Since the start of mandatory quarantine in Argentina that are not seen in person, however, the remaining desires. “In the band we have a slogan,” says Guillermo “Capanga” Eijo, trumpeter of Los Auténticos Decadentes: “when the pandemic runs out, it doesn’t stop us.” Despite the years, he admits that every live performance fills him with nerves.
This Sunday, Los Auténticos Decadentes will turn 34 from their first performance at a high school where three of the members were students. For this reason they plan to celebrate it in the best possible way: reviving for free the largest concert in its history. The broadcast will take place on Sunday, September 13 at 9 p.m. in Chile on its Youtube channel.
The event was in 2017, during the closing of their 30th anniversary tour. The Decadentes achieved a categorical sold-out at Foro Sol.
There were more than 60,000 people, remember how he lived that night?
He actually lived on a lot of nerves. Because there was a crowd in front of one. One really was like he couldn’t concentrate on just touching, he overcaly overcaly us, we got over the situation in this place and being the center of attention of so many people. But well, I remember it as a wonderful moment.
Do the nerves continue despite the years of career?
Exactly. Every day they feel like the first. Although it seems that no, for us, in the responsibility of getting on stage still immobilizes us, obviously that after so many years one may know how to live a little better with that situation, but yes. We keep feeling committed to anxiety.
So what’s changed?
Actually what has changed is that we are all grayer, some without hair, some without teeth, but the spirit is the same. The truth is that we had a great time going out to play, going on tour, sharing as friends. The Los Decadentes project is a group of friends and that essence is still maintained to this day.
How have quarantine times been for the gang?
Well, while this one actually grabbed us half by surprise, we were already informed of what was going on worldwide. Now we’re trying to make the most of this issue, which is perhaps the point of finding a parate that maybe decadents needed to rest to get their strength back and go on. So to be able to play again, that I’m sure the day we can go back we’re going to get back stronger from all this.
I guess when the pandemic’s over, they’re going to wipe it all out.
Yes, look, that’s something we’re talking about: I know this is going to be strengthened. We have as in common the slogan “when the pandemic runs out, it doesn’t stop us for anyone” because you value a lot of things that you may not value at the time.
Do you miss each other?
We have a Whatsapp group and many times we tell ourselves that we miss each other. And we really miss each other because he thinks we live more with each other than with our own families. In my case, I don’t have as many years of marriage as a band, and I don’t think I’ve ever been living with my family or them with me for six months in a row. Imagine that even at home they are asking me to please go on tour (laughs).
They have also written songs such as “Together Forever” and “The Cumbia of Confinement” with Beto Cuevas. How was the process of writing these songs in the distance?
We wanted to contribute in some positive way and help people who are having a great time not as well as us and well, our idea was to “make a theme” just by trying to get a smile out and try to help people from our place. In fact, all rights to the song “Together Forever” are donated to the Argentine Red Cross. The “Cumbia del encierro”, was more of an initiative of Beto (Cuevas) with Martin “Moska” Lorenzo who is our percussionist. We found the idea great and everyone from their place, in the distance, we contributed.
