20 Questions With Intocable: ‘Living on the Border We Got the Best of Both Worlds’

Isabela Raygoza
·12 min read
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Before there was Grupo Frontera boasting borderland swagger or Edgar Barrera’s contributions to the música mexicana scene and his Border Kid Records label, there was Intocable. This cowboy-hat donning sextet has become synonymous with the pioneering spirit of Tejano music, carving a path that others would follow.

As they celebrate their 30-year milestone, Intocable has released their latest accordion-driven, 16-track album, Modus Operandi, on Friday (Feb. 9). This marks not only their three-decade anniversary but also underscores their sustained influence on and innovations within música mexicana.

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With eight albums reaching No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart — including Sueños (2002), La Historia (2003), and Highway (2016) — and numerous other Billboard accolades, the group’s journey from the small town of Zapata, Texas, to international fame is a testament to their ability to break boundaries and create a sound that echoes through generations. Songs like “Aire” and “Sueña” have become timeless anthems for countless fans.

Seamlessly blending Tejano traditions with pop smarts and a dash of rock, Intocable’s commitment to authenticity and the deep connection they seek with their audience remains unwavering. “I make music, not for fame or for money, but for the connection — that to me is very important,” reveals singer, accordionist and band co-founder Ricardo “Ricky” Muñoz.

Produced by legendary Don Was (Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Ringo Starr), Modus Operandi bridges the past and future of Tejano music. Here, Muñoz talks about the creative process behind the band’s latest album and collaborating with Don Was, and looks back at their 30-year legacy.

1. With Intocable celebrating its 30 year anniversary, what’s one memory from the early days that still makes you smile?

Even if it sounds like a cliché, it’s being on stage. Seeing people out there going to see us and getting excited, that’s something I’ll never forget. To this date, I think that’s one of the parts of our journey that I still enjoy.

2. Can you share a memorable moment during the songwriting process of Modus Operandi?

I’ve been learning so much about myself. I make music, not for fame or for money, but for the connection. That to me is very important. We recorded this album a little over two years ago. Our new method is sitting down with a songwriter in a session, playing ping pong, pitching songs and ideas. Which ones do we connect with? We make a list, then we sit with another songwriter, and have another session. Going through the process is always exciting.

3. How was it like working with the legendary Don Was?

After we do our maps of what the songs are going to sound like, we show up to the studio with our producer Don. That’s when the music really comes to life. Don Was does not speak Spanish, but he understands by feel where the song is taking you. Is this a love song? Is this a heartbreak song? Is this a happy song? As he’s reading the lyrics he goes, “Man, you have a unique way of making sad songs with a happy melody. That’s hard to pull off.” Seeing the songs come alive, making something that did not exist in this world, that makes us feel alive. Those moments are precious.

4. What goes through your head when you’re about to release a new album? 

Everybody gets nervous. I always say, “Dude, this is probably our last album.” It doesn’t mean that I’m retiring, but we go through a lot — because we care about music. We are fans of music. It takes a big toll on me. I feel like I aged 10 [more] years. [Laughs.]

I’ll tell you one thing, there’s not a viral song in there. It’s real music with substance. Again, it’s about connecting. What’s important is that at the end of the day, I take my hardhat off after the hard work, I see myself in the mirror and sleep at night tranquilo, ‘cause I know I did my best.

5. Can you share a memory from those early days that hinted at your future in music?

I’m an only son and my parents worked, so I spent most of the time with my grandparents. Every day after school or on weekends my grandfather picked me up to go to the ranches, check out the cattle, and I would listen to his music. The first song I fell in love with the accordion was “Mi Piquito de Oro” by Ramón Ayala. I was sold. You hear all these American artists reference when they saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show — well that was my Beatles/Ed Sullivan Show moment.

My grandfather sold a cow and that’s how he bought me my first accordion. I’m not the best accordion player, but I think I am creative. That’s more important than learning scales, because I don’t even know notes. I just played by heart and by ear, and I’m proud of that.

6. How did you and René Orlando Martínez end up co-founding the band?  

We are from a little town called Zapata, Texas and our families knew each other. When I was a freshman, René had graduated from the same school. When we started, it was tough in this genre of music, because it wasn’t very popular. Eventually, tecnobanda, cumbias, and Liberación came out. La Mafia from Texas was probably the biggest thing. To play accordion or bajo sexto in a band wasn’t cool for our generation [in the early ‘90s]. They called it the old people’s instruments. Now you see a lot of kids on social media playing accordion.

We stuck to it and believed in ourselves. But we were also listening to Journey, and playing those instruments too. Even though [Tejano] is a polka rhythm, you gotta have that [rock] melody, like a Def Leppard hook, for example. Now, looking back to 30 years ago, living on the border, we got the best of both worlds.

7. How did you approach that fusion of traditional Norteño with contemporary sounds?

We grew up with that. It’s funny that you say that contemporary, atemporal — and I don’t mean to brag, but when you hear an Intocable song like “Sueña,” it doesn’t sound like it’s from 2001. It still sounds rockin’. We’ve never been defined by an era because we liked those artists. [Michael Jackson’s] Thriller, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Tom Petty albums, Camilo Sesto’s ballads. They still resonate today. It’s timeless. It’s not, “Oh, that’s just old people’s music.” It’s a great song with a great production, period. It’s so rooted in us without thinking about it.

