PART
TWO
......1988 saw a charismatic and
highly promising young singer signed to Melody Records in Mexico -
and this was the start of a hectic 3 year association with that
record company which saw the release of 4 Alejandra Guzman albums,
videos, TV promotional work, live concert performances - and she
even found the time to star in her first major movie 'Verano
Peligroso'!
Under the wing of Miguel
Blasco, who had assumed the roll of executive producer for Ale's
first 4 albums, the bulk of the original songs came from the pens
of prolific and highly rated songwriters J.R. Florez and G.P.
Felisatti. Gian Petro Felisatti was also drafted in as
record producer. The first fruit of this combined
partnership was the release of Ale's first single 'La Playa (aka
Good Golly Miss Molly)' - a live cover version of the rock 'n'
roll classic that was a hit record for her father, Enrique Guzman,
some 3 decades previous. La Playa's impact in Mexico was
immediate, and it heralded the release of her debut album 'Bye
Mama'. Although 'La Playa' was a standard classic, and was
used to open the album, the remainder of 'Bye Mama' comprised of
original studio material. Like the single, the album proved
an immediate commercial success. Critics and the Mexican
public alike were soon to recognise this young extrovert as the
revelation of the year in 1989....
....Alejandra Guzman had
arrived!!!
'Bye Mama' was quickly followed up
by her second album 'Dame Tu Amor' - a covers album, and her only
album to date not to feature any original material. Instead
it comprised of 8 standard rock classics culled from the 50's and
60's, including latin versions of 'Twist & Shout',
'Satisfaction' and 'You Really Got Me'.
Success continued into 1990 with
the release of her third album entitled 'Eternamente Bella'.
This album broadened her appeal considerably and helped Ale's
career soar to new heights. In this year, Ale embarked on a
major tour which began at the Mexico Arena where she
performed in front of a crowd of 17,000, and continued throughout
the Mexican republic, central and South American, as well as
making significant inroads into the USA. Ale won recognition
in Mexico as 'Vocalist of the Year'.
1990 also saw the release of the
movie 'Verano Peligroso (Dangerous Summer)', a comedy in which as
well as staring in, Ale also sang most of the songs which was to
serve as it's soundtrack (most of which was lifted from 'Bye
Mama'). 'Verano Peligroso' was also the title track of yet
another hit single for Ale. The movie was a huge box-office
hit in Mexico.
With three albums an a movie under
her belt, Alejandra Guzman the newcomer in 1988 had now become
Alejandra Guzman the phenomenon in 1990! And success was
further consolidated in 1991 with the release of her fourth, and
last album for Melody Records, 'Flor de Papel'. This was her
most guitar-rock oriented album up to this point in her career
which saw Alejandra Guzman proudly carrying the mantle of
Latin America's own Queen of Rock!!!
1991 also marked a profound change
in Ale's personal life. She became pregnant as a result
of a relationship with her (then) partner Pablo
Moctezuma. However, a strong work ethic meant that Ale would
continue to work professionally into the fifth month of her
pregnancy, culminating with a triumphant appearance at the
Auditorio Nacional in Mexico. A brief hiatus followed
as she prepared herself for motherhood.
Frida Sofia was born in March of
1992. This event in Ale's personal life provided the
inspiration for the classic song 'Te Esperaba', a power-ballad
written for her by Florez/Felisatti.
1993 marked new new beginning in
terms of her recording career. She was signed to
BMG-Ariola. The first album under this new contract was
'Libre', recorded in Madrid, Spain, and released towards the end
of the year. As well as the continuing association with
Florez/Felisatti, 'Libre' also welcomed the songwriting talents of
C.Sanchez and Cesar Valle and provided material which perfectly
reflected Ale's duel role of hardcore Rock Queen and that of
Motherhood, and thus brought her music to a new level of maturity
which found favour with fans and critics alike. 'Libre' also
credited Miguel Blasco as full-blown producer. With this
album, Ale resumed touring and promotional duties which took in
countries throughout Central and South America as well as USA and
Spain.
Rarely shy of publicity, Ale made
an appearance in words and picture in a Mexican edition of the
renowned 'Playboy' magazine.
