Monte Negro
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Monte Negro

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE
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"Los “Cosmic Twins” de Monte Negro"

Con un estilo más obscuro y un sonido más ecléctico, la banda angelina Montenegro nos entrega su más reciente material, “Cosmic Twins.”




Kinski Gallo, vocalista de Montenegro nos platicó un poco más acerca de esta nueva producción. “La verdad, en este nuevo trabajo de Montenegro quisimos experimentar con otros ritmos, algo que fuera totalmente diferente a nuestros dos discos anteriores, sin dejar de lado nuestro estilo, como sabrás, somos una banda multiracial, mi hermano Rodax y yo que somos mexicanos y Jason Li-Shing que tiene raíces chinas y japonesas y es precisamente eso lo que queremos reflejar en este nuevo trabajo, donde encontrarán canciones tanto en inglés como en español.”

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre este Cd y los otros dos anteriores? - “Que este es más obscuro y tratamos de ser mas eclécticos en cuanto a nuestro estilo, no queremos ponernos la etiqueta de rockeros o que sólo hacemos rock porque precisamente queremos experimentar con géneros diversos, además que este es un Cd “eco friendly” pues no se usó plástico para hacer la cubierta del Cd, está hecho todo de papel. Háblanos del sencillo “como quisiera” “Bueno el sencillo como quisiera, es más que nada una rola homenaje a nuestras influencias musicales, de hecho si escuchas la rola suena muy a Caifanes, Soda Estéreo ó The Cure, ese estilo electrónico pero a la misma vez obscuro, y esa es la línea que seguimos no solo en el sencillo sino en todo el disco en general.

¿Vendrán a Chicago de gira a promocionar su disco? “Por supuesto, Chicago es una de esas ciudades a las que siempre debes de ir de gira, de hecho ya habíamos estado por allá el año pasado abriendo para Zoe, además allá en Chicago sabemos que hay un movimiento muy fuerte de rock y siempre que vamos nos tratan de lo mejor, así que en cuanto se abra una fecha estaremos visitándolos, ya hay unas fechas programadas para comenzar en Estados Unidos y Puerto Rico, pero estamos en espera que nos confirmen fecha para ir a Chicago.” Si quiers disfrutar del nuevo material de Montenegro, “ Cosmic Twins” ya lo puedes hacer en iTunes o puedes ver el video de su sencillo “como quisiera” a través de youtube. - Teleguia


"CD Review: Monte Negro - Cosmic Twins 1.5.11"

Music: CD Reviews
Monte Negro: Cosmic Twins
(Feed the Hungry Records)
By Marvin Vasquez

Immediately after listening to the first song of Monte Negro’s new album, Cosmic Twins, I realized that this band is full of genuine rock. Their alternative rock beats, especially on “Como Quisiera (Pulsar),” bring to mind of a combination of the Smashing Pumpkins and Mexican rock band Jaguares – both classy rock groups.

Monte Negro offers their CD in a combination of English and Spanish. And this is a plus because Cosmic Twins targets a variety of markets.

Composed of Kinski Gallo (vocals), Rodax (bass), Jason Li-Shing (guitar) and El Pipe (drums), Monte Negro is a Los Angeles-based group formulating sounds that have never been heard before. Kinski’s distinctive voice, particularly in the spectacular lyrics of “Faux Power (Unas Por Otras),” gives the quartet an edge in distinguishing themselves above other groups in the industry.

Another tune that captured my attention is “Borrowed Time (Sonando Magueyes)” because it is kind of a mellow, yet upbeat romantic track. Filled with 14 rock songs, Cosmic Twins is a must-grab.

Grade: A-



Cosmic Twins is currently available.
Article posted on 1/5/2011 - Campus Circle


"The Lowdown 1.13.2011"

Monte Negro, Velorio, Los Hollywood at Fishlips, 1517 18th Street, 9 p.m., Friday, January 14th, $10, 661-324-2557. Los Angeles-based Latin alternative rockers, Monte Negro (pictured above left,) are coming to Bako to celebrate the release of the brand-new CD, "Cosmic Twins." They performed at both Narducci's and our annual Rockin' Roots festival, so you must applaud them for braving the trek over the frosty grapevine. Also visiting from LA is the Gwen Stefani-ish pop-Latino sounds of Los Hollywood. Opening the show is the fantastico, Velorio (pictured above right,) familiar to readers of The Lowdown. Combine their cumbia-tastico rock flavors and you should have shaking booties flying across the Fishlips dancefloor. Highly recommended! - Bakotopia


"Monte Negro"

Friday, February 08, 2008

TONIGHT IN LOS ANGELES: MONTE NEGRO @ EL CID

The band I can't stop talking about, MONTE NEGRO, plays tonight at El Cid on Sunset. This is a band you must see live to believe, and I can tell you that a band like this won't be playing a place this small for very much longer.

