“Zoaz Euskal Herrira,
hor duzu jaia...
Sartu gure kilkir kaiolan!!"
hor duzu jaia...
Sartu gure kilkir kaiolan!!"
The members of Green Day, the notorious californian rock band, would be asked "Where is Laudio, Billie Joe?", before acting in Laudio/Llodio (Alava) in December of 1991, a few months before its great jump to the fame, when still they turned by the European underground circuit. The show of Green Day started two hours later because the band was retained in one of the typical spanish police controls on the roads of Basque Country. Without making any sound test, the Californian musicians took to the stage of Café Panama with desire to please their local fans. But, soon to begin, the guitarist broke the instrument. Luckily, one of the two hundred people who packed the small local was approached to his house and lend him a new guitar. That concert of Green Day band was the culmination of the Ecological Week organized by the members of a local alternative radio (Pirula Irratia), the ecology group Ekhi, the punk collective Txitxarra and Gazte Asanblada (Basque youngs assembly). A recent documentary, "Yo lo viví: Green Day" (2015), reviews this curious historical anecdote.
The following year, Green Day would return again to Laudio, acting inside the local squat Casa de Pinturas (in english, House of Paintings), an old factory of derivatives of the squatting wood and managed by the alternative collective Txitxarra. Thanks to this local collectives, Laudio's small rock scene blossomed into such diverse groups as Danba, Anti-K, Lur, CLGSE (Against The Unscrupulous People), Finisterrae, T.HC Arbol, Une Latzak, Flying Pigs, Garrasi, ZEN, Guridi Center, The Drellas, Okerreko Bidea, Tropical Trash, Tombstone, Lost Land, Eskupitajo, Lautaru, Ostakulo... Unfortunately, those in charge of Laudio Town Hall began to block the continuation of the acclaimed free concerts Café Panama, called "marginals" to the groups called there.
As has happened all too often in Euskal Herria, the alternative dream of Casa de Pinturas squat was destroyed and other self-managed centers ("Kukutza III", "Kortxoenea" "Euskal Jai Gaztetxea") were evicted and demolished. The issue ended up being manipulated in the press, where it was repeated, incessantly, that it was the own residents of Laudio who complained more of enduring the annoying "noises" of the squat Casa de Pinturas, although the concerts were celebrated to half a kilometer of the town. In spite of these obstacles, in Laudio new alternatives arose, new gaztetxes, music halls such as Laudio Metal or Drumgorri (one of first complete centers of music of the Basque Country).
During the Carnivals of 1986, a concert organized in Laudio by several state free radios coincided with the harsh protests against the extraditions from France of Basque political refugees. Half a performance by the famous a basque rock band, Hertzainak, rubber balls and smoke cans began to drop near the stage. "I was playing our song "Si vis pacem" crying, because a boat fell in front of the stage and we got all the smoke. We were crying like tears because of the policial gas" said bassist Josu Zabala. Some of the public ran away, but others became aware of the danger. "That was like a total spectacle of lights, sound and rubber balls". Things rushed in when suddenly a tanker came in the middle of the square. Shooting bullets right-handed and sinister, in machine-gun plan, it put the whole public in terror. "We continued there until the fucking song was over". There was nothing left in the square except that police tank and the sound technician under the table, and all the musicians took refuge behind the amplifiers, because it was falling from everything and for all sides.
The following year, Green Day would return again to Laudio, acting inside the local squat Casa de Pinturas (in english, House of Paintings), an old factory of derivatives of the squatting wood and managed by the alternative collective Txitxarra. Thanks to this local collectives, Laudio's small rock scene blossomed into such diverse groups as Danba, Anti-K, Lur, CLGSE (Against The Unscrupulous People), Finisterrae, T.HC Arbol, Une Latzak, Flying Pigs, Garrasi, ZEN, Guridi Center, The Drellas, Okerreko Bidea, Tropical Trash, Tombstone, Lost Land, Eskupitajo, Lautaru, Ostakulo... Unfortunately, those in charge of Laudio Town Hall began to block the continuation of the acclaimed free concerts Café Panama, called "marginals" to the groups called there.
As has happened all too often in Euskal Herria, the alternative dream of Casa de Pinturas squat was destroyed and other self-managed centers ("Kukutza III", "Kortxoenea" "Euskal Jai Gaztetxea") were evicted and demolished. The issue ended up being manipulated in the press, where it was repeated, incessantly, that it was the own residents of Laudio who complained more of enduring the annoying "noises" of the squat Casa de Pinturas, although the concerts were celebrated to half a kilometer of the town. In spite of these obstacles, in Laudio new alternatives arose, new gaztetxes, music halls such as Laudio Metal or Drumgorri (one of first complete centers of music of the Basque Country).