In mid-1994, Ale retreated back to
Madrid to record her sixth album entitled 'Enorme'. This was
to be her last album under the productional helm of Miguel
Blasco. It was also an album to feature songs
exclusively written by the partnership of Sanchez/Valle.
Released in the same year, 'Enorme' represented Ale's desire to
explore new musical horizons and embrace a broader range of
musical styles. The result, whilst maintaining her love of
rock music, was a more spacious and grandiose sounding album.
'Enorme' received its first live airing at the International
Festival 'Vina del Mar' in Spain on the 9th of February 1995 -
Ale's birthday!
1996 saw the release of her seventh
album, aptly titled 'Cambio de Piel' - Change of Skin! And
change is exactly what it was for Ale. It represented a new
attitude, new songwriters and a total change in studio
personnel. And yet, like its predecessor, 'Enorme', 'Cambio
de Piel' also embraced many different styles of music ranging from
rock, funk, blues, ballads, boogie - and features some of her
strongest material to date. Produced by Carlos Narea,
'Cambio de Piel' also surprisingly marked Ale's debut as a
songwriter (surprising in that it took her this long!). She
provided the lyric for 'Larga Distancia de Ancsiedad', a
boogie-rock track inspired by, and dedicated to, her daughter
Frida Sofia!
1996 also saw a minor setback in
Ale's fortunes. She had embarked on a TV project entitled
'Aire', a entertainment show that promised music and hilarity -
which Ale was to host. Several shows were recorded, one of
which featured Paulina Rubio, friend and fellow recording
sensation (who had also worked with Miguel Blasco).
Unfortunately, 'Aire' fell victim to TV company politics and was
never shown. Ale commented later that the TV network
of - "being afraid of airing something new and crazy!".
Fortunately, this setback did not interfere greatly with
her musical success.
In 1997, as guest on the popular
Mexican talk-show 'Cristina', Ale made the startling confession
that she had had a drug problem! Proof, if proof were
needed, that success didn't always smell sweet and that even the
Best, and apparently strongest of characters, were not immune to
the drug culture in rock music. However, she had vowed to
all her fans, and to the memory of her Grandmother (who had
died of diabetes) that she would not take up the drug habit
again!
1997 saw yet another change of pace
for Ale with the release of her first official live album
'LaGuzman'. Recorded (and filmed) in Xcaret, Mexico, the
majority of the set featured some of her best known songs
given news treatments by musical director Didi Gutman. The
album also presented three new songs, including the duet
'Mentiras', performed with popular Latin American artist Miguel
Matteos, who also wrote the song. The album was produced by
Oscar Lopez, and among the band members who provided excellent
support were Michael Bland on drums and Lloyd 'Sonny' Thompson on
base, perhaps better known as Michael B and Sonny T, formally of
Prince's (artist formally known as...) New Power Generation.
As well as being an album release, 'LaGuzman' was also a
television spectacular. Unfortunately, it has yet to see
the light of day as an official video release.
In February of 1998, after a
whirlwind romance Ale was married to Jewish-American Farrel
Goodman, with the ceremony taking place in Miami. The
marriage however was to quickly turn sour with Farrel subsequent
arrest and charge with drug trafficking offences in Dusseldorf,
Germany. With husband (currently) languishing in a German
prison, Ale instigated divorce proceedings.
With the divorce drama plaguing her
personal life, Ale's professional career continued with yet
another change of direction. In June of 1998, she made a
welcome return to theatre, the first time since she was a teenager
before the release of her debut album 'Bye Mama'. And
once again, she was working alongside Mom! Ale and Silvia
Pinal starred in the lavish musical 'Gipsy' - a production, stage
in Mexico DF, which garnered enthusiastic responses from critics
and theatre audiences alike.
Ale recently celebrated 10 years as
a top-flight entertainer - 10 years since the release of
that debut album 'Bye Mama', and in that time she has grown,
evolved and matured to the point where any question of this
daughter of 2 Mexicans showbiz legends right to her place and
success in mainstream popular entertainment can well and truly be
laid to rest! Privileged or not, through sheer hard work
and dedication to her art, Alejandra Guzman has proven beyond
doubt that she herself can now be considered 'Legend'.
....So here's to the next 10 years
- and who knows, perhaps her best may be yet to come!