Ignacio Peña

By Christopher Breen

South By Southwest’s Jukebox Jury is over and the winner chosen. As previously reported, a panel comprised of five industry insiders—Alex Luke (Apple’s iTunes), Dan Dalton (artist management), Aaron Axelsen (program director for San Francisco’s Live 105 radio station), Michael Howe (A&R for Virgin records), and Jef Price (co-owner of SpinArts Records)—listened to two minute cuts of 10 records. Five of the recordings were the winners of as many demos listening sessions and five were chosen at random from the demos submitted to those sessions.

Alternating between a random track and a winning track, members of the panel and each audience member was allowed to rate each song with a Perception Analyzer—a small gray box featuring a red dial that tuned from 0 to 100. Audience members were told to choose a rating for each song they heard. Ratings were weighted evenly between the panel and the audience.

At the conclusion of each track, the panelists dialed in a rating and uploaded those rating to a central computer where the ratings were tabulated. The panelists then commented on each track. Audience ratings weren’t revealed until the end of the session.

When the last track was played, the four top songs were separated by only a point. When the audience ratings were figured into the final tally, the band listed fourth by the panel rocketed to the top of the charts. The song, "Only End Up Lonely" by Puerto Rican group ignaciopena, is a catchy pop-anthem that will be featured on iTunes’ home page on Tuesday. - Playlist Magazine www.playlistmag.com

Publicado el 01-20-2005

¿Ya sabes quienes son los personajes que lograron este año los BOOMbazos 2004? Parte III

Redacción ¡BOOM!
Mejor álbum Alternativo
Ignacio Peña“Anormal” (Everywhere Music/HearSay LTD)

Si hay que hablar de lo que se puede hacer en un “estudio casero”, los cuales en la actualidad abundan, tenemos que destacar el trabajo que este año lanzó al mercado el irreverente Ignacio Peña, quien sorprendió a quienes pensaban conocerlo, con un disco en donde la palabra rock esta escrita en letras mayúsculas. Ignacio es un rotundo ejemplo del buen rock que se esta haciendo en Puerto Rico, país que se había caracterizado por su música, pero no por el género de las guitarras y la batería. En “Anormal”, el habilidoso boricua se rodeó de mucho talento, tanto músicos, como los productores Iker Gastaminza y Tony Rijos.

El nuevo estado de animo de Ignacio se advirtió desde el primer corte Hey tú (Imbécil), canción que lo llenó de críticas y aplausos. Después de ese primer impacto, quedó claro que Ignacio tenia una nueva actitud ante la música. Canciones como el dúo junto a Gustavo Laureano Velocidad de escape y la que da titulo al disco, serán en un futuro, clásicos del rock de la isla. El CD tiene además cinco temas en inglés, entre los cuales podemos destacar las canciones Let Go y Only End Up Lonely. - Boom Magazine

By Ramiro Burr

Web Posted: 08/01/2004 12:00 AM CDT

Love is the answer to the social and political conflicts around the world, says Puerto Rican pop/rock guitarist Ignacio Peña.

"The world's problems seem like a big mountain of misplaced opportunities and values, which through the ages get worse and worse. Each new mistake is built on top of another one that has been handed down and given to us," Peña said.

"Unless we drastically change the way we deal with and value concepts like country, God, race, politics, family, religion, power, we will surely keep augmenting the problem and we'll leave our children with a greater mess. It takes a lot of faith to believe that humanity will be able to resolve these problems."

Peña's new CD is titled "Anormal," and on it he tackles war, personal relationships and the need for individual action.

"The final conclusion of this story (album songs) is that love is the answer," he said.

Peña's guitar-driven, pop-perky rock recalls elements of La Ley, Al Stewart and Bryan Adams. And his music is as much about the message as the groove.

The first track, "A Dios," starts with the famous 1961 inaugural address by President John F. Kennedy before launching into extended guitar and keyboard jams reminiscent of the prog-rock workouts by early Genesis.

"Donde Estabas?" cranks along with more traditional rock undercurrents as Peña sings about seeking a higher answer to earthly problems.

