Take it from the boys in Skampida, the best ways to learn a language are 1) to watch a lot of tv (yabla!) and 2) to find yourself a native girlfriend/boyfriend! Skampida is one of the best bands ever from Bogotá, and we caught up with them while they were spending some time hangeando in The Big Manzana.

Edgar Huerta, keyboardist of Belanova, refers to Joselo of Cafe Tacuba as un cuate. The word comes from the indigenous Nahuatl word coatl, which means “twin.” But Joselo is not Edgar’s gemelo, cuate is known by all Mexicans to refer to a “good buddy,” a “dear friend.”

As it turns out the young Arturo Vega, Mexican emigré actor and artist in New York, lived below a girl who was seeing a young man named Douglas Glenn Colvin (who would come to be known as “Dee Dee Ramone”). The two visionaries got to talking…

“Rock en español” is what we refer to the relatively new movement of musicians from Spanish speaking countries singing in their native language. Back in the sixties and seventies, these musicians were taken up with rock like much of the rest of the world, but they sang in English. Puerto Rican Carli Muñoz explains while looking back over his career.

We asked Carli Muñoz if he’d play a few bars of his latest compositions, and, luckily for us, he obliged. One of the tunes, “Portrait of Mia,” was written for his brand-new hija, Mia. We’re wondering if he’ll ever address her as mi’ja.

We skip backstage once again to get some final thoughts from La Gusana Ciega, learning a bit more about their career and personnel changes. Like many of Mexico’s popular bands today, they got their start at a Mexico City club called Cocotitlán, which is also the name of a municipality well known for its corn festival.

ChocQuibTown is a name everyday more common on Colombian airwaves and dance floors. Their mix of traditional rhythms from el Pacífico with hip-hop elements and a heavy dose of “funky” is earning them a place on the playlists of both young listeners as well as a more traditional audience. In this Yabla-exclusive interview, we had the chance to chat with the band about where, exactly, it’s all at.

Being a rebel is an undeniable part of becoming a rock star, and that’s something that Carli Muñoz couldn’t avoid when he was a kid. He had a head full of music, but little patience for music lessons. Lucky for him, the owner of the instrument store let him pound out his own musical education on the store piano.

Some people say that rock ‘n roll is half attitude and half talent. We already know that Carli had enough disrespect for the rules to make it and in this video he makes it clear that he has enough respect for the music to complete the equation.

In Colombia, costeño y cachaco are almost opposite terms. Costeños, that is de la costa, people from the Coast, are usually depicted as festive, noisy, and colorful people who really enjoy killing time. Cachaco is usually the name given to people from the capital, Bogotá, and they’re characterized by elegance; they’re always dressed up and in control of their emotions. One group is seen as lazy, the other as boring. Regional differences aside, Bomba Estéreo is a fresh musical mix of both regions.

Meet David Bisbal, one of the newest faces of Spanish Pop, willing to take us backstage to the very center of his latest tour: Premonición. A one time only opportunity to peek inside the darkest secrets and brightest moments of his show.

Life on the road is not necessarily easy: for David Bisbal, being on tour is all about work. These guys are the ones who make the magic happen!

These guys are partially obsessed with stardom, or at least with astronomy. Now they’re talking about “el núcleo de Belanova,” the core of their energy.

It’s show time for David Bisbal! Songs have been chosen, clothes are ready, musicians are on the stage and the lights are low. Get ready for this extensive interview with David Bisbal about all the details of his musical tour!

To those of us not lucky enough to attend a David Bisbal concert, Yabla brings an excellent alternative: a backstage tour by David Bisbal himself. Fans, this is as good as it gets!

Rotten tomatoes are the last thing young David Bisbal needs to worry about: what his loyal audience throws onto the stage is of a much different nature. Beware of those extra large bras!

We know how much work David Bisbal, his musicians, and his crew have put into this tour. But hard work doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. They find ways to keep the laughter going on the stage itself.

David Bisbal knows there can be more to being a star than filling stadiums and getting underwear thrown at him: He is a spokesman for child soldiers. That is to say, he raises awareness and money to try to end the use of minors in wars. In this segment, we see him take this commitment to the stage.

There is no better way to finish a great concert that with a great song, and David Bisbal has left some surprises for the very end.

Goy plays guitar and sings for Karamelo Santa, one of the best ska bands in Latin America. Argentina is the band’s homeland (they are practically from the Pampas). But the 7 boys with wild hair and wild songs do not sing around a Gaucho campfire; their sound reverberates in the world’s largest cities.

Here’s the second part of the interview with Goy of Karamelo Santo. They are among the leaders of their home country’s independent music scene (Argentina). All their records were self produced—the major labels just weren’t interested in a band which plays free shows for the unemployed and pokes fun at the international monetary fund.

The guys from Karamelo Santo are not only great musicians enjoying success far away from their hometown—they’re also really humble and contribute to new bands' careers in Mendoza. They know how hard the path is, and they’re happy to share their experiences with the very people who recognized them first.

In this video Goy talks about his family, his future as a musician and shares his point of view on piracy. Surely, these guys make music for the sake of music and have a great time sharing their work with the world. So, don’t be shy and take a look at this eclectic, funky and interesting band!

Bajofondo is the fusion of different musicians from the Río de la Plata area, Uruguayans and Argentineans. In 2003, they won the Latin Grammy for “Best Pop Instrumental Album” for their new genre: Electronic Tango. We interviewed Luciano Supervielle and Martín Ferres after a show in Germany about their most recent European tour.