Caifanes

Caifanes are the quintessential Mexican rock band. In many ways, they were the group that brought rock music out of obscurity in their home country and propelled it to the masses, packing stadiums and large auditoriums with classic anthems like “Viento” (1988) and “Afuera” (1994). Named after the classic 1967 Mexican film Los caifanes, the group was formed by lead singer Saúl Hernández in the late ‘80s as an offshoot of Las Insólitas Imágenes de Aurora. Their early look, showcased on the album cover of their 1988 self-titled debut, borrowed heavily from gothic rock of the era (most notably The Cure). Yet by their second album, El Diablito (1990), the group was delving head-on into folklore and mysticism in songs like “Los Dioses Ocultos” and “La Célula Que Explota,” the latter of which fused elements of mariachi with rock, foreshadowing the band’s future sound and aesthetic. It was their third album El Silencio (1992)––produced by Adrian Belew, who worked with legendary acts like David Bowie and Talking Heads––that would catapult them to international stardom with memorable songs like “Nubes” and “No Dejes Que…”. Though the group would only release one more album before dissolving, El Nervio del Volcán (1994), their legacy lived on through their spiritual successor group Jaguares.