Ska-P

Ska-P

Ska-P at Chiemsee Reggae Summer in 2013
Background information
Origin Vallecas, Spain
Genres Ska punk, 2-Tone, punk rock, alternative rock, ska, reggae, pop punk
Years active 1994–2005; 2008–2014 (Hiatus)
Labels AZ Records, RCA, Sony BMG, Warner Music
Associated acts The Locos, No Relax
Website ska-p.com
Members Pulpul
Pipi
Joxemi
Julitros
Luismi
Kogote
Ska-P performing in Évreux, France
"Pipi" (2013)
"Joxemi" (2013)

Ska-P (Spanish pronunciation: [esˈkape]) are a ska punk band formed in Vallecas (Madrid), Spain, in 1994 by a group of friends from Madrid, Navarre and Euskadi[1]

The band can be categorized, politically, as an anti-establishment musical group. It is one of the most popular ska bands in Spain, Europe, and Latin America.

Musically, despite their fun image, Ska-P has well-rehearsed and tight arrangements, and as of 2002, includes among its members a small but striking brass section which gives the band a powerful sound.

At the end of 2004, they announced work on a new album. After voting 4 against 2, in February 2005, the sudden and unexpected announcement was made that the band would take a break to allow the members to work on side projects, though some considered the band to have dissolved. The band's worldwide farewell tour of 2005 ended in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October of that year. Their farewell concert on September 24, 2005, filled the 10,000-seat La Cubierta.[1]

On October 12, 2007 the band confirmed they were getting back together and on September 5, 2008 released the single "Crimen sollicitationis". This was followed in October 2008 by a new album, Lágrimas y Gozos (Tears and Joys), which was released on October 7, 2008. The release of the album would be followed by a brief tour.[2]

Ska-P returned to La Cubierta Stadium on December 27, 2008 to perform their only concert in Spain of that tour.[3] Today the band still tours in the USA, Mexico, and Europe. In 2010 and 2011 Ska-P held their first tour in Japan.

Band name

The band name is a pun on the Spanish word for 'escape' and ska p(unk). The name further takes advantage of the letter k common to ska, and since the early 80s, also closely associated with the Madrid working-class district of Vallecas, as a symbol of working-class pride. Thus, Vallekas and many other occurrences of the k instead of the c or qu in Spanish words, reflecting also a feature of the Basque, which has neither the qu nor the c, replacing both with k.

History

1994: the beginning

Ska-P was formed by a group of friends in Vallecas (Madrid) in 1994 as a ska band. The initial lineup was Pulpul, lead vocals and guitar; Toni Escobar, guitar and vocals; Julio, bass; Kogote, electronic keyboard and vocals; and Pako, drums. That same year they recorded their first CD, the nine-track Ska-P, with AZ-Records. It did not sell many copies compared with later efforts, but it gave the group recognition, especially for the song "Como un rayo," a fight song for the soccer team Rayo Vallecano, which became fairly popular in Vallecas. They played various concerts as support bands for Extremoduro and Platero y tu despite still having a small following.

1995-1996: Rise to fame

The guitarist Toni left the band in 1995 (due to the impossibility of combining his work with the band's schedule) and Joxemi took his place. Pipi, a friend of Pulpul, also joined the band. Previously he only entered onstage in costume in some concerts and helped the group set up. From this point, he took the role of secondary vocalist while continuing, during some songs, to appear in costume.

In 1996 the group released their second album, El vals del obrero, on RCA Records, selling many records and becoming well known for the song "Cannabis"; and they took part in the 9th Vallekas Rock Festival, an event which increased their reputation.

1997-1999: Eurosis and the first world tour

After a tour of Spain and part of France, in 1997 they recorded their third disc, Eurosis, again with RCA records. They performed in Spain and France, and also made their début in Latin America, playing in Argentina and Mexico. Pako, drummer and founding member of Ska-P, left the band in the middle of the tour, and Luismi took his place. Also participating in Arezzo Wave, an Italian music festival.

2000-2002: "Planeta Eskoria" and "Que Corra La Voz"

In 2000 they recorded Planeta Eskoria. Considered by some to be their best work, it helped to consolidate their sound and included songs with a more serious tone, although the album also included festive songs in the vein of previous discs and the lyrical content was no different from before. During this high point, they toured France, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. They were considered an international band.

