87. Dick El Demasiado

The first time I was aware that I was hearing cumbia on the stereo, it was a mixtape by a DJ named Robin Revilla. It was loaded with sound effects, samples, manipulated vocal overdubs and plenty of distortion. It struck me as being truly bizarre- and totally amazing. From there on I would buy dozens of other cumbia mixes, mostly from the 90s-2000s, seeking out the more experimental oddities in the mix. Before long, I was introduced to the music of Dick El Demasiado. The cover of the CD Sin Pues Nada has the words “cumbias lunaticas” right there on the cover. Finally, something I didn’t have to cherry pick to find music that challenged my mind. Whoever this dude was, he got it. Over the years I’ve managed to glean a bit more about him, but then I recently saw a documentary about him called Dick Verdult: It Is True, But Not Here. I had no idea what a rich history this man has in the arts- he really does it all. An international playboy, if you will. As it happens, Dick El Demasiado the musician is a mere sliver of what Dick Verdult the artist has to offer. In this conversation, we focus primarily on his music, including a previously unreleased rollicking demo. His culture-jamming tendencies are a reflection of his culturally scattered upbringing- born in the Netherlands, raised all over Europe and South America, and currently living in the Spanish town of Callanda, he’s been everywhere. In fact, as I write this introduction he’s shooting a movie in Mexico, then he’s off to Japan. When Arrington de Dionyso and I spoke to him last November, he was at home in Spain. Dick discusses the music that spoke to him in his youth, moving 20 times in his first 20 years, writing ugly poetry, creating music alone vs with his group Dick El Demasiado Y Sus Exagaderos, having an audience in a notorious street gang, that signature skeleton costume, his invented genre celulitis popular and his definition of cultural distortion. Listen to the interview below.

Low Profile season 9 finale: Dick El Demasiado

Further digging:

This just in: Dick El Demasiado's debut album No Nos Dejamos Afeitar is getting its first vinyl release in 2025 thanks to Calar Music.

Enjoy a concert video featuring Dick El Demasiado doing his solo “celulitis popular” method of performance:

Here is the documentary about Dick Verdult (highly recommended)

86. April March