Labels: Monte Negro

posted by Future Sounds at 8:07 AM - Larry Little - Future Sounds


"New music video: "Como Quisiera (Pulsar)" by Monte Negro"

Sunday, December 5, 2010
New music video: "Como Quisiera (Pulsar)" by Monte Negro

Monte Negro is one of my all time favorite bands, Latin and non.Their sound is completely original but comfortably familiar. They are indie, but edgier. Even better, they are Latino. Well, Jason (guitar) is Japanese but that makes the group's make up even cooler. He's also one of the best guitarists I've seen. Monte Negro are semi-big in the Latin Alternative world and are certainly ready to blow up in the mainstream indie world. Take notice folks. Watch this new video from their latest album, Cosmic Twins. - Ian's Music Blog - Ian Morales


"Monte Negro Releases Double Album: Cosmic Twins"

Cosmic Twins is Now Available on iTunes

ALBUM PREVIEW

Monte Negro has just released their latest production, Cosmic Twins, a double album that showcases a totally new sound from the California rockeros and marks their newest reinvention.

No longer blending the likes of reggae and cumbia rhythms as in previous work, Monte Negro now invites fans to embark on a spiritual journey with sounds deriving from various influences of new wave and alternative rock reminiscent of legendary bands like Janes Addiction and The Smashing Pumpkins.

“On this record we didn’t want to repeat ourselves” says lead vocalist and primary songwriter, Kinski Gallo, “It was also very important to us that we write something relevant to our time”.

Cosmic Twins represents something very special to Monte Negro since the entire concept of the album represents our inner duality, in essence our own ying and yang as we experience life.

This production also marks their evolution as artists. In this album they decided to do things in a non conventional manner, taking advantage of being an indie band and drifted away from the pressures of major labels.

“Nowadays you rarely see double albums since major labels expect concepts like these to flop”, explained Kinksi, “But the funny thing is that I’ve actually sold more copies with Cosmic Twins than before”.

This time around Monte Negro wanted to offer something special to their fans by offering something much more personal than a digital download. The days when young music aficionados opened records and actually held vinyl for the most part are over.

“We wanted to keep that essence of music going” says Kinksi in regards to giving fans something tangible, a non-conventionally packaged record that uses no plastic. I guess Cosmic Twins also represents Monte Negro’s call on going Green!

Although this album does represent a change for the band, Monte Negro does keep true to their philosophy of writing songs that are truly poetic and carry lyrical substance.

“We want songs with a true essence, songs that actually make people think when they listen to them” says Kinksi.

and indeed they do…

Album Picks – Songs to Check Out
Nada (Entre Sales y Soles)
Que Esta Pasando (Rogue Planet)
The Longest Day (Tidal) - Latin Media Gurus


"Monte Negro @ Al Borde"

Written by Hilda Gabriela
Thursday, 02 December 2010 12:11

Monte Negro is Jubilating Twins. Cosmic Ones To Be Exact.

Monte Negro: Cosmic Twins. According to Kinski Gallo, lead singer to Monte Negro, 2009 was the worst year for them. It was during that year that the angeleno band cut strings with Sony, were trying to keep their heads glued on through what seemed to them like a musical meltdown, and were digging deep into their pockets for a sign of hope.

Their debut album, Cicatrix, had placed the quartet on the Latin alternative music scene in 2008, with singles like “Arde el corazón (Triangled Love), “Give me love”, “Me duele no estar junto a ti”, and “Pena Colectiva” carrying the melodic rock album. Their Fugitives of Pleasure/Pasajeros EP which was released mid 2009, was toured throughout the Mexican region with a cover of the Cuban classic, “La negra Tomasa”, as an EP highlight. But still, the deep-digging of pockets continued. To add, Monte Negro was faced with another unpredictable: a sudden lineup change. Their drummer, Xavier Lopez, left the band midst their second album recording, leaving Kinski, bassist Rodax Gallo, and guitarist Jason Li Shing to welcome drummer “El Pipe” for the remaining part of the production and as fourth member of the group.

Available via iTunes as of this past Tuesday, their latest work- a double-sided and cleverly titled Cosmic Twins album- is, according to Kinski, documentation of their times of treading water and demonstrates the evolution of a band that has lived and meditated on the road they've traveled. He talks to us about how that road-time in 2009 and months of searching for a "certain something" was a blessing in disguise that would ultimately lead them to a more mature and cosmic state of being.

Monte Negro: Cosmic Twins

The influences of the road:
It's been such a long process and we've worked so hard that it feels liberating to finally have the album reach our fans. When they hear Cosmic Twins they'll be able to notice that we didn't rush through it. It's a more relaxed and laid back album. If you listen to the track “Faux Power”, for example, even the way I'm singing it is different. It's almost as though you're a passenger in the back of a car and you let the song take you, just like we did when we were on the road.