During the Carnivals of 1986, a concert organized in Laudio by several state free radios coincided with the harsh protests against the extraditions from France of Basque political refugees. Half a performance by the famous a basque rock band, Hertzainak, rubber balls and smoke cans began to drop near the stage. "I was playing our song "Si vis pacem" crying, because a boat fell in front of the stage and we got all the smoke. We were crying like tears because of the policial gas" said bassist Josu Zabala. Some of the public ran away, but others became aware of the danger. "That was like a total spectacle of lights, sound and rubber balls". Things rushed in when suddenly a tanker came in the middle of the square. Shooting bullets right-handed and sinister, in machine-gun plan, it put the whole public in terror. "We continued there until the fucking song was over". There was nothing left in the square except that police tank and the sound technician under the table, and all the musicians took refuge behind the amplifiers, because it was falling from everything and for all sides.
To echo the different initiatives organized by the collective Txitxarra in the old squat of Laudio was created alternative distributor Pozoin (in english, Poison). Throughout its history, Pozoin suffered innumerable changes, its members passed by a pub, by a local of ESK-CUIS sindicate, they were of alegal way in the house of culture... For them to have a place was necessary, both as a warehouse, as a point of reference. Before the massive arrival of the Internet, the old distribution system was typical Post Service or walking kicking the pubs, certain bookstores and return after a time, with all the material well pointed in a notebook. Pozoin came to send its catalog to almost a thousand addresses throughout the planet and, as they were determined to always adjust the margins, sometimes, the costs of mailing went beyond those of the own orders. Even so, Pozoin officials acknowledged that the motivation that drove them to keep distributing was their love of alterative music, with a clear predominance of styles such as hardcore, punk and ska.
The basque band with more weight emerged in the area of Laudio has been Danba, a amazing rock band. Danba began in the middle of the 80´s, putting their grain of sand to the punk tsumani that flooded Basque Country. Subsequently, this band evolved in a very remarkable way, practicing an abrasive metallic funk after a decade of activity. Danba sang in euskera or basque lenguage, although, like Kortatu, in its beginnings they did it in spanish lenguage. Their first album was "Plataforman" (1989), where the beginner can discover echoes of Jamaican reggae mixed with bursts of live punk rock. Inside their second album, "Esamesaka" (1991), the members of Danba dared to cover Basque singer Ruper Ordorika ("Erruduna") and the American band Hung Up! ("Big Mama"). Esan Ozenki Records label would release the third and final album of Danba, "Frango Funts" (1992), where they covered an song of a American funk band, Parliament ("Moonlight heather"). Danba gave their last concert in 1994, leaving an unforgettable memory. In 2005, in a special way, Danba met to perform at a festival in Llodio/Laudio.
Entered already in the decade of the 90´s, arose in Laudio another punk rock band. Lur band edited a colorful colourist with eleven tracks of good hardcore direct, "Amorru bizia" (1997). Such as the mythical Etsaiak basque band, Lur band´s members sang in Basque and Spanish lenguages and, in their lyrics, spat against the social reality of the time, against savage capitalism and growing real estate speculation, and leaning, in particular, for the occupation of self-managed spaces and in favor of "Intsumision" (popular fight againts the spanish of french militar service).
In 1963 compulsory military service was already abolished in the United Kingdom. This would cause thousands of young British to take advantage of the three years they used to lose peeling potatoes in the barracks or polishing the colonel's car to dedicate, for example, to creating new music. In Liverpool, four boys named Ringo, Paul, John and George would come to mark the culture of the twentieth century. But in 1993, thirty years later, the basque youths of Laudio, Tafalla, Hazparne or Zumaia were still obliged to serve necessarily in the French and Spanish army. Hundreds of them would choose a radical option. Stand up and say "No!". And go to jail... The number of basque rock songs with the words "Intsumisioa" or "Intsumiso presoak" are uncountable!
Another estimable rock band from Laudio was Une Latzak (in english, Raw Moments). The guitarist of this band, "El Boy", came from local bands such as CLGSE and Eskupitajo. The sound of Une Latzak circled the path opened by their friends Danba, mixing, without any complex, hardcore with funk and rap. In their day, Une Latzak offered at least three dozen performances, but only edited one demo, which included the theme "Aintzinako lekuak", a curious version of the Basque songwriter Ruper Ordorika. Une Latzak band turned to prevent the eviction of the old gaztetxe Laudio, the main test place of many local rock bands and one of the few concert halls in their area. After the dissolution of this basque band, "El Boy" would form another powerful rock band, Al Infierno En Goitibera (in english, To Hell In Tricycle), approaching melodic hardcore from the side of metal rock. The musical legacy of this band is a great album, "Presaka" (2010).
