Capsula facts for kids

Capsula is a rock band that started in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1998. Two music lovers, Martin Guevara and Coni Duchess, formed the band. They wanted to create a unique sound that mixed garage, glam, and punk rock. Their name, "Capsula," means "capsule" in Spanish. It comes from the famous David Bowie song "Space Oddity."

Even before releasing an album, Capsula played many shows in clubs across Europe. Their live performances were full of energy and excitement. Soon, the famous music producer Tony Visconti noticed them. He had worked with music legends like David Bowie and T. Rex. Visconti was very impressed and decided to produce their album "Solar Secrets" in 2013.

"Solar Secrets" was a big hit with music critics. Rolling Stone magazine called it "garage-glam heaven." Critics said Capsula's sound was a powerful mix of bands like The Who, The Cramps, and Sonic Youth, with a psychedelic twist. The band quickly became known for their intense live shows and special sound. Capsula continued to tour a lot in Europe, the United States, and South America. They played with famous bands such as Iggy Pop, Os Mutantes, and Pearl Jam. They gained many dedicated fans who loved their music. Capsula kept trying new things and exploring different sounds. Today, Capsula is seen as one of the most creative and important rock bands of their time. They have been making music for over twenty years.

History

1997–2006: Early Years and "Songs & Circuits"

Capsula released their first album, "Sublime," in 1999. Their second album, "Yudoka," came out in 2000. These albums showed their unique mix of alternative, experimental, and psychedelic rock. After moving to Bilbao, Spain, Capsula continued to write songs in creative ways. Their self-titled album "Capsula" was released in 2002. This album had alternative, experimental, and psychedelic rock sounds. To share their music, the band played small acoustic shows in libraries and on radio stations starting in 2003.

In 2005, Capsula began working on their album "Songs & Circuits." This album was released by Discos Liliput. It featured a mix of garage rock, pop rock, indie rock, psychedelic rock, and glam. Many people called it "garage rock for the 21st Century." The album suggested that Capsula was a truly great band. To support the album, Capsula went on a huge tour. They played 110 shows across the USA, Canada, Europe, and South America. Their live performances received excellent reviews.

Capsula's music is inspired by bands like The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, early David Bowie, and Television. Their live shows are known for being full of energy and excitement. Since then, Capsula has toured widely across three continents. This includes five tours in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. They also played in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, South America, and the United States. A highlight was their performance at the SXSW festival in Texas.

BCore Disc, SXSW, 2007–2011

After "Songs & Circuits," Capsula joined the independent record label BCore Disc in October 2008. They released their album "Rising Mountains" in April 2009. This album confirmed their talent. Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke called them one of the best new bands at the 2009 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival. The band toured extensively for this album, playing 54 shows in Europe, the USA, and South America.

Capsula's live shows are not just about music. They also include cool visual effects and technology. This makes them a special kind of futuristic garage-rock band. They even worked with New York City rock legend Ivan Julian from Richard Hell & The Voidoids. Together, they recorded a new album called "The Naked Flame," released in July 2009.

In 2011, Capsula released "In The Land of Silver Souls," produced by John Agnello. They promoted the album with a tour in the United States, playing 39 shows. This included a performance at the KEXP Concerts At The Mural in Seattle. The band also toured South America, playing in Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Capsula is known for their strong passion for music and their desire to explore new sounds.

2012 – 2018: Bowie, Visconti, and New Sounds

In 2012, Capsula returned to the studio to record their own version of David Bowie's classic album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." John Agnello produced this album. A film called "Dreaming Of Ziggy Stardust" documented the recording process. This film was shown at a music documentary festival. Critics said their version was "a contemporary approach to the album. A bit more lo-fi, garage. A bit dirtier. Equally rocking."

In 2013, Capsula recorded a new album called "Solar Secrets." This album was produced by the legendary Tony Visconti, who had just finished working on David Bowie's album "The Next Day." "Solar Secrets" was inspired by an Argentine painter named Xul Solar. It included songs like "Constellation Freedom" and "Seven Crimes." The album received great reviews. Rolling Stone magazine and the Chicago Tribune featured their song "Blind." Critics described the album as "garage-glam heaven" and a powerful mix of famous bands with a psychedelic feel.

Capsula played 53 shows in the United States, touring with the Brazilian psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes. They also played 57 shows in Europe. They performed at the Austin Psych Fest in 2013. The Austin Chronicle described their show as a "fabulous gilded snake, writhing on a big stage while plying seismic garage rock." In December 2013, Capsula opened for the L.A. punk band X. Singer Exene Cervenka from X said she admired Capsula.

