Eskorbuto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eskorbuto was a Basque punk rock band. They have been one of the most influential bands for Spanish punk. They are known for their strong attitude and crude lyrics. The band continued on after the death of lead singers Josu and Juanma in 1992.
Eskorbuto is a modified word taken from escorbuto (scurvy in Spanish).
They were one of the first groups performing punk music with lyrics in Spanish. Originally from Santurce (Great Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain), they formed in 1980.
Along with the band La Polla Records, Eskorbuto has been very influential in the panorama of punk and punk Spanish rock.
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[edit] Biography
The group formed in 1980. They were strongly influenced by the repercussions of the punk movement in 1977.
In 1983 on a trip to Madrid they were stopped by the police because of writing on a demo tape that they carried, with subjects such as ETA or Damn Spain Country. They were arrested under the anti-terrorist law. During the incarceration Eskorbuto felt abandoned by some sectors of the Basque Country and they shaped their despair on the album North Special Zone (Zona Especial Norte, 1984), on which they released the song A la mierda el País Vasco (The Basque Country is going to shit). This, along with not wanting to align with the partisan Basque Radical Rock, brought many problems to them in the Basque Country. 'Zona Especial Norte' was also the name of a special plan carried out by the Spanish police and army to deal with ETA in the basque country. The album was shared with the band RIP.
Their first official album, Eskizofrenia was released in 1985. They began to perform outside the Basque Country, since in their homeland they had few possibilities of playing. In the same year they also released Anti-Todo (Against everything), an album considered by many to be one of best punk records of all time in Spain .
In 1986 they released a live double album, Impuesto Revolucionario. In 1987 another double album was released, this time recorded at a studio, Los demenciales chicos acelerados (The demential accelerated boys).
In 1988 they decided to produce and release themselves Las más macabras de las vidas.
With Josu and Jualma trapped in serious problems with heroin they released Demasiados enemigos (Too many enemies) in the fall of 1991. Shortly afterwards Josu and Jualma took their leave forever. Josu died because of the drug on the 31st of May in 1992, but in time to kick it. Juanma also left heroin but his arteries were badly injured and, with no strength to beat it, he died on the 8th of October in 1992.
[edit] Eskorbuto without Josu and Juanma
Aki no keda ni dios was published in 1994, with songs that had been composed by Paco and Juanma before their deaths. Paco decided to keep on using the name of the group, in spite of the death of both charter members. Many fans of Eskorbuto deride this decision. Kalaña (1996) and Dekadencia (1998) are their works with the new line up.
[edit] Influence
Eskorbuto never emphasized their abilities as musicians. Nevertheless, they composed songs that quickly became hymns of the time, like Mucha policía, poca diversión. Their lyrics were loaded with rage and social content. They were a very controversial group, loved by many and hated by others. They were never aligned politically with any ideology saying, "Rock does not have a mother country, not even the Basque".
Their relationship with other groups was not good, even with La Polla Records (for instance, they stole a guitar from them). This caused a boycott on one or another of them, and the band halls had to choose to have Eskorbuto or La Polla Records, but not both together.
[edit] Members
- Gugu - Drums (1980-1983)
- Laiky - Bass (1980-1982)
- Juan Maria (or Juanma) Suárez - bass (Since 1982 and vocals (From the beginig to end) (deceased 8-Oct-1992)
- Jose (or Iosu) Expósito - guitar and vocals (deceased 31-May-1992)
- Pako (or Paco, Francisco) Galán - drums
[edit] Discography
- Primeros ensayos - (1982)
- Jodiendolo Todo - (1983)
- Que Corra La Sangre - (1984)
- Zona Especial Norte - (1984) (Split with RIP)
- Eskizofrenia - (1985)
- Anti todo - (1986)
- Ya no quedan más cojones, Eskorbuto a las elecciones - (1986)
- Impuesto revolucionario - (1986)
- Los demenciales chicos acelerados - (1987)
- Las más macabras de las vidas - (1988)
- Demasiados enemigos - (1991)
- Aki no keda ni Dios - (1994)
- Kalaña - (1996)
- Dekadencia - (1998)
