Monday November 10th, 2003

Mexican rocker Alex Lora blesses Gibson guitar during 35th anniversary celebration

Photo by Robert C. Mora/WireImage.com

Mexican rock pioneer Alex (Alejandro) Lora was presented with a colorful Gibson USA Les Paul Standard - the first guitar produced in a new Gecko Green finish - during the celebration of his 35th anniversary in the music industry Sunday, Nov. 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Lora raised the guitar, blessed it like a priest and kissed it in front of 15,000 concert-goers who chanted "Gibson! Gibson!"

"I appreciate Gibson coming to our 35th year celebration!" Lora shouted to spectators. Lora is known as "the Mick Jagger of the Latino World," and together with his band El Tri played one of the year's most anticipated concerts in the Latin music world.

Lora had become a rock en espaol pioneer by the end of the 1960s while playing with Charlie Hauptvogel in a band called Avengers. In 1968 they formed their own group, Three Souls in My Mind. The band played a memorable performance at Rock y Ruedas de Avndaro festival in 1971, a controversial concert known as the Mexican Woodstock. The band focused on English lyrics until the release of their first Spanish-language album in 1973, featuring songs such as "Que Viva El Rock and Roll" and "Oye Cantinero." In 1984, Hauptvogel and Lora parted ways and formed their own groups, and Lora assembled El Tri, who made their debut with the release of Simplemente El Tri.

Gibson and La Banda Elstica (LBE) magazine, "the premier source for Latin Alternative and global music," raffled two Epiphone guitars signed by Lora for charity at the event.

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