Entered already in the decade of the 90´s, arose in Laudio another punk rock band. Lur band edited a colorful colourist with eleven tracks of good hardcore direct, "Amorru bizia" (1997). Such as the mythical Etsaiak basque band, Lur band´s members sang in Basque and Spanish lenguages and, in their lyrics, spat against the social reality of the time, against savage capitalism and growing real estate speculation, and leaning, in particular, for the occupation of self-managed spaces and in favor of "Intsumision" (popular fight againts the spanish of french militar service).
In 1963 compulsory military service was already abolished in the United Kingdom. This would cause thousands of young British to take advantage of the three years they used to lose peeling potatoes in the barracks or polishing the colonel's car to dedicate, for example, to creating new music. In Liverpool, four boys named Ringo, Paul, John and George would come to mark the culture of the twentieth century. But in 1993, thirty years later, the basque youths of Laudio, Tafalla, Hazparne or Zumaia were still obliged to serve necessarily in the French and Spanish army. Hundreds of them would choose a radical option. Stand up and say "No!". And go to jail... The number of basque rock songs with the words "Intsumisioa" or "Intsumiso presoak" are uncountable!
Another estimable rock band from Laudio was Une Latzak (in english, Raw Moments). The guitarist of this band, "El Boy", came from local bands such as CLGSE and Eskupitajo. The sound of Une Latzak circled the path opened by their friends Danba, mixing, without any complex, hardcore with funk and rap. In their day, Une Latzak offered at least three dozen performances, but only edited one demo, which included the theme "Aintzinako lekuak", a curious version of the Basque songwriter Ruper Ordorika. Une Latzak band turned to prevent the eviction of the old gaztetxe Laudio, the main test place of many local rock bands and one of the few concert halls in their area. After the dissolution of this basque band, "El Boy" would form another powerful rock band, Al Infierno En Goitibera (in english, To Hell In Tricycle), approaching melodic hardcore from the side of metal rock. The musical legacy of this band is a great album, "Presaka" (2010).
Narrats, another basque rock band, was founded by two other members of Une Latzak band, Zigor and Julen. Narrats band recorded one album, "Mozorroa kendu" (2009), which did not disappoint the beginner who is fond of rock with punk details. Meanwhile, the former bassist of Une Latzak band, Igor Arzuaga, has released solo interesting albums of pop experimental rock, such as "Argi izpi bat" (2002), "Smog" (2004), "Experience" (2013), "Nire begiak" (2017) or "Menditik jeitsi ginen" (2019). Igor Arzuaga´s music work is influenced by their trips to Paris or New York and his great attraction to the postwar cabaret in Eastern Europe and "Berlin", the Lou Reed ´s popular album. ( http://marateka.blogspot.com.es/ )
We can´t leave Laudio not to mention the great Yogurinha Borova, artistic pseudonym of Eduardo Gaviña. He former member of the cabaret company The Fellinis and responsible for basque tecno-pop hits such as "Maite duzunarekin gozatu", "Esnekiak gogoko ditut", "Eraso sexistarik ez", "Munduko alabak" or "Sentimenak askatu". At the age of four, a serious illness kept the little Eduardo Gaviña between life and death. "The doctor told my mistress that, to stay alive, I would be paralyzed. And look at me now, he walk with big heels and all". The very colorists albums of Yogurinha Borova, such as "Carbono catorce" (2011), "Bai.Si.Yes "(2013), "Missex" (2014), "Poliamor" (2017) or "Amari" (2017), are a waste of talent electro-pop, good humor, sympathy and catchy rhythms. Yogurinha Borova has always surrounded himself with good collaborators, as the basque musician Iker Sadaba (Hemendik At!), pioneer of dance music in the Basque Country.
Very close to Laudio, in the little village of Okondo, Siroka band emerged. It´s an basque rock band formed by several musicians from Apurka, Feos Pero Majos, Izate Faltsua or Kloratita band. The members of Siroka band represented the Basque Country in the 8th edition of the Liet International music festival, where European groups are participating, singing in minority languages like euskera, udmurt, vepsian, scottish gaelic, irish gaelic... After recording their first album, "Haize berriak" (2009), Siroka band released "Karosi" (2011) album, a disc-book with nine songs with nine short stories.
