10. La Movida: Popular Music as the Discourse of Modernity in Democratic Spain

HÉCTOR FOUCE and FERNÁN DEL VAL


 

1. Triana, “En el lago”

From: Triana (2). Moviplay 17.0678/7, 1975, 33 rpm.

 

Jesús de la Rosa: keyboards and vocals; Eduardo Rodríguez Rodway: guitar; “Tele” Palacios: drums.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Triana was a band from Seville who mixed progressive rock with flamenco, with instrumental passages and pastoral lyrics. They were successful but their appearance within La Movida made them unfashionable.


 

2. Cucharada, “Compre”

From: El limpiabotas que quería ser torero. Zafiro HS-35019, 1979, 33 rpm.

 

Antonio Molina: guitar; José Manuel Díaz: drums, vocals and guitar; Manolo Tena: bass and vocal; Jesús Vidal: guitar.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Cucharada were the best example of El rollo: the echoes of 1970s rock seasoned with ironic and libertarian lyrics, full of criticism towards capitalism’s corrosion. They were not successful and their importance in the history of the Spanish popular music is not generally recognised.


 

3. Burning, “Jim Dinamita”

From: Madrid. Ocre BOL-004, 1978, 33 rpm.

 

Quique Pérez: bass; Johnny Cifuentes: keyboards; Pepe Risi: guitar; and Toño Martín: vocals.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

A kind of Spanish Rolling Stones, Burning showed how to play rock’n'roll with cocky attitude and how to sing suburbial histories spelled with a Madrilenian accent. Too much rockers for the crew of La Movida, but too much dandy’s for the heavy and rock scenes.


 

4. Tequila, “Me vuelvo loco”

From: Rock and Roll. Zafiro ZL-270, 1979, 33 rpm.

 

Ariel Rot: guitar; Julián Infante: guitar; Felipe Lipe: bass; Alejo Stivel: vocals; Manolo Iglesias: drums.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Tequila anticipates the emergence of the New Wave in Spain. They came from the Madrilenian underground rock scene but their undoubtedly commercial hook, based on their youth beauty, urgent lyrics and great music skills pushed them to the mainstream. They put back rock’n'roll on the commercial radio.


 

5. Leño, “Corre, corre”

From: Corre, corre. Chapa Discos HS35054, 1982, 33 1/3 rpm.

 

Rosendo Mercado: vocal and guitar; Ramiro Penas: drums; Tony Urbano: bass.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Called “The band of the crowd”, Leño combined the immediacy of punk with hard-rock riffs, laying down the foundation of the rock urbano style. Their lyrics showed the life of the youth in the working class’ suburbs, as well as a concern for keeping the authenticity of rock


 

6. Barón Rojo, “Los rockeros van al infierno”

From: Volumen brutal. Chapa Discos HS-35053, 1982, 33 rpm.

 

Armando de Castro: guitar; Carlos de Castro: guitar; José Luis Campuzano “Sherpa”: bass, vocals; and Hermes Calabria: drums.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

The main Spanish heavy metal band Barón Rojo distinguish themselves from the British heavy metal paying less attention to virtuosity and more to social lyrics. They had a great local and international success.


 

7. Obús, “Va a estallar el obús”

From: Prepárate. Chapa Discos HS-35052, 1981, 33 rpm.

 

Juan Luis Serrano: bass; Francisco Laguna: guitar; Fructuoso Sánchez “Fortu”: vocals; and Fernando Sánchez: drums.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

The other one big Spanish heavy metal band, in great rivalry with Barón Rojo: their lyrics were less social and more hedonistic and escapist. Their look, based on leather jackets and bracelets, was renowned.


 

8. Kaka de Luxe, “Rosario toca el pito”

From: Kaka de Luxe. Chapa Discos H-33010, 1978, 45 rpm, EP.

 

Olvido Gara “Alaska”: guitar;  Enrique Sierra: guitar; Nacho Canut: bass; Fernando Márquez “El Zurdo”: vocals; Carlos Gª Berlanga: backing vocals; Manolo Campoamor: vocal; Pablo Martínez: drummer.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Considered by the music press as the starting point of La Movida, because some of the most important members of the scene played on this embryonic band. Childish and ironic lyrics for a proto-punk band.


 

9. Gabinete Caligari, “Al calor del amor en un bar”

From: Al calor del amor en un bar. 3 Cipreses 4C-148, 1986, 33 rpm.

 

Jaime Urrutia: guitar, vocals; Eduardo Clavo: drums; “Ferni” Presas: bass.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

The best example of the so called rock torero: post-punk influences combined with Spanish rhythms and topics (bullfights, pasodobles, flamenco), and the characteristic voice and the Madrilenian accent of Urrutia.


 

10. Nacha Pop, “Chica de ayer”

From: Nacha Pop. Hispavox S 60.499, 1980, 33⅓ rpm.

 

Antonio Vega: guitar, vocals; Nacho García Vega: guitar, vocals; Carlos Brooking: bass; and Ñete: drums.

 

Lyrics

Discogs

 

Nacha Pop showed the New Wave side of La Movida. “Chica de ayer” is considered the most important song of the 1980s, a melancholic composition of Antonio Vega, one of the most valuables Spanish popular music composers.

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