Traffic Sound
Encyclopedia
Traffic Sound was a Peruvian rock
band founded in 1967 by Manuel Sanguinetti (vocals), Freddy Rizo-Patrón (rhythm guitar), Jean Pierre Magnet (sax), Willy "Wilito" Barclay (lead guitar), Willy Thorne (bass) and Luis "Lucho" Nevares (drums). Freddy and Manuel had met in school and played in Los Hang Ten's
. Freddy and his older brother Jose originally thought of founding "Traffic Sound".
The name was chosen because of their penchant for a traffic light, placed as a souvenir in the attic of the Rizo-Patróns house, where they held their practices, after a wild night in Lima.
and Afro-Latin
sounds. They held gigs in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Their second album "Virgin" (1969), all original material, catapulted them to legendary status especially because it contains the absolute icon of Peruvian Psychedelia, "Meshkalina".
In 1970 they recorded another LP named "Traffic Sound", aka. III, aka. "Tibet's Suzettes", where they blend the Psychedelic spirit with an Andean folk sound, and give the necessary step to be closer than ever to progressive rock
.
In 1971 Braniff International Airways
organized the first South American Tour of a Peruvian band, and Traffic Sound was well received in demanding markets such as Argentina and Brazil.
After the tour they switched to bigger label Sono Radio and released four singles. At this point Willy Thorne left the band and was replaced by Zulu or Miguel Angel Ruiz Orbegoso on bass and keyboards, with whom they recorded their last LP, "Lux". Incredibly, during a massive strike of Sono Radio workers the master tapes disappeared and were only found in 1996. This album is different to the previous, the Andean influence is more evident and some political concerns were expressed.
The band held a memorable concert at the Teatro Segura in Lima together with the Contemporary Orchestra of Peruvian jazz pianist Jaime Delgado Aparicio
in 1971 and disbanded in 1972.
began a successful solo career.
In 1973, bass player Zulu was invited by label IEMPSA to record his own album. After three releases, a mention in Billboard
magazine and his music being heard among much of Latin America and the Latin market in New York, he retired because of a devoted desire of preaching the Bible.
Singer Manuel Sanguinetti founded Radio Doble Nueve, Peru's rock radio station, in 1979.
In 1993, Traffic Sound members got together again for a concert at Muelle Uno, Miraflores
, and launched new versions of their old hits, a London remasterization CD of "Virgin" for Europe. Since 2005 they have met several times (at Hotel Los Delfines, Asia beach
and The Dragon Racing Club of Punta Hermosa). Repsychled Records re-released "Virgin".
Two of their songs, Lux and Yesterday's Game were used in episodes of American TV series Life on Mars
.
of Peru
:
Yáhuar Huaca wondered why he was high once
Raped the witch and killed the wild Ayarmaca
Let me down meshkalina
Let me down meshkalina
Full of bull he was, oh God let me tell you
Spread the weed one day, all over his empire
Let me down meshkalina
Let me down meshkalina
F*** stayed for fifteen days in his lab
once
He said, "Man it's here, let's try my new substance
"
Give me some meshkalina
Give me some meshkalina
We went driving hard and wild across the country
We were having fun, even though we were dying
Let me die meshkalina
Let me die meshkalina
Now I know it's time for you to start learning
About the games we play everyday, every morning
Singles
Peruvian rock
Rock entered the Peruvian scene in the late-1950s, through listening to performers like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Bill Haley, who popularized rockabilly in the United States. The first Peruvian rock bands appeared during this time...
band founded in 1967 by Manuel Sanguinetti (vocals), Freddy Rizo-Patrón (rhythm guitar), Jean Pierre Magnet (sax), Willy "Wilito" Barclay (lead guitar), Willy Thorne (bass) and Luis "Lucho" Nevares (drums). Freddy and Manuel had met in school and played in Los Hang Ten's
Los Hang Ten's
"Los Hang Ten's" was a Peruvian rock group formed in 1964, originally from the San Isidro District in the country's capital Lima, from which the band Traffic Sound, the first so-called rock "supergroup" in that country's music history, drew two of its original members and, through them,...
. Freddy and his older brother Jose originally thought of founding "Traffic Sound".
The name was chosen because of their penchant for a traffic light, placed as a souvenir in the attic of the Rizo-Patróns house, where they held their practices, after a wild night in Lima.
Albums
After a year of continued rehearsals and private shows they tried their luck at Peruvian psychedelic emporium The Tiffany with great success and recorded his first album "A Bailar Go Go" in 1968 with label MAG. It contained versions of songs by The Doors, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly and The Animals. In later albums they included their own music with a fusion of AndeanAndean music
Andean music comes from the general area inhabited by Quechuas, Aymaras and other peoples that lived roughly in the area of the Inca Empire prior to European contact. It includes folklore music of parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela...
and Afro-Latin
Afro-Latin American
An Afro-Latin American is a Latin American person of at least partial Black African ancestry; the term may also refer to historical or cultural elements in Latin America thought to emanate from this community...
sounds. They held gigs in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Their second album "Virgin" (1969), all original material, catapulted them to legendary status especially because it contains the absolute icon of Peruvian Psychedelia, "Meshkalina".