8. What are your thoughts about the emerging Tejano scene, with bands like Grupo Frontera, or Edgar Barrera with Border Kid Records recently coming into the spotlight? 

Frontera, it’s undeniable, the boys are doing great, they are from El Valle de Texas, close to where we are from. I am very happy for them. I hope they are enjoying this journey of music. I wish them all the best, and great for them representing the 956 as we are. I think Edgar changed the movement. There’s a difference — there are bands or people that make it in the industry, but then there are game changers that come along once in a while. That guy is definitely one of them. It couldn’t have happened to a better person, a talented person, a hard worker. And again, a game changer.

9. Over three decades, Intocable has earned Grammys and over a billion YouTube views. Which achievement has been the most meaningful to you?

We already put in the hard work for 30 years. We’ve done our 10,000 hours, well past it. We don’t have to get validated by the A&R, executives, the record company, or whomever. We’re an established brand. Our real fans know what to expect. Maybe new fans will join in, and that’s what makes music beautiful. We can be honest in our work, in our music, be authentic, and that’s priceless.

10. What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being from a border town?

The food [is my favorite]. Being from a border town you get the best of both worlds.

Least favorite? Wow. It’s not that I don’t want to answer, but I just can’t think of one. Some people might think, “no eres ni de aquí, ni de allá” (“you’re neither from here nor there”), but there’s something cool about that too, you’re unique. When we talk about soccer, we can root for two teams. We got more chances! You got to embrace where you’re from.

11. How has Zapata, Texas, shaped the band’s character and values? 

Being from a small town, your roots and your values are very family-oriented. The old saying goes, a handshake is all you need, and everybody knows you by name. When you’re falling on hard times, you can always count on your hometown, raise money and get together when a family is down. All that cliché is true. Intocable is that way too, because we are a family, and we are an organization, we try to take care of everybody exactly like if it was a small town.

12. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what did they think of what you do for a living now?

My mom was the vice president of a bank in Zapata and my dad used to work in the oilfield. What did they think of me? At first, it was scary. Once I got the music bug, it was game over. My interest in school was out the window. I would skip school just to be playing my accordion. I wanted to learn more and more. They knew I wasn’t gonna go to college. So there was no other option. It had to work. If not, I’m in trouble.

That’s what makes me also be very responsible, hardworking, and have a good work ethic. But at first, my parents were like, “That’s not a career, son. That’s a hobby.” Nobody in my family is a musician. They didn’t even know a musician. They would say, “You gotta pick a career.” Well, here I am.

13. What was the first thing you bought yourself when you began making money as an artist?

Probably a vehicle. I’ve always been a Ford guy. It was a Ford truck.

14. What was the best business decision you’ve ever made?

None. It’s all been sheer luck.

15. With the music industry increasingly digital, what value do you find in releasing Modus Operandi on vinyl?

We’ve been doing vinyl since 2009. It’s my childhood. When we started, we didn’t get to be printed on vinyl. So now that we are our own company and an independent band, we can do that. I’ve always wanted to be in vinyl.

16. The word “legend” is associated with Intocable — do you feel legendary?

Putting on your pants in the morning, drinking coffee, and brushing your teeth is supposed to be legendary? I guess I am, but I feel regular. I feel blessed. I feel agradecido más que nada (more grateful than anything). It’s been a great ride. The people I’ve connected with have been beautiful. Creating music to the best of our abilities, and creating more memories. Then you hear stories about fans saying they got married to a song [of ours], or when fans tell us their kids started saying their first words with our songs, stuff like that. Again, it’s about connecting.

17. Who was your greatest mentor in your career, and what was the best advice they gave you?

My dad. I’ve learned so much from him. My dad is not a musician. But at the time, it was tough love. He had his way of motivating me, and it created a musician with an athlete mentality. I had to be on my A game every time. My dad was tough on me, but I’m grateful for the way he raised me. He was a great man, but very cut and dry. No bull, just straight as an arrow. He wasn’t a hugger, he wasn’t the “I love you” or “good job, son” type. He was like, “It was good, but you can always work on this and be better.”

Say I was in Little League, and I was playing baseball and got struck out. My dad would be the type to get up and leave. “Why is my daddy leaving?” You never want to see that disappointment in [a father’s] face, you got to work harder. That pushes and drives me to this day.

18. With “Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí” being a focus track on the new album, can you delve into the inspiration behind the song?

“Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí” is one of those songs that sounds like an Intocable song right off the bat. I’m not comparing myself to The Beatles, but there are songs — like “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” for example — that are so experimental, the structure, the verses… but once they got to the chorus, it would tell you, “Hey, we’re still The Beatles.” That’s “Ojalá Estuvieras Aquí.” It has a weird chord structure, but the chorus is very familiar. It has a haunting melody, it’s very nostalgic, and once you hit that chorus, the song is pouring its heart and soul.

We grew up with that. That’s what our producer has done — he has produced for The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Bob Dylan. That’s crazy! It’s subtle, but his hand is there in our music.

19. Can you share a memorable fan interaction that has stayed with you over the years?

There are sad moments where we meet terminally ill fans that said their last wish was going to see us live — then there are happy moments with fans proposing on our shows, or families getting together to see us.

20. What would you say is the key to longevity?

Doing the right thing for the right reason. Don’t do it for fame, money or trends. Trends won’t last. It’s all paper houses. Hard work pays off. And it’s a better journey, a longer journey. The journey is what makes it beautiful.

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