Mandy Gor

Mandy Gor, artist extraordinaire, creative hurricane, New Madrid fan and 1/3 of the people in charge of The Cee Flat Gallery, has been working on portraits for New Madrid. We visited the gallery two weeks ago, where she gave us a tour of the space (fantastic roof!), petted a fluffy kitty, and had a cool and painless photo session. Visit The Cee Flat Gallery's website; check out Mandy's art; it is passionate, clever and full of color. Gracias Mandy!

Mandy has agreed to help me design my own guitar. Well, artistically decorate my Comanche G&L. It'll be like having a brand new guitar; plus, I'll get to doodle!

Ciao,
Erik Barragan

National Anthem Project: Uruguay

Today, we focus on Uruguay. Uruguay is a very interesting country. Here's a quote from Wikipedia.

"Uruguay was the first South American country to legalize same-sex and different-sex civil unions at a national level, and to allow gay adoption. Uruguay and Bolivia were the only countries in the Americas which did not go into recession (2 consecutive quarters of retraction) as a result of the Late-2000s financial crisis. In 2009, Uruguay became the first nation in the world to provide every school child with a free laptop and internet. It was the first nation in the Americas to test hemp cultivation. Uruguay is reimbursed by the UN for the majority of its military spending, because the majority of its military is deployed as UN peacekeepers".

Interesting, yeah?

Lyrics by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa and music composed by Francisco José Debali with the collaboration of Fernando Quijano.

Himno Nacional de Uruguay
Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!

Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Que sabremos cumplir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Que sabremos cumplir!

Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!

Libertad, libertad Orientales!
Este grito à la Patria salvó.
Que a sus bravos en fieras batallas
De entusiasmo sublime inflamó.

Libertad, libertad Orientales!
Este grito à la Patria salvó.
Que a sus bravos en fieras batallas
De entusiasmo sublime inflamó.

De este don sacrosanto la gloria
Merecimos: tiranos temblad!

Tiranos temblad!
Tiranos temblad!

Libertad en la lid clamaremos,
Y muriendo, también libertad!

Libertad en la lid clamaremos,
Y muriendo, también libertad!

Y muriendo, también libertad!

También libertad!
También libertad!

Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!

Orientales la Patria o la Tumba!
Libertad o con gloria morir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Que sabremos cumplir!

Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir!

Que sabremos cumplir!

Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!
Sabremos cumplir!

Ciao,
Erik Barragan

I Don't Like Your Tone Show

Happy New Year, everybody! Espero que hayan quemado el año como yo, partying with family and friends. New Madrid would like to thank one such friend, Anna Finke, for securing us tickets to the very last performance of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Anna worked as a costume designer for the legendary company. The last performance took place at the Park Avenue Armory, a beautiful and elegant building; the inside is fit for New York royalty, stained glass windows, gleaming, rustic wooden staircases and furniture, and the performance space looked like a hangar; a plane could have fit there. The dancers were amazing that night; there was fire behind all of their eyes, and their bodies moved swiftly and gracefully to the pieces of strange, atonal music. It was a work of art, and we were there as history was happening.

Moving on, our first show of the year is a great one. On Thursday, January 19th New Madrid is playing a set for the One-Year Anniversary of I Don't Like Your Tone. I Don't Like Your Tone is a comedy show at The Parkside Lounge. It happens every third Thursday of the month. Our friend Chrissy Mayr will be hosting (va va va boom, boys and girls!). You'll laugh and you'll dance. Don't miss it.

Craig Hillelson and Chrissy Mayr

New Madrid recommendation: Watch the movie Hamlet 2. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I was in stitches. See you at the Parkside Lounge on Thursday, the 19th of January, 2012.

Ciao,
Erik Barragan

National Anthem Project: Chile

This week we put the spotlight on Chile! When I lived in Venezuela, my best friend was a Chilean kid named Mauricio Muñoz. Que fue, hermanazo! Chile's National Anthem titled Himno Nacional Chileno, and also referred to as Cancion Nacional, has one of the more interesting stories I've encountered. Turns out, Chile has had two National Anthems.

"The National Anthem of Chile (Spanish: Himno Nacional de Chile) is also known as Canción Nacional (National Song). It has a history of two lyrics and two melodies that made up three different versions."

How's that for scandalous?

The version used today was composed by Ramón Carnicer, with lyrics by Eusebio Lillo. I recommend you read the wikipedia entry on Cancion Nacional. There's a whole thing about Pinochet re-instating a third Verse because it exalted the armed forces.

