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.

In this concert at their natal Guadalajara, Belanova wanted to showcase the local talent. That’s why they invited a local group of musicians for this song, imparting a new sound to one of their best known hits.

Pepe Aguilar is an American singer of Mexican descent whose parents were legends in Mexican show biz. At the ripe ol’ age of 5, Pepe made his singing debut at Madison Square Garden, at his father’s side. And while he admits to crying with fear, Pepe must have enjoyed himself: He became a regular member of his dad’s band and then launched a solo career.

Zoé, an experimental pop-rock quintet from Mexico, brings us this surreal video featuring Japanese teenagers. No Me Destruyas casts a sweet, harmless-looking jovencita as a dangerous villain with colmillos afilados.

Belanova, the electropop band from Mexico, sounds like it was influenced by nightclub epiphanies, Japanese anime and sweet lollipops. "Niño", one of the songs off their album Dulce Beat, is a painful goodbye, adios, au revoir, arrivederci—but it’s somehow lightened by the constant use of the word “boy” (niño) to address the unlucky target of the bad news.

Moenia may be considered one of the first modern, successful, experimental Mexican groups, finding commercial viability in a market normally dominated by old-style Latin crooners, Ranchera and Cumbia. Heavily influenced by ‘80s bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure, Moenia surged in ‘92 but fell out of public favor in the mid ‘90s when a key member quit. More recently, the reunited band has won over new fans with songs infused with ‘80s-style electronica.

Abraham Quintanilla, III (also known as the brother of late Tejano singer Selena) was one of the founding members of Los Kumbia Kings, a band he broke away from in early 2006 to form the Kumbia All-Starz, garnering many hits including "Speedy Gonzalez". The Kumbia All-Starz are from Texas.

When one of their friends suggested that the band’s name should be Belafunk, just half of a bell rang for them. They wanted something more cosmic, stellar, and looking in the closest encyclopedia they ran into the word Nova. That’s how Belanova — a beautiful star — got its name.

Belinda Peregrín Schull, was born in Madrid, but moved with her family at the age of four to Mexico City. At the age of 18 Belinda had already become an international superstar for both her albums and starring roles in various telenovelas as well as a role in the Disney Channel’s Cheetah Girls.

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.

Juan is a seller of large garden plants in the fashionable La Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City. Luckily for us, he was willing to tell us a little about his lovely merchandise, most of which grows native in the lush mountains of Oaxaca.

Could it be that the “Tu Rock es Votar” campaign resulted in a closer Mexican 2006 election, one that ironically left the youth feeling more disillusioned than ever? Felipe Calderón Hinojosa edged out Andrés Manuel López Obrador by such a thin margin that the losing side demanded a total recount, which was not granted. The ensuing cloud surrounding the election left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Mexicans.

Armando David Ortigosa decided that something needed to be done to motivate the young people of Mexico to participate in its presidential election. He looked north for inspiration, where the “Rock the Vote” campaign used pop stars to try and get young voters to the polls. The Mexican equivalent became known as Tu Rock Es Votar.

Division Minuscula hails from Matamoros, a Mexican border town just to the south of Brownsville, Texas. Despite having disbanded for five years while members finished their degrees and helped out with family businesses, the group is back and not yet forgotten, with this hit song, Sismo (Earthquake), shaking the airwaves.

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…