When you go out and see different places like Chicago, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, that sort of stuff has an affect on you on a universal level that makes you see the world in a different light. It changes you. You're on the road for numerous hours with nothing but empty space all around you, and it's sort of like meditation. You can be on the road just staring out into space, letting yourself and your thoughts go, before you realize that five hours went by and you haven't said a word. It's mystical. And that's exactly what Cosmic Twins is: mystical. It's musica para volar, music to let yourself fly with.

Monte Negro: Cosmic Twins

The Twins
With Cicatrix (2008), we were in a stage of innocence because it was our first record. So we came into our new album, Cosmic Twins, knowing that people always say that second records suck, but I don't think they're either better or worse than the first. People can't compare things like that. Cosmic Twins is simply at a different stage than Cicatrix was, I wasn't trying to out stage it. I wanted to present something of the moment. I didn't want to repeat myself by doing another “Give Me Love” (Cicatrix 2008), “Lejos”(Cicatrix 2008), or “Arde el corazón”(Cicatrix 2008). With all the touring we did in the last year and all the time that passed between the two releases, we just had to do our next album in a different way.

We changed the way that we put songs together by creating beats first and then layering them with lyrics. So sonically, it's also a more complex album because it has lots of layers. “Que Esta Pasando” has a lot of loops, for example, and there are no ska elements to this one like there was with say, “Me duele no estar junto a ti” (Cicatrix 2008). I also sang the songs differently than I did on that album. In “Lost” for example, there's a tribute to Marvin Gaye in the way that I sing that song. Him and a lot of those dudes played with their voices and I wanted to do that as well, so you can hear the difference in singing in that song specifically.

Monte Negro: Cosmic TwinsIt's also a very vulnerable album. You can hear that exposure in “Perderte” which is a song that was supposed to be sung in duet with Ely Guerra. It's a very beautiful song about being scared of love but still jumping into it because you're wanting and needing that in your life. I really wanted her to sing it with me because it's one of those songs that are just meant to be sung by a male and female. I could have had anyone else sing it but that song was for her so I sang it thinking about her and her style.

Also, if you take any of the songs from Cosmic Twins and play them acoustically, they'll be reggae songs because that's how I write. But the difference here was that they were given a different voice and a different format. It has more of a Beastie Boys/Massive Attack feel to it, specially “Güero” and “Que esta pasando” which are more “street”. I wanted to add that element of more street culture without being overtly “homie” because I'm not gangster or anything like that, even though I am from the streets. I'm more like Bob Dylan with spoken word, and you hear that in our music.

And you know, I feel very proud of all the songs because they've proven that we can write good songs and that we're not just a hipster band. We're doing this with a lot of devotion and love, and we've proven to everybody that we are one of the best bands in Los Angeles. But that didn't come over night. We worked very hard and it was a long process that took a lot of dedication.


Monte Negro: Cosmic TwinsCosmic Twins in isolation
There's a certain way that people should listen to this album. This record was done to be heard through headphones because there are so many layers to it and different elements that can only be heard that way. Put Cosmic Twins on your player, put on your headphones, have some tea, chill out and listen to it. Or even go for a jog, or do something meditational. This album is like wine: you open it but you're not in a rush to take it. Let it sit and enjoy it. That's the way this album was influenced and that's the way that Cosmic Twins should be listened to.

--

Cosmic Twins Side A: Elevate
"Como Quisiera" (Pulsar)
"Faux Power" (Unas Por Otras)
"Güero" (The Underdog)
"Sonambu-Loss Parale-Loss" (Brixa Negra)
"Borrowed Time" (Soñando Magueyes)
"Lost" (Orphan Planet)

Cosmic Twins Side B: The Longest Day
“The Longest Day" (Tidal)
“I Might" (Outer-Space Hookers)
“Sunburst" (In Nebulae)
“Que Está Pasando" (Rogue Planet)
“Nada (Entre Sales Y Soles)
“Perderte" (Sonámbulos Sin Sueño)

myspace.com/montenegrorocks - Al Borde


"Monte Negro - Ritmos Multiculturales"

Música: Las influencias de música hispana y rock clásico se ven reflejadas en los temas del grupo Monte Negro.

Por GABRIELA GONZÁLEZ
Especial Para La Prensa

Con raíces musicales muy hispanas y una mezcla de ritmos asiáticos, el grupo de rock alternativo nativo de la ciudad de Los Angeles, Monte Negro, está de fiesta.

Su alegría se debe a que la banda compuesta por cuatro músicos estrenó el 30 de noviembre su segundo material: "COSMIC TWINS", producido en Los Angeles.

El disco ya está a la venta en Estados Unidos y América Latina.

Monte Negro es una banda de rock alternativo y multicultural de L.A.

"Es tremendo, se siente muy bien tener otro disco. Este disco tiene otra latitud, tratamos de no repetir lo que hacemos en el disco anterior. Es un poco peligroso pero el reto es mucho más grande", dijo en entrevista telefónica Kinski, el vocalista del grupo.

