Sumo was a 1980s Argentine alternative rock band, heavily influenced by post-punk, reggae and funk-metal. Led by Italian-born Scottish Luca Prodan, it remained underground for most of its short activity but was extremely influential in shaping contemporary Argentine rock. Sumo is credited with introducing British post-punk to the Argentine scene, mostly by songs with lyrics in English, and with providing a visceral counterpoint to the progressive and nueva canción influences then dominant in the country's rock en español. History Background Luca Prodan was born in Rome on 17 May 1953 of Italian and Scottish descent after his family returned from China: His father had set up a prosperous business in ancient Chinese pottery that became untenable after the Japanese invasion of China during World War II. In his youth, Luca was sent to prestigious Gordonstoun College in Scotland—the same Prince Charles of England attended. He escaped Gordonstoun a year before graduation and moved to London soon after. In the 1970s London Luca worked at EMI and formed his first band, The New Clear Heads, which shared aesthetics with contemporary punk acts like XTC, The Fall, Joy Division (a name he later translated to Spanish for Sumo's first album Divididos por la Felicidad) and Wire. After living in London and Manchester—where he was allegedly seen hanging out with Joy Division band members—Prodan accepted an invitation from Gordonstoun schoolmate Timmy Mackern to visit his family farm in the Traslasierra zone of Córdoba province in Argentina, thus helping his old friend relax and stay away from heroin (Luca was devastated by the suicide of his sister Claudia, and her boyfriend). Arriving in 1981, he started composing and recording songs at home in a portable studio he had brought from London. Later, tired of the quiet countryside life, he and Timmy relocated in Buenos Aires' Hurlingham area, interested to join the town's underground music scene. Luca in Argentina and early Sumo Argentina was under a repressive military dictatorship, and many music and performing art acts kept a low profile to avoid problems with the police—Café Einstein in the Balvanera district was a favorite venue for such programmes as were some pubs in Olivos. Luca soon found musicians willing to join his then innovative reggae-rock vision. Sumo's initial lineup consisted of Prodan on vocals and guitar, Germán Daffunchio on guitar, Alejandro Sokol on bass, and Stephanie Nuttal (an English friend of Luca's and former member