In 1970 they recorded another LP named "Traffic Sound", aka. III, aka. "Tibet's Suzettes", where they blend the Psychedelic spirit with an Andean folk sound, and give the necessary step to be closer than ever to progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
.
In 1971 Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
organized the first South American Tour of a Peruvian band, and Traffic Sound was well received in demanding markets such as Argentina and Brazil.
After the tour they switched to bigger label Sono Radio and released four singles. At this point Willy Thorne left the band and was replaced by Zulu or Miguel Angel Ruiz Orbegoso on bass and keyboards, with whom they recorded their last LP, "Lux". Incredibly, during a massive strike of Sono Radio workers the master tapes disappeared and were only found in 1996. This album is different to the previous, the Andean influence is more evident and some political concerns were expressed.
The band held a memorable concert at the Teatro Segura in Lima together with the Contemporary Orchestra of Peruvian jazz pianist Jaime Delgado Aparicio
Jaime Delgado Aparicio
Jaime Delgado Aparicio was a Peruvian composer and pianist....
in 1971 and disbanded in 1972.
Aftermath
Saxophonist Jean Pierre MagnetJean Pierre Magnet
Jean Pierre Magnet Vargas Prada is a saxophonist, composer, producer and director.- Early life and career beginnings :He is the oldest of three, son of French Basque father and Peruvian mother.Jean Pierre started his musical career since early age, while living and working with his father at the...
began a successful solo career.
In 1973, bass player Zulu was invited by label IEMPSA to record his own album. After three releases, a mention in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine and his music being heard among much of Latin America and the Latin market in New York, he retired because of a devoted desire of preaching the Bible.
Singer Manuel Sanguinetti founded Radio Doble Nueve, Peru's rock radio station, in 1979.
In 1993, Traffic Sound members got together again for a concert at Muelle Uno, Miraflores
Miraflores District, Lima
Miraflores is a district of the Lima Province in Peru. Known for its shopping areas, gardens, flower-filled parks and beaches, it is one of the upscale districts that make up the city of Lima....
, and launched new versions of their old hits, a London remasterization CD of "Virgin" for Europe. Since 2005 they have met several times (at Hotel Los Delfines, Asia beach
Asia District, Peru
The Asia District is one of 16 that make up the Peru province of Cañete. Founded by Beinto Chumpitaz Chavez on July 24, 1964, it was originally part of the Coayllo District...
and The Dragon Racing Club of Punta Hermosa). Repsychled Records re-released "Virgin".
Two of their songs, Lux and Yesterday's Game were used in episodes of American TV series Life on Mars
Life on Mars (U.S. TV series)
Life on Mars was a science fiction crime drama television series which originally aired on ABC from October 9, 2008 to April 1, 2009. It is an adaptation of the BAFTA-winning original UK series of the same name produced by the BBC...
.
"Meshkalina" (1968)
Lyrics of Traffic Sound's most popular hit contain references to the Inca civilizationInca civilization
The Andean civilizations made up a loose patchwork of different cultures that developed from the highlands of Colombia to the Atacama Desert. The Andean civilizations are mainly based on the cultures of Ancient Peru and some others such as Tiahuanaco. The Inca Empire was the last sovereign...
of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
:
Yáhuar Huaca wondered why he was high once
Raped the witch and killed the wild Ayarmaca
Ayarmaca
The Ayarmaca are an ethnic group located northwest of Cuzco in the area of modern Maras. The Ayarmaca were subjugated by the Inca during their earliest period of state expansion, ca. AD 1300. After losing their power under Inca rule, the Ayarmaca people were resettled in various communities in the...
Let me down meshkalina
Mescaline
Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class used mainly as an entheogen....
Let me down meshkalina
Full of bull he was, oh God let me tell you
Spread the weed one day, all over his empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
Let me down meshkalina
Let me down meshkalina
F*** stayed for fifteen days in his lab
Huaca
In Quechua, a Native American language of South America, a huaca or waqa is an object that represents something revered, typically a monument of some kind. The term huaca can refer to natural locations, such as immense rocks. Some huacas have been associated with veneration and ritual...
once
He said, "Man it's here, let's try my new substance
Mescaline
Mescaline or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic alkaloid of the phenethylamine class used mainly as an entheogen....
"
Give me some meshkalina
Give me some meshkalina
We went driving hard and wild across the country
We were having fun, even though we were dying
Let me die meshkalina
Let me die meshkalina
Now I know it's time for you to start learning
About the games we play everyday, every morning
Discography
Albums- A Bailar Go Go (1968)
- Virgin (1969)
- Traffic Sound, a.k.a. III, a.k.a. Tibet's Suzettes (1971)
- Lux (1971)
- Yellow Sea Years (2005)
- Greatest Hits (2005)
Singles
- Sky Pilot-Fire (1968)
- You Got Me Floating-Sueño (1968)
- I'm So Glad-Destruction (1968)
- La Camita-You Got To Be Sure (1971)
- Suavecito-Solos (1971)