El grupo de rock alternativo bilingüe cuenta ya con ocho años como agrupación, pero aseguran que los últimos dos años han sido los más prolíficos de su carrera musical, ya que en el 2009 estrenaron "Fugitives of Pleasure / Pasajeros EP".

Joaquín Rodríguez, conocido por su nombre artístico como Kinski Gallo, es también el compositor de la mayoría de los temas del nuevo disco.

El grupo se define por su fusión de música electrónica y rock alternativo, sin dejar de utilizar ritmos tradicionales del rock clásico, explicó Kinski. Algunas de las influencias musicales del grupo han sido Bob Dylan, así como rock argentino, mexicano y hasta otros géneros como la salsa y el mariachi.

La producción discográfica va más allá del rock alternativo, a través de las canciones existen mensajes más profundos de sociopolítica, inmigración, temas fronterizos y multiculturalismo, explicó Kinski.
la historia continua abajo

Monte Negro, siendo una banda oriunda de la ciudad del multiculturalismo como Los Angeles, la mezcla de culturas e idiomas no podía quedar fuera.

"El multiculturalismo de poco en poco se ha ido impregnando en Estados Unidos, temas bilingües ya no es algo raro, lo hace uno sin cuestionarlo", dijo.

Kinski asegura que a pesar de concentrarse el 100 por ciento en el rock alternativo y electrónica, temas del compositor mexicano José Alfredo Jiménez y canciones rancheras siempre influenciarán el estilo del grupo.

Y es que Kinski, oriundo de Jalisco, México, proviene de una familia de músicos. Su padre era mariachi y su abuela materna también cantaba.

"Mi papá cantaba mariachi y eso te nutre. Siempre estoy cantando rancheras en casa, es como un tatuaje en tu corazón y en tu mente".

El disco bilingüe consiste de 14 temas" "Cómo quisiera" (Pulsar), "Faux Power" (Unas por otras), "Güero" (The Underdog), "Sonambu-Loss Parale-Loss" (Brixa Negra), "Borrowed Time" (Sonando Magueyes), "Lost" (Orphan Planet), "The Longest Day" (Tidal), "I Might (Outer-Space Hookers), "Sunburst" (In Nebulae), "Qué está pasando" (Rogue Planet), "Nada" (Entre sales y soles) y "Perderte" (Sonámbulos sin sueños).

Monte Negro está integrado por Jason Li-Shing (guitarrista), Rodax (bajo) y El Pipe (baterista), además de Kinski.
- La Prensa de Riverside


"Monte Negro Vuelve a La Carga"

Tienen una larga carrera por los escenarios de la escena alternativa en español de la ciudad de Los Ángeles, ciudad que los ha arropado desde su llegada por este país. Son Kinsky Gallo, vocalista de Monte Negro, y su hermano Rodax, bajista. Ambos nacieron en México pero llegaron aquí a una corta edad y saben muy bien lo difícil que es mantenerse juntos como grupo y activos en una ciudad que ve ir y venir grupos de todo tipo de tendencias y ritmos.

Kinsky habló con Excélsior acerca de su nueva placa, “Cosmic Twins”, que ya está a la venta en iTunes y pronto estará disponible físicamente.

¿De dónde sale el nombre y quién produjo el disco?

El nombre salió de un libro de los mayas que un día leíamos mi hermano Rodax y yo, el Popol Vuh, que era como su Biblia. De ahí la energía mas cañona eran los gemelos cósmicos. Nosotros queríamos hacer un disco doble desde hace tiempo y “Cosmic Twins" es lo que es. El lado A es: “Elévate” y el lado B es: “The Longest Day”. Entonces queríamos hacer algo por un lado con luz y por el otro lado más oscuro, más pesado, algo así como el yin y el yang. Y lo produjo el mismo productor del disco pasado y el cual ya es como otro miembro más de la banda. Se llama Tone Def (ha trabajado con Green Day y Santana entre otros).

¿Quién compone y de dónde salen las letras para las “rolas”?

Yo compongo y las letras salen de todos lados, de experiencias, de la lectura, me gusta leer mucho de todo, literatura, periódicos, Internet, revistas y de la vida misma. El disco trata de eso, de libertad, de andar por la vida en paracaídas como dicen a veces, ¿no?

¿Es la canción “Güero” autobiográfica?

(Risas) Esta "rola" la compuse al final. Ya habíamos terminado el disco y era como un proyecto que quería hacer yo solo y así me iba a llamar “Güero”. Esto es debido a que de chico así me llamaban. Yo (aclaro) no soy güero, aunque sí era de tez blanca, pero para todo: “güero pacá y güero pallá”. Y luego llego acá y sigo siendo güero con acento mexicano. Habla un poco del año que nací en México y 10 años después ya estaba en California y cómo algunos me llamaban güero y otros “wetback”, algo así.

