11.08.2005

El Nino Dice Go-Go



Milissa Sierra / Los Espias Baby A Go-Go LP (Columbia Mexico, 1967)

There are times when you know that the record gods are on your side. Friday, I walk into my favorite record store. It has been a month since I've been there because I have been too damn busy to visit. The owner of the store is excited that I have shown up. He tells he has several boxes of LPs that no one has gone through and there is sure to be some stuff in them that would interest me. He points me to the boxes and I dig. There are several records from Latin America that look interesting - a ten inch by Germaine Montero, a Nicaraguan LP called Miriam, and Baby A Go-Go. I have no idea what is hiding in the grooves of any of them but I know that I will be paying two or three bucks each for them so why not take a chance?

I get to my lady's place and throw Baby A Go-Go on the turntable and WOW! It is the reason why I hunt for records. I look at the cover and a baby is shimmying on the head of a drum. The back has song lyrics and kid-like drawings next to the song titles. In the middle back are liner notes by the songwriter/producer Milissa Sierra, along with a picture of her (she is a handsome woman). I've heard tons of kid's records and many "of foriegn origin," but I wasn't prepared to hear a great Mexican garage punk record! Whaaaaat? Yup, all the songs are done by a 60s garage band, but it gets better. Unlike a lot of non-American garage bands, Los Espias do not forget the land from which they dwell. Mexican melodies and musical hooks pop up throughout the record. The screaming, shouting, and cheering is also turned up a notch.

All these extra touches happen because it is a kid's record and, for the most part, there are no rules when it comes to children's music. You can mesh any and all music forms, you can sing about a frog or your backyard, you can stop the song where you "shouldn't" and throw in a part that "doesn't fit." There is more freedom in children's music than there is in any other genre. (For a great contemporary children's band that plays both rock and roll and doesn't obey any rules, please check out Dragibus.)

I spent Sunday afternoon looking for info on this record and got nowhere. I do know that Milissa Sierra wrote and produced a few other kid's records, but I know nothing about Los Espias. So on that note I can't be helpful. I can however turn you on to Baby A Go-Go. Pull up those diapers and get ready to rock!


Comments:
You are one very lucky dude!
 
Hahaha. I remember those. I think you've already heard it but Topo Gigio or Cri-Cri is great children music also.
 
I forgot "odisea burbujas" seek some songs, they were created for children tv by lounge-god: Esquivel
 
holy moly...more please!
 
La Rana is pretty damn cheesy.
 
I`m looking for this record since five years! Please, let me hear a song of this great album.

A lot of thanks !!!

Sondra.
 
I have it!! Baby a Go Go, Original, since 1968, my year of birthday he he. And yo are not mistake, Its a real real Great Lp, my question; Do you speak Spanish??? but how do you know what the Espias says!!! Regards
 
http://rapidshare.com/files/85272908/
Milissa_Sierra_1.zip

One from the three that I have uploaded so far...

Saludos.
 
My dad was the lead singer for los espias, thats insane that i stumble upon this!
 
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