Peru’s own Los Saicos, and not Sex Pistols, The Ramones, New York Dolls, The Stooges, The Dictators, or even Death, was the first punk band in the history of punk bands. This is according to a new documentary produced by Noisey, which chronicles the short-lived musical collaboration between Erwin Flores, Rolando Carpio, César “Papi” Castrillón, and Pancho Guevara, and the aggressive, up-tempo rock and roll which rained down on Peru nearly a decade before the word “punk” was even in Johnny Rotten’s vernacular.
Speaking of Rotten, he’s got nothing on Erwin Flores, lead singer of Los Saicos. “Punk rock music is a piece of shit,” says Flores in the opening scene of the film. “It’s music made by musicians who have no idea what they are doing. Musicians play whatever they want, and people who don’t have a clue get excited about it.”
Check out the film below, along with a recording of Los Saicos’ super great song “Demolicion”. And here’s a picture of Johnny Rotten eating toast.