Robert Rodriguez is an acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer from Austin, TX. He is notorious for making a 1992 film, El Mariachi, for $7,000. The film became the first in a "Mariachi" trilogy including Desperado and Once Upon A Time In Mexico, the last of which featured Johnny Depp. In addition, he made three Spy Kids movies, as well as the first of an intended trilogy of Sin City films, among others. He is known for making action films with low budgets, and often serves in multiple roles as filmmaker. Among many of Rodriguez's abilities is that of a talented musician. He has often composed and produced music for his own movies, and he is an accomplished guitarist.
Rodriguez formed a band, Chingon, initially to provide some songs to his 2003 film, Once Upon A Time In Mexico. The word chingón is Mexican slang for "bad ass." The band consists of Austin area musicians, including the Spanish band, Del Castillo, Carl Thiel, Rafael Gayol of Bob Schneider's band, Cecilio Ruiz from the HeeBeeJeeBee's, and others. Rodriguez is a guitarist in the band. Chingon provided the songs Cuka Rocka and Siente Mi Amor to the Once Upon A Time In Mexicosoundtrack, and then later reformed for the CD, Mexico and Mariachis, which included additional music not included on the soundtracks to the Mariachi trilogy. They released their debut studio album, Mexican Spaghetti Western, in 2004, and they have done live shows in the Austin area.
Also in 2004, Rodriguez' good friend Quentin Tarantino asked him to contribute music to his film Kill Bill: Vol. 2. The Chingon arrangement of the classic song Malagueña Salerosa was used for the film's closing credits, and Tarantino reportedly paid Rodriguez $1 for the effort (Rodriguez later reportedly paid Tarantino $1 to direct a scene from Sin City). Chingon also performed at the premiere of the film, and the performance can be seen on the Kill Bill: Vol. 2 DVD extras.
Chingon contributes music to the Planet Terror portion of the Rodriguez/Tarantino film collaboration, Grindhouse, which was released in April of 2007. They perform on the song, Cherry's Dance Of Death. Rodriguez is the primary composer for the film's soundtrack, which was released on March 27, 2007 (see below for Rodriguez's compositions).
Scans
of some album covers and liner notes (click to enlarge):
Robert Rodriguez and Tito & Tarantula Live (from Mexico And Mariachis):
Robert Rodriguez and Chingon live at the Kill Bill Vol. 2 premiere:
Misc:
Some helpful sites for Chingon and Robert Rodriguez' music:
- Chingon Home
- Chingon: Robert Rodriguez
- Mexican Spaghetti Western
- All Chingon-Related CDs
- Wikipedia on Robert Rodriguez
- Wikipedia on Chingon
- IGN article about Tarantino being a guest director for Sin City for $1
- YouTube of Malagueña Salerosa from the Kill Bill Vol. 2 premiere
- YouTube of Fideo del Oeste from the Kill Bill Vol. 2 premiere
Robert Rodriguez
Compositions
Taken from IMDb and CD liner notes
created/copyright(s) Title {CD, Film or TV show of origin}
Partial Discography
Taken from IMDb and CD liner notes
created/copyright(s) Title {CD, Film or TV show of origin}
| 1994 | Flying Saucer Baby {Roadracers-TV} |
| 2001 | Oye Como Spy {Spy Kids-Film} |
| 2001 | Los Robotos {Spy Kids-Film} |
| 2002 | Isle of Dreams (music) {Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams-Film} |
| 2002 | Floop's Dream (music) {Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams-Film} |
| 2003 | Game Over {Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over-Film} |
| 2003 | Heart Drive {Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over-Film} |
| 2003 | Spy Wedding Theme {Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over-Film} |
| 2003 | Siente mi amor {Once Upon A Time In Mexico-Film}; Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2003 | Severina (with Patricia Vonne) {Mexico And Mariachis; Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2003 | Theme From El Mariachi (with Alvaro Rodriguez) {Mexico And Mariachis} |
| 2003 | Once Upon A Time In Mexico (Main Titles) (with Elpidio Ramirez; adapted from film score) {Mexico And Mariachis} |
| 2004 | Se Me Paró (with Alex Ruiz and Carl Theil) {Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2004 | Fideo Del Oeste (Mexican Spaghetti Western) {Mexican Spaghetti Western) |
| 2004 | Baja Sexto (with Alvaro Rodriguez) {Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2004 | Mexican Sausage Link (with Tommy Nix) {Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2004 | Cuka Rocka (with Mark Del Castillo and Rick Del Castillo) {Mexican Spaghetti Western} |
| 2005 | Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream (Dream, Dream) {The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl 3-D-Film} |
| 2005 | Sharkboy & Lavagirl {The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl 3-D-Film} |
| 2007 | Grindhouse {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Doc Block (with Carl Thiel) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | The Sickos (with Graeme Revell) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Go Go Not Cry Cry (with Rick Del Castillo) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Hospital Epidemic (with Graeme Revell) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Useless Talent #32 (with Rebecca Rodriguez) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | His Prescription. Pain (with Carl Thiel) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Cherry Darling {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | The Grindhouse Blues {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | El Wray {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Police Station Assault {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Dakota (with Carl Thiel) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Zero To Fifty In Four {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Fury Road {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Helicopter Sicko Chopper (with Graeme Revell) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | The Ring In The Jacket (with George Oldziey) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Killer Legs (with Rick Del Castillo) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Melting Member (with Graeme Revell) {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Cherry's Dance Of Death {Planet Terror-Film} |
| 2007 | Two Against The World (with Rebecca Rodriguez) {Planet Terror-Film} |
Partial Discography
| 2001 | Spy Kids soundtrack |
| 2002 | Spy Kids 2: The Island Of Lost Dreams score/soundtrack |
| 2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over soundtrack |
| 2003 | Once Upon A Time In Mexico soundtrack |
| 2004 | Mexico And Mariachis |
| 2004 | Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack |
| 2004 | Chingon: Mexican Spaghetti Western |
| 2005 | Sin City soundtrack |
| 2005 | The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl 3-D soundtrack |
| 2007 | Planet Terror soundtrack |
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