JORGE GONZÁLEZ
(1964, SAN MIGUEL, SANTIAGO - CHILE)
The first portrait unveiled of the three made by Ian Berry to celebrate the trio of Chilean iconic artists is one of the most important and influential musicians in Chile and Latin America - Jorge Humberto González Ríos.
González is the former leader of the rock band Los Priosioneros, a popular group from the 1980s, which he joined with Miguel Tapia (drums) and Claudio Narea (guitar). The group, known for its songs of a political nature and in opposition to the military leadership of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), released six studio albums.
His first LP, "La voz de los 80" (1984) is one of his most important albums of his entire career. From there come songs like "La voz de los ‘80” (The voice of the 80s), "Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos” (Latin America is a town in the south of the United States), “Sexo” (Sex), "Paramar", “¿Quién mató a Marilyn?” (Who killed Marilyn), among others.
Later, they released other albums: "Pateando piedras" (1986), "La cultura de la basura"(1987) and "Corazones” (1990). Claudio Narea left the group when Los Prisioneros released "Corazones", considered in 2008 one of the most important albums of Chilean music, with strong electronic influences and romantic lyrics, according the chilean edition of Rolling Stone Magazine.
After the first dissolution of Los Prisioneros, in 1991, González unfolded his varied musical interests in a solo career on equally diverse stations, including the kind and spiritual pop of his solo debut in “Jorge González” (1993), the experimentation of “El futuro se fue” (1994) and a position of renewed acidity in “Mi destino. Confesiones de una estrella de rock” (1999).
His interest in techno sound and several years of residence in New York (where he studied Sound) during the nineties, brought him closer to outstanding exponents of electronic music, the result of which collaborations with the prestigious German musician Uwe Schmidt (Señor Coconut), the Chilean-German group Sieg Über Die Sonne and the Chilean Vicente Sanfuentes (Original Hamster), as well as the duo Gonzalo Martínez, formed together with Martín Schopf (Dandy Jack)
photo by Debbie Bragg
The troubled reunion of Los Prisioneros between 2001 and 2006 left González convinced of the virtues of solo work, which he has continued to carry out through projects such as Los Updates.
In February 2015, Jorge González suffered a cerebrovascular accident that left him with motor sequelae. The musician lives in San Miguel district of Santiago, where he resides with his brother and rarely gives interviews, although he always gives an opinion on political and social events in the country.
photo by Debbie Bragg
Ian Berry had the great pleasure of visiting Jorge at his home and talking bout the portrait, his life, music and even football. Ian Berry was humbled to meet one of Chile’s great icon’s and cherishes the beer drank together.