By Sandra Roldán

This week we're bringing you lo major de SXSW! Meet some of our top Latin indie picks, Maldita Vecindad, Bomba Estéreo, Girl In A Coma, and more!

We caught up with psychedelic experimental punk group XYX while on their way to SXSW this year to ask them about the Monterrey music scene, how they would define their music style and who they're pumped to see perform este año.  Bandmates Mou and Anel also clarified what they think their music really sounds like: trippy! Read on!

Blogamole: We've noticed your music being called "no wave," "avant-punk," "noise punk," etc.  How would YOU describe your music?

ANEL: A powerful trio of sounds on a trip to the outer space: distorted chaotic bass guitar, human machine drumming, delayed melodic shouting vocals.

MOU: Anel does the first and the third, I do the human machine drumming and place the mics when we are recording. I think our music goes beyond those tags. It has pretty well-defined melodies so it is not No Wave and I tend to incorporate as many different and interesting rhythms that definitively can't be labeled as punk.

It's just our own version of psychedelia.

Alaska y Los Pegamoides

Blogamole: What are some of your biggest musical influences? Are there any Latin bands that you look to for inspiration?

ANEL: Roky Erickson, the members of Los Pegamoides (early 80s Spain) and Vodka Family Winstons. The amazing mexican drummer Carlos Icaza [Los Fancy Free] is an inspiration for all music nerds living in me.

MOU: At the moment... Los Tepetatles!

Blogamole: What does it mean for you guys to represent this style of music, and Monterrey, Mexcio's music scene, at this year's SXSW? What kind of audience are you looking to reach?

ANEL: I think we are representing more than a music style. I think we represent a total freedom of expression in the incalculable ways you can create so much with so little. We don't represent THE scene, we represent ourselves as part of a scene, a growing but still very underground one in our country. There are other mexican bands playing SXSW this year, that don't sound like us, not remotely close, at all, we don't even know each other.

MOU: We dont have a target audience, but I guess trippy people always get what other trippers do.

Blogamole: Are there any other bands you think are worth checking out at SXSW this year?

MOU: Ratas del Vaticano from Monterrey and Wounded Lion from LA. But I guess the fun this year is not going to be in Austin. The MtyMx Festival for All Ages is going to be on March 20, 21 and 22nd in Monterrey and there's going to be buses directly from Austin to the festival. 80 bands in 3 days for $30 dollars -- it's the best deal you can get. Amazing bands like Acid Mothers Temple [Japan] or Thee Oh Sees playing. check http://toddpnyc.com/mtymx/ for more info.

Blogamole: Where do you see your music going in the next few months/years? Are you working on releasing a full-length album soon?

ANEL: We just finished recording a whole set of songs that will work for an LP. We'll be looking for labels to put it out on vinyl soon. After that, I guess we can tour for the rest of the year, and the future is unknown.

MOU: Yes! the new album is going to be a good one. Maybe it will be out in the summer. Hope we can bring more good trips to people out there in space!

Check out XYX's Myspace Page to listen to their distorted psychedelic beats, get more info on tour dates and more!

By Sandra Roldán

Ya sabemos que nosotros los Latinos love our fútbol.  And we love our música tambien.  So, what better way to prepare for the 2010 World Cup este año than a little celebrity soccer tournament starring a bunch of your favorite artists and athletes?  Uh huh, we think that sounds like an awesome idea too!

That's where Rock N Gol comes in!  With A-level artists like Pitbull, Carlos Mencia, David Bisbal and Michelle Rodriguez, PLUS soccer champs Marcelo Balboa, Brandi Chastain, Tony Meola and Tab Ramos, this show promises to be un partido de fútbol of epic proportions!

When asked about appearing at this event, ever-candid Pitbull had this to say:

“The World Cup is one of the most anticipated games in the world especially among soccer fans in the Latino community, including myself. Rock N’ Gol is guaranteed to add some flavor to the World Cup excitement. I’m looking forward to this event, because only MTV Tr3s can put a group of talented artists in cleats to compete with the pros.”

Eso es cierto!! Also appearing in the tournament will be current Descubre & Download artist Debi Nova, actors Jesse Garcia (La Misma Luna) and Walter Perez (Fame), and norteño queen Jenni Rivera.  You can bet we are dying to see some of these artists in shorts and cleats!!

Want to see the gooooool action up close and in person?  Head on over to www.onsetproductions.com by March 22nd to find out how you can sign up for FREE tickets!

