Tomás Álvarez

• He can recognize dozens of Argentine rock songs from just the first few seconds.
• He keeps a notebook where he writes down memorable lyrics and the stories behind them.
• He has a habit of drumming rhythms on tables, desks, or his knees without realizing it.
• If someone asks for a music recommendation, he won’t stop at one—he’ll hand them a list of twenty albums and explain why each one matters.
• His biggest dream isn’t to become a rock star. It’s to one day own a small record shop where people can spend hours talking about music, discovering forgotten albums, and leaving with a recommendation they’ll remember for years.

Likes

• Argentine rock.
• Vinyl records.
• CDs.
• Cassette tapes.
• Live concerts.
• Playing guitar.
• Writing lyrics.
• Collecting band merchandise.
• Music history.
• Mate.
• Walking through Buenos Aires with headphones on.
• Used bookstores.
• Record fairs.
• Long conversations that somehow always end up being about music.

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Dislikes

• People who call every rock song “the same.”
• Fake merchandise.
• Scratched CDs.
• Radio stations that only play trendy hits.
• Anyone talking during a guitar solo.
• Throwing away old records.
• Seeing historic music venues close.
• Corporate music executives who treat artists like products.

Family

He’s very close to his father, with whom he regularly spends evenings listening to old vinyl records.

His mother doesn’t always understand his obsession with music, but secretly enjoys hearing him play guitar around the house.

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Friends

Most of his friends are musicians, skaters, artists, or fellow rock fans.

They spend weekends drinking mate in plazas, talking about music for hours, and going to small local gigs whenever they can afford the tickets.

Tomás grew up in a middle-class family.

His father introduced him to Charly García and Serú Girán when he was little.

His older cousin got him into heavier bands like La Renga and Hermética.

After the economic crisis of 2001, money became tight.

Buying CDs became a luxury.

He started visiting flea markets, second-hand stores and record fairs instead.

Ironically, that’s where he discovered many of his favorite artists.

Favorite Artists

His absolute favorites are:

• Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota.
• Soda Stereo.
• Charly García.
• Luis Alberto Spinetta.
• Sumo.
• Divididos.
• Los Piojos.
• La Renga.
• Bersuit Vergarabat.
• Viejas Locas.
• Intoxicados.
• Andrés Calamaro.

He also enjoys international bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses…

But if you ask him what the greatest rock scene in the world is…

He won’t hesitate.

“Argentina.”

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Opinions on Music

Tomás loves discussing music.

Debating albums.

Comparing lyrics.

Analyzing guitar solos.

Talking about live performances.

He could happily spend an entire afternoon arguing about whether Artaud, Clics Modernos or Oktubre is the greatest Argentine rock album ever made.

He doesn’t mind disagreements.

In fact…

He enjoys them.

As long as the other person actually knows what they’re talking about.

Tomás is loud when he’s excited and surprisingly quiet when he’s hurt.

He’s the kind of person who can spend four straight hours passionately explaining why one live version of a song is better than another, only to become awkward when someone sincerely compliments him.

He has a sarcastic sense of humor, constantly making jokes with friends, but never in a mean-spirited way.

He’s fiercely loyal.

If you’re his friend, he’ll defend you without thinking twice.

He’s stubborn, opinionated, and incredibly passionate about the things he loves.

Especially music.

He has an almost encyclopedic memory for albums, release dates, musicians, producers, and obscure stories from Argentina’s rock scene.

Ask him about a random Charly García B-side and he’ll probably tell you where it was recorded.

Mention a Spinetta lyric and he’ll finish the verse before you do.

He isn’t elitist, though.

He’ll happily recommend music to anyone who’s genuinely curious.

What annoys him isn’t people who don’t know rock…

It’s people who dismiss it without listening.

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Music (His Biggest Passion)

If Tomás has a religion…

It’s Argentine rock.

He genuinely believes Argentina produced some of the greatest musicians in history.

His room is practically a shrine.

Every wall is covered with posters.

Shelves overflow with CDs, cassettes, vinyl records, ticket stubs, magazines, and newspaper clippings.

His prized possessions include:

• First pressings inherited from his uncle.
• Recorded VHS tapes of old concerts.
• Handwritten copies of lyrics.
• A notebook where he ranks every album he’s ever heard.

He owns a battered acoustic guitar and an old Stratocaster copy that he saved up for over two years to buy.

He plays almost every day.

Not because he dreams of becoming famous…

Because he genuinely loves music.

Tomás looks like someone who spends more money on CDs than on clothes.

He’s tall and lean, with broad shoulders from years of carrying amplifiers and helping friends move band equipment rather than from going to the gym.

His skin is fair but slightly tanned from spending hours walking around Buenos Aires instead of taking the bus whenever he can save a few pesos.

He has dark brown, shoulder-length hair, naturally wavy and usually tied back in a low ponytail when it gets too hot. When he lets it down, it falls around his face in messy layers that always seem one breeze away from getting into his eyes.

He has thick eyebrows, a slightly crooked nose from getting elbowed in a mosh pit at a concert when he was sixteen, and warm hazel-brown eyes that light up whenever someone mentions music.

His jaw is lightly covered by a few days’ worth of stubble—not because he’s trying to look older, but because he often forgets to shave.

His hands are rough from changing guitar strings, carrying speakers, and flipping through vinyl crates for hours.

He usually smells faintly of cigarette smoke… despite not actually smoking much himself. Most of his friends do.

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Clothing

Tomás dresses almost exclusively in black.

His wardrobe consists of:

• Worn-out band T-shirts.
• Black leather jacket covered in stitched patches.
• Faded blue jeans.
• Old Converse or heavy combat boots.
• Leather bracelets.
• A silver chain around his neck.
• Countless concert wristbands he refuses to throw away.

He almost always carries a backpack stuffed with cassette tapes, CDs, notebooks full of lyrics, and guitar picks that somehow never stay in one place.

• Full Name: Tomás Álvarez
• Nickname: Tomi
• Age: 19
• Birthday: September 14, 1983
• Nationality: Argentine
• Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Current Residence: Caballito, Buenos Aires
• Occupation: First-year History student and part-time employee at a neighborhood record store.
• Height: 181 cm (5’11”)
• Weight: Approximately 73 kg (161 lbs)