Then Siroka rock band have recorded "3.szn" (2013), a dark and powerful album whose lyrics are written by Ruben Rivero, a basque prisoner dispersed in the prison of Villefranche-Sur-Saone (France), "Malutak" (2014 ) or "Buruz behera" (2018). "We have always believed that music is one more tool to fight against this system. We believe that having a microphone and, above all, an audience is a big responsibility". Meanwhile, Maria, Siroka band's vocalist, has been part of a basque duo called Hutsa or Kintsukoroi. While Gorka, the drummer of Siroka band, is member of Zein Da Zein?, a basque rap metal band that released two albums, "Zein da Zein?" (2009) and "Elefante txuria" (2017).
More recently, another group has emerged in Laudio. Mushkum band is a mixed quartet led by veteran Luis Vil, exmember of Ricoamor or The Drellas bands. Mushkum band debuted with "Denbora" (2017), a theatrical and somewhat western album, with echoes to Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen, an acoustic border rock. "It's rock because that's the world where we come from and where we always move from, acoustic by acoustic instrumentation, and frontier by being on the border of many genres and within none in particular". In that first album the new listener will be able to enjoy quiet songs ("Ihes egin dut"), or fast-paced rhythms ("Momentu batean"). The vocalist Juncal Altzugarai usually writes the lyrics, they are texts in Basque lenguage that speak of feelings and emotions through metaphors. The second album of the Mushkkum band is titled "Nere totem animalia" (2018). It was recorded at the Sustraiak studios (Amurrio) under Taupada records label.
We can´t leave Laudio not to mention the great Yogurinha Borova, artistic pseudonym of Eduardo Gaviña. He former member of the cabaret company The Fellinis and responsible for basque tecno-pop hits such as "Maite duzunarekin gozatu", "Esnekiak gogoko ditut", "Eraso sexistarik ez", "Munduko alabak" or "Sentimenak askatu". At the age of four, a serious illness kept the little Eduardo Gaviña between life and death. "The doctor told my mistress that, to stay alive, I would be paralyzed. And look at me now, he walk with big heels and all". The very colorists albums of Yogurinha Borova, such as "Carbono catorce" (2011), "Bai.Si.Yes "(2013), "Missex" (2014), "Poliamor" (2017) or "Amari" (2017), are a waste of talent electro-pop, good humor, sympathy and catchy rhythms. Yogurinha Borova has always surrounded himself with good collaborators, as the basque musician Iker Sadaba (Hemendik At!), pioneer of dance music in the Basque Country.
Very close to Laudio, in the little village of Okondo, Siroka band emerged. It´s an basque rock band formed by several musicians from Apurka, Feos Pero Majos, Izate Faltsua or Kloratita band. The members of Siroka band represented the Basque Country in the 8th edition of the Liet International music festival, where European groups are participating, singing in minority languages like euskera, udmurt, vepsian, scottish gaelic, irish gaelic... After recording their first album, "Haize berriak" (2009), Siroka band released "Karosi" (2011) album, a disc-book with nine songs with nine short stories.
Then Siroka rock band have recorded "3.szn" (2013), a dark and powerful album whose lyrics are written by Ruben Rivero, a basque prisoner dispersed in the prison of Villefranche-Sur-Saone (France), "Malutak" (2014 ) or "Buruz behera" (2018). "We have always believed that music is one more tool to fight against this system. We believe that having a microphone and, above all, an audience is a big responsibility". Meanwhile, Maria, Siroka band's vocalist, has been part of a basque duo called Hutsa or Kintsukoroi. While Gorka, the drummer of Siroka band, is member of Zein Da Zein?, a basque rap metal band that released two albums, "Zein da Zein?" (2009) and "Elefante txuria" (2017).
More recently, another group has emerged in Laudio. Mushkum band is a mixed quartet led by veteran Luis Vil, exmember of Ricoamor or The Drellas bands. Mushkum band debuted with "Denbora" (2017), a theatrical and somewhat western album, with echoes to Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen, an acoustic border rock. "It's rock because that's the world where we come from and where we always move from, acoustic by acoustic instrumentation, and frontier by being on the border of many genres and within none in particular". In that first album the new listener will be able to enjoy quiet songs ("Ihes egin dut"), or fast-paced rhythms ("Momentu batean"). The vocalist Juncal Altzugarai usually writes the lyrics, they are texts in Basque lenguage that speak of feelings and emotions through metaphors. The second album of the Mushkkum band is titled "Nere totem animalia" (2018). It was recorded at the Sustraiak studios (Amurrio) under Taupada records label.
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