Los Bravos

The band was an amalgamation of two pop groups, Los Sonor from Madrid and The Runaways from Mallorca. Los Bravos' lead singer, Mike Kogel (aliases: Mike Kennedy, Mike Keller), is from Germany. His vocal styling was sometimes likened to Gene Pitney's. "Black Is Black" reached No. 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart,^[1] No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1966,^[2] No. 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and has sold over one million copies worldwide.^[3]

"Black Is Black" was written by Michelle Grainger, Tony Hayes, and Steve Wadey in their recording studio for cutting demo discs in Hoo St Werburgh, near Rochester, Kent, England.^[3] The song was later covered by Johnny Hallyday and then by French-based outfit Belle Epoque, whose disco version coincidentally also reached No. 2 in the UK in 1977.

Los Bravos' follow-up single, "I Don't Care", reached No. 16 in the UK in October 1966.^[2] In 1967, the band participated in the Sanremo Music Festival, failing to qualify for the final with the song "Uno come noi" in Italian.^[4] The band was the subject of two Spanish comedic movies: in 1967 Los chicos con las chicas (The Boys With the Girls), directed by Javier Aguirre and in 1968, ¡Dame un poco de amooor...! (Give Me a Little Looove!), directed by José María Forqué and Francisco Macián. Their song "Going Nowhere" from the soundtrack to Los chicos con las chicas was re-issued as a part of the Rhino Records series, Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969. The song had reached No. 91 in the United States, No. 54 in the United Kingdom, and No. 55 in Canada.^[5]

Their single release of the Harry Vanda/George Young penned song, "Bring a Little Lovin'", reached No. 22 in Canada on 13 July 1968.^[6]

Manuel Fernández married his wife, Lottie Rey. Rey, who was expecting their first child, was killed in an auto accident in April 1968.^[7] A few weeks later, on 20 May 1968, Fernández, shot himself in front of an altar in his house that contained photos of Rey; Fernández was 25 years old.^[7][8]

Also that year, Kogel left the group to develop a solo career under the name Mike Kennedy. He was replaced as singer by Robert Wright for six months and then Anthony (Tony) Anderson.^[9] Anderson sang with The Warriors, with his brother Jon Anderson, before joining Los Bravos. This lineup remained until 1971.

In 1990, guitarist Antonio Martínez died in a motorcycle accident en route to his recording studio.^[10][11]

In 2004, Kogel, Fanus and Gomez performed a one-off gig.

In 2015, Mike Kennedy reunited with Miguel Vicens Danus under the name Los Bravos, to record a new studio version of "Black Is Black."^[12] The new recording was officially released on iTunes and edited to create a music video.^[13]

In 2019, Miguel Vicens Danus and Pablo Sanllehí inducted Bruce Game as the new lead singer to record a new album. They released two singles in 2020 followed by four more singles in 2021 on iTunes and Spotify under the name Los Bravos. These include "Gotta Be Strong"^[14] and "Chariot".^[15]

Miguel Vicens died of pneumonia in Palma on 12 February 2022, at age 78.^[16] His role in the band was replaced by Franc Pohens.^[17]

Since 2025, Gomez and former lead singer Robert Wright have been working with each other on musical projects in Mallorca. On 1 May 2026, the band, featuring Wright as a guest, will play at the Trui Teatre to celebrate 60 years since the release of "Black Is Black".

On 20 March 2019, the Los Bravos song "Bring a Little Lovin'" was featured on the soundtrack and first teaser trailer for the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.^[18]

The original members of Los Bravos

Mike Kogel

Antonio Martínez

Miguel Danus

Manuel Fernández

Pablo Gomez

Current members^[17]

• Pablo Sanllehí Gomez (born 5 November 1943, Barcelona, Spain) — drums (1965–1971, 2000, 2003–2008, 2010, 2015—present)
• Robert Wright (born 26 March 1949, Southampton) — vocals (1968–1969, 2025—present)
• Bruce Game (born Behrouz Ghaemi, 9 March 1980, Qazvin, Iran) — vocals (2019—present)
• Jo Pro — guitar (2019—present)
• Jaume Amengual — keyboards (2019—present)
• Sergi Tomàs Vidal — drums (2019—present)
• Miguel Amengual — trombone (2019—present)
• Rigor — saxophone (2019—present)
• Pepe — trumpet (2019—present)
• Isadora Ferrer — backing vocals (2019—present)
• Miriam Lopez — backing vocals (2019—present)
• Franc Pohens — bass (2022—present)

Former members

• Mike Kogel (born Michael Volker Kogel, 25 April 1944, Berlin, Germany) — vocals (1965–1968, 1975–1976, 1986–1987, 2000, 2003–2008, 2015)
• Antonio Martínez Salas (3 October 1945, Madrid – 19 June 1990, Colmenar Viejo, Spain) — guitar (1965–1976, 1986–1987)
• Manuel Fernández Aparicio (29 September 1942, Seville, Spain – 20 May 1968) — organ (1965–1968)
• Miguel Vicens Danus (21 June 1943, Ferrol, Galicia – 12 February 2022) — bass guitar (1965–1971, 1986–1987, 2000, 2003–2008, 2010, 2015–2022)
• Peter Solley (19 October 1948, Holloway, England – 16 November 2023, Brattleboro, Vermont) — organ (1968)^[19][20]
• Jesús Glück (born Jesús Glück Sarasibar, 1941, Valencia, Spain – 24 January 2018, Madrid)^[21] — organ (1968–1971)
• Anthony 'Tony' Anderson (born 1941, Accrington, Lancashire, United Kingdom) — vocals, harmonica (1969–1971)
• Ari Leeonx (born Paris, France) — vocals (1974–1975)
• José Romero (born Caracas, Spain) — guitar (1975–1976)
• José Manuel Arria (born Caracas, Spain) — bass (1975–1976)
• Ivan Marcano (born Caracas, Spain) — drums (1975–1976)

Timeline

• Los Chicos con las Chicas (1967)
• Dame un Poco de Amooor! (1968)

• RPM number-one hits of 1966
• List of artists under the Decca Records label
• List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks
• Music of Spain