Sumo

Sumo was an 80s Argentine alternative rock band, merging post-punk with reggae and ska. Headed by Italian-born Luca Prodan, it remained underground for most of its short activity, but was extremely influential in shaping contemporary Argentine rock. Sumo introduced British post-punk to the Argentine scene, with almost the whole lyrics in English. After living in London, hanging out with the members of Joy Division, Italian-born Luca Prodan accepted an invitation to visit a farm in C?rdoba province to kick off his heroin habit and relax.

After living in London, hanging out with the members of Joy Division, Italian-born Luca Prodan accepted an invitation to visit a farm in C?rdoba province to kick off his heroin habit and relax. After some time, Prodan tired of the quiet of the country and set off to Buenos Aires, looking for its underground music scene.

Argentina was under a repressive military dictatorship, and many music and performing-arts acts kept a low profile to avoid problems with police. Luca soon found musicians willing to join his reggae-rock vision, to form the band in 1981.

Sumo's initial formation was: Prodan on vocals and guitar, Germán Daffunchio on guitar, Alejandro Sokol on bass, and Stephanie Nuttal (an English friend of Prodan and former member of the band Manicured Noise) on drums.

Nuttal returned to England when the Falklands war started, so Sokol took on the drums, and Diego Arnedo joined on bass. Sax player Roberto Pettinato was a frequent guest.

Because they sang mostly in English, Sumo did not enjoy the extensive airplay given to Argentine bands in the wake of the war. Nevertheless, it became a pillar of the underground scene together with Sueter, Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota, and the second incarnation of Los Abuelos de la Nada.

Sumo's music had two sides: hard-edged rock, and a typically British brand of reggae and ska. After a halt due to Prodan's spending some time in Europe, the band committed fully to rock in 1984, and spun off the Hurlingham Reggae Band. Ricardo Mollo was added on guitar, and Alberto Superman Troglio replaced Sokol on drums.

Sumo started achieving popularity in the mid-1980s, as Luca's in-your-face style was popular with teenagers?but he could also display a mellower streak. He would shout "Fuck You" randomly, or sing a scathing song about stupid blondes, and immediately swoon about his appreciation for common men drinking ginebra at a bar.

In the later releases, some spanish language lyrics were added to the band's repertoire. Many of Luca's lyrics featured irony, wordplay, and references to drugs, dance parties, sex, and other aspects of young people's lives, while remaining aloof of the political and economic changes of the 1980s.

Due to his drinking and a very fast rock-and-roll lifestyle, Luca's health deteriorated. He died of a heart attack on December 22, 1987, two days after their last show. After Luca's death, the band dissolved, but its legacy was carried on by two bands, Divididos (led by Mollo and Arnedo) and Las Pelotas (Sokol and Daffunchio).