Finally today, we return to our top story. Mexico continues its efforts to contain the swine flu outbreak. As we heard earlier, Mexican authorities are closing schools nationwide. They're also discouraging big gatherings of people -- which means sports stadiums and even churches have been shuttered. The World's Marco Werman checked on one business in the Mexican capital that HASN'T shut down -- the record company EMI Mexico.
The show must go on...so the saying goes, but EMI Mexico has urged its employees who are nervous about leaving their houses -- or aren't feeling well -- to stay at home.
“If you don't feel like going you are able not to attend, and if you are feeling ill of course, you shouldn't go.â€
That's EMI Mexico general manager, Camilo Lara. Camilo Lara is also an artist -- he's a deejay who goes by the name MIS, or Mexican Institute of Sound.
MIS is a mad record collector whose vinyl count alone exceeds 45 thousand platters. Some of that music is Mexican. A lot of it is not.
“I'm a kind of an MTV generation guy. I listened to a lot of music coming out of England and from the US. But at the same time, I listened to cumbia and all the rhythms from my neighborhood and my city. So I guess what is considered global now is local nowadays.â€
Take for example this track from his just-released album "Soy Sauce."
It's MIS's down-in-the-gutter reworking of the Rolling Stones' "Bittersweet Symphony," with a mariachi guitar.
Right now in Mexico City, public gatherings are discouraged to help fight the swine flu outbreak. That means DJs like Camilo Lara are affected.
MW: If you were to DJ a set tonight, does that mean you have to wear a facemask?
CL: Yes. I wouldn't do it tonight because I would take it very seriously. And there will be no parties tonight. But, um, I would wear a mask. And I would recommend not to go to my gig. So that would be the first time a DJ would anti-promote their own gig.â€
So what's a DJ to do in Mexico City when there's a virtual quarantine on 20 million people?
How about just a single song to keep the spirits up in the Mexican capital?
“Um, well I would pick from my new record called Soy Sauce, I would pick "Cumbia" which is the opening track on it. Because I think Mexico City needs some positive energy, especially today that we're suffering this terrible news. So I would say that would be a happy track.â€
So here's a little anti-swine flu music, from Mexico's own Camilo Lara, better known as the Mexican Institute of Sound.
For The World, I'm Marco Werman.