)

Molotov is a Mexican Alternative Rock band formed in 1995 and made up of Micky Huidobro, Tito Fuentes, Randy Ebright and Paco Ayala.

Her first album, Where will the girls play? (1997), sold more than a million copies. in which they compared the quartet's music to other established bands such as the Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Most of the group's songs are best known for their content of political satire and social criticism of the Mexican government and society, which is why they were censored at the beginning of their career.

Their success has led them to tour several cities in America and Europe. In total, he has sold more than four million copies of his records worldwide. Some media describe it as one of the most irreverent in its genre, although one of "the best that exist in contemporary Spanish rock".

History

Beginnings (1990-96)

At the beginning of 1991, «Micky» Huidobro played bass in La Candelaria, a band formed that same year that would later join other musicians such as Ismael «Tito» Fuentes, Jay de la Cueva and Iván Jared Moreno «La Quesadillera », with whom Huidobro would form Molotov in September 1995, after having won a band contest held by Coca-Cola. Once the new group was formed, the latter two left the band between October of that year and February 1996, and were replaced by Randy Ebright and Paco Ayala, respectively.

After some appearances in some discos in the Federal District, and opening for other bands such as Héroes del Silencio, La Lupita and Cuca, an executive from the Universal Music label offered Molotov a contract to record his first album.

Where will the girls play? and international presentations (1997-98)

At the beginning of 1997, Molotov began recording the songs for ¿Dónde jugarán las niñas?, an album in whose production Gustavo Santaolalla and Aníbal Kerpel would participate, who also intervened on guitar and percussion, and the keyboard respectively. The release of the album occurred in July of that year.

Once the album was released, some critics such as the Allmusic website compared Molotov to other foreign groups such as the Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine. In reviewing it, Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the album's distinctive sound, as well as noting its provocative cover art.Its "incendiary by nature" songs of social and political criticism of the Mexican government became the band's hallmark. Some of the first songs of this type were "Gimme The Power", "Pu-to" and "Que no te haga bobo Jacobo". The album earned a nomination for "Best Latin/Alternative Rock Album" at the Grammy Awards. Latino from 1998. It sold more than 400,000 copies in Mexico between 1997 and 1998. Until the year 2000, its sales exceeded one million copies.

The success of their foray into the industry, however, was initially hampered by the refusal and censorship of various commercial establishments to sell Where Will the Girls Play? primarily because of its content, in addition to radio stations that refused to broadcast their songs; anecdotally, this situation was similar to what other bands like Plastilina Mosh experienced at that time, which at some point came to give a favorable opinion of Molotov's work. In response, the members of Molotov had to go out and sell the album on their own in the streets of their hometown. In the US, several publications promoted the album as "one of the best of 1998", including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Newark Star-Ledger. platinum disc certification), as in Chile, Spain and Argentina; in the latter they participated in the Surco Fest Concert in October 1998. It should be added that the album was also released and distributed in other countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and Israel.

Molomix and Apocalypshit (1998-2001)

In November 1998, Molotov released the remix compilation Molomix. The production includes the song "Rap, Soda y Bohemia", a version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by the band Queen. The following month, the band was praised in an article published in Bass Player magazine, where it was called "perhaps the most bass-heavy band of all time". year, Molotov appeared on stage with other foreign bands, such as Deftones, R.E.M. and Metallica.

In April 1999 Mario Caldato Jr, producer of the Beastie Boys' album Hello Nasty, produced the band's next album called Apocalypshit, in which he once again featured Santaolalla participated. The album went on sale in September of that year. John Bush of Allmusic called it "an excellent adventure through grunge metal". The following month, it received double platinum and gold certification for its sales in Mexico. Its international success was reflected in countries like the US and Russia. It reached position 32 on the Top Latin Albums of that year.

After a two-year tour in which Molotov visited different countries both in the American and European continents, its members decided to take a break from recording music in 2001. That year, however, they participated in the interpretation of some songs for the soundtracks of the films Y tu mamá también and Atlético San Pancho, as well as other homage albums to other bands such as Los Tigres del Norte and Soda Stereo.

Dance and Dense Dense and With All Respect (2002-04)

Between January and April 2001, Molotov returned to the recording studios to compose the songs for his next album, Dance and Dense Denso. Its recording began in July of that year, and was produced by Santaolalla and Kerpel. Before the premiere of their third album, they participated in the first MTV Latin America awards ceremony, on the MTV television network. In February of the following year, Dance and Dense Denso began to be distributed; Bush, from Allmusic, praised the material and considered that given Molotov's career it can be classified as "one of the best groups rock in contemporary Spanish". He won four awards at the 2003 MTV Latin America Awards: "Video of the Year", for the clip for the song "Frijolero"; "Best group or duo", above Café Tacuba, La Ley, Maná and La Oreja de Van Gogh; "Best Alternative Artist" and "Best Artist (Mexico)". On his tour to promote this material, Molotov visited countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Spain; in the latter, they performed at the Festimad festival. The album earned an additional gold certification for the band in 2004, for its recorded sales in Mexico.

