Los Twist were an Argentine rock band created by Pipo Cipolatti and Daniel Melingo in 1982. Taking their cues from early rock’n’roll, rockabilly, twist, and ska, they erupted into the Argentine rock scene in 1983 with La Dicha en Movimiento, which contained the hit singles “Cleopatra, la Reina del Twist” and “Pensé Que Se Trataba de Cieguitos.” Produced by Charly García, the album proved to be a huge commercial success, selling over 120,000 copies. They followed up with Cachetazo al Vicio (1984) and Máquina del Tiempo (1985), which featured guest spots by Andrés Calamaro, Gustavo Santaolalla, and Miguel Zavaleta. Los Twist broke up shortly after releasing Máquina del Tiempo, and Melingo left for Spain to play in the band Los Toreros Muertos. They reunited in 1988 and welcomed the 1990s with the massive hit “El Estudiante,” included in their 1991 album Cataratas Musicales. After 1995’s El Cinco en la Espalda and a collection of remixes titled Explosivo 96, their last studio offering, the band suffered several changes in its lineup and split up for good in the year 2012. The split did not lead to a new studio phase, but Los Twist’s legacy continued to resurface through reunions, anniversary appearances, and tributes. In 2017, the band’s name returned to a major stage at Cosquín Rock, where Los Twist appeared as part of the festival’s “Rock Argentino 50 años” celebration alongside key figures from Argentina’s rock history. In 2023, La dicha en movimiento was honored at the Centro Cultural Kirchner in Buenos Aires as part of the Discos Esenciales 1983-2023 cycle, with Axel Krygier directing a full-album concert featuring songs such as “Jugando hulla-hulla,” “25 estrellas de oro,” “Pensé que se trataba de cieguitos,” and “Cleopatra, la reina del twist.” The concert underlined the album’s lasting association with Argentina’s return to democracy and its mix of pop, humor, rockabilly, twist, ska, and new wave. In 2026, the group’s history returned to the headlines following the death of co-founder Daniel Melingo on June 30, 2026.
