sumo was a 1980s argentine alternative rock band, heavily influenced by post-punk and reggae. 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.
The Italian Luca Prodan arrived in Argentina in 1981, coming from England, after having accepted the invitation of his old friend Timmy McKern. He was attracted by the idea and the landscape, so he decided to travel to the hills of Cordoba, which showed him the postcard he had received from his former classmate. Years later, in some interviews, Luca would say that he came to Argentina "to escape from heroin", a hard drug that had already cost the life of one of his sisters and that had put him in a coma at the end of the 70s. According to Enrique Symns, it was the same drug that caused his death in 1987, when he tried it again after six years of abstinence barely endured through the abuse of gin.
Their recording debut came in 1985, after being seen live by a CBS producer. The record was called "Divided by Happiness", in reference to one of Luca's favourite bands, Joy Division. On 14 November 1987 they performed at the International Telecommunications Colloquium held in Algiers, Algeria. It was little publicised, but no less important for that. The group's last performance, with Luca at the head, took place on 20 December 1987 at the Club Atlético Los Andes stadium, along with Los Violadores. Mollo later recalled that that night, in front of just over 500 people, moments before performing a powerful version of "Fuck You", Luca said: "there goes the last one". And so it was. Two days later, on 22 December, he was found dead in his room at 400 Alsina Street, after a heart attack. He was 34 years old and had irreversible cirrhosis, caused by his beloved gin.

MEMBERS:
1981-1982
Luca Prodan (vocals, acoustic guitar and bass guitar) Alejandro Sokol (bass guitar, vocals) Germán Daffunchio (guitar) Ricardo Curtet (guitar) Stephanie Nutall (drums)
1982-1984
Luca Prodan (vocals, guitar) Alejandro Sokol (drums) Germán Daffunchio (guitar) Diego Arnedo (bass guitar) Roberto Pettinato (saxophone)
1984-1987
Luca Prodan (vocals) Alberto Superman Troglio (drums and percussion) Roberto Pettinato (saxophone) Diego Arnedo (bass guitar and keyboards) Ricardo Mollo (guitar) Germán Daffunchio (guitar) Alejandro Sokol (vocals, bass guitar and drums)

DISCOGRAPHY: