Los Lobos

  • East Los Angeles, CA
    hometown
  • Rock
    genre
  • 1973
    started
  • Bio
    full story
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About Los Lobos


Los Lobos were one of America's most distinctive and original bands of the '80s. They may have had a hit with "La Bamba" in 1987, yet that cover barely scratches the surface of their talents. Los Lobos are eclectic in the best sense of the word. While they draw equally from rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music, their music never sounds forced or self-conscious. Instead, all of their influences become one graceful, gritty sound. From their very first recordings, their rich musicality was apparent; on nearly every subsequent record, they have found ways to redefine and expand their sound, without ever straying from the musical traditions that form the heart and soul of the band.

After releasing an independent EP in the late '70s and an EP in 1983, Los Lobos delivered their first major-label album, How Will the Wolf Survive?, in 1984; it received an enormous amount of critical acclaim, as well as a dedicated following of fans. In the next four years, they released a marginally successful attempt to make their wildly eclectic sound palatable for a pop audience (By the Light of the Moon), a soundtrack of old Ritchie Valens songs that was a hit (La Bamba), and an album of traditional Mexican music (La Pistola y el Corazón). The band took two years off and returned with The Neighborhood in 1990; the album was a varied and powerful rock & roll record that was better than anything they had released in six years. Kiko, released in 1992, brought Los Lobos into more experimental territory, without ever abandoning their graceful songwriting.

Los Lobos celebrated their 20-year anniversary with Just Another Band from East L.A., a modestly titled two-CD set that featured most of their biggest singles and recognized songs. It also had rare tracks from their first album, outtakes, and live tracks that fans had been waiting for. They didn't appear together on record again until 1995, when Los Lobos and Lalo Guerrero released the children's record Papa's Dream on Music for Little People Records. They also scored the film Desperado and contributed tracks to several other soundtracks and tribute albums.

Their last release for Warner Bros. came in the form of 1996's Colossal Head, another critically acclaimed album that still failed to excite the label enough to keep them on the roster. Feeling dejected, they left one another to concentrate on side projects, like Soul Disguise, Houndog, and the Latin Playboys. The latter was the most dedicated project of the bunch, eventually becoming another regular group for David Hidalgo and Louie Pérez, on top of their duties for Los Lobos, after previously releasing an album in the early '90s.

Los Lobos came back together in 1999, when they recorded and released their first record for Hollywood Records, This Time. Another Los Angeles-themed gem from the group, it didn't perform up to the label's liking and they only managed to deliver one more record for the company, the re-release of 1977's Del Este de Los Angeles. Rhino/Warner Archives released the Cancionero: Mas y Mas box set the following year, but despite the career retrospective, they were still together and came back on Mammoth Records for the Good Morning Aztlan release in 2002. Two years later, artists such as Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, and Mavis Staples joined Los Lobos for The Ride.

In 2004, as Los Lobos celebrated 30 years in the music business, they recorded a pair of sold-out shows in San Francisco, which became the basis for a live album and DVD, Live at the Fillmore, remarkably the veteran group's first "live" set. Wolf Tracks: The Best of Los Lobos, the first successful attempt at a concise overview of the band's weighty catalog, arrived in 2006, along with the loosely conceptual new release The Town and the City, which ranks up there with the best of the band's three decades of material. Their second children's album (following the aforementioned Papa's Dream), Los Lobos Goes Disney, appeared in 2009 and found the band paying tribute to Walt Disney movie musicals. The band returned to originals for the sturdy Tin Can Trust, released in 2010. Kiko Live was released in 2012, a recording of the band revisiting their 1992 album in concert in 2006. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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Music

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  • Don't Worry Baby
    los-lobos
    Video
    Don't Worry Baby
  • Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)
    los-lobos
    Video
    Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)
  • Kiko and the Lavender Moon
    los-lobos
    Video
    Kiko and the Lavender Moon
  • 7112
    SoundStream
    SoundStream
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    All the music you want, just 10 bucks a month. Try it free.
    • La Bamba
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/7/6/9/4/9/922494967.mp3
    • La Bamba
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/8/3/0/8/6/209968038.mp3
    • We Belong Together
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/9/6/0/7/6/209967069.mp3
    • I Got Loaded
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/9/8/1/3/167831894.mp3
    • One Time One Night
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/6/3/1/3/167831367.mp3
    • Kiko And The Lavender Moon
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/1/2/2/3/167832217.mp3

Photos

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  • Los Lobos
    Mark van S.
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos
    Los Lobos
    Scott Lapatine/VH1.com
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos
    Los Lobos
    Scott Lapatine/VH1.com
  • Los Lobos

