We all have a soundtrack for our happy times, although we are not always aware of that sound that brings back memories. The Camagüeyan group Rhodas is that sound for many of us who were teenagers in the late 80’s.
Returning to its eternal melody “Dulce amor”, I ventured to relive the history of that popular pop-rock band that marked a milestone in Cuban music since El Camagüey and that, 30 years after its disappearance, its traces last in young musicians of the genre.
Tony Comas
On Benavides Street, almost on the corner of Julio Sanguily, lives the face and voice of that mythological band: Tony Comas Lindo. The door of the mansion is ajar, photos, tapes and newspaper spread on the table, all in dim light, several concerts await us, so we press play and Rhodas’s musical curtains open.
This English teacher for more than 30 years at the Language School of the province, has kept as his great treasure those times of fame, surprises and glory, where not everything was always good, but when making their way they had a lot of fun while they crossed that story that led them to be the first professional rock group in Cuba, opening a gap for the followers.
Rhodas
The Colossus of Rhodes was a gigantic statue of the Greek god Helio (sun), which, according to the oral tradition of that island, when they erected it they thanked the deity for protecting them from the conquerors’s attacks.
Thus, overcoming difficulties, such as the colossus, the Rhodas group from Camagüey rose. With recovered or borrowed instruments, they began their rehearsals and recorded the first songs on Radio Cadena Agramonte, thanks to the skills and good wishes of the sound producer and announcer: Fidel Arango de Quezada.
By disclosing their songs on the radio, they soon caught on and their songs were known and hummed by many followers, but they were a mystery, the fans wanted to hear them play live, they had to organize a concert.
Defying chance and many difficulties, until it was the day of a leap year, February 29th, 1984, they managed to offer their first concert at the Tassende theater, where the legends began, from the singer undressed on stage, to each of his musicians had all the women they wanted.
Nothing more absurd, says Tony, I was very shy and I only managed to take off my jacket, because it was borrowed and made stage movements difficult, besides we were all married and we loved our girls, only the youngest was single and after being kidnapped in a car for a fanatic in love, from the fright he settled down.
He is satisfied and does not regret anything, many anecdotes make him blush, like that of a jealous husband, who went to look for him and not in a good way, because his wife adored him; another good one was in the neighborhood grocery store, when he was looking for the compotes for his baby and the clerk discovered him, announced who it was, and there he ended up singing cappella for the neighbors.
The teacher who loves his profession, who never gave up on it, remembers with sadness that the culture directorate did not “allow” them to sing in English, but that on some occasions during the concerts they performed a number in that language.
The resistance to the new had to put many obstacles to the nascent band, which was not daunted and managed to organize in 1994 the First Rock Festival of Camagüey, currently named “Sounds of the City”, which has just celebrated its 15th edition.
References
In the book A través de los obstáculos, by Nilo Núñez, founder and director of Rhodas. Its pages include stories of experiences and anecdotes from the history of the group:
Eighteen intense and unforgettable years, through complicated and absurd obstacles to rock music and the group that we founded under the name of Rhodas, but that, despite everything, became the most exciting, risky and fun time I’ve ever had the pleasure of living and sharing with the best people I have ever met and with the best friends I have ever had in my life, says the author.
Topics not to forget
They recorded many songs in Radio Progreso’s Studio-11, the tapes were sent to the young people from the international mission in Angola, who returned knowing Rhodas’ songs: Amanda, is among the most popular.
This lyrics were inspired by a giddy, adolescent mother, who was deprived of her child and the trauma affected her reason, she wandered around town and danced in public, in her imagination with a knot in her skirt she held the child that was taken from her and given up for adoption. .
Tony can’t choose a song, his memories are electrifying, but the one with his greatest maturity in composition and interpretation was, without a doubt, Amanda.
The last concert
The popular pop rock band performed for the last time on stage in 1996, from there its members took different paths. Formed by young people who, with passion, talent and courage, knew how to insert themselves with their music in the landscape of Camagüey, their melodies faded, but they left a path traced for the followers of the genre, for whom Rhodas is still the colossus like its name. : is inspiration.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
