The music band XOXONEES starts in New York in 1983 with Blanca Gutiérrez (Blanca LI), Montse Martínez, Cristina Hernández and Chus Gutiérrez as founding members. At the beginning, many other people, visitors, friends, dancers, music artists and basically whoever wished to perform with the group will also take part. Tao Gutiérrez will join the group later as composer and lyric writer. They defined their style as Flamenco-Rap and the songs written were full of humour, irony and rebellion.
The group’s first performance was in a bar called BLUE ROSE on Broadway with 105. The owner was a Greek emigrant with a 50’s style towering hair bun and whose mother, in her 80s, used to sit on a bed located behind the bar and observe everything that was going on inside. While in New York, the band also performed in places such as EL GAS STATION, DANCETERIA or THE KITCHEN.
In 1986, some of the members decide to return to Spain. In 1987, the group rejoins together and starts a more professional career. Silvia San Miguel and Elena Robles will join the group while Cristina and Tao remain in New York. During this second stage, the group is able to define its style with 5 female performers as well as gogo boys and girls, and Etienne Li “The Chinese” in charge of scenography.
The band performs in a series of bars in Madrid, Barcelona, Vitoria and go on small tours around Andalusia, Galicia and the Basque country.
On the 7th of 1989, they perform in the Sala Universal in a programme called “Música Golfa” broadcasted by the Spanish Television Channel, TVE. This same year, the band signs a contract with CBS and the members record their first album.
On the 31st January 1989, they perform for the last time in Seville and separate on the 1st January of 1990.
The band’s live performances included an entertaining mix of music styles, humour and provocation. The lyrics were antiracist, anti-waxing, anti-answering machines, anti-television and so forth… They could not avoid being against almost everything. They were rebellious, funny and fresh. |
