About Pil Trafa
Lived 1959 – 2021 (aged 62). Pil Trafa was an Argentine singer and composer.
Enrique Héctor Chalar (February 1, 1959 in Buenos Aires – August 13, 2021 in Lima), better known as Pil Trafa, was an Argentine composer and singer. He is regarded as the pioneer of punk in Spanish in Latin America, with his band Los Violadores.
Biography Chalar began his musical career in the early 1980s, when he formed Los Violadores ("The Violators", referring to breaking the law, as mentioned in one of their songs, "Violadores de la Ley"); with Gustavo Fossá (Stuka) on electric guitar, Sergio Gramática on drums and Robert "Polish" Zelazek on bass. This 1983–1991 lineup released six studio albums, influencing British punk bands like Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, the Jam and Buzzcocks. Among the best known songs of the band are: "Represión", "Uno, dos ultraviolento", "Más allá del bien, más allá del mal", "Fuera de sektor", "Violadores de la ley" and "Comunicado 166".
With several lineup changes, Pil Trafa was the only permanent member until the final separation in 2011.
In 1992, at the first separation of Los Violadores, Pil Trafa formed Pilsen, a group that only released two albums between 1993 and 1994, and would have production of former Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and Ronald Biggs, the famous "train robber". This band broke up in 1995.
In 1999, together with Stuka he formed the duo Stku@Pil, edited a Homonym album and separated in 2000.
In 2004, he released his first solo album, entitled El monopolio de las palabras (in English: The monopoly of the words) and their first single was a cover of Manu Chao, Clandestino.
In 2015, he released his second solo album with his new band "Los Violadores de la Ley", entitled Último hombre, material produced by Steve Diggle, Buzzcocks bassist.
Since the 1990s, Pil Trafa had relocated to Lima, Peru, where he lived with Peruvian producer Claudia Huerta and his son Ian.
On August 13, 2021, at age 62, Pil Trafa died after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Lima. The official statement released by Pilsen reads: "A warrior has passed away, a pioneer of Latin American punk and underground, enlightened lyricist, spokesman for a whole generation, fighter and tireless captain of a thousand battles".
Discography Los Violadores 1983 – Los Violadores 1985 – ¿Y ahora qué pasa, eh? 1986 – Uno, dos, ultravioladores 1986 – Fuera de Sektor 1987 – Mercado indio 1989 – Y que Dios nos perdone... 1991 – Otro festival de la exageración 1996 – Otra patada en los huevos 2004 – Y va... sangrando 2006 – Bajo un sol feliz 2009 – Rey o reina
Live albums 1990 – En vivo y ruidoso 1996 – Histórico (La verdadera historia) 2 CD 2003 – En vivo y ruidoso II
Pilsen 1993 – Bajo otra bandera 1994 – Bestiario
Soloist 2004 – El monopolio de las palabras 2015 – Último hombre
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Pil Trafa's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Pil Trafa's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Pil Trafa?
Argentine composer and singer
When was Pil Trafa born?
Pil Trafa was born on 1 February 1959 in Buenos Aires.
When did Pil Trafa die?
Pil Trafa died on 13 August 2021 in Lima.
What was Pil Trafa's occupation?
Pil Trafa was a singer and composer.
What nationality was Pil Trafa?
Pil Trafa was Argentine.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Pil Trafa. https://biography.guide/pil-trafa/
MLA: "Pil Trafa." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/pil-trafa/.
Chicago: "Pil Trafa." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/pil-trafa/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:01 UTC