2024-01-13 09:54:23
Its members, Guillermo Bussinger (vocals), Álex Arellano (1st guitar) and Fernando Chávez (bass) answer this and other questions.
With the voice of Guillermo Bussinger, the national rocker’s group officially debuted on October 18, 2014 at the concert in his honor, called When you think about returning, at the National Stadium, before 50 thousand people.
“When Pedro suggested that I sing in his place because he was retiring from the stage, initially, it seemed like a crazy idea to me. However, little by little it took shape, until it became a reality,” Bussinger recalls.
The current formation of Pedro Suárez-Vértiz La Banda has Guillermo (vocals), Álex Arellano (1st guitar), Fernando Chávez (bass), José Carlos Velásquez (keyboard) and André Moral (drums).
“In fact, when I accept the proposal, I think about how people will react. I prepared for everything, but surprisingly, from the first day I received a lot of support from Pedro’s fans. I expected a lot more hate. I think everyone understood that it was his band and that he participated in this in the way he could, because he stopped singing, but never making music,” Guillermo highlights after clarifying that he took on the project with great responsibility.
“My challenge was to put myself in their shoes, with a lot of respect. It was not easy. In October we turned ten years old, and what satisfies me most is that things went well for him and for him,” she clarifies.
When Suárez Vértiz created this group, he did not look for a singer with his voice color or an imitator. Through a post he explained that his primary objective was to present an innovative proposal so that his music lasts, but, above all, sounds more modern.
“Pedro could have someone from ‘Yo soy’ sing his songs, but what he wanted was a band with its own personality,” says Fernando, the group’s bassist. “Pedro created La Banda so that his music would not die live. That was always his wish,” adds guitarist Álex Arellano.
Álex Arellano (1st guitar) Guillermo Bussinger (vocals) and Fernando Chávez, members of Pedro Suárez La Banda. ((Photo: Anthony Niño de Guzmán)
/ NUCLEO-PHOTOGRAPHY > ANTHONY NINO DE GUZMAN
After the death of the beloved musician at the age of 54, on December 28, the group was under the leadership of Cynthia Martínez, Pedro’s wife, and his manager, Robelo Calderón. Both decided that the band that allowed the Peruvian singer to work with his music until the end of his days, should continue. This January 26 they will perform at the Municipal Theater.
“With Pedro’s departure, I didn’t know what would happen to the band, but his wife and manager told us that it will continue its normal course. Pedro would not have wanted us to stop. What’s more, I feel that this stage comes with strength, more powerful. We will tour the United States, which was postponed due to the pandemic. And another for Europe. And although rock is not fashionable, people of all ages listen to its songs. What is happening is incredible,” Guillermo highlights.
“With Pedro’s departure, everyone feels that something was left between him and his audience. In each concert we will try to settle that unfinished issue,” adds Álex. “Each concert will be a tribute. I don’t know what will happen on stage. I don’t know if I can finish singing without breaking down. They were two hard weeks. There is a lot of feeling involved,” adds Bussinger.
Despite being away from the stage, Suárez Vértiz continued to make a living from his music and maintained extreme closeness with his audience through his social networks and countless posts that, in some cases, generated controversy. He composed the central theme of the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games and carried out the musical “Cuéntame” in the Exhibition Park. In 2017 he released an unreleased song with his band “Always here in my skin” and, recently, his single “Amor yo te perdido la fe” (2023) with Artificial Intelligence.
“He gave us instructions through WhatsApp. He sent us audios, proposed some things and we sent him our comments. That kept him active and alive musically. After his departure, there were several pending songs that we will continue working on. We will release them little by little. The best way to remember him is by listening to and playing his music, That’s what we do. That’s what Pedro wanted,” Bussinger emphasizes.
Álex Arellano (1st guitar) Guillermo Bussinger (vocals) and Fernando Chávez, members of Pedro Suárez La Banda. ((Photo: Anthony Niño de Guzmán)
/ NUCLEO-FOTOGRAFIA > ANTHONY NINO DE GUZMANThe members of the eighties group narrate unpublished events around the emblematic song and the album with the same name. This November 24th they celebrate four decades since its launch at the Gran Teatro Nacional.
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