How does a legendary band in the highly competitive field of norteño music celebrate three decades of non-stop hitmaking? Most would be perfectly content with a lavish anniversary tour across Mexico and the U.S., and that's exactly what Intocable is doing.
But the six musicians from Zapata, Texas, took an extra step: Earlier this year, they released "Modus Operandi," Intocable's most ambitious and adventurous album to date. "We never intended to appear daring or rebellious," says Ricky Muñoz, the band's singer and accordionist, when asked about the radical sound of the band's latest effort. "The idea was to make an album that felt comfortable to us.
Let's enjoy the moment and free ourselves. Let's make the kind of music that will please the inner children still living in our hearts." It's a blistering afternoon in downtown L.
A., and Intocable is about to hold a press conference at the Grammy Museum, where the group will donate an accordion to the institution's permanent collection. We're in the lobby of a luxury hotel, steps away from the rooftop event, but in keeping with the humble ethos of most norteño musicians, our interview setup is entirely improvised.
After looking around, a couple of chairs are borrowed. Advertisement We sit in an empty hallway — the six musicians side by side, including René Orlando Martínez, drums; Sergio Serna, percussion; Johnny Lee Rosas, second vocals; Alejandro Gulmar, bajo sexto; and Felix Salinas, bass. They form a horizontal line, listening intently to each other as they dissect the bold sonics of the new record.
"Sure, we play the instruments of a typical norteño conjunto," reflects Muñoz. "Our music, however, is anything but." When Muñoz's grandfather sold a cow so that he could afford a brand new accordion for his nieto, he probably never imagined that he was investing in a future norteño powerhouse.
But Mexican music wasn't the only influence that Muñoz and his bandmates grew up with. "Being from a small town..
. Ernesto Lechner.
