Los Amigos Invisibles is a Latin Grammy-winning Venezuelan band that plays a mix of disco and funk music. Windy City Times relaxed with all six members of the band backstage recently.
Windy City Times: ¡Hola, ustedes! How did your show just go?
Armando Figueredo: It went great! The weather was nice. The crowd gathered in and it was amazing. We had a great time.
WCT: The energy felt awesome from the crowd. I was down front taking pictures.
Juan Roura: Yeah, we loved it.
WCT: I saw you guys at Martyrs, a little venue, years ago.
Mauricio Arcas: Wow. That was probably 1997.
WCT: It was a long time ago.
Julio Briceno: We have played at the Green Dolphin many times but that was a long time ago.
WCT: You are coming back soon?
Jose Pardo: Yes, in October at the Green Dolphin again.
WCT: I have been a fan of your music for a long time since I first heard it in a record store that I worked in.
Jose Torres: Cool, thank you.
WCT: Everyone is from Caracas, Venezuela?
Juan Roura: Yes.
WCT: How did everyone meet?
Mauricio Arcas: High school friends, we were all in drama together.
Jose Pardo: Some of us were neighbors.
Julio Briceno: In 2001, we all moved to New York.
Jose Torres: We have lived in the States for almost ten years now.
WCT: Does everyone live in New York still?
Julio Briceno: We used to be are all spread out now, three in Miami, three in New York.
WCT: So when do you get together?
Armando Figueredo: When we are on tour, we see each other a lot more than anyone else in the whole wide world.
WCT: The new album is called Commercial. Is it a more commercial style of music?
Jose Torres: Yes, that is what we thought when we made it. It was the commercial attempt at an album.
WCT: I love the song "Sueno Erotico."
Mauricio Arcas: It's really good, yeah.
WCT: Are there any gay members in the group?
Armando Figueredo: I am.
WCT: This is still the original lineup correct? How do you guys do that?
Julio Briceno: Yeah, same people.
Jose Torres: We have no idea! [ Everyone laughs. ]
Armando Figueredo: A lot of respect, man.
Juan Roura: We have a lot of patience too.
WCT: Who are your musical influences?
Armando Figueredo: Whoa—all over the place.
Mauricio Arcas: Each member has different tastes.
Jose Torres: We play what we have in common, so a lot of funk, whatever is going on right now.
Mauricio Arcas: Electronica, house.
Julio Briceno: We like everything.
Jose Pardo: When we try to make new music it can be hard because everyone listens to a lot of stuff.
Armando Figueredo: It's a party band so…
WCT: I have seen you in action. What do you think of the music business?
Armando Figueredo: We have the good fortune of being a live band, first and foremost. Right now the only way we see it for a band to make it in this industry is actually being a live band. All the money that we are going to generate is going to come from live acts. Selling records doesn't exist anymore. We might get lucky and sell a jingle for a hundred or something like that but that happens rarely so you have to get the crowds to come and see you. That is something fortunately we are good at and we have been doing it for a long, long time.
The record industry is in a slump. It is trying to redefine itself but we really don't know what we are going to do.
WCT: People can find out about you on beta.amigosinvisibles.com .
Jose Pardo: Yes, and we have facebook and myspace as well.
Check out this fun high energy band at Green Dolphin Street, 2200 N. Ashland, on Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. To purchase $25 tickets in advance visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/121358.