"'A Dios' is about when something does not work effectively, you contact the manufacturer and complain to them," Peña said. "So 'A Dios' is a customer service call to the manufacturer.

"'Donde Estabas?' is also directed at the manufacturer. Sometimes it feels like it's too late and too complicated for anything to be fixed at this moment. History is a log of every missed opportunity we've had to coexist effectively."

"Anormal," recorded last year, is a step beyond Peña's 2001 "Mundo Al Reves" for several reasons.

"'Al Reves' is a singer-songwriter album while 'Anormal' is a rock band trying to make sense of a lot of negative things all at once," Peña said. "Becoming a public figure has made me realize how twisted our perception of things is. I've always known it, but it's not the same when you're in the middle of it. Through what people say and talk about me publicly and the difference between that and reality, I've come to understand better what is not working when it comes to perceptions."

And while "Al Reves" was all in Spanish, "Anormal" includes five songs in English, which are being targeted to the mainstream radio market.

Also providing fuel for Peña's creativity were the events surrounding 9-11.

"I was halfway into writing the songs for the record when 9-11 happened. I was locked in my house recording demos and writing," he said. "I've never been a TV person and have actually gone years without watching any.

"After 9-11, I was glued to every news channel there is. I became a news junkie. The emotional shock of it all changed everything I was writing after the attacks. I started writing songs watching two wars, corporate and religious scandals, worldwide terrorism and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict."

The latter provided inspiration for "Only End Up Lonely," an intense tune with distorted guitars, erratic time-changes and odd news snippets. The lyrics describe a search for "something to believe in."

"Normally we end up searching in the wrong places, confusing God with religion and church, civic responsibility with politics, and loyalty to the place we're born with some sort of twisted form of 'patriotism,'" Peña said. "On top of that, it seems we are also willing to argue, die and justify all sorts of killing and destruction on behalf of these ideas."

Not all the CD is loud guitars and loud messages. Peña lowers the sonic intensity on the ballad "You Told Me (It's Only Love)."

"We put a lot of emphasis on emotions when we deal with love. I think emotions are just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "The real deal is commitment. Commitment will give you discipline. Discipline will help you be better at anything. Including love."

Pena is performing at the fifth annual Latin Alternative Music Conference Aug. 11-14 in Los Angeles. Also performing will be Andrea Echeverri, Ely Guerra, Los Lobos, Los Amigos Invisibles, Nortec Collective and Volumen Cero. As for Peña, a short U.S. tour is in the works with possible Texas dates. - San Antonio Express-News

Aug. 12, 2004, 9:27AM

By RAMIRO BURR

Ignacio Peña gets deep on his new album Anormal, addressing war, personal relationships and the need for individual action.

Love is the answer to the social and political conflicts around the world, says Puerto Rican pop/rock guitarist Ignacio Peña.

"The world's problems seem like a big mountain of misplaced opportunities and values, which through the ages get worse and worse. Each new mistake is built on top of another one that has been handed down and given to us," Peña said.

"Unless we drastically change the way we deal with and value concepts like country, God, race, politics, family, religion, power, we will surely keep augmenting the problem and we'll leave our children with a greater mess. It takes a lot of faith to believe that humanity will be able to resolve these problems."

Peña's new CD is titled Anormal, and on it he tackles war, personal relationships and the need for individual action.

"The final conclusion of this story (album songs) is that love is the answer," he said.

Peña's guitar-driven, pop-perky rock recalls elements of La Ley, Al Stewart and Bryan Adams. And his music is as much about the message as the groove.

The first track, A Dios, starts with the famous 1961 inaugural address by President John F. Kennedy before launching into extended guitar and keyboard jams reminiscent of the prog-rock workouts by early Genesis.

¿Dónde Estabas? cranks along with more traditional rock undercurrents as Peña sings about seeking a higher answer to earthly problems.

"A Dios is about when something does not work effectively, you contact the manufacturer and complain to them," Peña said. "So A Dios is a customer-service call to the manufacturer.