Van a seguir el camino de la independencia parece…

Sí, definitivamente no hay de otra compadre. Tenemos nuestra propia compañía y hacemos todo como cualquier otra disquera. Lo que pasa es que ya no tenemos que entregarles el 90 por ciento, así es como uno termina sobreviviendo, porque si no está cañón, si ya no se venden los discos, ¿de dónde te van a pagar las disqueras? Para mí eso es un dinosaurio ya, lo de Sony fue experiencias buenas y malas, pero al final aprendimos que lo podemos hacer nosotros mismos y pensar un poco como que afuera de la cajita.

El resto de la banda la componen Jasón Li-Shing, guitarrista; y “El Pipe”, batería.

Visita su página oficial www.montenegrorocks.com para más información.

Monte Negro presenta su nuevo disco, 'Cosmic Twins'. (Foto de Cortesía)
- El Excélsior de O.C.


"Billboard Magazine"

When the band was formerly known as Madrepore last year:

the band makes Violent Femmes inflected alternative pop with "The Better Part of Me" and injects a heavy dose of latin alternative with songs such as "Me Duele" and the sublime influenced "Give Me Love (No Llores)". Their new record will be released in 2007. - VNU


"Houston Chronicle Feature"

Monte Negro and its soul scars
This band from Los Angeles comes to Houston to present their first album, Cicatrix, in which there is a fusion of diverse genres from punk to reggae.
David Dorantes [La Vibra de Houston] Copyright 2008 La Vibra
Aug. 14, 2008, 10:24AM
HOUSTON.— Monte Negro is a band from Los Angeles that will present the best of that multicultural and diverse city. Three of its members are of Mexican origin, the other one is Chinese-Japanese. That is why they say that it is natural that their music is a fusion but having rock as the base holding everything else.
The Californian quartet is happy because after several years of playing in the L.A. underground circuits, they finally recorded their first album, Cicatrix, for a multinational company, Epic Records, with lyrics in English and Spanish.
Loyal to its style, the album is a fusion between punk, reggae and funk, but seasoned with loud guitars and drums, like in the songs Me duele no estar junto a ti y Give Me Love, a sharp spear on the radio.
That record is their ticket to travel, since for the first time as part of a national tour, they come to Houston on August 19 to share the stage with the American bands Astra Heights and The May Fire.
Kinski Gallo, of Mexican origin, is Monte Negro’s vocalist, while he talks on the phone, you can hear the sound of the wind, palms and waves on the shore of some beach.
“My music is a chaotic rhythm (...) and that is why I decided to live in Santa Monica (California) to have some peace and quiet in front of the ocean. To have some balance, you know?” said the musician, in a placid tone, before starting to tell the story of how Monte Negro began while he took long sips of coffee.
The band was formed after other bands split. Ánima was the first, 12 years ago. Kinski and his brother Rodax Gallo, bass, were part of it.
Then came Madre Pore, a band that included guitarist Jason Li Shing, a young man from Los Angeles from Chinese and Japanese parents, and whom they had seen perform at a high-school talent show. That band split too.
The brothers Gallo and Li Shing decided to start again in 2003 and invited the Mexican-American drummer Xavier López.
“From the first couple of rehearsals we felt there was something that could work (...); we decided to do bilingual lyrics because it was natural to us. We used to be square, but then we freed ourselves and started putting everything we have: cumbia, norteña, reggae”, said Gallo.
According to the vocalist the name Monte Negro “just sounded cool. I chose the names for the other bands but my brother Rodax picked this name, without much thought, we liked it and it stuck. It has many meanings, the organic part of a hill, and a super hero Monte Negro!” explains the singer excited.
When Monte Negro was finally ready, they started playing in the rock circuit in their city. Until in 2007 they produced a self-released record that landed in the hands of an executive from Epic who offered them to release the same record under that label.
“We are the only eclectic musicians with rock.roots (...) I think we are world beat I want to keep making music without having to define it, or sticking to a language”, explained Gallo while the birds sang far away.
When Gallo talks about music it is hard to stop him. Monte Negro is influenced by the Mexican band of música norteña Los Tigres del Norte, the funk-punk Americans Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Cuban salsa singer Celia Cruz, The jazz trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie and the French fusion artist Manu Chao, among others.
“When making music it is necessary to have a global vision, more universal. The world is too small to be in little boxes and say: ‘I only do rock’. We try to do universal music”, said the artist.
Gallo says that the world of rock is often seen as sacred, when according to him it can be ambiguous and without substance because of the rockers than create stereotypes about themselves by talking about women, parties, and drugs.
“I entered rock to express my insecurities, hates, everything that I have inside of me. I think that rock is seen as a caricature. If you do not smoke marihuana or do cocaine you are not a musician... But all that is destructive. As a group, our only goal is to make music that transcends”, said the sincere vocalist.
Even though the name Monte Negro came up easily, the name of the album, Cicatrix came up after much consideration.
“Cicatrix is a medical term, and it can be understood in English and Spanish. A scar is something very powerful. In life, each love and each experience becomes a scar in your soul and in your body. It is like a metaphor about learning and the record, each song is a scar in our lives”, said the artist in a poetic tone.
The lyrics of the 13 songs of Cicatrix, explains Gallo, are built from memories, that according to the musician, are another type of emotional scars. His philosophy is: “If you have not lived it, you cannot talk about it”.
“All the lyrics are about love. It is the clear universal feeling, but we made it in an existential way. For example, the song Pena colectiva asks questions about the fear of dying (...) and the love for life”, said Gallo.
Thanks to the scars of their songs, Monte Negro faces for the first time in their career a two-month national tour.
“Imagine two months on the road! It is like going from town to town transmitting a story. Music is like a spiritual guide and I am happy that my music guides other young people”, said the singer accompanied by the sound of the wind and the waves from the Santa Monica beaches.

