Eskorbuto

Eskorbuto
Juanma Suárez, Bassist and Lead Vocalist from the band
Background information
Origin	Gran Bilbao, Basque Country
Genres	Punk rock Alternative rock Art rock
Years active	1980–1999
Labels	Spansuls Dro Discos Suicidas Butoeskor Oihuka
Associated acts	Zarama, RIP, Speed
Members	Principal (1980–92) Iosu Expósito† Juanma Suárez† Pako Galán Other Urko Igartiburu Miguel Iñaki "Gato" Garlopa Sergio Alí Kañas Layky

Eskorbuto was a punk band from Santurtzi (Greater Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain) which formed in 1980.^[1] They have been one of the most influential bands for Spanish and Latin American punk rock. They are known for their strong attitude and crude lyrics. They were one of the first bands to perform punk with lyrics in Spanish. Eskorbuto is a modified word taken from escorbuto (scurvy in Spanish). Along with the band La Polla Records, Eskorbuto has been very influential in the Spanish rock and punk scene.

Biography

The beginning (1980–83)

Born in Nervión, Santurtzi. Influence by the punk explosion of 1977 they started playing around 1980, the line up consisted of Iosu Expósito on guitar and vocals (declared fan of The Who, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols) and Juanma Suarez on bass and vocals (who didn't really listen to music) later to be joined by Pako Galán on drums. They gave their first concert in a school near their rehearsal space with the audience being a group of 10-year-olds.

In August 1982, the band went to Madrid to record their first demo. They did the trip in an old Fiat 124 that left Paco pulled up to Burgos, they thought of burning it but ultimately sold it for 3000 pesetas. The trip paid off as they got signed by the independent label Spansuls Records where they recorded their first single. At that time the nascent punk movement in Spain based its subjects in the humor and messing around, but they decided to play about issues that were taboo and swept with their single: Mucha Policía, Poca Diversión, which contained the songs "Mucha Policía, Poca Diversión", "Mi Degeneración" y "Enterrado Vivo". The single was sold out in three months.

Zona Especial Norte and Eskizofrenia (1984–85)

In the summer of 1983, they returned to Madrid to make a new demo, with the songs: "E.T.A.", "Escupe A La Bandera", "Maldito País (España)", "Iros A La Mierda". Suddenly, something happened that will forever change Eskorbutos life: they got arrested, then the police heard the demo accused the band of insulting the state and security forces. The antaerrorista law was applied and they remained arrested for 36 hours. The attorney the band chose was Cristina Almeida, they received many calls of support but none from the Basque Country.

While they were detained in Bilbao they collected signatures of support from all sides. Eskorbuto felt forgotten by the pro-amnesty when their managers were arrested in Madrid for songs such as "E.T.A." y "Maldito País (España)". This rage that embodied in his subject to the Basque Country. The shit he says in his letter "...the pro-amnesty managing sleep while we could of disgust..."

They wrote 3 more songs: "Ratas En Biskaia", "Soldados", "Dios, Patria Y Rey", recorded their first EP Zona Norte Especial, shared with the band RIP and edited by Spansuls Records in 1984. Due to poor distribution the EP is discontinued quickly. Needless to say, this EP caused them many problems. Due to the song "A La Mierda El País Vasco". They were accused of being traitors and were given the worst reputations.

In 1985, released their first LP called Eskizofrenia, a debut of new punk energy, released by the Madrid label Twins. The disc contains 18 tracks composed between 1980 and 1984. Unfortunately the Twins label did little to for it to succeed and soon disappeared until 1987 when it was reissued by Discos Suicidas with a different cover. In the same year they had the concert in Hernani, where they played together with La Polla Records and Cicatriz, who played in Marlxa ETA Borroka.

At that time Jose Mari Blasco invents the Rock Radical Vasco and creates the Soñua label, which begin recording La Polla Records, Hertzainak y Barricada. Offered them to form a part of Basque radical rock, something that would have opened all the doors and forgotten old moves but they refused and said: "The rock has no country, not even the Basque", they then became cursed, they were censured in some stations and newspapers, and people became increasingly more reluctant to hire them to play in Euskadi, his exact words: "We play more in the rest of Spain than in Euskadi", but they were never anti-Basques, they preferred to play on their land instead of having to travel to far away concerts, as Iosu said: "we never play A La Mierda El País Vasco in Spain, there we prefer to play Maldito País España".

Anti Todo and breakthrough success (1986)

Once they rejected the offer from Soñua Records, they continued with their natural independence and promised to release three discs 1986, something that seemed impossible. They joined with Discos Suicidas Records and recorded their second LP in 25 hours titled Anti Todo and say that they were anti-everything, everyone is anti-everything, but they were not against everything. The title is most eloquently summed up in two words and attitude. This album was their masterpiece, it was not just another Punk-rock record, the term punk is too small for them musically. Anti Todo is considered an incredible rock album in which we find some of their best street poetry lyrics.