News

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  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos rocking out for the kids
    music.yahoo.com
    means anymore. The one thing I can assure you is that the next deal will not look like the last deal we signed. We've been signed to one label or anot...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos Rocks Out For The Kids
    www.billboard.com
    Not only is Los Lobos hitting the road with Los Lonely Boys for the month-long, "Brotherhood Tour," which kicks off tomorrow (July 18) in Portland, Or...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Will Oldham, Members of Flobots, Fleet Foxes, Los Lobos Rock for New Orleans Musicians
    www.rollingstone.com
    see what people can do." The show started with a short, hushed acoustic set ... announced, "We've been at it since the levees broke, and we've put mor...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos Find New Home At Shout! Factory
    www.billboard.com
    homework on Sunday nights ... ," Berlin explains. "These guys don't do anything until there's a deadline. We're sort of marshalling our energy now, an...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Levon Helm, Widepsread Panic, Los Lobos Guest On David Bromberg's Use Me
    American Songwriter
    David Bromberg is best known as a guitarist whose tasteful chops can be heard on albums by Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, The Eagles, and Carly Simon. Now ...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos' Steve Berlin Calls Paul Simon An 'Idiot'
    American Songwriter
    Steve Berlin, the man behind the keys and horns in Los Lobos, is talking some serious trash about someone he's long feuded with, Paul Simon. Berlin al...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Alabama Shakes, Bruce Hornsby, Los Lobos and More to Play Targhee Music Fest
    www.jambands.com
    Alabama Shakes, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Los Lobos, John Hiatt and the Combo, JJ Grey & Mofro, The Wood Brothers and more will perform at th...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Los Lobos' Steve Berlin to Produce New Deer Tick Record
    www.jambands.com
    Los Lobos multi-instrumentalist Steve Berlin will produce the new Deer Tick record. Berlin and the group are currently working on the studio project i...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    BB King, Los Lobos, James Hunter and More Confirmed for Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival
    www.jambands.com
    B.B. King, Los Lobos, The James Hunter Six, Los Lonely Boys and Alejandro Escovedo are among the acts slated to appear at the third The Lowdown Hudson...
    Read More
  • Los Lobos
    Roosevelt Collier Joins Los Lobos at JazzFest
    www.jambands.com
    Lee Boys pedal steel player Roosevelt Collier sat in with Los Lobos for a few songs at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival yesterday. The perform...
    Read More

Tour Dates

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  • Jun 4 Tuesday
    Cologne, Germany Die Kantine
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 5 Wednesday
    Amsterdam, Netherlands Ziggo Dome
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  • Jun 10 Monday
    Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK Metro Radio Arena
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  • Jun 11 Tuesday
    Birmingham, UK LG Arena
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  • Jun 13 Thursday
    Glasgow, UK Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
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  • Jun 15 Saturday
    Dublin, Ireland RDS Arena
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  • Jun 17 Monday
    London, UK The O2 Arena
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  • Jun 20 Thursday
    Detroit, MI, US Fox Theatre
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  • Jun 22 Saturday
    Nashville, TN, US War Memorial Auditorium
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  • Jun 27 Thursday
    Highland Park, IL, US Ravinia Festival
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 27 Thursday
    Highland Park, IL, US Ravinia Pavilion
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  • Jun 29 Saturday
    Kansas City, MO, US Knuckleheads
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  • Jun 30 Sunday
    Greeley, CO, US Greeley Stampede
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  • Jul 4 Thursday
    Ottawa, ON, Canada LeBreton Flats
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  • Jul 6 Saturday
    Thunder Bay, ON, Canada Thunder Bay Blues Festival
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 6 Saturday
    Thunder Bay, ON, Canada Community Auditorium
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 7 Sunday
    Apple Valley, MN, US Weesner Amphitheater, Minnesota Zoo
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  • Jul 9 Tuesday
    Vienna, VA, US Filene Center, Wolf Trap
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  • Jul 10 Wednesday
    Bethlehem, PA, US Sands Bethlehem Event Center
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  • Jul 12 Friday
    Atlantic City, NJ, US The Music Box, Borgata Hotel & Casino
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  • Jul 13 Saturday
    Webster, MA, US Indian Ranch
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  • Jul 14 Sunday
    Ottawa, ON, Canada Ottawa Bluesfest
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 19 Friday
    Alta, WY, US Grand Targhee Resort
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 3 Saturday
    Scottsdale, AZ, US Talking Stick Resort-grand Ballroom
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  • Aug 3 Saturday
    Scottsdale, AZ, US Salt River Ballroom, Talking Stick Resort
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  • Aug 8 Thursday
    San Diego, CA, US Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 9 Friday
    Paso Robles, CA, US Vina Robles Amphitheatre
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  • Aug 11 Sunday
    Saratoga, CA, US Mountain Winery
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 16 Friday
    Portland, OR, US Oregon Zoo
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  • Aug 17 Saturday
    Miami, FL, US Casino Miami Jai-Alai Fronton
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 19 Monday
    London, UK The O2 Arena
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 19 Monday
    London, UK The O2 Arena
    Buy Ticket
  • Aug 31 Saturday
    Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles World Trade Center - Piscadera Bay
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 27 Friday
    Springfield, IL, US Donnie's Homespun
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 28 Saturday
    Steelville, MO, US Wildwood Springs Lodge
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 18 Friday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 19 Saturday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 20 Sunday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 21 Monday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 22 Tuesday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 23 Wednesday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 24 Thursday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 25 Friday
    Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
    Buy Ticket

Discography

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  • Kiko Live (2012)
    Los Lobos
    Kiko Live (2012)
    Shout! Factory
  • Tin Can Trust (2010)
    Los Lobos
    Tin Can Trust (2010)
    Shout! Factory
  • Los Lobos Goes Disney (2009)
    Los Lobos
    Los Lobos Goes Disney (2009)
    DisneySound
  • The Town and the City (2006)
    Los Lobos
    The Town and the City (2006)
    Hollywood
  • Live at the Fillmore (2005)
    Los Lobos
    Live at the Fillmore (2005)
    Hollywood
  • Acoustic en Vivo (2005)
    Los Lobos
    Acoustic en Vivo (2005)
    Rider's Block
  • The Ride (2004)
    Los Lobos
    The Ride (2004)
    Hollywood
  • Good Morning Aztlán (2002)
    Los Lobos
    Good Morning Aztlán (2002)
    Mammoth Records
  • This Time (1999)
    Los Lobos
    This Time (1999)
    Hollywood
  • Colossal Head (1996)
    Los Lobos
    Colossal Head (1996)
    Warner Bros. Records
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