ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE WORLD: ESPAGNE PAR EL GOBIERNO

Les Monstres Sacrés vous présentent une nouvelle rubrique. Nous avons sollicité les groupes que nous aimons et leur avons demandé de nous proposer le Top des artistes de leur pays. Pour cette première, El Gobierno a accepté de se livrer à cet exercice. Merci à eux. Il est indéniable que l'Espagne est une terre de rock'n'roll. En voici la démonstration.

 

 

1) Peret - selftitled (1967) - Spain is a party country, which I like but don't love. But catalan rumba is the definitive party music and this album is the closest thing to rocanrol my country has ever produced.

 

 

 

2) Obús - Poderoso como el Trueno (1982) - Growing up, they were considered "tacky" or "cheap" by the cool/hip genexers that informed my taste. But it's because there is a class element in how spaniards consume music, and hard rock is working class: liking Obús was low, but when you liked, say, Teenage Fanclub, you somehow elevated yourself. So when I say I like them people read it as irony. I actually like them: I like hard rock and Obús fucking rock. My generation has no problem liking them. They have written literally dozens of unforgettable songs and have made a mark in popular culture. And they are from my neighborhood.

 

3) Siniestro Total - De Hoy no Pasa (1987) - no polemic here: everybody loves Siniestro Total. They have the wit and in this album the probe they have the range to play basically any genre of rock. They are cool so they are partial to pub rock. But this one, I listened to it since I was a 5 year old, it's been with me forever. Is probably the most important spanish band in my music education.

 

 
4) Los Enemigos - NADA (1999) - Not being very interested in what is known as "movida madrileña", I think LOS ENEMIGOS trascend that label and that vibe, and become an amazing rock band in their own merit leaving all that jive behind. "Nada" is not "Sursum Corda" or "Ferpectamente", more acclaimed albums. But I think it shows amazing maturity, it has the most solid set of songs and sounds AMAZING.

 

 
5) Señor No - Siempre te diré que No (2003) - to my liking, the best High Energy Rock and Roll album ever produced in southern Europe. It fucking slaps. The drummer, man, Andoni: you won't find it better!!

 

6) Atom Rhumba - Backbone Ritmo (2003) - Eskorbuto is the most important band ever coming out from Euskal Herria (and that's a lot, since many great bands came from that). Atom Rhumna is my favourite basque band. Mine. They are creative, cool, they fucking rock, they make you dance to break your hip. This album shows the best production ever and their range is out of this world.

 

7) Juventud Juché - Quemadero (2009) - A post-punk band I really loved from my local scene and that makes me think of our younger years. They were creative and cutting, with a sharp edge. Watching them play made you want to play. 

 

 

8) Wau y los Arrrrghs! - Todo Roto (2013) - I had to have a garage rock reference, and I already mentioned LOS PANIKS (my favourite garage band in Spain). Wau is arguably the most important garage band from Spain in the last 30 years. Their influence is vast, has impacted the entire rock and roll comunity. Their sound, their amazing frontman, the collection of incredible humans they are, and the amazing take on every cover... they are amazing and they had to make it to the list.

 

9) Los Deltonos - Salud (2015) - Los Deltonos is a band that has have many lifes, all of them are compelling. They have reborn recently as a trio, in which, to me, is their final, finest form. But this album in 2015, when Javi started playing drums with them, was the moment I fall in love with them again. The proof that "american rock is possible in spanish", they span a wide handful of reference with mastership. Their most recent, "Evolución", is my actual favourite, thou!

 

 

10) BETUNIZER - Enciende tu lomo (2015) - The definitive post-rock outfit in my country. One of my favourite bands period. A powerfull trío full of creativity, poise, intensity, sense of humor. An amazing band that I wish I could see live again. Our country is too small for bands like this one.