contact: lilo@sopaderecords.com • +1 202.704.1660 • instagram: @sopaderecords @estilo.lilo
Lilo Gonzalez was born in El Salvador. He was raised in Echo Park, Los Angeles and Washington DC, returning to El Salvador to complete middle and high school. His father, also Lilo Gonzalez, is a widely respected and celebrated songwriter, performer and bandleader.
He founded the dynamic Latino punk band Machetres in 1997 -just out of high school and already playing with Fugazi- making an indelible mark on the DC punk scene. He composes songs in Spanish and English, with the majority of the newer material in Spanish.
Lilo joined cumbia-reggae-ska-rock band Nayas in 2007, as lead guitar and backing vocals. Nayas garnered several Washington Area Music Award nominations, and played at nearly all premier DC concert venues and national institutions such as the Kennedy Center and The Smithsonian. Nayas released the full-legth "Av. de La Cura" in 2012, which was awarded a "Best Latin Album" Wammy nomination. Both Machetres and Nayas can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Pandora Internet Radio and LastFM.
Lilo was featured recently in a ZT Amps international advertising campaign.
ABOUT MACHETRES
“Cutting edge Latino Punk”
ma-che-tres – slang term for a machete tied to G3 rifle used by uprising Central American indigenous communities during the 1980s civil wars.
First show: With Fugazi at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC, 1997
In 1998 the band's first self titled release Machetres 7” record was produced by Guy Picciotto in a split release by Dischord / Brickthrower Records. Since then, the band has played throughout the United States and El Salvador.
In 2003 Machetres released “Do” as part of a compilation CD on Dischord Records. In April 2004 the band released their first full length self-titled album; released on Venceremos Records and recorded by Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios. In 2012 they returned to Inner Ear to record another 7" with Zientara, scheduled for release in in March 2013.
Machetres have shared the stage with the likes of Fugazi, Café Tacuba, Molotov, and El Vez. They have been invited to perform at The Smithsonian, "Operation Ceasefire" at the National Mall, GALA Hispanic Theatre and were featured by MHz Spotlight (MHz Networks).
Equally committed to the support of the DC punk scene, grassroots organization, social justice and Latino youth, they are well known to perform benefit concerts throughout the community.
Lilo Gonzalez- Lead Vocals and Guitar | Cristian Gajardo- Drums
PRESS
IN BOOKS
From the Upcoming 7" EP "Sopa de Res"
Recorded at Inner Ear Studios by Don Zientara. Mastered by TJ Lipple © 2012 Sopa De Records
Selections from "Machetres" 2004