Soon they release a cassette enclosing a Fanzine. This cassette consisted of six tracks with the significant title Ya No Quedan Más Cojones, Eskorbuto A Las Elecciones. It must be said that the CSS tried to censor and refused to make the tape for the song "Escupe A La Bandera", the cassette was an incredible success and sold out quickly.

Had not yet completed the year 1986 and still prepare another surprise, which nobody had done so far in this country: A live album. We do a lot of records because we plays a little bit, our albums are Live, they say. For direct recording of thought on a tour called Bloody Christmas, something that did not work, who knows whether out of laziness or lack of infrastructure. At the end of the assembly hall of a school in Santurce is the chosen location. For the release of this disc decided to sell the rights to the highest bidder contract with Discos Suicidas Records and this album would definitely strengthen the seal on the other hand aims intídducirse DRO Records in the Basque rock and after some give and take strips, Servando Carvallo of DRO Records offers a juicy offer: 200,000 pesetas to renounce the contract with Discos Suicidas and 100,000 pesetas to the group by the master. At the concert, Eskorbuto plays and recording their first live-album: Impuesto Revolucionario double LP, with a cover very expressive, a caricature of the three members of Eskorbuto by Niko from MCD.

New sounds, successes and struggles (1987–90)

Tireless work preparing and another more ambitious and novel, no one can explain the ability to create songs which had these people. Already in 87, they surprised with another double album released by Discos Suicidas Records called Los Demenciales Chicos Acelerados. 20 tracks that are part of the same story, a punk-rock opera or Zarzuela Rock as they say. With a slower pace, less quick but more chaotic and full of rage. Also, Aitor Amezaga play the keyboards on the album.

In 1988, out of the record companies, Eskorbuto decide to produce, edit and distribute their new album in own label Butoeskor Records. The result is Las más macabras de las vidas. From the cover to the letters of the subject of death is very present, is an album full of anger, hopelessness, disappointment and very bad temper.

Mexico Tour and Demasiados enemigos... (1991)

From this moment, heroin is becoming strong in Iosu and Jualma, increasingly tested least whenever they are called less to play. In 1991, they go to Mexico to give two concerts from crowds, more than 8,000 people over the two days. Just before leaving, Iosu is hospitalized and is replaced by Iñaki Speed, that was updated with the songs between the plane and hotel. Earlier this year when nobody gave them a hard, the people of Castellón Matraka Diskak Records offered they to record a new album and silencing voices and rumors of its dissolution and death to emerge with the album Demasiados Enemigos. They note tired and exhausted but still thrilling with songs like "En La Luna" and old songs as "No Quiero Cambiar". To finish the album with the song that they say goodbye called "La Mejor Banda Del Mundo".

Death of Iosu and Jualma (1992)

A few months after going out this record (May '92) dies Iosu, guitarist of the band. Paco and Jualma decide to go and work on a new album, but five months later (October '92), Juanma pass away.

Eskorbuto without Iosu and Juanma (1993–99)

Pako with the work that had prepared with Juanma, he decides to translate it into a new album: Akí No Keda Ni Dios published in 1994, dedicated to lost friends and bandmates, with songs that had been composed by Pako and Juanma before his death. Many fans of Eskorbuto deride this decision, Paco continued with the "new" Eskorbuto, in spite of the death of both charter members editing two more albums: Kalaña in 1996 and Dekadencia, in 1998. Then, in 1999 where the band are disbanded.

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.

Members

Core Members

• Iosu Expósito† - Guitar and vocals (1980-deceased 31 May-1992).
• Juanma Suárez† - Bass and vocals (1980-deceased 9 Oct-1992).
• Pako Galán - Drums (1982–1999)

Other Members

• Rafael "Kañas" Moriel - Drums (1980)
• Layky - Bass guitar (1980–1981)
• Seni - Bass guitar (1982)
• Gugu - Drums (1981–1982)
• Garlopa - Guitar (1993–1999).
• Urko Igartiburu - Guitar and Vocals (1993–1995).
• Iñaki "Gato" - Bass guitar and Vocals (1993–1995), Lead Guitar (1991).
• Sergio - Lead Vocals (1995–1999).
• Alí - Bass guitar (1995–1999).
• Miguel - Bass guitar (1995–1999).

Discography

Studio Albums

• Eskizofrenia (1985)
• Anti Todo (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)

Live Albums

• Impuesto revolucionario (1986)
• La Otro Cara Del Rock, Live at Villarreal Castellón (2004)
• Ni fronteras, ni gobiernos (Recorded in April 10, 1987) (2007)

Demos

• Primeros ensayos 1982 (1992)
• Segunda maketa 1984: Que corra la sangre (2000)
• Primera maketa 1983: Jodiendolo todo (2000)

EPs

• Z.E.N. (Zona Especial Norte), with RIP (1984)
• Ya No Quedan Mas Cojones, Eskorbuto A Las Elecciones (1986)

Compilations

• Kanziones malditas (1997)
• El infierno es demasiado dulce (1992)
• Maldito País: Primera Época 1982-84 (2010)

References

External links

Eskorbuto on Myspace