Evolution of Perrozompopo

                                  

                          The Evolution of Perrozompopo

     Charles Darwin had it right: the strong survive and adapt to their ever-changing surroundings while the weak ones become mere memories. And the Darwin Theory can be witnessed in action in Managua, Nicaragua with the rock star Perrozompopo. Even the stage name he chose is indicative of his tenacity. Loosely translated, perrozompopo is a colloqialism for "street smart" but the nickname was actually first given to a species of gecko who stowed onboard in crates of goods coming from Cuba to aid the Sandinista uprising in Nicaragua in the 1970s. These non-indigenous lizards, easily identified by the red marking on their foreheads, quickly took over, running out all the local geckos, and a nickname was born.

     Now, in the Twenty-first Century, the musician Perrozompopo (aka Ramon Mejia) has delivered another classic example of evolution. His first album, "Romper el Silencio" established his voice and style as a rocker with a message. The music is straight-forward Rock and the lyrics are about being politically and socially active in working toward beneficial change. The album caught the attention of Papaya Music, Costa Rica's major music label, who signed on to distribute the disc. The second Perrozompopo CD, "Quiero Que Sepas" took on a varied look from the first. The lyrics kept his initial theme, concentrating on the plight of Central American women. For half of his new songs, he continued to employ his Nicaraguan urban rock band to accompany him. For the other half, Papaya brought him into their San Jose recording studios and surrounded him with talented, successful Costa Rican musicians, including members of the popular band Malpais and the three-time Grammy winners Editus. Another subtle change was printing the liner notes and lyrics in English as well as Spanish. The result was a more marketable, palatable product that allowed for a wider audience, further enhancing the evolution.
 

The new Perrozompopo album, "Canciones Populares Contestatarias" sees the artist reunited with his Managuan band, including new lead guitarist, Federico Miranda, who adds a little more punch and distinctive style than his predecessor. This entire album was recorded in Nicaragua and was funded by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development, another feather in the cap of the street-wise survivor, who is rapidly being portrayed as the voice of a Nicaraguan generation. The twelve song disc kicks off with "9 Dias", a song written a year ago about the trials and tribulations of living in a poverty-stricken country. In fact, four of the songs were written more than a year ago, as if the author was waiting for the right time to release them. Other standouts include "Cancion Toxica", "Mirando al Sur" and the final cut, "Angel del Cielo", a beautiful ballad and fitting close to the album. Perrozompopo seems more comfortable in his own urban setting, no matter how volatile it might be, since this is what the theme for the bulk of his songs is. And he always seems bent on positive change, and survival. Darwin (and Sandino) would be proud of him

     All of Perrozompopo's CDs are available at the Jaime Peligro bookstores in Playa Tamarindo, Tilaran and Quepos, where they will gladly sample the music for their customers. All comments concerning this areticle are welcome.