In October 2004 Molotov released a new album, With all due respect, which includes versions of some songs originally performed by the Beastie Boys, Falco and Misfits (band), among other artists. For Allmusic's Alex Henderson, "while this is not Molotov's most essential release, it is an excellent and highly recommended part of their catalogue." It reached position 16 on the Rap list of that year. The following year, a new special edition of the same album was released, which included new versions. As in the two previous albums, With all due respect was certified as a gold record in Mexico.

Forever and tour Europe and the United States (2007-11)

In January 2007, Molotov hinted at his disintegration that year in a statement published on his official website. According to Ayala and Fuentes, the reasons were financial problems, fatigue, and creative differences. In September of that year, his new album, Eternamente, made up of four EPs recorded by each of the band members separately (Hasta la rubbish se separada, El Plan de Ayala, Sintitolo and Miss Songs). In this material they covered different genres, among which they included rap metal, thrash metal and hardcore punk. The tour to promote the material in Latin America was carried out as "goodbye concerts" in allusion to their eventual separation.

In February 2008, Huidobro revealed that Molotov was not going to split up and that the rumors had been "a joke" for his followers, since in reality they had decided to produce the four EPs separately so that "each of the band got their hands on their music and was to their liking ». He also shared that the name of the album alludes to the lie that Molotov spread about his supposed disintegration.At the beginning of the following year the band performed for the first time at the Coachella Festival, USA.

In 2011 they undertook an extensive two-month tour of Europe called Don’t You Know We Are Loco? Tour, where they visited countries such as Slovenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, France and England. The tour continued in September through various US cities; In their promotion for this country, some media described them as "the most irreverent alternative rock band in Latin music", in addition to comparing them with the band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

From Russia with love and Cursed Water (2012-14)

In May 2012, From Russia with Love was released, a live album accompanied by a DVD that included several of their most successful songs performed during their performances in Russia in 2010, country in which they have had unprecedented acceptance. The production was certified gold in Mexico. Ayala commented in this regard: "The message of our songs has perhaps also helped make certain songs seem referential music. We know that our songs have been adopted in other countries as anthems in situations of social mobility." The group received a Latin Grammy for "Best Rock Album" for Desde Rusia con amor that year.

That same year, the documentary Gimme The Power was released, directed by Olallo Rubio, which documents the history of Mexico in the last six-year terms in which the Institutional Revolutionary Party governed, and where they appear Molotov members giving their opinion on the political situation in the country shortly before the 2012 presidential elections.

In February 2014, Molotov announced their next album, Agua maldita, and they released the single "Ánimo delincuencia" to promote it. The album was released in June of that year. To promote this material, they toured Europe and America in the middle of the year. The album topped the digital sales charts in August. In September, it was presented at the first edition of the Somos América Festival held in the city of Toluca., Mexico.

Theme for the 2018 World Cup on TV Azteca

For the World Cup in Russia, the group was hired by TV Azteca and presented their video for the song "Se vale sobar" (performed by the band along with commentator Christian Martinoli), which was used as the theme song in all Azteca 7 programs and content, "El Canal del Mundial" for the World Cup event. In both the video and the song, both the musicians who are members of the group appear, as well as the national teams, including "Chicharito" Hernández, Miguel Layún, Andrés Guardado, Héctor Herrera and Oribe Peralta. The commentators Cristian Martinoli (who also participates in the song), Luis García, Tania Rincón, Jorge Campos, David Medrano, Inés Sainz, Luis Roberto Alves "Zague", Carlos Guerrero, Antonio Rosique, among others also appear., as well as comedians Freddy and Germán Ortega, the "Mascabrothers", as well as Facundo and El Capi Pérez. The band was invited to several television programs, such as La Resolana and Los Protagonistas, as well as a concert from Russia that was broadcast on Azteca 7 on Friday, June 22 at 8:30 p.m. m., censored, since it was broadcast on Open TV and other concerts were broadcast.

MTV Unplugged: The Unplugged

On Thursday, April 12, 2018, Molotov recorded an acoustic recital broadcast on the MTV Latin America television network. This was released on August 24, 2018 under the name MTV Unplugged: El Desconecte, the band's second live album and eighth album. From this album, some singles were released, such as "Gimme The Power", "Frijolero" and the unpublished "Dreamers".

The album is characterized by the variety of acoustic musical instruments for the execution of the songs. Likewise, there is an interaction of varied rhythms. Band members switch instruments throughout the set, including Randy Ebright's beatboxing for some of the album's songs. In this album, the participation of Anita Tijoux and Djordje Stijepovic is included.

Irrepeatable Show: With All Respect

On Sunday, August 23, 2020, Molotov plays in this unique and original concert, most of his songs from his studio album: With all due respect, as well as several songs that had not been played for years. It was paid, without an audience since at that time, concerts with people were not allowed, since actions and measures like this had to be carried out to avoid contagion of COVID-19, a pandemic, it is also characterized that this concert is no longer going away to repeat.

