Nobody Told Me Nada

I enjoyed working with Enrique Lopetegui tremendously. He was a great addition to the Los Angeles Times pop department. Enrique is filled with the passion and dedication that you always want to see in a critic. He doesn't just write about music, but thinks and cares about it in ways that help him explain the role that music plays in our lives and culture. - Robert Hilburn, Los Angeles Times critic/music editor (1970-2005) I've admired Enrique's work since his days as music writer for the LA Weekly and Los Angeles Times. He's always stood out as a singular, unique voice - the rare journalist who artfully tackles just about anything you put in front of him, and does so in Spanish and English. No wonder I was excited when I learned about this compilation of his work! Enrique thrives in the busy intersections between pop music, sports, politics and film. His passion for cross-cultural criticism is palpable ... and contagious. Happy reading. - Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times There are people who can write in a very scholarly and substantiated manner, but they lack that punch, that edge I love so much both in music and the written word. His personal moment [at the Los Angeles Times] and the era itself [in the '90s] achieved a phenomenon that hit me hard and was a great influence on my own professional development. - Gustavo Santaolalla The first thing you notice about Enrique Lopetegui is his passion. He doesn't think of music as a trendy lifestyle accessory or treat it like decorative aural wallpaper. For him, it's as essential as oxygen and as deep as an ocean. You always get the sense that he resents music that fails to live up to its spiritual potential. I first asked Enrique to contribute music pieces for the San Antonio Current because I was impressed by his knowledge of rock en espanol. His command of the music's nuances were/are formidable, and I always found myself understanding the form better after reading his work. But it didn't take long before I realized how eclectic and unpredictable his tastes were and how adept he was at writing about a wide range of musical genres. When he loves something, he fully immerses himself in it. He showed that with Juanito's Lab, the 15-year, labor-of-love documentary he and his wife, Guillermina Zabala, created about San Antonio virtuoso musician Juanito Castillo. Enrique's passion for the music - and his need to share that passion with others - permeates all of his writing. And he has