Las Grecas : Gipsy rock

Available versions

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  LP

  In 4-6 weeks.

  Essential album from 1974! Unique mixture of rock and flamenco driven by pop romanticism, sexual freedom and the impulse of youth..

  Vinyl-only release. Vinilísssimo is a new, vinyl-only reissue label created by Munster Records. Devoted to Spanish-produced releases from the ’60s to the ’80s, Vinilísssimo will cover a vast range of genres, from beat and garage to psychedelia, progressive rock, soul, funk, flamenco rock, punk, hard rock and so on, featuring some of the most relevant and popular artists of the time as well as obscure acts that are still influential on Spanish music to this day. All reissues will be pressed on 180 gram vinyl and will feature the original artwork. Reissue of this essential album in the history of Spanish popular music from 1974. Las Grecas’ Gipsy Rock is a mixture of rock and flamenco driven by pop romanticism, sexual freedom and the impulse of youth. Includes the huge Spanish/Latin America hit “Te Estoy Amando Locamente.” Gipsy Rock officially marked the start of the love affair between gipsy art and long-haired rock. “Te Estoy Amando Locamente,” apart from its huge popular impact, opened the ears of giants such as Paco de Lucía and Camarón, who in the following years would electrify their accompaniment. Besides, with Las Grecas took off the extraordinary career of José Luis de Carlos, one of the most visionary Spanish music producers, who would develop these initial findings on groundbreaking records by Los Chorbos, El Luis, and Zíngaro o Manzanita. Las Grecas were sisters Carmela and Tina Muñoz Barrull, gipsies raised in Carabanchel Bajo, at the time a near-shanty-town on the outskirts of Madrid. The two sisters, ignoring family opposition, appeared at many popular tablaos (flamenco venues) in the Spanish capital such as Los Canasteros — where they infatuated the legendary Manolo Caracol — and Caripén. To the latter venue went José Luis de Carlos, attracted by the rumors about those two pretty gipsy girls who sang in unison, a shocking idea in flamenco. After signing them to CBS, the producer tried to get them together with flamenco and pop musicians, from Paco Cepero to Rodrigo García. Finally, he decided to make them front a made-to-measure hard rock band, formed by the best studio musicians of the time. It was an international group which included Caribbean percussionists and a Portuguese guitar player, Johnny Galvao, who would become their main arranger. Although he was responsible for the arrangement of their hit, plus an additional 5 songs, another arranger was Pepe Nieto, nowadays recognized as a prominent composer in Spanish cinema. The repertoire of Gipsy Rock came from the palos (flamenco styles) that Carmela and Tina used to sing in the tablaos augmented by hits of the day; songs as varied as “Te Amo, Te Amo, Te Amo” by Brazilian Roberto Carlos or the immortal “Achilipú” by Dolores Vargas, one of the queens of Catalan rumba. And it worked wonderfully. Rock + flamenco-pop romanticism + sexual freedom + youth impulse + eternal, passionate love. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl and housed in the original 1974 artwork in a limited edition of 1,000 copies only.