LOS PANKYS: Complete Recordings LP

Description

The complete recordings of Los Panky’s, originally released in 1966. During their short-lived career, Mexico City’s Los Panky’s produced an outstanding collection of rock & roll and beat music which made them pioneers of the “Hanky Panky” sound and one of Mexico’s favourite bands. After decades of obscurity, their amazing legacy is now finally available on vinyl again.

Teaser

In 1962, Bill Haley & His Comets played live on Mexican television show Orfeón A Go-Go, in turn crediting them as the first American rock and roll band to accomplish this, and bringing “The Twist” to Mexico. Rock and roll was alive and well in Mexico City and though first wave groups like Los Teen Tops, Los Rebeldes Del Rock, and Los Apson enjoyed success, Haley’s performance helped usher in a second wave of new teen garage rock bands. In the audience that night were the teens who would form The Black Diamonds, comprised by Raúl San Martín, César Hernández, Julio Saldívar, Silverio Pérez, and Marcel Ruano. Like most teen bands of any era, they rehearsed all day on shitty and borrowed equipment, in a tiny bedroom, with the ultimate goal of playing a gig or house party. The band took influence from the first wave Mexican rock and of course Americans like Elvis and Bill Haley. By 1965, The Black Diamonds got their break and were signed to Discos Orféon, one of the biggest labels at the time. The band changed their name to Las Ánimas, and sometime in 1966 they recorded an EP with a cover of The Vogues’ “Five O’Clock World” and another track entitled “Nada Te Ofrezco”. Although the EP was well-received, the band was unhappy with Orfeón’s promotion and decided to part ways. 1966 also saw the “Hanky Panky” craze taking over Mexico, and every group raced to record their version. Free from their Discos Orfeón contract, Las Ánimas changed their name to Los Panky’s and went to the record label Cisne. Los Panky’s recorded what is said to be the most “demented” and “punk” version of “Hanky Panky” in the country, and it put them in the spotlight with national attention. Under Cisne, they recorded two EPs, one LP, Es Solo Amor(1966), were featured on two Cisne compilations. At the forefront of the second wave of Mexican rock and roll, Los Panky’s became a national favorite. By the end of 1967 and the beginning of 1968, Raúl had decided that he wanted to try his luck in the United States. At just 18, he left Mexico and went to Los Angeles, and the band called it a day. Los Panky’s faded into obscurity.

Tracking:
1 La apretada
2 La imponente
3 Se llama Hanky Panky
4 Es solo amor
5 Batijugando
6 Chícharos dulces
7 No puede ser
8 Hanky Panky
9 Diviértete con Hanky Panky
10 Te enseñaré
11 A las 5 PM
12 Te deseo amor
13 La del moño colorado
14 Brasilia
15 Guantanamera