Basque Radical Rock
Basque Radical Rock, or Rock Radikal Vasco was a musical movement born in the Southern Basque Country at the begining of the 80s. It ended in the latest years of the decade. It gathered different style music bands, like punk, rock or ska, but with very special punk influencies. It was very influenced by bands like Sex Pistols, The Ramones or The Clash.
The name Basque Radical Rock was first used in 1983 in an article publishen in the nespaper Egin signed by José Mari Blanco (ex manager of the band La Polla Records), after a music festival against the Spanish adhesion to the NATO. [1] The concept BRR was very controversial from the beginning. Despite being Basque nationalists, some bands felt manipulated and denied the label by considering it comercial. The band (Eskobuto) nevrtheless, claimed that "Rock does not have any fatherland".[2][3]
The sign that united all those bands was their social and political criticism and the high number of the lyrics criticising organizations in power: The Spanish state, the police, the Spanish monarchy, the Roman Church, the military, the bullfights and the Guardia Civil are some examples. Together with the free radios, fanzines, squat houses and some alternative groups, the movement surrounding the left independentist political party Herri Batasuna backed the movement. Herri Batasuna in a campaign called Martxa eta Borroka (Rhythm and Fight) began organizing rock concerts and political rallies at the same time. This helped the bands spread their music in the whole Basque Country. Moreover, thanks to the championships organized by the newspaper Egin, many bands got to know. Some of them would reach the highest levels of the movement. For example: La Polla, Hertzainak, Potato, Kortatu, RIP, Barricada and Cicatriz.
History
The birth of the movement
Despite not having the label Basque Radical Rock, in the Basque Country there were some radical trace bands. Nevertheless, their influence was very reduced. In 1977 the first punk-rock bands were created in the Basque Country, mainly influenced by the rhythms coming from England. This bands were spread in the whole Basque territory and they had very little resources. Linked to the Punk filosofy that someone does not necesarily need to know an instrument to play it, fastly were created more bands. Odio (Hate), Basura (Trash), Vulpess, Optalidon, Cirrosis or RIP were some of the first bands.
In the 80's, when the movement grew stronger, these were the bands that have most followers, and consecuently, drove the movement ahead: Hertzainak, La Polla Records, Zarama, MCD, Eskorbuto, Barricada, RIP, Kortatu, Vómito and BAP!!. The Basque Radical Rock hardly had any effects in the Northern Basque Country.
References
- ^ F-M Hop: «Música vasca: un poco de historia», en el dosier about Basque music by La Factoría del Ritmo: march-july, 1996.
- ^ Interview with Eskorbuto
- ^ Interview with Eskorbuto
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