El Gran Silencio

El Gran Silencio
El Gran Silencio performing at Barrio Antiguo, Monterrey in March 2005.
Background information
Also known as	Zona de Silencio
Origin	Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
Genres	Rock en español, Mexican cumbia, Latin rap
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Ark 21, EMI
Members	Tony Hernández (vocals and guitar) Isaac "Campa" Valdéz (accordion) Ezequiel Alvarado(drums) and "Wiwa" Flores
Past members	Cano Hernández (vocals and guitar) Julian "Moco" Villarreal (bass guitar) and César Vulgar Hernandez

El Gran Silencio is a rock en español band from Monterrey, Mexico that blends a variety of rock, reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop influences with traditional Latin American musical forms such as cumbia, vallenato and Norteño. Their lyrics tend to be bohemian and often talk about life in the “barrio” or poor neighborhoods of Mexican cities, especially Monterrey. As of 2015, they have recorded seven albums, eleven singles, six soundtracks, five tributes and seventeen collaborations and have toured Mexico and the United States.

They are unique on the Mexican music scene with their music being called world beat, cumbia grupero and rap but, their musical style crosses various genres and can combine any number including hip-hop, reggae, norteño, cumbia, rock-and-roll, polka, huapango and vallenato. Much of what keeps it together are Latin folk rhythms and the use of accordion licks. The band has called their work“freestyle norteño popular;” however, founder Tony Hernandez strongly links the music to rock as he says that rock showed that mixing genres is possible and they maintain rock’s rebellious nature.

Their work, especially their early work, has received criticism, and some dismiss it as "naco" (low class), as they celebrates subcultures such as chúntaros, barrio youths wearing baggy pants and hip-hop musical tastes. As one of few major Mexican alternative bands with authentic barrio roots, Silencio works to get that culture more accepted by mainstream Mexican society. Life in the barrio is a very common theme in the music. Tony Hernandez often talks nostalgically about life in his hometown of Monterrey, grilling carne asada on the street and playing the Beatles or La Tropa Colombiana along with family and friends. However, their lyrics are more bohemian than materialistic.