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| Negros Vivos |
Ska music originated in Jamaica in the late 1950’s and was a
precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of
Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm
and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line, accented
guitar, and in some cases, jazz-like horn riffs. The music itself
has changed and evolved over the years, as did one of the
pioneering ska bands in Puerto Rico, Pies Negros, now Negros
Vivos. Through it all they’re still growing collectively as a band
and improving as they move forward. With a few guest
appearances lately around Puerto Rico, we are witnessing the
rocksteady revival.
D.I.M. - What happened with Pies Negros? Why the change in name?
NEGROS VIVOS - Well, the change in the name was because some band members splitting up a while
back, so the remaining members decided to just change the name, but still keep the same attitude that has
defined the band for so many years.
D.I.M. - What has the band been up to over the past few years? What kind of momentum does it now have
now?
NEGROS VIVOS - We have done a couple of local tours right here in the island which we dubbed the
Puertorrican Ska Tours. We produced everything ourselves and invited a lot of our friends to come and
join us on the tour; Los Goyos and Los Huesos; just to name a few. We also did our first tour in Mexico,
where we headlined a couple of festivals as well as playing smaller shows. After coming back, we did a
local college tour and have kept busy doing our regular bookings at different clubs. Right now were kind
of laying low, we’ve been writing some new material and tweeking it to get it right before we head to the
studio to record our third production under our new name.
D.I.M. Talk about your latest release, and are you planning one in the near future?
NEGROS VIVOS - Our last release was “...de vuelta atras” and was kind of a look back at our older
material where we rerecorded some older tracks, but this time we did them in a real recording studio
instead of just recording a “live-rehearsal”, which was the case on the first two records under the Pies
Negros name, so you can really tell the difference in the sound. We also threw in a new instrumental track
that we had been messing around with in rehearsals and shows, it is a really fun track and it was really
cool recording it. Hopefully we will be getting into the studio some time this year.
D.I.M. You guys have the hardest hitting ska music we have heard in a LONG freaking time. Where does
that raw sound come from?
NEGROS VIVOS - I guess we just do what we like to do. We don’t go out trying to please anybody but
ourselves when we put songs together. Its a thick sound that we get when we do the horn arrangements,
and base it around the crazy stuff that Alexis comes up with on the keyboards. The rest just flows as it
goes when we start pulling the songs together in rehearsals.
D.I.M. - Explain the difference between ska and other genres of music.
NEGROS VIVOS - Thats a really hard question to answer and I could give you a really tedious and maybe
boring answer, which i wont do, jejej. But I guess that we could say is that ska just makes you want to get
up and dance and have fun.
D.I.M. We dig the getup at your last show (Blue Moon). What does it signify?
NEGROS VIVOS - Thats just paying respects to the people that came up before us, the Rude Boy & Mod
culture that styled the sounds of the 60s and 70s.
D.I.M. - What is the best song you are currently working on? What can
fans expect?
NEGROS VIVOS - I’m not gonna give too much away, but I will say that were working on some really cool
tracks right now. We’re experimenting with different sounds and styles of playing our instruments, so what
we have put together now might evolve and change by the time we lay it all down in the studio, but all in all
I think people are gonna dig it. I can promise you that its not going to be a commercial formula, its just
gonna be our usual in your face sound.
D.I.M. Props to other local bands here in PR? Next big Ska band?
NEGROS VIVOS - I think that Don Segundo has a really cool vibe to them, and with Lourdes as a female
lead singer, they get that little extra attention in their sound.
D.I.M. - Any unusual stories from recent shows? Groupies and the like or is it classified?
NEGROS VIVOS - We have the right to remain silent ... jajajaja!!!!
D.I.M. Anything you would like to ad or anyone you would like
to thank?
