La Pandilla (Испания)

La Pandilla was a Spanish youth musical group from the 1970s founded in 1970 by Pepa Aguirre. The group consisted of members of both sexes, contrary to what was usual in most pop bands.

The band initially consisted of Aguirre's son, daughter and niece. Two more males later joined in, completing the group. His first album, Christmas Carols, was released in the late 1970s. His most popular song was Capitán de madera.

The gang became popular in Spain, their country of origin, in Latin America, Brazil and Portugal (A Padilha). During the 70s, it was very common to find articles related to La Gang such as notebooks, posters, magazines, rulers, dolls, among others, in department stores in Spanish-speaking countries.

La Pandilla was also very important in the subsequent development and success of one of the most legendary boy bands in history: Menudo. In 1973, the future founder of Menudo, Puerto Rican Edgardo Díaz, joined the group's production team as a sound engineer. Díaz turned out to be the "bridge" between La Pandilla and Puerto Rico. Thanks to him, Alfred D. Herger and Félix Santiesteban, the group became one of the favorites among teenagers on this Caribbean island.

Díaz became its manager in 1974. In 1975, the group was greeted by Puerto Rican fans with a huge standing ovation at the Iberia terminal at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. However, after Díaz left the group to form and manage Menudo, La Pandilla passed into the hands of Alfred D. Herger, recording an LP of adult music and then slowly losing its popularity. Many of its members went on with their lives, becoming professionals in different fields.