Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias (often erroneously spelled Alberto y Los Trios Paranoias) was a comedy rock band, formed in Manchester, England in 1973. Their story is told in the book 'When We Were Thin' (published 2007 by Hotun Press). The name of the band is a corruption of a Latin American band called Alberto y Los Trios Paraguayos.
Created in 1973 by Jimmy Hibbert (b. 15 July 1949; vocals, guitar, bass), C.P Lee (b. 19 January 1950 – d. 25 July 2020; vocals, guitar, bass) and Bob Harding (b. July 1947; vocals, bass, guitar). the comedy sketch outfit became a musical group in 1974 and was joined by drummer Bruce Mitchell (b. 6 June 1946; drums), with Les Prior (b. April 1948 – d. 31 January 1980; vocals), Simon White (b. 24 May 1951; guitar) and Tony Bowers (b. 31 October 1952; bass, guitar). They became a popular support act, supporting Hawkwind on their 1974 tour. The group mercilessly parodied the major rock names of the 1970s - "Anadin" (the trade name for an over the counter headache remedy) was a reworking of Lou Reed's "Heroin" / "Sweet Jane". By 1975 they were topping the bill in their own right and were supported by such acts as The Police, The Cure, The Stranglers, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Devo, Squeeze, XTC and Blondie. As with many comedy ensembles, the Albertos belied their comic aspirations by their exemplary musicianship and they released three albums and a variety of spoof discs, culminating in the musical play, Snuff Rock.
Sleak (aka Snuff Rock), inspired by the then recent film, Snuff, and the concept of snuff movies, but carrying the idea to a band who killed themselves for entertainment, was their musical play presented at London's Royal Albert Hall and the Roundhouse, and was famous for the role of the comic disc jockey played by Les Prior. The accompanying EP, "Snuff Rock", released on Stiff Records, poked fun at the punk rock phenomenon, targeting the Sex Pistols ("Gobbing On Life"), The Damned ("Kill") and The Clash ("Snuffin' Like That") as well as myriad reggae bands in "Snuffin' In A Babylon". For once, the Albertos' act was successfully transferred to vinyl. They hit the UK Singles chart with the Status Quo spoof, "Heads Down No Nonsense Mindless Boogie" in September 1978 and ABBA spoof, "Juan Lopez (The Lonely Goatherd)" in November 1978. Chaz Jankel and Roger Ruskin Spear assisted the Albertos on their third album, Skite. John Scott (b. 13 February 1956; vocals, bass, guitar, saxophone, keyboards) (ex John Cooper Clarke and Jilted John) and Ged Green (b. 17 May 1955; vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) joined Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias (replacing Bob Harding and Tony Bowers) in August 1978. Les Prior died in January 31, 1980 from leukemia, which left a large gap in the group. Ian Morris (b. 27 October 1956; vocals, bass) (ex The Smirks) joined Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias (replacing Ged Green) in August 1980.
After their nationally networked TV show Teach Yourself Gibberish and a crack at America with Sleak, fourth and last album, Radio Sweat in 1981, the Albertos disbanded in 1982.
The band's brand of spoof rock has been said to be in the same English tradition as that of the Barron Knights and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band but a better comparison might be the American parody singer Weird Al Yankovic.