- Houston Chronicle/La Vibra


"Album Press Release"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTE NEGRO

TO RELEASE NEW BILINGUAL ALBUM, ‘CICATRIX’ ON AUGUST 21st

THROUGH NEW DEAL WITH ADRENALINE MUSIC GROUP

Three Videos “Me Duele No Estar Junto A Ti”, Give Me Love (No Llores),
And “The Part of Me (You’ve Thrown Away)” Ready For Play

Los Angeles, CA, May 7, 2007 -- Los Angeles-based bilingual rock band, MONTE NEGRO, are set to release their new album, CICATRIX, through Feed The Hungry Records/Adrenaline Music Group on August 22.

After months of hard work in the studio with producer, Tone (Green Day, Carlos Santana), the final product captures 13 exquisite tracks that explore the beauty of two languages, English and Spanish. The album takes the listener through a multicultural journey exploring refreshing melodies and soulful rhythms while exposing distinct undertones and layers to make CICATRIX eclectic and bohemian, American yet worldly.

“Cicatrix is our band’s magnum opus, an accumulation of all the hard work, maturation, passion,
and disappointments that we’ve shared during our eight years of musical pursuit,” says guitarist Jason Li Shing. “We are thrilled about the imminent release of this record and the opportunity to share our music with listeners on an international level.”

MONTE NEGRO consists of vocalist, KINSKI GALLO, guitarist and back up vocalist, JASON LI SHING, bassist RODAX and drummer, JAVIER LOPEZ. The band formed in 2003 under the name, Madrepore. They’ve opened for Latin rockers Molotov, Zoe, Tus Muertos, Ozomatli and Café Tacuba.

Monte Negro is already making headway on radio with the debut of “Give Me Love (No Llores)” on
Los Angeles alternative rock station, 106.7 KROQ.

“As an L.A. band, one of the most flattering responses one can have to an album is to be played on local radio, KROQ,” says Gallo. “These last months have been extremely rewarding due to the myriad of positive responses we have received from new fans, promoters and MySpace, and we hope the momentum continues.”

Three videos are ready for play, “Me Duele No Estar Junto A Ti”, “Give Me Love (No Llores)” and “The Part of Me (You’ve Thrown Away)” giving fans a couple different textures of the band.
All videos will be distributed to TV and online sites beginning June 1.

www.montenegrorocks.com
www.myspace.com/montenegrorocks
- KelleeMack PR


"MTV Tr3s National Tour PR"

MTV TR3́S GIVES MONTE NEGRO FIRST NATIONAL MULTIPLATFORM PUSH

Newly-Signed Bilingual Alternative Rock Band Selected as
“Descubre & Download” Artist

Exclusive Free Download of “Me Duele No Estar Junto A Ti” Starting January 21st

New York, NY, January 17, 2008 --- MTV Tr3́s (http://www.mtvtr3s.com/) has uncovered yet another emerging band that reflects the bilingual, bicultural reality of its young Latino audience, Monte Negro, as its latest “Descubre & Download” artist, it was announced today. Led by Mexican American brothers Kinski and Rodax, the vocalist and bass player, Monte Negro’s melodic rock tunes will get aggressive on-air exposure, interactive online elements, wireless content and VOD distribution and other off-air promotional and marketing elements designed to reach today’s multitasking music fan for a six-week period starting January 21st. Since launching in 2007, MTV Tr3́s “Descubre & Download” has been instrumental in furthering the budding careers of artists like as Jesse & Joy, Kat de Luna, Gustavo Laureano and Down AKA Kilo.

“Monte Negro has a completely original yet catchy sound and their strong visual style is sure to grab the attention of our audience,” said Jesus Lara, Senior Vice President, Music and Talent for MTV Tr3́s and MTV/VH1 Latin America. “MTV Tr3́s is proud to be the first media outlet to give Monte Negro a national platform for their first, bilingual EP, Who Told You?”

Monte Negro’s Kinski adds "It's a great pleasure and honor to be selected for MTV Tr3́s ‘Descubre and Download.’ It gives people a chance to check out our music without committing to it until they get to see what we are all about. It's quite ground breaking that a bilingual band in the USA gets to be featured as a main artist on a channel like this. Gracias a MTV Tr3́s. Namaste."

Music fans eager to discover Monte Negro can download a free copy of the band’s single “Me Duele No Estar Junto a Ti” (It Hurts Not to be With You) on the dedicated Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” artist page on MTVTr3s.com, which will also include the band’s story, a photo gallery, and vignettes and blog space. A free download of Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” wallpaper will also be available at MTVTr3s.com.

Fans who want their music on the go will have access to Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” branded artist video and vignettes on MTV Tr3́s Mobile distribution partners.

MTV Tr3́s Radio will also feature Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” news pieces and exclusive interviews, MTV Tr3́s cable affiliates will feature Monte Negro vignettes and videos on VOD, and MTV Tr3́s retail partners will carry in-store Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” signage and promotional material.

An eight-venue tour is also part of the Monte Negro “Descubre & Download” promotional push:

01/26 Westchester Bar Los Angeles, CA
01/30 Knitting Factory Hollywood, CA
02/08 El Cid Silverlake, CA
02/16 Slim’s San Francisco, CA
02/22 MO State University Springfield, MO
02/29 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX (Austin)
03/08 Temple Bar Santa Monica, CA
03/12 SXSW/Continental Club Austin, TX

Monte Negro was signed to Epic Records this week.

MTV Tr3́s is in 6.2 million Hispanic TV households and 31.9 million total TV households, making it the most-widely distributed TV network dedicated to superserving today’s bicultural Latino youth. MTV Tr3́s programming is rooted in the fusion of American and Latino music, cultures, lifestyles and languages. Music programming is at the core of MTV Tr3́s and the channel features hitmakers, emerging artists and new sounds that resonate with young U.S. Latinos. In addition to music programming, the MTV Tr3́s programming slate also features lifestyle series, news, documentaries and other long-form programs that celebrate US Latino hybrid identity and culture.


# # #
CONTACTS:

Emma Carrasco Melissa Barreto
MTV Tr3́s MTV
305-751-7171 212-846-7226
ejcarrasco@yahoo.com Melissa.Barreto@mtvstaff.com


For Monte Negro:
Sarah Joyce
SonyBMG
212-833-4548
Sarah.Joyce@sonybmg.com
- MTV Tr3s


"Monte Negro Wins Red Bull Soundclash"

MONTE NEGRO EDGES OUT ALLISON AT RED BULL SOUND CLASH EN ESPANOL U.S. DEBUT

Unique, Interactive Experience Featured Two Diverse, Well Known Rock en Espanol
Bands in “Musical Conversation” Performance

Los Angeles, CA (September 19, 2008) — Last night at Leonardo’s in Los Angeles, Rock en Espanol band Monte Negro took home the Red Bull Sound Clash en Espanol trophy, narrowly beating fellow band Allison. While the event may have ended with a trophy being presented, the nearly 900 highly enthusiastic fans in attendance weren’t interested in who won or lost, but were there just to take part in the interactive and innovative musical performance. As host Amandititita conducted the “musical conversation” between the two bands, Monte Negro and Allison performed various musical tasks, both rehearsed and improvised, showcasing their musical abilities and keeping the fans screaming for more. Each round was judged by the audience, who picked their favorite through thunderous applause.

The evening’s events and scoring occurred as follows:

Round 1 – The Cover
In this round both bands had to play their own versions of the same cover song
Winner: Allison
Points: 1 points

Round 2 – The Takeover
In this round Monte Negro begin playing one of their original songs, and then Allison would have to finish the song in their own style. The two bands would then do the same thing with one of Allison’s songs.
Winner: Allison
Points: 2 point

Round 3 – The Clash
In this round the two bands had to perform multiple songs in different musical styles, such as reggae, 70’s pop and traditional Mexican folk.
Winner: Monte Negro
Points: 3 points

Round 4 – The Joker/Wildcard
This round featured a special guest that performed with each band. Monte Negro enlisted Los Angeles singer Gustavo Galindo and Allison called upon LostProphets drummer Ilan Rubin for their performance.
Winner: Monte Negro
Points: 1

TOTALS
Monte Negro: 4 points
Allison: 3 points

As a final treat, the two bands merged as one and performed the aptly-titled Rage Against the Machine song “Bulls on Parade.”

The event marked the U.S. debut for Red Bull Sound Clash, which was started in 2004 and has been an international success, with multiple performances in Japan, Russia, Hungary and the Netherlands. Subsequent events are planned nationally in Los Angeles, Seattle and Boston and internationally in Belgium, Poland and New Zealand.

