Almendra

Led by Luis Alberto Spinetta, Almendra was one of the most seminal bands in the history of Argentine rock. Formed in 1967, the group was born from the ashes of three teenage high school bands: Los Sbirros, Los Mods, and Los Larkins. With Luis Alberto Spinetta on vocals and guitar, Edelmiro Molinari on lead guitar, Emilio del Guercio on bass, and Rodolfo García on drums, they made their debut in 1968 with the split singles “Tema de Pototo (Para saber cómo es la soledad) / El Mundo Entre las Manos” and “Hoy Todo el Hielo en la Ciudad / Campos Verdes.” Their eponymous studio debut came out in 1969 and featured a handful of songs that would become classics of the Argentine rock songbook such as “Muchacha Ojos de Papel” and “Ana No Duerme.” Despite the album’s success, creative differences between the band led to its breakup shortly after the release of the ambitious Almendra II double LP in 1970. They reunited almost a decade later for a show at Buenos Aires’ legendary Obras Sanitarias Stadium, which was documented on the 1980 live album Almendra en Obras I/II. El Valle Interior hit the shelves later that year and spawned a tour throughout 32 cities in Argentina, after which the band decided to call it quits once again. In 2009, Almendra’s original members got back together for the epic Spinetta y las Bandas Eternas, a five-hour show celebrating Spineta’s career at the Vélez Sarsfield Stadium.