Gustavo Cerati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gustavo Cerati
|
|
|---|---|
Gustavo Cerati in October 2006
|
|
| Born |
Gustavo Adrián Cerati
11 August 1959 Buenos Aires, Argentina
|
| Died | 4 September 2014 (aged 55) Buenos Aires, Argentina
|
| Occupation |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1982–2010 |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts |
|
Gustavo Adrián Cerati (born August 11, 1959 – died September 4, 2014) was an Argentine musician. He was a singer, songwriter, and record producer. He became famous around the world as the leader, singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the rock band Soda Stereo. Many music experts and other musicians consider him one of the most important and influential artists in Latin rock.
Gustavo was inspired by bands like The Beatles and The Police. He joined different music groups when he was a teenager. In 1982, he started the Latin rock band Soda Stereo. He was the main leader and songwriter for the group. Their music grew and became more popular with albums like Signos (1986) and Canción Animal (1990).
While still with Soda Stereo, Gustavo also started his own solo music. In 1992, he released an album called Colores Santos with Daniel Melero. This was one of the first albums in South America to include electronic music. The next year, he released his first solo album, Amor Amarillo. He loved electronic music and added it to his later work with Soda Stereo.
After Soda Stereo broke up, he released more solo albums like Bocanada (1999) and Siempre es hoy (2002). These albums showed his strong interest in electronic music. He returned to a rock style with his fourth album, Ahí vamos (2006). This album was very popular and included some of his biggest solo songs, like "Crimen".
In 2007, Soda Stereo got back together for a tour after ten years. More than a million fans came to see them play. In 2010, after a concert for his latest album, Fuerza Natural (2009), Gustavo suffered a stroke and went into a coma. Four years later, on September 4, 2014, he passed away at age 55 in Buenos Aires.
Gustavo Cerati was a very busy musician. He played guitar on songs for other bands like Caifanes and Babasónicos. He also worked with famous artists such as Charly García, Shakira, Andy Summers, and Roger Waters.
During his solo career, he sold over 10 million records. He won many awards, including the Latin Grammy and MTV awards. In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the top 100 best Argentine rock guitarists.
Contents
Early life and the start of Soda Stereo
Gustavo Cerati was born on August 11, 1959, in Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina. His parents bought him a guitar when he was nine years old. That's when he started to take music seriously. He became a big fan of rock and roll.
By age 13, he formed a music trio. They played at parties and at his local Catholic school. He even joined the school choir. Gustavo was a good student until he met another student who loved rock and roll just as much as he did.
I had a friend that was more advanced in everything, he ... had many records. At that moment I started to separate myself from my classmates. I started listening to progressive rock because this guy had everything, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Soft Machine, Roxy Music... My dad used to travel abroad on business trips and he started bringing me records. In 1973 it was not easy to have imports. In Argentina the records came out a long time after... they came out. My father brought me my first imported guitar, a Gibson. I went to meet him at the airport and it was unforgettable.
After finishing his military service in 1979, Gustavo went to university. He studied marketing, but he wasn't very interested in it. His family supported his love for music. At the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, he met Héctor "Zeta" Bosio. They both loved music and decided to form a band. They were big fans of bands like The Police and The Beatles. In 1982, after some changes in the band members, Gustavo, Zeta, and Charly Alberti formed Soda Stereo.
Soda Stereo signed with Discos CBS in 1984. They released their first album, Soda Stereo, that same year. Their album Nada Personal (1985) gave them their first hit song, "Cuando pase el temblor". Soda Stereo released many more popular albums, including Signos (1986), Doble Vida (1988), and Canción Animal (1990). In the 1990s, they released Dynamo (1992), Sueño Stereo (1995), and their last album, Comfort y Música Para Volar (1997).
Gustavo's solo music career
1990s solo projects
In 1992, Gustavo Cerati worked with electronic musician Daniel Melero. They recorded Colores Santos together. In 1993, Gustavo released his first solo album, Amor Amarillo. His wife at the time, Cecilia Amenábar, sang on the album and appeared in the music video for "Te llevo para que me lleves".
In 1995, Gustavo formed a group called Plan V with three Chilean musicians. They released two albums. In 1999, Gustavo formed another electronic duo called Ocio. They released an album called Medida Universal.
Around this time, Gustavo also worked on a tribute album for The Police. He collaborated with Andy Summers from The Police on a cover of "Bring on the Night."
His album Bocanada (1999) is often seen as his real solo debut. He recorded it in his home studio in Buenos Aires. The album was very successful and quickly sold a lot of copies in Argentina. Many critics and fans still consider Bocanada to be one of his best works.
2000 to 2005
In 2001, Gustavo Cerati created the music for a movie called +Bien. He also acted in the movie. The soundtrack was nominated for an award at the 3rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
In August 2001, Gustavo performed a special concert in Buenos Aires. He played with a 42-piece orchestra. This concert was recorded and released as 11 Episodios Sinfónicos. It included orchestral versions of seven Soda Stereo songs and four of his solo songs. He toured with this show, playing in cities like Mexico City and Santiago. The album and a live DVD were very popular.
In November 2002, Gustavo released his third studio album, Siempre es Hoy. This album had a different sound, mixing pop/rock with electronic rock. The tour for Siempre es Hoy took him to places like New York and Chicago.
