Flema

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Flema is an Argentine punk rock band, that managed to find a unique style in South America, among others. The last configuration of the band was: Ricky Espinosa (Vocals and Guitar), Fernando Rossi (Bass), Luis Garibaldo (Guitar), and Pepe Carvallo (Drums). Their songs usually deal with loneliness, alcohol and drugs, friends, women, politics, and complaints about the tough things in life. Their songs have titles like "Borrachos en la esquina" (drunken on the corner), "Semen de buey" (bullock semen), "el blanco cristal" (the white crystal). The band leader, Ricardo Espinosa (also known as 'Ricky') was a very controversial and beloved figure, and the core and spirit of Flema. Always drunk, always on coke, always in trouble, often the band could not play on a scheduled date because Espinosa and other band members were detained at a local police station.

Early days and development[]

The band was formed in 1987, in Avellaneda (Buenos Aires) by a group of teenaged students. There were a lot of changes in its lineups, with Espinosa as the only constant member. Always an underground band, Flema launched their first record in the year 1992 ("Pogo, mosh & Slam"), through an independent record company.

The band acquired great success in the Argentine punk scene, not reaching the masses only because of the reputations of the members, specially Espinosa. Their shows were marked by chaos, the members usually drunken and doped on the stage, Espinosa fighting with the public, sniffing cocaine on the stage, etc. Their songs often featured guttural vomit-like sounds performed by Espinosa, that were one of Flema's trademarks. Happy melodies mixed with profound and touching lyrics written by the perturbed Espinosa caught up the feelings of many teenagers that saw their problems reflected in the songs of that band from the suburbs.

Espinosa's death[]

On May 30, 2002, Ricardo Manuel Espinosa died falling off the 5th floor of a building in Avellaneda. He was 34 years old. On the date of the incident he was drunk playing a Winning Eleven match with on a PlayStation 2 at Luichi's (Luis Garibaldo) house, located on the 5th floor of the monoblock in Avellaneda. He said jokingly to his friend Luichi "If I lose, I'm gonna jump through the window" - He lost and stood on the rails of the balcony, but was too disoriented and further destabilized by the wind, which caused him to slip, this is confirmed by Luichi and also Ricky Espinoza's father Orlando Espinoza.^[1] He had been talking about putting an end to his life for years, even writing songs with titles like "I'm Gonna Commit Suicide", "I Have To Go", and "You Will Remember Me". This caused many to believe it was on purpose. During funeral preparations, the large number of fans and punks at the funeral home caused the owners to suspend it. He had to be mourned at his brothers patio, where Christian Aldana, guitarist and singer of Otro Yo as well as Niko Villano, singer of Villanos also assisted. Three days after his death, the rest of the band put on a big show with other local groups in his honor. Flema was officially disbanded after that.

Every 30 May, hundreds of fans visit Espinosa's tomb at green ward Juan XIII in Avellaneda cemetery.^[2]

Lineups of Flema[]

1987:The original formation[]

• Fernando Cordera - vocals
• Juan Fandiño - Guitar
• Ricky Espinosa - Guitar
• Pablo Sara - Bass
• Sebastián Gador - drums

1988: period of Invasion 88[]

• Fernando Cordera - vocals
• Juan Fandiño - Guitar
• Ricky Espinosa - Guitar
• Alejandro Kohl - Bass
• Sebastián Gador - drums

1992: Pogo, mosh & slam[]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Cacho Rossi - Bass
• Luis Rossi - Guitar
• Pepe Alsina - drums

1993: Nunca nos fuimos[]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Fernando Rossi - Bass
• Santiago Rossi - Guitar
• Gonzalo Díaz Colodrero - Guitar
• Alejandro Alsina - drums

1994: El exceso y/o abuso de drogas y alcohol es perjudicial para tu salúd... ¡Cuídate, nadie lo hará por vos![]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Fernando Rossi - Bass
• Luichi Gribaldo - Guitar
• Pepe Carballo - drums
• Santiago Rossi - Guitar

1997: Si el placer es un pecado, bienvenidos al infierno[]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Fernando Rossi - Bass
• Santiago Rossi - Guitar
• Luichi Gribaldo - Guitar
• Pablo Martínez - drums

1998: period of Resaka[]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Fernando Rossi - Bass
• Gustavo Brea - Guitar
• Luichi Gribaldo - Guitar
• Pablo Martínez - drums

1999: Last formation[]

• Ricky Espinosa - Vocals
• Fernando Rossi - Bass
• Maximiliano Martin - Guitar
• Luichi Gribaldo - Guitar
• Diego Piazza - drums

Discography[]

• Pogo, Mosh & Slam, 1992
• Nunca Nos Fuimos, 1994
• El Exceso de Drogas y Alcohol es Perjudicial Para tu Salud, 1995
• Si el Placer es Un Pecado, Bienvenidos Al Infierno, 1997
• Resaka, 1998
• La Noche de las Narices Blancas, 2000
• Caretofobia I, 2000
• Caretofobia II, 2001
• Cinco de copas, 2002

See also[]

• Argentine punk
• Punk rock

References[]

External links[]

• The birth of Flema (in Spanish)
• Live fast, die young (in Spanish)