Tr3s comunidad, tell us -- who would YOU want to see compete in a soccer match?!

Photo via RCA

By Daniela Capistrano

This week we're bringing you lo major de SXSW! Meet some of our top Latin indie picks, Bomba Estéreo, Girl In A Coma, Anita Tijuox, and more!

It has been a long, twelve year wait for Maldita Vecindad fans, but Nacional Records has confirmed that their new album 'Circular Colectivo' will hit stores March 30th. SXSW attendees celebrated with them at SXSW on Wednesday, where they performed at Antone’s.

'Circular Colectivo' maintains the band’s signature high-energy ska/punk style with conscious lyrics that tackle the economic and social crisis in Mexico.

The track "Chacahua (El Grito De Luz)" is a tribute to the often-neglected African presence within Mexico, while "Corrido Para Digna Ochoa" is a techno corrido that explores the story of the human rights activist who was murdered in 2001.

“‘Circular Colectivo,’ is like the universal symbol of unity,” lead vocalist Roco explains. “The cycle of life, the information that passes from mouth to mouth, the circles of peace and dance, the blood in the body, the movements of the people, of the towns, the hearts of everyone beating together at the same time.”

“We’ve never stopped playing and so throughout this whole time, we’ve written so much new material,” guitarist Pato says. “Finally, we put the songs to tape and we are so pleased with the result.”

‘Circular Colectivo’ also features musical guests such as Cuban jazz piano great Omar Sosa as well as the band’s first instrumental tracks.

You can catch the group in Long Beach on April 16th, where they will be performing at the Toyota Grand Prix. For all tour updates, visit the official Maldita Vecindad MySpace page.

Forming in 1985, Maldita Vecindad began performing in Mexico City’s underground circuit, developing an original fusion of rock, ska, and traditional folk rhythms. Their sophomore release ‘El Circo’ was a landmark album for Latin rock, selling a record-breaking 700,000 copies in Mexico alone, which was unheard of for a supposed underground act.

Tr3s Comunidad, who is your favorite rock artist? Tell us in the comments!

By MTV Tr3s Staff

Our favorite wizarding pop princess Selena Gomez has remixed her hit track "Naturally" off her Kiss and Tell LP.  This new track isn't a huge stretch from the original, however the fresh electro beat should inspire the secret fist pumper in you! Give it a listen and let us know what you think below!

By MTV Tr3s Staff

Looks like Calle 13 is going Hollywood with a little help from Rita Indiana Hernández! The musician/writer has just been hired to pen a script for an upcoming Calle 13 movie along with Puerto Rican Noelia Quintero, who directed Rita Indiana's "La Hora de Volve" video.  

According to the Dominican Daily Diario Libre, Rita Indiana and Quintero are expected to hand in a script before summer. Regarding the plot, Quintero reported that Calle 13 has hand picked a few premises, and Hernández and Quintero will develop the script in full.

So why Hernández and not Robert Rodriguez? Rita Indiana is accomplished in her own right. She's already written a novel- La estratedgia de Chochueca, a play- Puentes,  and plays in three bands- Casifull, Miti Miti, and Los Misterios.  Looks like this Renaissance woman is adding one more title to her credit!

Will you watch Calle 13's story played out on the silver screen? Let us know in the comments!

(via NYRemezcla)

Photo via Getty Images and NYRemezcla

By MTV Tr3s Staff

Do you have Enrique Iglesias posters plastered all over your walls?  Do you know the words to every single Ricky Martin song?  If you think you are the ULTIMATE Enrique Iglesias or Ricky Martin fan, and you just so happen to be in New York City, we want to hear from you!

Think you got what it takes?  Tell us why you think you are the ultimate fan for either of these artistas! You may be picked to be on the next VS. showdown on MTV Tr3s, when we square off these heartthrobs in yet another musical battle -- and YOU will get to decide which videos we air, by answering the ultimate Ricky and Enrique trivia questions!  For a chance to appear on the show, EMAIL US at trescasting@gmail.com with your name, contact information, photo, and a brief description of why YOU are the biggest Enrique OR Ricky fan.

Buena suerte!

Photos via Interscope Records; Sony Music

By MTV Tr3s Staff

2009's Oscar Winning Best Actress Kate Winslet announced Monday that she and her director husband of six years Sam Mendes were seperating, and today In Touch is reporting that Sandra Bullock's husband of 4 years, Jesse James, has been caught cheating!

