The secret of puppy López, from the grandparents out of nowhere to mega stars producer

“I am not an artist; I am like an artisan of the songs, ”López’s puppy is defined, Perhaps the Argentine music producer who achieved more international recognition in recent decades. We are in its study by Parque Saavedra, a neat place, with faint lights and full of musical instruments, technology and statuettes that are mostly Grammy awards. Three things that summarize its history. The rugby ball would be missing, but its passage through Alumni ended when at the end of his adolescence he left the family house and left to Europe to make music. The 70s ended and both in Spain – where more walked – and in Argentina, everything was about to be done.

In Ibiza, Spain, CHe noticed Miguel Granduelo and Street. They played together, until puppy returned to Buenos Aires And, more words less, he recommended his friend to also turn: Miguel played the cap, a little more than ten years ago that he ran Europe with his music and undocumented, had just been imprisoned.

Puppy, now in Bristol, England, He decided to hit the return and what happened was the origin of one of the best national rock bands: the grandparents of nothing. Which rearmed in 1981 with a totally new formation to that of the ’60s, when Grandfather founded her and abandoned her to leave the country.

Of those six grandparents that brought the flag of poetry and joy in songs and stages when the dictatorship ended and democracy, Miguel Abuelo and Andrés Calamaro started were the frontman; But with the same importance were also Pole Corbella, Gustavo Bazterrica, Daniel Melingo and puppy. Touched the bass, Little came out in the interviews but composed the music of songs that made history.

As shown, Hymn of my heart: “I made the music and I passed it to Miguel, who put the lyrics, causing the verses to fit perfectly. It is more complicated to make the lyrics about music than the other way around, ”says Cachorro, who at 68 has just produced an album with successes of that band.

It is titled Total ecstasy and they shape artists of that time (Calamaro, Melingo, Bazterrica) and others of now, which will capture the new generations. There are, then, Lali Espósito, Zoe Gotusso, Los Miranda! Chinese, thunder, tsar, knowing Russia. And more.

When in 1985 The grandparents out of nowhere recorded a live album called in the opera were at their best artistic moment. They were the musical success next to Virus, Sumo and Miguel Mateos-Zas, among other bands. Soda Stereo and Fito Páez and Charly García and Spinetta were always broken. It was an incredible time for our rock.

As incredible as the news of the separation of grandparents from nothing. “At that time we had to end. Something that happened between us was no longer happening. It was a group with many composers, many singers, was like a very hot stew that was not going to lastit was not one of those groups that give to last decades. I never had that expectation, let’s say, and when the thing was sliding, it seemed natural to cut it. ”

Furse and squid were the first to leave. Puppy to play Zas bass and continue in the production of records and squid to reaffirm his solo career. Miguel Abuelo would take another album from the grandparents (my things) and die in March of ’88. An era was finally ended. Calamaro would go to live in Spain and puppy would dedicate himself to producing.

It is there that comes the list of artists who gave what to talk about in the Latin market, all with puppy López behind, with the same low profile as in grandparents: Natalia Lafourcade, Vicentico, the green dwarfs, caifanes, Paulina Rubio, Julieta Venegas , Cristian Castro, Miranda!, Cuarteto de nos, Bersuit Vergarabat, Rosario Flores, Diego Torres. The awards arrived and his fame as a producer increased.

For this summer he went to live at a fifth in Open Door and every so often comes to the studio, where he receives Viva. “I am very active, but I take it quiet, without stress. I am at another pace and enjoy more, with a little relax “he comments while dropping into a huge armchair. Vive al margen de las redes sociales y de sus números (“big data”, definirá). Far from madness (in every way) eighty, when it goes out to the street it climbs a mid -range car that allows it to go unnoticed. Adidas Short and Short Manga pants, Adidas Sneakers: It looks more like rugbier than the musician. Far is from the glamorous artistic world.

Before the pandemic, in 2016, Calamaro, Cachorro, Melingo and Bazterrica gathered for the first time since the ’80s. It was in a Calamaro recital. A small tribute to Miguel Abuelo. They sang Never fall in love with that Bengali sailor y Argentine customs. A joy for those who longed for an era and a way of knowing a legendary band for new generations. “There were two themes in a concert, like one more thing, an invitation, a party, something social. Simply that, ”minimizes puppy López, who says he is not nostalgic.

We could play with words and say that the new stage began a Monday morningtremendous hit of those grandparents. “I had recorded a version for a Pol-Ka television strip. Someone suggested doing something similar with other grandparents’ songs but with guest artists. It seemed great and well, that’s how the project came out. “

Which is entitled the expression “Total ecstasy”, which Miguel Abuelo sang it in American tune, a song that in the version of now plays Emmanuel Horvilleur.

The versions maintain the joy of the previous ones, but add up to the freshness of musicians who hardly lived them. Puppy was choosing them from their constant listening of artists. “I spend listening to new music,” he tells Viva. “I like music in general and I have an eclectic taste and I see your wave to many different things. I have fun doing varied things. “

So it occurred to him to contact Lali Espósito to play Thousand hours. Puppy sent her the new musical version and she, from Spain, where she worked, put the voices. “He added his expression and his wave, and I think it worked very well, I like how it was. He grabbed an important issue, huh. It seemed to me that she was a perfect person to sing her. The theme is super pop, she has something sexy, like her, who embodies a very good character for that song, ”he says.

The 13 songs from Total ecstasy son muy distintas de las originales. Beyond a certain base, they are not literal repetitions. Some were even changed in their lyrics. Others are totally renewed, like my things, whom Vicentico gave his voice, different from Miguel Granduelo’s. “I felt very happy with what we were recording, and I had no fear or concern for criticism or what they thoughtI was sure that I liked it very much, ”says Cachorro.

Now what Total ecstasy is on musical platforms, Puppy will continue to produce other musicians. He doesn’t know what; or at least prefer not to advance projects. This return to the grandparents is not – he raw – a return to the convulsed 80: “I already did at the time what I had to do, there was not much left in the inkwell. Now I have neither energy nor do I feel like it returns to that. ”

At the time of going, puppy accompanies us a few meters. Outside the engraver we remember his passage through Charly García’s first solo formation: “He was a genius, playing with him was like going to university. He is an incredible musician. He already won the sky of music. ”

“. Yes, I was very lucky, ”he acknowledges.