El Mago

“Yes, the growth of the movement will probably be a slow one,” says Santaolalla, referring to the album’s disappointing performance. “And although that can be frustrating to those of us who have invested in it, it might be better that way. It‘s more organic. At least you know that the people who discover this music and become fans are doing it out of genuine interest and not because Latin rock is the flavor of the month.”

To speak of Santaolalla’s agenda for the next year is to speak of the future of the rock en español movement. 2001 will see him releasing albums by groups including Bersuit Vergarabat, El Otro Yo, Arbol and La Vela Puerca, as well as the Erica Garcia disc, a possible solo record and the long-overdue soundtrack to the successful Mexican movie Amores Perros. There‘ll also be a box set summarizing his career, in conjunction with the release of a documentary film, and the unveiling of an official Surco Web site. In addition, Santaolalla has envisioned a compilation disc of hardcore bands from both sides of the border, a record that would act as the imaginary soundtrack for the adventures of a new comic book heroine as aggressive as the music itself.

Curiously enough, for Santaolalla there’s no nervous breakdown in sight. With Kerpel by his side at the studio, a wife and three kids waiting for him at home, and just one personal assistant taking care of his frantic schedule, he‘s found a way to manage his empire without losing his mind.

“Sometimes I do feel like my head is splitting in two,” he says with a smile. “The key to avoiding that is to focus wholeheartedly on what you’re doing at a specific moment, and being able to switch your attention from project to project.

”Back when I didn‘t have so many things on my plate, I’d focus obsessively on one single project and, more often than not, ended up destroying it. It was sick. The schizophrenic pace of my life right now allows me to focus my obsession on many different things, put distance on them and thus preserve my sanity.“