Although songs were missing, such as Mi Agüela, Dadada, Me Vale Vergara, among others, this concert was accepted by the fans, it was broadcast over the internet and lasted approximately 95 minutes (1 hour and 35 minutes).

Remove The Trap

Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. m. (CDMX time), the single "Quiten el Trap" recorded on August 19, which is presented as an acid and satirical criticism of the popular genres of the last decade from 2010 to 2022, such as Reggaeton, Latin Trap and other genres that are also indirectly mentioned as Narcocorridos, Rock from Mexico and some genres associated with the Regional Mexican, such as Música Norteña and others. This is why these genres are totally popular among the young population between 18 and 35 years old, and that in the daily events they are listened to by people of all Latin American social strata.

Finally, the video had divided reactions on social networks, on the one hand there are those who support the position of MOLOTOV's song, since it is thought that it is a decline of the Latin American music scene that has left the genre criticized in the song and on the other, there are those who do not support this position because they label people as "chavorrucos" or that the time of said generations has already ended. The same reactions have also triggered memes and various criticisms.

The actor Alfredo Adame also showed his position against the song as such.

During a performance during the Renace Festival, they got into an altercation with the Chilean band Los Miserables.

Just d'lira

Members

• Ismael Fuentes de Garay - (1995-present)
• Micky Huidobro - (1995-present)
• Paco Ayala - (1996-present)
• Randy Ebright - (1996-present)

Former Members

• Jay de la Cueva - (1995-1996)
• Ivan Jared Moreno «La Quesadillera» - (1995)

Support members at concerts

• Francisco Huidobro - (1997–2000) (2004–2006) (2010-present)
• Gerardo Rodríguez - (1997–2000)
• Gustavo Santaolalla - (1995–1997)

Timeline

Discography

Studio Albums

• 1997: Where will the girls play?
• 1999: Apocalypshit
• 2003: Dance and dense denso
• 2004: With all respect
• 2007: Eternal
• 2014: Bloody water
• 2023: Only D’Lira

Live Albums

• 2012: From Russia with love
• 2018: MTV Unplugged: The Desconecte
• 2019: Where will the Girls play? (From The Palace of Sports)
• 2024: Disco No Name Of The Sun Forum

Remix Albums

• 1998: Molomix

Simple

• 1999: The World
• 2003: Beaniero
• 2014: Atimo Crime
• 2015: I smelled and smelled and smelled the UHU
• 2017 Arre Caesar
• 2017 Parasite (Re-Edit)
• 2022: We don't forget.
• 2022: Remove the Trap
• 2023: H2H

Collaborations and appearances on other albums

• 1997: Tribute to Queen With the song "Rap Soda and Bohemia"
• 1998: A Tribute (to Joseph) With the song "Payaso"
• 1999: Tribute to Sandro With the song "My Friend the Puma"
• 1999: All power (Sound Bank) With the song "La Tira"
• 2001: And your mom, too. Together with Dub Pistols In the song "Here Comes The Mayo"
• 2001: Atletic San Pancho (Sound Bank) With the song "Just Want Meter My Gol" And "Suspenso"
• 2001: The Greatest Tribute to the North Tigers With the song "Ya Te Velé"
• 2004: A Day Without Mexicans (Soundtrack) With the song "Frijolero"
• 2006: Girls of Porra With the song "Me Vale Vergara"
• 2009: Naco is Chido - The True History of Botellita de Jerez (Sound Bank) With the song "The addict"
• 2012: Rampart (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) With the song "Pasito"
• 2012: El Santos vs. La Tetona Mendoza (Sonora Bank) With the song "Rastaman Dita". And almost all the background music was made by Tito Fuentes along with Camilo Froideval
• 2012: Chances (album) Album De Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas In the song "Madafaka"
• 2017: Parasite (Re-Edit) With Astros De Mendoza
• 2018: Cesar (TV) (Soundtrack) With the song "Arre Caesar"

Compilations and Special Editions

• 1997: Where to Play Las Ninas (Japanese Version) (Includes 3 Bonus Track)
• 1998: Molomix (Vinyl) (Includes 1 Track bonus Called "Molotovisms" And does not include "The Star Carnal" or "Rap Soda Y Bohemia")
• 1999: Apocalypshit (Japanese Version) (Includes 2 Bonus Track)
• 2004: With all respect (2004)
• 2005: With all due respect "Restricted Edition, CD+DVD"
• 2007: Where girls will play 10th Anniversary (2007)
• 2017: 2 in 1 (2017)
• 2018: Where will the Girls play? (Vinyl)
• 2023: Only D’Lira (Deluxe)

Bootlegs (unofficial)

• 2000: Molochete - Control Machete

Music tours

• 1997-1998: Tour Where to Play Girls
• 1999-2002: Apocalypshit Tour
• 2003-2004: Dance and Dense Denso Tour
• 2004-2007: With All Respect World Tour
• 2007-2014: Eternal Tour+Other shows
• 2014-2020: Water Re-damn Tour + Other concerts (El Desconectour 2018-2020)
• 2021-2023: EstallaMolotov
• 2023: Tour solo

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

MTV Video Music Awards Latin America