Ciao, Erik Barragan

New Madrid at Bowery Electric

Last Thursday, we played our last show of the year at The Bowery Electric. It was a fucking blast; definitely, the way to end 2011. Not only did Hecho en Brooklyn, The Walnuts and Mama's Dirty Lil' Secret rock the Hell out of that stage, not only was the crowd aching to have a wild time, but we showcased two never-before heard songs. Our new, and as of yet untitled, composition, and Imagine in honor of John Lennon's death. The new song was one of the favorites of the night; plus, everyone sang along to Imagine. We did La Araña as an encore and three hot ladies came on stage to dance with us. Gracias, preciosuras!

Go to Feast of Music, to read our new friend, Sky Disco's take on that wonderfully sexy night. Eres lo maximo, Sky!

A big thank you to Nick Schupak from Citizen Music and talent buyer for The Bowery Electric. More thank-yous to all of you for making 2011 a great year for New Madrid. Coming up in 2012 a new single followed by a new EP and so much more.

Photo by Geovani Rodriguez

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Gia Jordan

Photo by Anna Finke

Photo by Anna Finke

Photo by Eric Smith

Photo by Gia Jordan

Keep your ears to the ground. Our new single is dropping soon.

Ciao,
Erik Barragan

National Anthem Project: Peru

Continuamos con el National Anthem Project; we're powering through. The idea is to showcase all Latin American National Anthems, while having the most fun. We've only just scratched the surface; nos faltan Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, plus all Central America and Mexico.

Hoy, nos dedicamos a Peru. Un abrazo a nuestros hermanos Peruanos! I love this National Anthem, and I love the version I found on You Tube. It's called Marcha Nacional Peruana with lyrics by Jose de la Torre Ugarte and music by Jose Bernardo Alcedo. I keep replaying it as I type. Enjoy!

Marcha Nacional Peruana

Coro
Somos libres
seámoslo siempre, seámoslo siempre
y antes niegue sus luces
sus luces, sus luces el Sol!
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elevó,
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elevó.
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elevo.

I
Largo tiempo el peruano oprimido
la ominosa cadena arrastró
condenado a una cruel servidumbre
largo tiempo, largo tiempo,
largo tiempo en silencio gimió.
Mas apenas el grito sagrado
¡Libertad! en sus costas se oyó
la indolencia del esclavo sacude
la humillada, la humillada,
la humillada cerviz levantó,
la humillada cerviz levantó, cerviz levantó...

Coro

II
Y al estruendo de broncas cadenas
que escuchamos tres siglos de horror,
de los libres al grito sagrado
que oyó atónito el mundo, cesó.
Por doquier San Martín inflamado,
libertad, libertad, pronunció,
y meciendo su base los Andes
la anunciaron, también, a una voz.

III
Con su influjo los pueblos despiertan
y cual rayo corrió la opinión;
desde el istmo a las tierras del fuego,
desde el fuego a la helada región.
Todos juran romper el enlace
que Natura a ambos mundos negó,
y quebrar ese cetro que España
reclinaba orgullosa en los dos.

IV
Lima cumple ese voto solemne,
y, severa, su enojo mostró,
al tirano impotente lanzando,
que intentaba alargar su opresión.
A su esfuerzo saltaron los grillos
y los surcos que en sí reparó,
le atizaron el odio y venganza
que heredara de su Inca y Señor.

V
Compatriotas, no más verla esclava.
Si humillada tres siglos gimió,
para siempre jurémosla libre,
manteniendo su propio esplendor.
Nuestros brazos, hasta hoy desarmados
estén siempre cebando el cañón,
que algún día las playas de Iberia
sentirán de su estruendo el terror.

Ciao,
Erik Barragan

Last Show of the Year

The New Madrid Blog is back! We apologize for the absence; minor computer problems, you know. Here are some news:

We're playing our last show of the year this Thursday, December 8th at The Bowery Electric. We go on at 10, but come early and hang out; we miss you all. Recording for our new single is moving swiftly, just a couple of more sessions, and you'll have a new New Madrid song that'll make you shake your asses; tell your friends. Also, our blog has a brand new look. You dig?

Here's a video of us playing Cataclysmo at Inti Maldonado's studio in Long Island City; enjoy. See you Thursday!

New Madrid at Pianos 09/09/11

Here are some pictures of our September 9th show at Pianos. Seems so long ago, doesn't it? Thank you for the photos, Dennis Manuel!

Don't miss our next show, December 9th at Cake Shop. New songs, muy sexy.

Ciao,
Erik Barragan