About Red Bull Sound Clash
Red Bull Sound Clash is a totally unique clash of sounds, styles and creativity, where two bands don’t battle each other, but instead collaborate to create an innovative live music performance. The Red Bull Soundclash experience features two bands with different music styles (e.g. Rock vs. Ska) facing off on two stages positioned on opposite ends of the venue with the audience in the middle. In a series of four rounds, the bands perform various tasks, some rehearsed, and some improvised, to showcase the array of their musical abilities. The audience participates in the back-and-forth exploration between the bands by judging each round. For more information, check out www.redbullsoundclash.com

About Amandititita
Hailing from Mexico City, Amandititita will bring her irreverent and unstoppable personality to her role as host of the Red Bull Sound Clash event. The self-proclaimed “Queen of Anarcumbia” recently released her Sony BMG debut album, where she fulfills her promise of bringing poetry to Pop.

About Monte Negro
Los Angeles based Monte Negro’s music is like the city itself, filled with influences that are both Latin and American - the rock en espanol of Caifanes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Mana Negra mixed with traditional Mexican and Cumbia elements – along with grinding guitars, anthemic rock and sultry reggae reminiscent of U2, Jane’s Addiction, Bob Marley and Smashing Pumpkins. Monte Negro, like so many first generation Americans of Latino descent, is bilingual and casually glides between Spanish and English in many of its songs, representing a generation that is attuned to a looser, richer, more instinctive cultural mix. Signed to Epic Records mainstream rock roster, Monte Negro could well be the band that builds bridges between both worlds into a multicultural space for music that is entirely new and thrilling.

About Allison
The Mexico City based, platinum-selling artists Allison just released their second album, “Memorama” which continues their distinctive power pop sound of aggressive guitars, melodic hooks and shades of punk. Allison’s successful US touring includes the Vans Warped Tour, Antidoto 07, Austin’s South by Southwest, LAMC and a packed schedule of US dates this summer.


CONTACT: Kimberly Jones/Antidote Entertainment
310-213-5759 antidotentertainment@mac.com

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- Red Bull Energy Drink


"Latin News Briefs: Monte Negro"

-Bilingual rock act Monte Negro, who have parted ways with Epic, are
preparing to self-release their next EP “Fugitives of Pleasure and
Pasajeros” on July 28. The digital release will be accompanied by a physical run of 3,000 copies to be made available through the band’s Web site and sold directly to independent retail. In addition to 14 confirmed dates so far on a summer U.S. tour, the band will hit Mexico in October for dates sponsored by Converse.

By Ayala Ben-Yehuda, L.A

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/genre/e3i920558b8dc829f04b7b4a963f033903a - Billboard.biz


Discography

Replica (To Be Released in 2012)
Cicatrix (2008)

Photos

Bio

Busy promoting the release of "Cosmic Twins," Monte Negro is ready to showcase a newer and more mature sound with arrangements resulting in inspiringly cerebral, textured, and adventurous songs. Comprised of Kinski Gallo on vocals, his brother Rodax on bass, Jason Li-Shing on guitar, and El Pipe on drums, Monte Negro has been a Los Angeles mainstay for the past eight years. With their unique take on new wave meets alternative rock, Monte Negro creates innovative sound in the vein of The Cure, Jane’s Addiction, and The Smashing Pumpkins.
This quartet crafts music that rises above labels and language. Because Monte Negro strongly ascribes to the idea that “the best music transcends the barriers of language and can be understood universally,” the bi-lingual band presents their songs in both English and Spanish, at times fluidly moving from one tongue to the other within the same song.
Recorded in Los Angeles, the group teamed up with producer Tone Def (Santana, Green Day) to develop a more sophisticated offering, while still maintaining the multi-cultural and diverse tone evident on both their 2008 debut Cicatrix (Epic) and their 2009 EP Fugitives Of Pleasure / Pasajeros EP (self-released).
Tracks like “Perderte (Sonambulos Sin Sueno)” exemplify Monte Negro’s sonic evolution, paying homage to their influences while layering uniquely intricate guitar arrangements over a carefully crafted bass line. “Guero (The Underdog),” is a deeply personal song that chronicles Kinski’s childhood journey from Mexico to California. It illustrates the struggles of arriving in a new land, and paints a clear picture of the dichotomy of the two cultures and their influences in his life. Along with its naked intimacy, “Guero” showcases Rodax’s impressive and unforgettable bass skills. The singles “The Longest Day” and “Nada” are hopeful yet unrelentingly stirring rockers, highlighting a combination of elegant vocals and furious guitar riffs.
Monte Negro’s passion comes to fruition in their highly energetic, enthralling, and seamlessly tight live shows. They have shared the stage with many impressive acts, including Café Tacuba, Zoe, and Enanitos Verdes. Full of swagger and legitimate rock prowess, Monte Negro superbly channels their skill, talent, and star-power into live performances with everything they’ve got. As lead singer, Kinski, puts it, “it’s where it begins and where it all ends.”