"¿Dónde Estabas? is also directed at the manufacturer. Sometimes it feels like it's too late and too complicated for anything to be fixed at this moment. History is a log of every missed opportunity we've had to coexist effectively."

Anormal, recorded last year, is a step beyond Peña's 2001 Mundo al Revés for several reasons.

"Al Revés is a singer-songwriter album, while Anormal is a rock band trying to make sense of a lot of negative things all at once," Peña said. "Becoming a public figure has made me realize how twisted our perception of things is. I've always known it, but it's not the same when you're in the middle of it. Through what people say and talk about me publicly and the difference between that and reality, I've come to understand better what is not working when it comes to perceptions."

And while Al Revés was all in Spanish, Anormal includes five songs in English that are being targeted to the mainstream radio market.

Also providing fuel for Peña's creativity were the events surrounding 9/11.

"I was halfway into writing the songs for the record when 9/11 happened. I was locked in my house recording demos and writing," he said. "I've never been a TV person and have actually gone years without watching any.

"After 9/11, I was glued to every news channel there is. I became a news junkie. The emotional shock of it all changed everything I was writing after the attacks. I started writing songs watching two wars, corporate and religious scandals, worldwide terrorism and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict."

The last provided inspiration for Only End Up Lonely, an intense tune with distorted guitars, erratic time changes and odd news snippets. The lyrics describe a search for "something to believe in."

"Normally we end up searching in the wrong places, confusing God with religion and church, civic responsibility with politics, and loyalty to the place we're born with some sort of twisted form of 'patriotism,' " Peña said. "On top of that, it seems we are also willing to argue, die and justify all sorts of killing and destruction on behalf of these ideas."

Not all the CD is loud guitars and loud messages. Peña lowers the sonic intensity on the ballad You Told Me (It's Only Love).

"We put a lot of emphasis on emotions when we deal with love. I think emotions are just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "The real deal is commitment. Commitment will give you discipline. Discipline will help you be better at anything. Including love."

Peña is performing at the fifth annual Latin Alternative Music Conference Aug. 11-14 in Los Angeles. Also performing will be Andrea Echeverri, Ely Guerra, Los Lobos, Los Amigos Invisibles, Nortec Collective and Volumen Cero. As for Peña, a short U.S. tour is in the works with possible Texas dates. - Houston Chronicle

ESCENARIO / archivo


Por: Rita Portela López
Redactora ESCENARIO
Noticia salió publicada en: 12/3/2004

Una trama más sutil y sencilla forma parte del nuevo vídeo musical, "Donde estaba", del cantautor Ignacio Peña.

Esto debido a que con el anterior, correspondiente al tema "Hey tú imbécil", tuvo que editarlo por lo explícito de su contenido.

"Me enfoqué en algo más simple, para no tener problemas en que se emita el mismo. Voy a presentar la banda tocando la canción junto a mí jugando con los tonos blancos y negros", destacó en entrevista con ESCENARIO.

Para el vídeo, que estará listo la semana entrante, Peña contó con la colaboración del director Héctor Camacho, contrario a otras ocasiones, ya que en la mayoría de los casos opta por hacer el trabajo de dirección, producción y edición él mismo.

El intérprete de "En español" estuvo de gira el pasado mes por Estados Unidos visitando las localidades de Los Angeles, San Francisco y Texas.

Según relató, se presentó en barras y clubes americanos, donde si había un latino era mucho, y la recepción de su propuesta, que incluye temas tanto en el idioma anglosajón como en español, fue "muy buena". "Me impresioné porque tocamos junto a bandas americanas y gente que no sabe quiénes somos", apuntó.

Ignacio explicó que su espectáculo "Fonográfico" ha sido un acierto en su carrera y que lo continuará presentando en y fuera de Puerto Rico mientras promocione su más reciente disco "Anormal".

