Chilean singer, songwriter, and guitarist Aldo Enrique Asenjo Cubillos, better known as El Macha, was born in Villa Alemana, Chile on August 4, 1968).
In 1991, after nearly two decades of dictatorship, Chile embarked on a gradual path towards democracy. Following a prolonged period of political and cultural suppression, a new generation rekindled their inclination for provocation and the thrill of protest. In the Valparaiso suburb of Villa Alemana, a twenty-one-year-old named Macha, also known as Aldo Asenjo, established La Floripondio, a band that seamlessly combined punk, hardcore, and ska with the fiery exuberance of youth challenging a deeply conservative society.
La Floripondio’s initial concerts resonated immediately, forging their own distinctive style, termed “Perkusive Punk Mariachi” or “Wild Style,” and in a few years, they would become a leading act in the within the underground club circuit. Their success extended beyond Chile, with fervent followings in Berlin and elsewhere.
While La Floripondio’s punk spirit mirrored Macha’s iconoclasm, he also harbored an affection for the lyrical charm of popular dance music from his childhood, especially the cumbias that defined neighborhood festivities in the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1999, Macha embarked on his next musical endeavor, forming Chico Trujillo. Their repertoire comprised covers of classic Chilean and Colombian songs, with a mission to reintroduce this music to a new generation by infusing cumbia with the vitality of rock and protest. Their success was meteoric, with Macha’s song “Loca” becoming a surprise hit across South America, propelling the band from underground clubs to stadiums in a matter of years.
Chico Trujillo became a bridge between the era before and after Pinochet. Their records were indispensable for any party, and El Macha emerged as a national icon while preserving his absolute independence. He eschewed record companies, publishers, and managers, and shied away from interviews, not out of disdain but humility. He preferred to communicate directly with his audience on stage rather than in the media. Macha’s schedule was relentless, at times featuring up to three concerts in a single day, occasionally capping the night with an impromptu La Floripondio performance at a local club after a Chico Trujillo show.
In recent years, Macha’s interest gravitated toward old ballads, Peruvian waltzes, and boleros that resonated in the port of Valparaiso, the beloved canciones de desamor or despecho (songs of heartbreak or spite), songs cherished by all Chileans and occasionally sung at the end of the evening, before the closure of bars. Macha had always envisioned singing these tunes on stage when he grew older, but why wait?
During a European tour in 2012, Chico Trujillo began dedicating a segment of their set to these songs, aptly named El Bloque Depresivo, the depressive set. It was a stark departure from the typical festival vibe of merriment, yet it gained popularity. In customary fashion, Macha embarked on yet another musical venture, and Bloque Depresivo was born.
In September 2018, Macha brought it all full circle by having Bloque Depresivo open the first night of the Festival Arte y Memoria Víctor Jara. This festival commemorated the memory of Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara, who was tragically murdered by soldiers of the Pinochet regime in the same stadium 45 years prior that September. This act of resistance, historical remembrance, and reclamation solidified Macha and Bloque Depresivo’s profound place in the heart of Chilean culture.
Discography
With Floripondio
Muriendo Con Las Botas Puestas (1993) (Demo cassete)
La Manda del Ladrón de Melipilla (Alerce, 1995)
Atontahuayoprensao (Alerce, 1997)
Dime Qué Pasa! (Hachazo, 2001)
Pasa na’ loco loco (live) (2002)
Paria! (Hachazo, 2005)
15 Años Sin Ni Un Brillo! (live) (2009)
Hipertenso (Hachazo, 2011)
Gimnasia para Momias (Hachazo, 2015)
With Chico Trujillo
Chico Trujillo y la Señora Imaginación/Also known as ¡Arriba las Nalgasss! in Germany (2001)
Fiesta de reyes (live) (2003)
Cumbia chilombiana (Oveja Negra, 2006)
Plato único bailable (Oveja Negra, 2009)
Chico de oro (Rodrec/Barbès Records, 2010)
Vivito y coleando (CD + DVD live) (Oveja Negra, 2010)
Gran Pecador (Oveja Negra/Barbès Records, 2012)
Reina de todas las fiestas (Chilevisión Música/Barbès Records, 2015)
Mambo Mundial (Perros Con Tiña, 2019)
Chico De Oro (Perros Con Tiña, 2022)
With Macha y el Bloque Depresivo
Macha y el Bloque Depresivo (Perros Con Tiña, 2018)
¡Sacó la Voz Desde el Camarín! (Perros Con Tiña, 2022)
Sesiones la Habana (Perros Con Tiña, 2022)
Author: Iliana Cabrera
