Fermin Muguruza
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fermin Muguruza (Irún, Guipúzcoa, Spain) is a Basque nationalist rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer and record label manager. In addition to his career in music, he stood for the European Parliament elections in a low position on the Herri Batasuna list (he was not elected). He is the brother of musicians Íñigo Muguruza and Xabier Muguruza and is one of the personalities interviewed for the documentary film The Basque Ball (2003).
Contents |
[edit] Music career and socio-political views
Muguruza has taken part in more than twenty albums, and is one of the most important artists from the Basque Country.
In 1983 he founded a fusion ska punk band called Kortatu with his brother Iñigo and drummer Treku Armendariz, among the first to popularise ska in Spain. In 1988 the group disbanded, but Fermin and Iñigo would come together again in 1990 to create Negu Gorriak, along with Kaki Arkarazo, who had produced Kortatu's last records.
In 1997 he collaborated with Dut. More recently he has developed a solo career, always defending the use of Euskera and the need for social justice.
His socio-political views have created problems, especially in Spain outside the Basque Country, where he is often accused of being an apologist for ETA, the Basque separatist terrorist organisation. He denies such accusations, expressing a desire for a peaceful process of independence, which he considers on abeyance until both parts leave behind their prejudices. This position, which Muguruza frequently argues for during interviews, contrasts with his lyrics, which don't express criticism of ETA's violence — some of them, especially from his early career in the band Kortatu, show respect and estimation for ETA members: For instance, the song "Sarri, Sarri" (a Basque cover of Toots & the Maytals' "Chatty chatty") applauds the escape of two ETA members from prison. In interviews he has persistently denounced the actions of the Basque, Spanish and French governments and police corps as well as of Spanish nationalist terrorist groups. In an international level, Fermin Muguruza holds acute left-wing views that lead him to criticize the U.S. government, corporations and the globalization process, all of which he denounces as imperialistic and homogenizing.
Musically, he has been influenced by the oppression that, in his opinion, Spain has over Euskadi and, although most of his lyrics are in Basque, his compositions are a melting pot of different cultures, with a big influence of Jamaican (Sisla, Anthony Bä ) and electronic music (especially drum and bass), which he commonly mixes over Basque instruments.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Kortatu
- Kortatu/Cicatriz/Jotakie/Kontuz Hi! (1985)
- Kortatu (1985)
- El estado de las cosas (1986)
- Kolpez kolpe (1988)
- Azken guda dantza (1988)
[edit] Negu Gorriak
- Negu Gorriak (1990)
- Gure Jarrera (1991)
- Gora Herria (1991)
- Borreroak Baditu Milaka Aurpegi (1993)
- Hipokrisiari Stop! Bilbo 93-X-30 (1994)
- Ideia Zabaldu (1995)
- Ustelkeria (1996)
- Salam, agur (1996)
- 1990-2001 (DVD + Live CD) (2005)
[edit] Fermin Muguruza eta Dut
- Ireki ateak (1997)
[edit] Fermin Muguruza
- Amodio eta gorrotzko kantak (1984-1998) (1998)
- Brigadistak Sound System (1999)
- erREMIXak (1999)
- FM 99.00 Dub Manifest (2000)
- Korrika. mundu bat euskarara bildu (2001)
- In-komunikazioa (2002)
- Irun Meets Bristol. Komunikazioa (2003)
- Sala Apolo, Barcelona 21/01/04 (2004)
- 99-04 DVD + CD (2005)
- Xomorroak (Bizitza lorontzian) (2005)
- Euskal Herria Jamaika Clash (2006)
- BASS-que Culture DVD + Remix CD (2006)