In 2003, he released Siempre es Hoy: Reversiones. This album featured remixes of songs from Siempre es Hoy by different artists. At the same time, Gustavo formed a group called Roken. They focused on making music by improvising live.
In 2004, a double album of his solo work called "Canciones Elegidas 93-04" was released. He then went on a small tour in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Spain.
2005 to 2010
After working on new music in 2005, Gustavo released Ahí Vamos in April 2006. This album marked his return to guitar rock. It was a huge success with fans and critics. The Ahí Vamos tour took him all over Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, and Spain. On October 12, 2006, he played in London, England, for the first time.
The album won many awards, including eight Gardel awards in Argentina. He also won three Latin Grammys for his rock music and his production work on Shakira's album. Gustavo ended the Ahí Vamos tour with a huge free outdoor concert in Buenos Aires. About 200,000 people attended the show.
In 2007, Soda Stereo reunited for their Me Verás Volver tour. They played 22 concerts in nine countries, and over one million fans saw them.
In July 2007, Gustavo performed at the Live Earth Festival in Hamburg, Germany, with Shakira. He also sang on a song for Gustavo Santaolla's album Mar Dulce. In 2008, a DVD version of Ahí Vamos was released. He continued to perform at various festivals.
In late 2008, Gustavo started working on his new album, Fuerza Natural. He recorded it in New York City. This album had a different sound, focusing more on acoustic pop, folk, and Neo-psychedelia.
.jpg)
Fuerza Natural quickly reached number one on the music charts in Argentina, Mexico, and Chile. It was also the first of his albums to be sold digitally in Argentina. The album sold 40,000 copies in Argentina in its first week. In 2010, Gustavo won a Latin Grammy for "Best Rock Song" for this album.
The Fuerza Natural tour began on November 19 in Monterrey, Mexico. Gustavo played in stadiums and large venues across many countries. His final show was in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 15, 2010. Gustavo suffered a stroke right after this concert.
Personal life
Gustavo Cerati preferred to keep his private life out of the public eye. He was married to Belén Edwards from 1987 to 1989. In 1992, he married Cecilia Amenábar, a Chilean model and singer. They were married for ten years and had two children, Benito and Lisa. Benito is also a singer and musician.
Health struggles and passing
After performing two concerts in Colombia, Gustavo traveled to Venezuela for his last show in Caracas on May 15, 2010. He suffered a stroke right after the performance. He was taken to a hospital in Caracas. Three days later, he had surgery to help with pressure on his brain.
On June 7, 2010, Gustavo was moved to a neurological institute in Buenos Aires. Doctors reported that he had serious brain damage from the stroke. He fell into a coma and was kept on life support.
After four years in a coma, Gustavo Cerati passed away on the morning of September 4, 2014. His doctor said that he died peacefully. His body was buried at La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires.
Tributes and memories
Many artists have paid tribute to Gustavo Cerati.
- In June 2010, Colombian singer Shakira dedicated her song "Sale el Sol" to him during a concert.
- In March 2011, the Irish rock band U2 paid tribute to Gustavo during their concert in La Plata, Argentina. The singer, Bono, asked the audience to think about Gustavo.
- In May 2012, Swedish band Roxette played the beginning of Soda Stereo's song "De Música Ligera" at one of their shows.
- On August 11, 2015, Google celebrated his 56th birthday with a special Google Doodle on their homepage.
- In November 2017, British rock band Coldplay performed "De Música Ligera" at their concerts in La Plata, Argentina.
- In 2015, Gustavo Cerati was featured on several Argentine stamps. A street in Entre Rios was also renamed in his honor.
- In 2018, National Geographic Latin America created a two-part documentary series about Gustavo Cerati. Many murals of him were also painted in Buenos Aires.
Music albums
With Soda Stereo
- Soda Stereo (1984)
- Nada Personal (1985)
- Signos (1986)
- Doble Vida (1988)
- Canción Animal (1990)
- Dynamo (1992)
- Sueño Stereo (1995)
Solo albums
- Amor Amarillo (1993)
- Bocanada (1999)
- Siempre es hoy (2002)
- Ahí Vamos (2006)
- Fuerza Natural (2009)
Special albums
- +Bien (Movie Soundtrack) (2001)
- 11 Episodios Sinfónicos (Live with Symphonic Orchestra) (2001)
Collaboration albums
- Colores Santos with Daniel Melero (1992)
- Plan V (1996) with Plan V
- Medida Universal (1999) with Ocio
Producer work
Gustavo Cerati also helped produce albums for other artists, including:
- Sueños en tránsito (1997) – Nicole
- Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005) – Shakira
- Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2006) – Shakira
- Sale el Sol (2010) – Shakira
Guest musician
Gustavo played as a guest musician on many songs for other artists, such as:
- Caifanes (1988) – Caifanes
- Tango 4 (1991) - Charly García / Pedro Aznar
- Pasto (1992) – Babasónicos
- Mar dulce (2007) – Bajofondo
- The Child Will Fly (2008) – With Roger Waters, Shakira, Eric Clapton, Pedro Aznar
Movies
- +Bien (2001) – Gustavo played a character named Jorge.
Images for kids
-
Gustavo Cerati in October 2006
-
Cerati during a photo session to promote the Signos album in 1986
-
Cerati playing live in 2009
-
U2 (left)
-
Coldplay (right)
See also
In Spanish: Gustavo Cerati para niños
