Gabriel Rios
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Ríos is a Puerto Rican
musician currently residing in Brooklyn
.
high school in 1996, he moved to Ghent
, Belgium. For a short time he also lived in Los Angeles. In Ghent he joined the art academy, eventually deciding on becoming a professional singer/songwriter although still being interested in painting.
Rios started off in Puerto Rico with the band he created called "Los Mimes" (Jose Santana http://www.segallgroup.com/about/theteam/josesantana on rhythm guitar, Ramon Nieves aka Mango Chupao on bass and Leugim Bustello on drums). He later founded the band The Nothing Bastards, and a few years later the more Latin inspired L. Santo. His debut solo album, titled Ghostboy, was released in 2004, followed by his live album En vivo one year later. He has garnered considerable solo success in Belgium, even being chosen "Best Belgian Singer" by readers of the Flemish weekly Humo
in 2006. Early 2007, he released his latest album "Angelhead" (named after the 1980s British band).
His music is a mix of different styles: rock, punk, hip hop, and salsa.
in the film 06/05
(concerning the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn
). After the assassination of van Gogh
, Ríos and his band performed at a last party held in his honor, because they were his favorite band.
In 2006, Ríos and Michael Franti
contributed their voices to a project by Flip Kowlier
, which involved a cover of the song What's This? from the stop-motion movie The Nightmare Before Christmas
by Tim Burton
. This single was released as a fund raiser for a benefit action called 'Music for Life', against landmines, organized by the popular Belgian radio station Studio Brussel
.
In 2010 he contributed with Flemish singer Natalia for the single 'Hallelujah' to raise money for the same benefit action, this time for the people in Haiti. The Leonard Cohen
cover was a number one hit for a couple weeks in Belgium
.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
musician currently residing in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
Biography
As a child Ríos was member of his church choir, and in addition to this early exposure to music his father also taught him to play the guitar. After finishing his studies at the Academia del Perpetuo SocorroAcademia del Perpetuo Socorro
Academia del Perpetuo Socorro was founded in 1921 as a Catholic parochial school pertaining to the Perpetuo Socorro Parish at the Archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The school is located in Miramar in Puerto Rico's capital city of San Juan...
high school in 1996, he moved to Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Belgium. For a short time he also lived in Los Angeles. In Ghent he joined the art academy, eventually deciding on becoming a professional singer/songwriter although still being interested in painting.
Rios started off in Puerto Rico with the band he created called "Los Mimes" (Jose Santana http://www.segallgroup.com/about/theteam/josesantana on rhythm guitar, Ramon Nieves aka Mango Chupao on bass and Leugim Bustello on drums). He later founded the band The Nothing Bastards, and a few years later the more Latin inspired L. Santo. His debut solo album, titled Ghostboy, was released in 2004, followed by his live album En vivo one year later. He has garnered considerable solo success in Belgium, even being chosen "Best Belgian Singer" by readers of the Flemish weekly Humo
HUMO
HUMO is a popular Belgian weekly radio and television magazine, written in Dutch.Originally the magazine was titled Humoradio, a portmanteau of 'humor' and 'radio'....
in 2006. Early 2007, he released his latest album "Angelhead" (named after the 1980s British band).
His music is a mix of different styles: rock, punk, hip hop, and salsa.
Of note
His song Broad Daylight was used by the late Dutch film director Theo van GoghTheo van Gogh (film director)
Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director, film producer, columnist, author and actor.Van Gogh worked with the Somali-born writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali to produce the film Submission, which criticized the treatment of women in Islam and aroused controversy among Muslims...
in the film 06/05
06/05
06/05, called May 6th in English-speaking countries, is a Dutch 2004 film directed by Theo van Gogh, based on the novel De Zesde Mei by Tomas Ross. The film is a fictional version of the events that led to the assassination of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn on 6 May 2002. The lines between...
(concerning the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn
Pim Fortuyn
Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn was a Dutch politician, civil servant, sociologist, author and professor who formed his own party, Pim Fortuyn List ....
). After the assassination of van Gogh
Theo van Gogh (film director)
Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director, film producer, columnist, author and actor.Van Gogh worked with the Somali-born writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali to produce the film Submission, which criticized the treatment of women in Islam and aroused controversy among Muslims...
, Ríos and his band performed at a last party held in his honor, because they were his favorite band.
In 2006, Ríos and Michael Franti
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American poet, musician, and composer. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock...
contributed their voices to a project by Flip Kowlier
Flip Kowlier
Flip Kowlier is a Belgian singer-songwriter, from Izegem, West Flanders, born in 1976. He sings in a distinct West Flemish dialect...
, which involved a cover of the song What's This? from the stop-motion movie The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
by Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
. This single was released as a fund raiser for a benefit action called 'Music for Life', against landmines, organized by the popular Belgian radio station Studio Brussel
Studio Brussel
Studio Brussel is a radio station in Belgium, owned by the VRT. The music played is considered more alternative than the other big radio stations, and is aimed mainly at a youth audience....
.
In 2010 he contributed with Flemish singer Natalia for the single 'Hallelujah' to raise money for the same benefit action, this time for the people in Haiti. The Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
cover was a number one hit for a couple weeks in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Albums
- 2004 - Ghostboy
- 2005 - En Vivo
- 2007 - Angelhead
- 2007 - Morehead - A Couple Of Covers And Some Alternative Versions (Minialbum)
- 2010 - The Dangerous Return