In 1960, Carlos Guitart (bass and electric bass) returned to Madrid after completing his military service with the idea of starting a band. He convinces his friend Joe, Jose Luis Gonzalez (piano and organ) to accompany you on this adventure. Through a radio program known Jose Antonio Otero (guitar) and a singer named Manuel Escobar. This is the first training with the Los Sonor begins to act, making versions of Everly Brothers, Dion and the Belmonts and, in general, hits of du-dua vocal style. The quartet has no battery and copes with hired musicians and friends from other bands.
Soon Jose Antonio left the band, and was replaced by Luis Eduardo Aute (guitar, vocals), acting in the TV show "Salto a al fama". Shortly after Aute left the band as well, being replaced by Fernando Sanchez (guitar). Thanks to the influence of Discóbolo Review Editor, they got an agreement with RCA records for his first EP. How the promotion would, that they paid the black and white photo, which is then colored with colored pencils to give a bit of eye candy to the cover. The EP was 250 copies. They played in the Festival de Benidorm (Edition of 1961) with the song "Border". In late 1961 they recorded "Esa chica alborotada", the first popular success of The Sonor.
In 1962 ,Manolo Diaz will replaced Fernando on the guitar, and Los Sonor will leave their melodic style well-pitched voices to be passed to the twist, adapting well-known songs, such as "El relicario" to this new rhythm. Holed up in modern dance, on the following discs expand the repertoire to other new rhythms like the Madison, or the Hully Gully. At this time, finally, they got fixed drummer, George Matey. They are one of the most popular bands in that summer, travelling throughout Spain, and spending some time in Mallorca. The island will become a must destination for summer job in the following years.
Manolo Diaz's father works as an engineer in the Canal de Isabel II, and sends his son to Liberia with an employment in that faraway African country. Again without guitar. This time the substitute is Antonio (Tony )Martinez. With this line in 1963 recorded his last album for RCA, "Las hijas de Elena" (RCA, 1963). This song is one of the same-title film (Dir.: Mariano Ozores, 1963) starring the twins Pili and Mili.
In 1963 The Sonor change record company and joined Philips, radically changing their style to an instrumental band, achieving remarkable success with classic surf and instrumental rock such as "Barracuda", or "Diamantes". In 1964 Manuel Escobar disbanded and start a solo career, as also did the organist Joe Gonzalez, w
ho will be replaced by Manolo Fernandez. Despite the departure of two group's founders in that year, 1964, the best year of the band,with two big instrumental hits, such as "Campanilleros" and "Los cuatro muleros", covered by Los Pekenikes with better success than Los Sonor. That same year, they made a tour in France. After their back to Spain, they combine their career with the role of backing band with Miguel Rios, and participating in the movie "Abajo espera la muerte" (Death Waits Below) (Juan de Orduna, 1964).
1965 was entirely in Mallorca,and Carlos Guitart, soul of the group, will leave to start a new musical adventure. The same is going to George, the drummer. In late 1965 the two founder members, Tony Martinez and Manolo Gonzalez, meet in Madrid with some members of Mike and the Runaways, and, since they had nothing better to do, they decide to finalize Los Sonor, and found a new band, which months later would be named on a radio show like Los Bravos.
Partially taken from
La Fonoteca
