by Evan C. Gutierrez
Madrid-based rock group Pereza (Laziness) were formed by bass player Leiva and guitarist Ruben in the late '90s. Both Ruben and Leiva were experienced musicians at the time of Pereza's formation, Ruben a former member of Buenos Noches Rose and Leiva formerly of Malahierba. The band hit the ground running, and early releases such as Patitos Feos and Calaveras y Diablitos established a strong grassroots fan base for the emerging rock innovators. Pereza attracted label attention shortly thereafter, recording a self-titled record for RCA in 2001. Their major-label debut was followed by exhaustive touring, playing better than 100 shows throughout Spain inside of a year. The group's next release, Algo Para Cantar, would hit shelves in the middle of 2002, produced by Fernando Montesinos. The group's third record, Animales, would catch the public's attention; recorded in the winter months of 2004 in Madrid, the record was produced by Nigel Walter, an industry veteran with credits including Hombres G, El Canto del Loco, and La Oreja de Van Gogh, to name a few. The record was released in 2005 to an enthusiastic audience. On its heels came Los Amigos de los Animales, a record featuring collaborations with fellow rock en español trailblazers Deluxe, Los Delinquentes, Ivan Ferreiro, and Pastora, among others.