Medellín, Colombia

Following the rise of art rock and the extensive commercialization of the Spanish-speaking music market, the challenge for emerging bands intensified. El Pez, a quintet from the Antioquia region, made its mark on the national rock scene with its debut album under a record label, titled "Eléctrico & Doméstico." The band is characterized by its straightforward yet intricate style, which is both personal and sincere.

El Pez was originally comprised of five members: Alejandro "PAT" Restrepo (Nómada) on lead vocals and guitar, Mego on rhythm guitar and vocals, Freddy González on drums and additional percussion, Juan Pablo Trujillo on harmonica, melodica, and synthesizer (initially a Casio 301, later a JP-8000), as well as tambourine, and Andrés Sanín on bass, initially played by Jorge Ceballos. Together, they navigated the depths of rock 'n' roll, steering clear of the fleeting trends of the time.

The band began its journey as Simón y su Estúpido Pez. After a notable first concert in March 1994—which featured video projections and a soap bubble resonating to the rhythm of the drums—Simón y su Estúpido Pez disbanded. El Pez emerged in January 1995, centered around what would become Estudios El Pez and performing at street concerts in Medellín's vibrant university nightlife. The band soon had the opportunity to record their sound using a four-track porta-studio, which helped them prepare for their initial bar performance. Their live shows featured a powerful sound paired with a "clean voice," a rarity for rock bands in Medellín at that time, which was often regarded as Colombia's metal capital. Influences from artists like the Rolling Stones, Pixies, Gustavo Cerati, The Smiths, and Lou Reed were evident in their music.

The band gained traction with a memorable performance at Blue Rock, followed by a challenging experience opening for Aterciopelados—then in the midst of their successful album "El Dorado"—in a local bar. With an audience of 1,500 fans primarily there for Aterciopelados, El Pez attempted to capitalize on a delay by playing all 14 of their songs, which led to mixed reactions from the crowd, illustrating the difficulties of being a new band.

After several concerts, El Pez qualified for the televised contest "Vértigo," where local rock bands in Medellín competed weekly until a final winner emerged. El Pez won the competition, securing the opportunity to release an album. This led to the production of "El Pez producido por El Pez" in 1997, which opened doors for them to record "Eléctrico y Doméstico" in 1998 with Discos Fuentes and participate in the Rock al Parque festival in Bogotá. That same year, El Pez placed second in the KOOL Rock Festival, behind the Bogotá and Cartagena band Ojos Rojos.

The group explored a variety of sounds with "Eléctrico y Doméstico," which featured powerful rock sessions like "SUPERDOTADO," the nadaist-themed track "el presidente grita en el balcón…," and early experiments with electronic music in "Astrodiscoide," alongside blues and disco influences. The lyrics intentionally avoided aligning with any specific cause, as the band was reluctant to engage with popular themes of the era, such as ecology or politics, often leaning toward the absurd. The album featured guest musicians like Guido from Juanita Dientes Verdes and Elvis from Estados Alterados.

El Pez performed alongside artists such as Molotov and, once again, Aterciopelados, this time before audiences exceeding 15,000 spectators who enthusiastically sang along to songs like "Superdotado," "Día Perfecto," and "Y Yo No Bailo," a cover of the boy band Menudo, which El Pez chose to reinterpret in their own style "just for fun."

With the advent of personal computer programs like Acid and Soundforge, the band members began creating music independently, leading to their eventual separation in an unspecified period in 2002, after participating in that year's Rock Festival in Barranquilla. A third album remained unfinished and has never been officially released; some claim that around fifteen completed songs exist, intended for the project referred to as "Discotr3s."

For more information, please visit: https://www.last.fm/es/music/El+Pez/+wiki