Canarian Rock Drummer Víctor "Pistol" Arrocha Dies at 61
Legendary Canarian rock drummer Víctor Arrocha Mendoza, known as Pistol, passed away this Thursday at 61, celebrated for his influential work with bands like Familia Real and Ataúd Vacante.
Canarian musician Víctor Arrocha Mendoza, better known as Pistol, passed away this Thursday at the age of 61. Born in Chipude, La Gomera, he moved to Los Gladiolos in Tenerife when he was seven. As a drummer, Pistol earned a special place in Canarian rock history, playing in many bands including Familia Real, Ataúd Vacante, Tractores, Brutalizzed Kids, 13 Motos, and most recently, Eméritos.
Last year, Pistol was featured in a photo exhibition called "Máquina y Pistol" at Equipo PARA in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Part of the DocuRock 10 Festival, the exhibition by Javi Felipe highlighted the rhythm section of the band Ataúd Vacante, focusing on two of its members. This followed an earlier exhibition about Fafe and Silver. Coincidentally, Ataúd Vacante is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, 2024.
According to Diego F. Hernández, who wrote the text for the exhibition, Víctor Arrocha, or Pistol, approached drumming differently from Manolo 'el Máquina'. As a child, he was fascinated by a music magazine featuring the Sex Pistols. This self-taught musician, originally from Chipude, La Gomera, later met Silver, who would become his long-time musical partner. Silver, impressed by Pistol's look, invited him to join a rock band. This meeting marked the start of his legendary career. He first played drums with RIP, an AC/DC cover band that also included Silver, Víctor, and Dani. He then went on to drum for Familia Real, Ataúd Vacante, Tractores, Brutalizzed Kids, 13 Motos, and Eméritos, where he continued to play with Silver on vocals.
A decade ago, in 2015, a documentary titled "Pistol" was released. This film served as a tribute to the musician who died this Thursday. Journalist and musician José María de Páiz wrote and directed the documentary, which was produced by Los 80 Pasan Factura.
The 27-minute documentary's synopsis explains that José María de Páiz explores the life of "someone who experienced life from the sidelines." This meant sometimes being at the back of the stage, behind the drums, and other times navigating the "shadowy side of life, where stories aren't always told, and the focus is simply on survival."