Mariachi Águilas de Piedra launches theme on the importance of getting vaccinated

“Get vaccinated, it’s for my good, it’s for your good”

This is the central message of the new theme of Mariachi Águilas de Piedra, which was launched on Wednesday Cinco de Mayo, during a free concert for the Latino community, on the Facebook site of the Department of Public Health (CDPH, for its

“The last year was very difficult for everyone,” said Moisés Baqueiro, composer of the band with Oscar Almaguer. “The accumulation of things that we all go through made that, when we faced the pencil and the paper, when the strings touched our hands, this theme came out of a very intimate and real place”, shared the composer.

Baqueiro explained that the new song is divided into two parts.

“On the one hand, it is a sad story of loss. But on the other, we wanted the message to be positive and include the imperative slogan of ‘Get vaccinated’. It was really a very emotional and genuine creative process, but at the same time, very revitalizing, “he said.

Both musicians had to say goodbye to many relatives and loved ones, victims of COVID – 19. The pandemic disproportionately impacted the Latino community, and the musicians’ union in particular, including Rafael Acevedo, the trumpeter who played with Oscar.

“Many musicians had to keep playing and working during the pandemic in order to eat and support their families. Many lost their lives “, explained Baqueiro.

” As a musician and creator, but above all, as a human being affected by the pandemic, this song emerged with a feeling of hope and union so that we can all move forward. This song is a message of hope, “added Oscar Almaguer.

Almaguer and his family contracted covid – 19 months ago, and his uncle died of the disease.

“It was something very difficult,” confessed the composer. “We went through a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear. It is also for this reason that we want to share this message. It is necessary to have an open mind and learn to differentiate between noise and gossip and what the professionals who know about this tell us, “he added.

For our people

Baqueiro noted the general distrust that exists in Latin culture around the authorities.

“From Tijuana (Mexico) to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), Latinos come from incredulous cultures, we tend to mistrust the authorities and question everything. But it is important to learn to mediate between reliable information and the rumors and myths that circulate on social networks. By now, we’ve seen that vaccines really help us. Everyone in the band has been vaccinated and no one got an extra finger or a third eye ”, he commented laughing.

“ This year of the pandemic was a year of introspection. It was a year that made us lose ourselves and re-evaluate our priorities. I listened to people complaining about frivolity, such as not being able to go on vacation, while so many people suffered. I soon realized that there was nothing normal about the new ‘normal’. All this made me re-evaluate many things, and learn to distinguish between what I want and what I really need ”, he reflected.

Looking to the future

Baqueiro explained that Mariachi Águilas de Piedra was born from the merger of two other bands: Mariachi Monumental and Mariachi Manchester.

“Oscar Almaguer is a musician from Mariachi Monumental, a band with a long tradition and heir to the oral tradition of Oscar’s father and uncle, well-known musicians within Mariachi. On the other hand, I come from Mariachi Manchester, a tribute band to Manchester musicians like Morrissey and The Smiths ”, he explained. The Mariachi Manchester combines various musical genres, such as son jarocho, while maintaining a rock essence.

The name Águilas de Piedra was born from Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California , where the musicians are based.

“Mariachi is a genre deeply rooted in our tradition and it also incorporates new songs that eventually become traditional themes. It is a very regional music, with differences from state to state, which in turn amalgamates other musical genres ”, explained the composer.

What message would you give to your audience?

“I think that it is essential to find humanity and empathy for those around us and act accordingly. But above all, I would give them a short message of only four syllables: Va-cú-na-te ”, concluded the musician.