La Pandilla

La Pandilla was a teen music group of the 1970s, founded in 1970 by Pepa Aguirre. The group had members of both sexes, unlike most pop groups at the time.

Aguirre's son, daughter, and niece formed the band; later, 2 boys were added. Their first album, ''Villancicos'', was released in late 1970.

''La Pandilla'' had initially a big impact in their home country of Spain. After a personnel change as some of the original members grew up, they experienced some backlash in the country for their song ''"El Alacrán"'' ("The Scorpion"), an innocent pop tune that made a coincidental reference to a clandestine group that was one of Francisco Franco's staunchest opponents. Franco's censors objected to the group, so they started touring Latin America more frequently.

Their appeal to youth in some Latin American countries bordered in collective hysteria, a reaction that evoked that of Beatlemania in the mid-1960s. During the 1970s, it was common to see ''La Pandilla''-related items such as notebooks, posters, magazines, notebook covers, rulers, and dolls at department stores all over the Spanish-speaking countries. There were also two movies which were primarily centered around the band, named "Operacion Alacran" and " La Pandilla en Apuros" (La Pandilla is in Trouble"). La Pandilla's film debut took place in 1971's "Un Mundo Nuevo" ("A New World") but in the 1971 film, the band played secondary roles.

''La Pandilla'' was chiefly instrumental in the later success and development of one of history's most legendary boy bands: Menudo. In 1973, the future founder of Menudo, Edgardo Diaz, who was a medical student in Spain and lived next door to the Aguirreses, joined the band's entourage as a sound expert. Diaz turned out to be the bridge between ''La Pandilla'' and Puerto Rico, the country where La Pandilla's success was longest-lived. Thanks in part to him, Alfred D. Herger—who became known as ''the biggest pandillero'' in Puerto Rico—and Felix Santiesteban, the group became a teen favorite in the Caribbean island. Diaz became manager in 1974. In 1975, the band was received by a huge crowd of Puerto Rican fans at the Iberia Airlines terminal at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport at San Juan. Similar receptions took place in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela and other countries.

The definitive lineup of close-knit group La Pandilla literally grew up together, along with their fans. This eventually became a liability, as the youngest members' voices matured which made their original sound difficult to produce. Another liability, at least in Diaz's view, was that of having a female singer, Mari Blanca, for whom separate lodging, security, and chaperone arrangements were always necessary. This prompted Díaz to leave the management of the group and set up yet another, this time in his native Puerto Rico, in which only young males under age 15 would be used, to be replaced as they aged. After Diaz left and formed Menudo, La Pandilla's popularity slowly declined.

Discography

*1970 Villancicos riginal Members: Santi and Nieves Martinez, Blanca Ruiz, and Carlos and Javier Martinez*1970 Capitan de Madera (Single) riginal Members*1970 La Pandilla va al Teatro riginal Members*1970 A-Chi-Li-Pu riginal Members*1971 ¡Oh Mamá! riginal Members*1972 Amarillo riginal Members*1972 Cantemos con....La Pandilla en Navidad riginal Members*1973 Nuestra Pandilla (Single) riginal Members*1973 Chiripitiflautico (Single) riginal Members*1973 Walt Disney (Single) riginal Members*1974 El Alacran ew Members: Ruben and Javi Lopez, and Gaby Jimenez*1975 Tomame o Dejame ame as above*1976 Bakala Nanu Meme ame as above*1976 Puerto Rico ame as above*1977 Gaby, Ruben, Javi, Blanca, Javier ame as above

Band members

* Santi Martinez (1970-1974), son of Pepa Aguirre, now married to famous singer Maria Caneda, executive for Disney music in Spain. Became a member of Tradición after leaving La Pandilla. Tradición included all Aguirre brothers and sisters, including Nieves. Became a member of La Pequeña Compañía in the early 1980s, representing Spain in the 1982 OTI Festival with them.
* Nieves Martinez (1970-1974), daughter of Pepa Aguirre, married with an Iberia Airlines executive. Was a member of Tradición with her brother Santiago.
* Mari Blanca Ruiz Martinez (1970-1977), niece of Pepa Aguirre, now a veterinarian.
* Juan Carlos Martinez (1970-1974), no relation to Santi and Nieves, lived in Puerto Rico many years, has since returned to Spain and works at a professional marketing firm.
* Francisco Javier Martinez (1970-1977), brother of Juan Carlos, now works in finance and investments
*Francisco Javier López, Javi (1974-1977), twin brother of Rubén López, now a surgeon
* Ruben Lopez (1974-1977), never married, now a surgeon like his twin brother
* Gabriel Jiménez González (1974-1977), Gaby, now an actor, and voice dubbing talent in his native country.

Television Series

Puerto Rican actor and singer Juan Carlos Morales, who himself was once accepted by Menudo but who had to pull out of the group because his mother did not allow him to join it, announced in 2016, that he and Spaniard producing company ''El Trampolin'' are developing a television series largely based on both La Pandilla and Menudo's hits, about a male homosexual couple who adopt four boys and one girl and form a tribute band named ''#La Pandilla''. The series, a sitcom named #La Pandilla, was tentatively set to debut on Spanish television during 2017.http://elvocero.com/desarrolla-serie-con-canciones-de-la-pandilla-y-menudo/

References

*http://www.lapandillafanclub.com/cantaconlapandilla13.htm (La Pandilla Discography - page is in Spanish)
*http://www.discogs.com/artist/La+Pandilla Partial singles discography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandilla, La
Spanish musical groups
Menudo (band)
1970 establishments in Puerto Rico