TIJUANA Two members of one the most famous musical groups to come from this city have been feuding since their falling out three years ago. That dispute landed one of them in prison Wednesday, Roberto Alonso Mendoza López, after he was arrested at Tijuana's airport, accused of beating the other one, and even yanking out his hair.
The two were among the founding members of the Nortec Collective, a group that fused traditional norteña and banda sinaloense music with Techno, creating a unique style that won raves in Mexico, the United States and Europe.
In 2009, the group's disc, "Tijuana Sound Machine," was nominated for a Grammy in the category of best alternative Latino album.
And their music was used on commercials for companies such as Volvo and Dell; in television shows, including HBO's "Big Love"; and in movies, such as "Fast Food Nation."
Mendoza López, 41, a DJ who goes by the name of Panóptica, is accused of attacking José Trinidad Morales Gutiérrez, known as Pepe Mogt or Fussible, at the same airport on Nov. 22.
According to the state Attorney General's Office, witnesses said that Mendoza surprised Morales and began hitting him on the head until the latter lost his balance. Once on the ground, Mendoza allegedly kicked him and tore two tufts of hair when Morales tried to get away.
Federal police agents intervened to separate the two. State authorities said that Morales suffered injuries and fractures.
Morales told state authorities that the dispute with Mendoza began three years when the latter left the musical group they had formed.
Morales said that Mendoza then began to threaten him.
The dispute became public when each side released albums and performed concerts. However, it worsened when Mendoza registered the name Nortec as his own in one of Mexico's copyright organizations, the National Institute for Author's Rights, while Morales registered the name Nortec Collective at the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property.
What followed was a public campaign each waged against the other in the media and on social sites. Morales accused Mendoza of deceiving the public by announcing concerts under the name of Nortec, while the Mendoza countered that the name belonged to all the founding members and that a defamation campaign was being carried out to hurt him economically.
The bad blood between the two became real in last November's fight at the city's airport. A judge ordered Mendoza's arrest and he was taken Wednesday morning to the La Mesa State Penitentiary.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
