Menudo
Menudo is/wasPuerto Rican boy band from1980s1990s. Started1977 by Edgardo Diaz,initially included two setsbrothers: Diaz's cousins Ricky, OscarCarlos Melendez,FernandoNefty Sallaberry. Innext few years Menudo usedtour Puerto Rico from shopping mallshopping mall, from fiesta patronal (a citywide yearly celebration)fiesta patronal. During this time,scoredhit"Eran Los Fantasmas"they were ablegetregular tv show on Telemundo canal 2 every saturday night.Menudo's real boom, however, came during1980s, afterSallaberry brothersOscarCarlos Melendez were replacedRene Farrait, Johnny Lozada, Xavier SerbiaMiguel Cancel. (Management always made surekeepband's members young.) In this timegroup became very popularLatin America, especiallyPuerto Rico, Argentina, Mexico, PanamaVenezuela. During that time, Diaz was ableaffordCessna jet airplane that had belongedAmerican President Richard NixontoShahIran before. The plane carried Menudo's name on both sides offuselagemade Menudofirst boy band everits own private jet.
At that time their songs included "Sube A Mi Motora", "Ella AA", "Quiero Ser",Spanish version"Voulez Vous","Fuego". The group also gotfanbaseSpain andrestEurope. Menuditis becameword inmedical dictionary diagnosedgirls who needed medical attention after going toMenudo concert,Menudomania was comparedBeatlemania.
Eventually Farrait, Lozada, Cancel, Ricky MelendezSerbia hadgive waynew Menudo members. Farrait wasfirstleave, right inmiddleMenudomania. He was successfully succeeded by Charlie Masso, who made millionsfans himself. When he enteredband,scored another super hit"Vamos A Volar",theme songMenudo's big screen adventure Una Aventura Llamada Menudo, wherealso sang classics like "Clara""Senora Mia".
In 1983, Lozada left,so did CancelSerbia. In 1984,was Ricky Melendez's turnleave,he did so ingreat concert, becomingonly Menudo memberlast eight years. He gave wayRicky Martin, but not before participatingone last great hit, "Indianapolis". Withnew members Ray Reyes, Roy Rosello, Robby RosaRaymond Acevedo, Menudo kept producing hits like "Tu Sabes A Chocolate", "Indianapolis","LikeCannonball" (featured inHollywood movie Cannonball Run 2),they also became idols inPhilippines, but their fame started going downwards. In 1989,returned totop ofcharts briefly"Mis Gafas Oscuras""Los Ultimos Heroes".
In 1988, Concert Promoterrecord executive Darrin McGillis, promoted MENUDO onwidely successful 40 City US Tour withreleasethere new English LP "SonsRock". In 1990, Angelo Garciayoungest memberMenudo leftGroupsignedWorld Wide Entertainment underdirectionDarrin McGillis,released his first ever solo release on McGillis Records.
In 1990, Adrian Olivares from Mexico becamefirst non-Puerto Ricanjoinband,in 1995name Menudo was soldVenezuelan interests. Thereforeband became known as MDO, wherestandsfour new members, including Mexico's Pablo PortilloPuerto Rico's Didier Hernandez.
In 1992, Menudo signedMcGillis Recordsall English recordingsreleasedsmash hit "Dancin, Movin, Shaking" . After reports that Edgardo Diaz was authorizingmanufacturepirated CD'sCassettesrecordings made underMcGillis Records Label. Darrin McGillis armed withCourt Orderassisted by armed Marshalls embargoedconcertSan Juan Puerto Ricoconfiscated Money, Merchandisecompensate forlosses incurred by Darrin McGillis. It was years later that old wounds had healedMcGillisassociatedEdgardo Diaz.
In 1998, former Menudo members Farrait, Melendez, Masso, Lozada, CancelReyes got togethermadecomeback, performingsongs that Menudo popularized during their era. Becauselegal issues,comebackers couldn't usenameMenudowent bynameEl Reencuentro (The Re-joining) instead. Their world tour waswild success, proving that,Menudo fans, Menudomania lives on.
