- Los Bravos
Los Bravos were a Spanish
beat group , formed in 1965, and based inMadrid .Biography
The band were an amalgamation of two pop groups, Los Sonor and The Runaways. Los Bravos' lead
singer , Mike Kogel, was fromGermany . His vocal styling was similar toGene Pitney 's. As the first Spanish group to do so,cite book
first= Joseph
last= Murrells
year= 1978
title= The Book of Golden Disc
edition= 2nd
publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
location= London
pages= p. 206/207
id= ISBN 0-214-20512-6] their single "Black is Black" reached #2 in theUK Singles Chart in July 1966 cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 329
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] , and #4 in the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 chart. The world wide sales of thesong were over one million copies. The track was written by Tony Hayes and Steve Wadey, in theirrecording studio for cutting demo discs inHoo St Werburgh , near Rochester,Kent ,England .cite book
first= Joseph
last= Murrells
year= 1978
title= The Book of Golden Disc
edition= 2nd
publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd
location= London
pages= p. 206/207
id= ISBN 0-214-20512-6] The song was later covered by the French based outfit Belle Epoque, and in 1977 theirdisco version of the song coincidentally also reached #2 in the UK.Los Bravos' follow-up single, "I Don't Care", reached #16 in the UK in October 1966. In 1967 the band anticipated in
Sanremo Music Festival , failing to qualify to the final with the song "Uno come noi" in Italian. [ [http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/sanremo/edizioni/1967.htm Sanremo 1967 (17a Edizione)] hitparadeitalia.it] The band were subject to two Spanish comedic movies, in 1967 "Los chicos con las chicas", directed byJavier Aguirre , and in 1968, "¡Dame un poco de amooor...!", directed byJosé María Forqué and Francisco Macián. Their song "Going Nowhere" from thesoundtrack to "Los chicos con las chicas" was re-issued as a part of the Rhino Records series "Nuggets II : Original Artyfacts From The British Empire & Beyond".One of Los Bravos' founding members Manuel Fernandez committed suicide on 20 May 1967, at the age of 23, [ [http://www.classicbands.com/heaven.html Rock and Roll Heaven] classicbands.com ] [ [http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1960.html The 1960s] The Dead Rock Stars Club] after the death of his bride Lottie Rey in an auto accident. He drove the car and was riddled with guilt.
Band members
*Mike Kogel (born
25 April 1945 ,Berlin ) - vocals
*Antonio Martinez (born3 October 1945 ,Madrid ) -guitar . Tony died in a motorcycle accident en route to his office several years ago.
*Manuel Fernandez29 September 1943 ,Seville — died20 May 1967 -electric organ .
*Miguel Vicens Danus (born21 June 1944 ,Palma de Mallorca ,Majorca ) -bass guitar
*Pablo Gomez (born5 November 1943 ,Barcelona ) -drum sDiscography
ingles
The following singles reached Billboard Hot 100 or UK Top 40 [http://wc06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9fpxq85ld6e~T51 Los Bravos ] allmusic.com]
*"Black is Black" (1966) - UK #2 U.S. #4
*"I Don't Care (1966) - UK #16
*"Bring a Little Lovin'" (1968) - U.S. #51Albums
Original studio albums
*"Black is Black" (1966) - Sindrome - U.S. #93
*"Bring a Little Lovin' " (1968) - Parrot
*"All the Best" (1993) -compilation album - Deccaee also
*
RPM number-one hits of 1966
*List of artists under the Decca Records label
*List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
*List of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks
*Music of Spain References
External links
* [http://wc06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:k9fpxq85ld6e~T1 Los Bravos biography] at
Allmusic website
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVWNZPOUhO8 Video for "Black is Black"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU8wOaCmkmE Video for "Going Nowhere"]
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