James reportedly cheated on Bullock with Michelle 'Bombshell' McGee, a tattoo model he met while Sandra was away filming The Blind Side. McGee met Jesse when she inquired about modeling for his West Coast Choppers company.

McGee told In Touch:

 "I would never have hooked up with him if I thought he was a married man. He gave me the impression they were separated." 

The article continued:

"Far from a one-night stand, his relationship with Michelle was intimate and highly charged. Michelle even says she called Jesse, who didn’t wear underwear or condoms, by a special pet name, Vanilla Gorilla, because he was so well-endowed.”   (Oh wow!)

In wake of the scandal, Sandra canceled her scheduled appearance for the London premiere of The Blind Side on March 23rd, stating:

"Due to unforeseen personal reasons a trip abroad to support The Blindside has been deemed impossible at this time. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for your continued support of the film."

Well, looks like this marriage is certainly over! Too bad Jesse, Sandra is BLOWING UP, having won the Oscar and Golden Globe this year! Could James feel threatened by Sandra's new success? Bullock has to be asking her soon to be ex-husband, "Why won't you let me be great?!!!"

Photo via In Touch

By MTV Tr3s Staff

Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winning duo Calle 13 have confirmed their FREE March 23rd concert in Cuba's capital city of Havana. 

This is the first Cuban appearance for the urban rap group; though they've tried unsuccessfully to perform for the island nation for the past two years due to visa denials by the U.S. government.

Rene released the following statement:

"I am very happy because this concert [was] achieved with much sacrifice. We are not collecting and we are taking the entire band along. [We've] wanted to go from some time and we could not connect, but now everything was smooth because we are not doing anything wrong, just music. We are going for the people, because I want them to listen to me and I will listen to them."

While there, Calle 13 will also receive the 2010 International Cubadisco Award 2 months early, the highest honor a recording artist or group can receive at the music festival which takes place on May 15th.

Congrats, Residente and Visitante!

(via Latin Gossip)

Photo via Getty Images

By Sandra Roldán

This year's World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa, will have a touch of Latin flava with Colombian superstars Juanes and Shakira rocking the FIFA World Cup Concert on June 10th.  The concert, which will also feature performances by Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, John Legend, and African music stars Angélique Kidjo and Amadou & Mariam, will kick off el evento deportivo del año.  This is the first time the World Cup will be held in Africa.

Juanes will be premiering a new single (por primera vez en tres años!) from his upcoming album at the concert, which will be televised to hundreds of millions of soccer and music fans worldwide!

El cantante, who's been keeping his fans updated about his new album collabos entre otras noticias via Twitter, announced this morning:  "Hey muchachos , Vamos pal mundial !!!!!!" We have a feeling we know which equipo he'll be rooting for!  Will YOU be watching el concierto and the World Cup este año?

Speaking of el fútbol y la música, stay tuned for más noticias about our own celebrity soccer tournament, Rock N Gol, coming to MTV Tr3s in June.  We guarantee you won't want to miss this one!

Photo via Getty Images

By Sandra Roldán

This week we're bringing you lo major de SXSW! Meet some of our top Latin indie picks, Girl In A Coma, Anita Tijuox, and more!

We knew we were onto something when we first put Colombian urban fusion band, and current MTV Tr3s Artist of the Week, Bomba Estéreo on blast with their cumbia-infused hip-hop hit "Fuego" during last year's Descubre & Download spotlight. Y ahora, Bomba bandmates Simon Mejía and Li Saumet are taking the world by storm with another go at SXSW and even more international tour dates.

Since debuting their most recent album, 'Blow Up,' Bomba Estéreo have been touring the U.S. and Europe, and are rounding out their tour with two more performances at SXSW this week, including a showcase esta noche (3/17) with Nacional Records labelmates Maldita Vecindad y compatriotas Colombianos ChocQuibTown.

Of their recent stint in Europe, cantante Li Saumet had this to say:

"Those experiences in Europe were amazing. They’ve literally changed my life. Performing in front of 15,000 people, many who don't understand what you’re singing yet they dance for the love of the music. It's inspiring. It made me realize that our band needs to keep growing and building. Every day we need to get better and better while still keeping our musical essence."

Sounds like Bomba Estéreo is ready for world domination!  Make sure to catch them if you're in Austin this week -- they will be playing tonight at Antone's and tomorrow night (3/18) at Levi's SXSW FADER Fort showcase.  Will you be catching their en fuego performances??

Keep checking back to Blogamole for more SXSW updates toda esta semana!

Photo via Nacional Records