Capsula has played at many music festivals. These include SXSW (from 2008 to 2012), San Sebastian Jazz Festival (2013), and Primavera Sound (2011). In November 2015, they opened for Pearl Jam in Argentina.

In 2016, Capsula recorded "Santa Rosa." This album was greatly influenced by surrealism, The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, and science fiction. To promote the album, the band played 110 shows in 93 cities over 220 days.

2019: The Bestiarium Era

In 2018, Capsula started writing a new album called Bestiarium. This album was inspired by old books about imaginary creatures. It also took ideas from a 1962 film by Jean Cocteau that wondered if people in the future would become like robots. "Bestiarium" is Capsula's answer to that question. Each song on the album features a creature that is a mix of human, animal, and divine traits. Capsula imagined these beings as future cyborgs, exploring ideas about who we are in a fast-changing world.

The band created the album using creative writing methods combined with computer algorithms. This allowed them to try new sounds and push their music further. "Bestiarium" was released in 2019 and was praised for its fresh approach to rock music. The songs on this album have a dark, mysterious feel. The first songs released were 'Sirens's Lips', 'Cry With You', and a cover of 'Russian Roulette' by The Lords of The New Church. The album was released on March 22, 2019. Music magazines called "Bestiarium" a "dark retrofuturist and punk paradise" and a "devilish and exciting artifact."

2021: Phantasmaville

Capsula released "Phantasmaville" and toured with 54 concerts in Spain, France, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, and the United States. In 2021, "Phantasmaville" was voted the second-best national album by Ruta 66 magazine. It was also included in the Top 5 list for November 2021 by the radio station KEXP. According to rock journalist Ignacio Julià, "In 'Phantasmaville,' they keep and grow their psycho-glam-rocker style, ignoring new music trends."

Influences

Capsula has covered songs by many famous artists. They covered "I Need Somebody" and "Gimme Danger" by Iggy Pop & The Stooges. They also covered the entire album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie. Other covers include "Run Run Run" by The Velvet Underground, "Planet Caravan" by Black Sabbath, and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" by The Ramones. They have also covered songs by Argentine bands like Almendra, Sumo, and Virus.

Discography

Studio albums

• Sublime 1999. La Nena Records, Hotsak
• Yudoka 2000. La Nena Records, Hotsak
• Ultimo Fragmento 2000. La Nena Records
• Capsula 2002. DDT diskak
• Songs & Circuits 2006. Discos Liliput, Devil In Her Heart
• Rising Mountains 2009. BCore Disc
• Ivan Julian & Capsula – The Naked Flame 2009. Bloody Hotsak, 02:59 Records
• In The Land Of Silver Souls 2011. Krian Music Group, BCore Disc
• Dreaming Of Ziggy Stardust 2012. Hotsak.
• Solar Secrets 2013. Krian Music Group
• Santa Rosa 2016. Silver Recordings, Vicious Circle and Hotsak.
• Bestiarium 2019. Vicious Circle, Dynamo Tapes, Silver Recordings, Hotsak.
• Phantasmaville 2021. Silver Recordings, Adrenalinfix Music, After Before, Head Records.

Live albums

• Dead Or Alive 2014. Hotsak, Krian Music Group

Compilation CD albums

• "Voices Underground". Bands on Tour Compilation. 2005. Ria Records
• "A boy through airwaves" Bendito Pop. Junk Records. 2006
• "Found & Lost" This Is The New Bcore Sampler For 2009. 2009. B-Core
• "In The Land Of Silver Souls" Bcore Disc Sampler 2010. 2010. B-Core
• "Magnetic Brain" Live At KEXP Volume Seven. 2011. KEXP
• "Under The Woods" À Découvrir Absolument Vol 24. 2011. À Découvrir Absolument
• "Hit 'n' Miss" Bigotes, Bombines y Decibelios Vol. 1. 2011. Señor López Discos
• "Hit 'n' Miss" Bcore Disc Sampler 2012. 2012. B-Core

Singles

• "Imagenes Paganas" 2001. Virus Tribute. White Label
• "From the Sun" 2004. White Label
• "Shshout" 2005. White Label
• "Run Run Run" The Velvet Underground Tribute. 2007. Green Light / Electric Mountain
• Siren's Lips 2018. Silver Recordings, Hotsak

Filmography

• 2014 – Dreaming Of Ziggy Stardust

See also

In Spanish: Cápsula (banda) para niños