During the 1980s the Chilean outfit los Prisioneros emerged as their nation’s most influential band while also ranking among the most widely celebrated Latin rock acts of all time. Jorge González, who supplied lead vocals and bass, joined forces with guitarist Claudio Narea and drummer Miguel Tapia to launch the group while the three were still enrolled in high school. Though short on experience, their zeal allowed los Prisioneros to connect with a fresh wave of rock listeners through pointed lyrical content. The band issued its debut album in 1984, spotlighting the hit single “La Voz De Los ’80s,” and staged its first live show the next year. Pateando Piedras arrived in 1986 and promptly achieved double-platinum status inside Chile. Around the same moment the trio earned an invitation to Argentina’s Chateau Rock Festival and subsequently appeared at a comparable event in Montevideo, Uruguay. Following four months of studio work, La Cultura de la Basura reached stores in 1987. The track “We Are Sudamerican Rockers” later made history when its video became the very first clip aired by MTV Latino. In 1990 los Prisioneros relocated to the U.S. to record their next album. Shortly after Corazones appeared, the single “Tren Al Sur” scored a major commercial breakthrough. Internal tensions ultimately prompted the members to disband, and they played their final concert on December 21, 1991.