Este show forma parte de una serie de elementos que se unirán para darle vida a un proyecto cinematográfico.
- El Vocero - Puerto Rico

domingo, 17 de abril de 2005
Por José R. Pagán
end.jpagan@elnuevodia.com

A IGNACIO Peña le parece que el mercado latino se ha vuelto anticuado y enfrenta ciertas limitaciones. Por eso expandirá sus horizontes hacia el mercado anglosajón, en el que comenzó a dejarse sentir al ganar una distinción en la conferencia South by Southwest.
El intérprete de "Falta 1 persona" participó con éxito de la décima novena edición del evento celebrado en Austin, Texas, y que esta vez reunió a más de 100 mil personas vinculadas al mundo de la música y el entretenimiento.

El calendario de actividades incluyó la competencia "Jukebox Jury", presentada por "Apple iTunes", uno de los principales catálogos musicales en internet para obtener música en formato digital. Y su tema "Only End Up Lonely" fue seleccionado como el material con las mejores oportunidades de éxito.

"Habían sobre 300 participaciones sometidas y los discos se escogían al azar. Mi canción fue la última. Eran tres jueces y dos de ellos me dieron un promedio de 65 puntos, en una escala del 0 al 100. El tercero -que era el codueño de la compañía SpinArts Records- me dio sólo 12 puntos", afirma con una mezcla de incredulidad y sorpresa.

Lo cierto es que tras sumarse los votos del público resultó ganador. A partir de ahí, fue muy notable la presencia del cantautor boricua en el motor de búsqueda iTunes. De hecho, ahora el disco "Anormal" está disponible para la venta junto al su producción anterior, "El mundo al revés".

"Este premio significa mucho para mí porque tiene a su alrededor menos intereses creados que hasta un mismo Grammy. Aquí no se trata de popularidad, sino de calidad. El jurado escucha la música y ni siquiera sabe quien eres", continuó Peña.

Tres vídeos en un mes

Luego de presentarse en el Hard Rock Café de Dallas, Texas, como parte del mismo viaje, el cantante está en los preparativos para grabar en la Isla tres vídeos en un plazo de un mes. Todo responde al posible lanzamiento de su disco "Anormal" en Estados Unidos. "El repertorio es mitad en español y mitad en inglés. Se hizo así pensando ya en la idea de ganar territorio en Estados Unidos. El reggaetón se está quedando con el mundo porque es el único estilo en el que la juventud encuentra su lenguaje. El rock necesita ser más progresivo", afirmó.

Por último, el artista dijo que a principios de mayo iniciará otra ronda de presentaciones con su espectáculo "Phono/Gráphico 2005". Planifica también otra gira promocional en Estados Unidos para su álbum "Anormal", lanzado el año pasado de manera independiente. - El Nuevo Dia - Puerto Rico

Weekly Top 10 Rock Alternativo - Week 218
El Cohete - November 30, 2004

By: El Cohete
Feb 4, 2005

ARTIST - SONG TITLE - LABEL - CD TITLE

1 - Molotov Amateur (1st Week #1) SURCO/Universal Con Toto Respeto

2 - Liquits Chido SURCO/Universal Chido

3 - Lucybell Salvame - La Vida - Warner M.L. - Lumina

4 - Panteón Rococó - Cumbia del Olvido - Delanuca - 3 Veces 3

5 - Chencha Berrinches - Juana La Loca - BMG Latin - Skandalo

6 - Viva Malpache - Esta Canción - Supermercado23/Navarre - La Venganza de Rock & Roll

7 - Vicentico - Los Caminos de la Vida - BMG Latin - Los Rayos

8 - Niño Planeta - Aerosol - Pina/Universal Latino - No Hay Vuuelta Atrás

9 - Bacilos - Pasos de Gigante - Warner M.L. - Sin Verguenza

10 - J.D. Natasha - Lagrimas - EMI Latin - Imperfecta/Imperfect

PH - Enanitos Verdes - Tu Carcel Universal Latino - En Vivo

PH - Zoé - Atercelode - SONY México - Rockanlover

RS - Ignacio Peña - Dónde Estabas? - Hearsay - Anormal
- 'LA' Ritmo