Massacre (10)

Argentine Skate Rock and Indie Rock group from Argentina. Massacre Palestina from Buenos Aires were part of the second wave of Argentine punk bands, influenced by locals like Los Violadores, but also by the different subgenres punk mutated to abroad. More specifically, they, along with Division Autista (the latter had two tracks on the Invasion 88 compilation) were among the pioneers of hardcore in Argentina, defining themselves as a "skate rock" band. Those kids found out about punk and hardcore through skate magazines in the mid-80's, and with the help of a friend's dad, who was an Argentine diplomat who frequented Washington, they were able to lay their hands on hard or impossible to get records, at least in Argentina. They decided to form the band in 1986, choosing their name as a protest to what was being done by Israel to the refugees in Lebanon. Their original line up was: Wallas (guitar and vocals), Richard (vocals), Pablo M. (guitar), Topo (bass) and Paco (drums). In 1987 they started playing live in Buenos Aires and released a 4 track demo, which was soon followed by a 7" EP, put out by the independent label Radio Tripoli. Strangely enough, there were no tracks by Massacre Palestina in the Invasion 88 compilation released by that label a year later. Massacre Palestina continued playing, but without releasing stuff for several years. In the early 90's they shortened their name to Massacre, after a bomb explosion in Buenos Aires, which killed dozens and was attributed to pro-Palestinian groups. Their popularity grew and their sound changed, but they remained politically conscious, as proved by benefit concerts they did, like the one with the UK Subs, for inmates in a jail close to Buenos Aires. Their popularity grew, and eventually they opened for the likes of the Rollins Band, Cypress Hill, Marilyn Manson and Fugazi, becoming a very respected rock band in Latin America.