NEGROS VIVOS - Like usual we give props to all our fans and all the people that always help us and
support us, specially our buddy Fer @ bultodelostapes.com for the pictures... Drop us a line at myspace.
com/negrosvivos
...nos vemos en la calle!!!
precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of
Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm
and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line, accented
guitar, and in some cases, jazz-like horn riffs. The music itself
has changed and evolved over the years, as did one of the
pioneering ska bands in Puerto Rico, Pies Negros, now Negros
Vivos. Through it all they’re still growing collectively as a band
and improving as they move forward. With a few guest
appearances lately around Puerto Rico, we are witnessing the
rocksteady revival.
D.I.M. - What happened with Pies Negros? Why the change in name?
NEGROS VIVOS - Well, the change in the name was because some band members splitting up a while
back, so the remaining members decided to just change the name, but still keep the same attitude that has
defined the band for so many years.
D.I.M. - What has the band been up to over the past few years? What kind of momentum does it now have
now?
NEGROS VIVOS - We have done a couple of local tours right here in the island which we dubbed the
Puertorrican Ska Tours. We produced everything ourselves and invited a lot of our friends to come and
join us on the tour; Los Goyos and Los Huesos; just to name a few. We also did our first tour in Mexico,
where we headlined a couple of festivals as well as playing smaller shows. After coming back, we did a
local college tour and have kept busy doing our regular bookings at different clubs. Right now were kind
of laying low, we’ve been writing some new material and tweeking it to get it right before we head to the
studio to record our third production under our new name.
D.I.M. Talk about your latest release, and are you planning one in the near future?
NEGROS VIVOS - Our last release was “...de vuelta atras” and was kind of a look back at our older
material where we rerecorded some older tracks, but this time we did them in a real recording studio
instead of just recording a “live-rehearsal”, which was the case on the first two records under the Pies
Negros name, so you can really tell the difference in the sound. We also threw in a new instrumental track
that we had been messing around with in rehearsals and shows, it is a really fun track and it was really
cool recording it. Hopefully we will be getting into the studio some time this year.
D.I.M. You guys have the hardest hitting ska music we have heard in a LONG freaking time. Where does
that raw sound come from?
NEGROS VIVOS - I guess we just do what we like to do. We don’t go out trying to please anybody but
ourselves when we put songs together. Its a thick sound that we get when we do the horn arrangements,
and base it around the crazy stuff that Alexis comes up with on the keyboards. The rest just flows as it
goes when we start pulling the songs together in rehearsals.
D.I.M. - Explain the difference between ska and other genres of music.
NEGROS VIVOS - Thats a really hard question to answer and I could give you a really tedious and maybe
boring answer, which i wont do, jejej. But I guess that we could say is that ska just makes you want to get
up and dance and have fun.
D.I.M. We dig the getup at your last show (Blue Moon). What does it signify?
NEGROS VIVOS - Thats just paying respects to the people that came up before us, the Rude Boy & Mod
culture that styled the sounds of the 60s and 70s.
D.I.M. - What is the best song you are currently working on? What can
fans expect?
NEGROS VIVOS - I’m not gonna give too much away, but I will say that were working on some really cool
tracks right now. We’re experimenting with different sounds and styles of playing our instruments, so what
we have put together now might evolve and change by the time we lay it all down in the studio, but all in all
I think people are gonna dig it. I can promise you that its not going to be a commercial formula, its just
gonna be our usual in your face sound.
D.I.M. Props to other local bands here in PR? Next big Ska band?
NEGROS VIVOS - I think that Don Segundo has a really cool vibe to them, and with Lourdes as a female
lead singer, they get that little extra attention in their sound.
D.I.M. - Any unusual stories from recent shows? Groupies and the like or is it classified?
NEGROS VIVOS - We have the right to remain silent ... jajajaja!!!!
D.I.M. Anything you would like to ad or anyone you would like
to thank?
NEGROS VIVOS - Like usual we give props to all our fans and all the people that always help us and
support us, specially our buddy Fer @ bultodelostapes.com for the pictures... Drop us a line at myspace.
com/negrosvivos
...nos vemos en la calle!!!