Two years later, their 5th album, ¡Que corra la voz!, which Ska-P members have called their "most complete," was released. It featured a mix of styles, with as many festive ska songs as more serious songs in the vein of Planeta Eskoria. The list of countries Ska-P toured included Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Austria, and the other European countries previously mentioned. They also returned to Latin America, playing in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico. Furthermore, in these last tours trumpet player Txikitín and trombonist Gari, both from the Spanish city of Bilbao, joined the band.

2003-2004: Incontrolable tour

In 2004 Incontrolable, the last disc before their "indefinite hiatus" was released. Besides having 16 songs, it included a DVD with 13 songs recording in Switzerland and France. Videoclips and images of the last tour were also included.

2005-2007: "Indefinite hiatus"

After more than 12 years together, in February 2005 they announced that they were going on an indefinite hiatus. They explained that they "needed a rest," although Pipi claimed that the decision was made by Pulpul alone, and the rest of the group had to quit as they could not continue without him. In fact, there are rumors, based on the attitude of both sides, that there were internal squabbles between Joxemi, Pipi, and Pulpul. Even so, the group declared that "the possibility of a future return remains open." They also announced a farewell tour.

Their last concert in Spain was September 24, 2005 in La Cubierta de Leganés, and their last show was in Argentina October 12, 2005. The group's members decided to end their farewell tour there thanks to the treatment they had received there previously. All the revenue from this festival was donated to Argentine charities, such as the mapuche communities (in memory of the pain inflicted on them by the Spanish during the conquest and formation of the Vice-Kingdom of Río de la Plata) and almshouses serving food in Buenos Aires.

In 2006, six months after the hiatus begun, Pulpul wrote an entry on the official Web site announcing that he was still composing and hoped that the lyrics would be included on a new Ska-P album. Some members of the group joined other groups during the hiatus, with Pipi, for example, founding a group similar to Ska-P called The Locos. Joxemi formed a group with a more punk style called No-Relax in 2006.

2007-2014: The end of the first hiatus, new hiatus follows

On October 12, 2007, two years after the "indefinite hiatus" began, a message from Pulpul appeared on the official Ska-P Web site referring to a possible Ska-P reunion in 2008. In the same message, the members of the group wrote positively of the reunion, except for Pipi, who initially said he would continue playing with his new group, The Locos, and would not return to Ska-P. In the details of the message, they said they would try to get together all the old members and possibly release an album in October 2008. In 2007, Alacrán Producciones opened a contract for a 2008 Ska-P tour. The group's return was confirmed on the official page and announced a new disc for October 2008, Lágrimas y Gozos, and a mini-tour of Europe in Italy, France, and Spain, and of Latin America in Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Venezuela.

The album Lágrimas y Gozos was released October 7, 2008, with the album 99% following on March 5, 2013. In 2014, the group once again announced an indefinite hiatus.

Members

Current members

Former members

Other projects

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Peak positions
ESP
 FRA
[4]		 SUI
1994 Ska-P – – –
1996 El Vals del Obrero – – –
1998 Eurosis – – –
2000 Planeta Eskoria – 30 –
2002 Que Corra La Voz – 21 84
2008 Lágrimas y Gozos 6 88 22
2013 99% 3 73 37

Live

Year Album Peak positions Notes
ESP
 FRA
[4]		 SUI
1999 Seguimos En Pie – – – VHS/DVD
2000 En Concierto – 55 55 CD
2004 Incontrolable – 50 41 CD + DVD
2016 Live In Woodstock Festival – – – CD + DVD

Compilation albums

Year Album Peak positions Notes
ESP
 FRA
[4]		 SUI
2013 TODO Ska-P 16 – – CD/DVD

Singles

Others

Tributes

Videography

References

  1. 1 2 Review by Chris True at Allmusic
  2. ↑ 2008-04-24 SKA-P INFORMA
  3. ↑ Metrópoli - El Mundo Digital Spanish-language online version
  4. 1 2 3 LesCharts.com: Ska-P discography
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