Acoustic rockers Rodrigo y Gabriela add something special, adding voice to instrumentals

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Acoustic rockers Rodrigo y Gabriela have always let their eloquent guitars do their talking. No longer.

In recent appearances, Rodrigo Sanchez has tried something special, using a soft voice to sing the lyrics of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Thousands of surprised fans joined in at a recent concert in Los Angeles.

Asked if he might start doing that more often, Sanchez told The Associated Press: “Could be. One never knows.”

Sanchez said he’s started to feel more confident with his voice after a few timid starts.

“The first time I sang, I sang softly into the microphone,” he said. “But as the people sing with me, well, now I feel more relaxed.”

The Mexican duo famed for flamboyant flamenco-style covers of heavy metal is on tour promoting a new album called “9 Dead Alive,” featuring fresh works inspired by historical figures including Harriet Tubman and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

The Mexican duo famed for flamenco-style covers of heavy metal is on tour promoting a new album called “9 Dead Alive” featuring fresh works inspired by historical figures including Harriet Tubman and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

“We come from rock, from heavy metal,” he said. “And suddenly we found ourselves in Ireland in 2006 making an album with nuances of Latin melodies.”

“Now we’re going back to the bases, musically speaking, of what we are, which is rock. The Latin melodies were converted into rock riffs and that’s what the album is based on.”