Last time Venezuelan dance sensation Los Amigos Invisibles were in DC, we used following words to describe them: “the show that Los Amigos put on, cool and wild and reminiscent of a Latin American soccer game in its enthusiasm and showmanship, made a fan of me. And seriously the whole time I was like, if only so-and-so were here to dance with me.”
In short-it was a blast.
They’re back in town this Saturday, taking on 930 club (rounding out a really fun week of shows there), on tour to promote their new album “Commercial”, and we sent our intrepid intern Megan to ask them a couple of questions. Here we go.
1. Your new album just came out this past Tuesday, has it been well-received so far?
Yes, we are very happy, we have been working for more than 2 years on this album and it feels so good to give birth. Also, it just came out in the States (thanks to Nacional Records) but is already out in Venezuela where we are touring until Thursday and in Mexico as well. So, yes feedback has been better than what we expected!
2. Do you read your own reviews? Which has been the most hilarious?
Yes we do, I like reading why people like it and why people don’t. It gives you a bigger picture of what people who like the band expect to be our next step. This is kind of weird at the same time because you could end up becoming what people say about you and not what you really are. The funniest one for us has been the one in Time Out New York that said that we were like a wedding band like it was a bad thing…I love weddings! Girls are gorgeous at weddings.
3. How was David Byrne involved with your music in the past?
David Byrne and Yale Evelev changed our lives. We were an underground band from Caracas that had some dreams about touring the world, playing with our heroes and then David picked up one of 5 CDs we left at Tower Records (thanks to a Venezuelan store manager there). Yale convinced him to sign us. Then, we became an underground band whose godfather was a very well-respected musician, so people rendered us as an interesting band and gave us the chance to be heard in places you would have never imagined.
4. Has the political situation in Venezuela affected your musical inspiration at all? What typically inspires your music?
We try to stay out of politics as musicians. But I also have to say that moving out of Venezuela made us more aware of our identity as musicians from the Caribbean. And also it made us aware of all the culture that happens in a city like New York.
5. What’s the music scene like in Venezuela?
Currently there is no such a thing like a music industry. Record sales are very low and Caracas is not like an important city for international bands to stop by. That said, there is a lot of interesting music going on in the country, since musicians know that they are not going to hit it big and be rich or famous. You get the most interesting music out of artists that are more in to making a good interesting song than making a hit for the media. There is so many people making music at home, bands playing around with no crowd at all. I have made 3 compilations that include Venezuelan artists who go under the radar of the mainstream media (chill out venezuela, Dance Venezuela and Frequent traveling). The artists also are thinking more globally now; sending their music out to the world to see who’s there.
6. If you could collaborate on a project with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be?
That’s easy: Hector Lavoe, James Brown, Joe Cuba, Ray Barreto..
7. Obviously your music is super danceable…have you ever looked out into the crowd at a show and seen any terrible terrible dancers?
Sure we have, those are the ones I really like..I don’t give a f**k, I just want to dance. I love it!!!
8. You’ve been to DC a number of times now, tell us what you’ve done here and what you’re looking to do?
We want to play a lot from the new album “Commercial”. Also we are playing at the 9:30 Club, which is a venue we really like. We are just going to give it all.
9. What’s a song you’d consider your personal anthem?
Los amigos always tell me: Hector Lavoe’s “El Rey de la Puntualidad”, I don’t know why. I have been waking up with Jamie Lidell’s “Another Day” for a while now.
10. Who’s better in bed, Venezuelan chicks or American girls?
Mmmmm!! a gentleman never reveals that kind of information! (ha!)
Want more:
Socialize with LAI online here: http://www.myspace.com/losamigosinvisibles
+ check them out live (with Natalia Clavier whom we also love muchisimo) @ 930 club this Saturday
