Compañía Ilimitada | ms

Compañía Ilimitada was one of the most succesful pop-rock bands in Colombia (South America) in the 80's and early 90's.

The main line-up comprised the duet of Camilo "Pyyo" Jaramillo (vocals) and Juan Manuel Pulido "Juancho" (Keyboards and Guitar). Other members in the first line-up included Carlos Posada (later founder of Sociedad Anónima, another less succesful band in the 80's) and Alberto Andrés Carbó.

The band released one of it's early singles "Siloé" and "María" under a semi independent label: Triciclo Records in 1983. The Single was entitled El Año del Fuego.

Later on, the band expanded towards a more commercial sound in their first full length album "Contacto" in early 1988. The album included tracks that were huge national hits as "En La Calle", "Contacto", "Siempre Estaré" and others. The sound seemed to be very pleasing and fairly well produced.

The success of Compañía Ilimitada was clear on a Huge Concert given in Estadio Nemesio Camacho el Campín in 1988, called "Concierto de Conciertos - Bogota en Armonia" They were the opening act at 5 pm, which included other national and international acts playing and singing songs in spanish. Bands from Spain, Argentina and Panama were also performing on the show that ended with Miguel Mateos as the closing act early in the morning.

The Band enjoyed the commercial success, but never made it internationally, though the intentions seemed to be clear, as their looks and style reflected a pesudo new wave direction and intention. The music was more poppish, though.

On their last years the band started covering some classic "in-spanish" songs like "Cómo Decirte" from Colombian Band Génesis (a Spanish version of Cat Stevens' "How Can I Tell You"), and "Santa Lucía" which were more orientated towards a grown-up and less risk-minded audience.

Compañía Ilimitada split in the 90's but it was the first band to have a major record deal and priority wth CBS records in Colombia, unfortunately it failed to live the expectations many rockers and pop fans had in them. Somehow they paved the way towards a bigger acceptance of pop and rock music in Colombia.

They were later overshadowed buy other indie acts such as Aterciopelados, which later made the breakthru to the mainstream based on a very active club-live performing stamina.


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