Music in the Basque Country 1968–2018
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MUSIC IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY. 1968-2018 MUSIC IN THE BASQUE 1968-1977 COUNTRY. 1968-2018 With the impetus of the social movements that are shaking up several countries around the This gallery is devoted to the production and world, and dovetailing with the increasingly publication of music made by Basque artists over obvious decline of the Franco regime, the process the last five decades. The show primarily compi- of the modernisation of Basque culture takes a les phonographic devices, with a special focus on giant step forward. In line with the new times, records because of their proven ability to recount music gains a great deal of social value, becoming the aesthetic, technical, and discursive evolution the voice-expression of that change. Dodging the of musical expression and their therefore limits of institutional censorship, modern hegemony as a dissemination device, at least euskaldun music is born, first in its folk and pop during the period represented. The selection versions, which soon mutate into new artistic criteria were based not only on the social forms such as sound poetry, jazz, electronic relevancy that each of them had or might have experimentation, and, in its more popular guises, had during that time, but also on their ability to rock or progressive rock. In parallel, as the open up new pathways and forms of artistic classical works which have been buried and expression, at times by expanding the very silenced for decades—“for being suspicious”—are concept of music to other artistic genres based being rediscovered, another ageing world plagued on the use of sound, such as phonetic poetry or with stars crooning “acceptable” songs with sound art. More than a compilation of major commercial fashions is disappearing. At this juncture, artists hits, we are offering a journey through time to like Mikel Laboa and Josean Artze become discover the pathways—some of them twisted and benchmarks by constructing new languages unknown—that the music made in the Basque which draw equally from tradition and the most Country has taken to become what it is today: a radical avant-garde, and they will go on to last for rich, broad creative sector which may not be decades and influence several generations of experiencing its peak in terms of social penetra- musicians and artists from the Basque Country. tion but does represent how or what the country sounds like with astounding precision, as well as what it is in cultural terms. Therefore, this is an Baga, Biga, invitation to grasp how our musical tastes have Higa by Ez dok amairu Festival, later renamed evolved, while also somehow shedding light in a is launched. (1970) Jazzaldia, is modernized. more oral, chaotic and immediate way, if you will, Pamplona Encounters. on the sociocultural evolution of Basque society (1972) holds the Sound itself during the past fifty years. Encounters, which are The French economist and writer Jacques Attali First avant-garde music ultimately cancelled. festival at the Museo San says that “each society should be judged by its (1977) Telmo in San Sebastián. noises,” and even though judging is neither our (1973) job nor our aim, it is certainly worthwhile to listen to part of this collage-portrait through that prism Mocedades participates to perhaps hear ourselves reflected in its/our in Eurovision. (1973) music. First Musikaste festival in Errenteria (Gipuzkoa). (1973) 1978-1987 1988-1997 After the end of the dictatorship, yet still in the As the punk movement, known for posterity as midst of the political, social, and economic Rock Radikal Vasco, begins to fade (and many of instability characteristic of the Transition, Basque its members along the way), Basque rock stylisti- musical production swiftly expands. The driving cally mutates and adapts its musical discourse to force of the avant-garde bands from the 1960’s the new times. As anti-virtuoso sound becomes bifurcates towards the revival of traditional songs the canon, punk loses its pull, so the more on the one hand and a more radical aesthetic nonconformist music has to take on new guises, tendency on the other, based on the reinterpreta- ranging from hardcore (the natural successor to tion of Basque identity and largely influenced by punk) to metal (with stronger sounds parallel to the ideas of Jorge Oteiza. Both facets coexist in a the improvement in materials, techniques, and curious political and commercial relation that instruments), not to mention post-punk, pop with gradually begins to lose influence until the punk English, American and French influences, and movement storms onto the scene at the start of even the more radical case of rap, which curiously the 1980’s. It is a new scene of wilder, more seems to want to resonate in the rebellious rebellious music befitting the rawness of the message of punk. The more traditional expres- times. Punk is predominantly urban and laden with sions are also transformed, thus kicking off the nihilistic messages, and it explodes in the big commercial boom of trikitixa and pop music sung cities and then expands and creates a new musical in Basque. In the early 1990’s, there is a new burst hegemony in record time. Punk brings Basque of music, which is more visible in San Sebastián society up-to-date with a noisy slap, but it also and Getxo, and more discreet but no less quickly fades, although its aftereffects are still felt productive in Tolosa, Andoain, Hondarribia, today. However, the door opened by Rock Radikal Vitoria-Gasteiz, Eibar, and Lapurdi. It is a musical Vasco (abbreviated RRV) launches a process of a multiplication and di versification never before multiplication of styles, influences, discourses, heard within Basque musical production. and—why not?—musical desires which will become definitively audible one decade later. Major international rock A large network of free gaztetxes is Romería is updated to bands begin to play in radio stations is created established as a network become Romería rock. Bilbao, Pamplona, and San all over the Basque of cultural venues. Sebastián. Country in response to the commercialization of Last concert by the band Gaztea is founded. (1990) Kortatu. (1988) and with it the self-pro- Electronic music spreads duction of musical EiTB-Euskal Irrati around discos and dance supports. Telebista (Basque Radio Fear” festival is held in clubs. Television) is founded. San Sebastián. (1989) Publication of the music (1982) Echoes of the Getxo magazine Muskaria. Sound movement begin (1980-1987) First edition of the Egin recording label is to be heard. Rock festival. (1984) founded. developed. coalition Bilbao Pop-Rock Herri competition is held. Batasuna (1989) is born. (1995) launches the “Martxa eta borroka” El Tubo is founded. published in the Basque campaign. (1989) language Entzun! is (1985) founded. (1996) First edition of Hatortxu disappears. rock. (1997) 1998-2007 2008-2018 Basque music continues to be produced intensely. Fully immersed in the globalising maelstrom, Record numbers of albums are issued, and which in the Basque Country is culturally concerts abound all over the region. Several characterised by a certain social stability since provincial capitals embark upon risky commercial ETA stopped its actions and, in consequence, by ventures by organising festivals and macro-festi- the success of models based on attracting vals which prioritise the presence of international massive numbers of tourists, the Basque musical artists. The goal is to foster models that showcase scene is in sound health, albeit not without a all kinds of music and frame musical consumption touch of nostalgia. Orphaned of any powerful within the logic of tourism. In an attempt to offer a musical movement that taps into a collective stable alternative for the local scene, small and feeling and shakes up the region as happened in medium-sized venues emerge, such as the one the 1960’s, 1980’s, and 1990’s, the current scene proposed by Kafe Antzokia in Bilbao, which within vacillates between complacency and a strong a few years become a network of auditoriums that external aesthetic influence which conditions take over where the gaztetxes (autonomous each step taken in the sphere of musical produc- centres) left off and become the backbone of the tion and exhibition. Macro-models, which are now web of music venues. Yet the gaztetxes are not left fully integrated into the cultural reality, coexist behind and, in cases like Bonberenea (Tolosa) and alongside tiny venues, a few hardy surviving Matadeixe (Azkoitia), they become production gaztetxes, and an extensive network of culture spaces. In parallel, new sites of musical experi- centres. The range of music is so varied that any mentation are formalised, including the one minor inklings of movements, scenes, or styles proposed by the Arteleku center of San Sebastián, fade away. The acceleration driven by online which provides an unexpectedly strong impetus to consumption makes it difficult to identify and lesser-known and riskier musical practices. promotes ephemeral consumption, so even though more music is actually being consumed than ever, it has less of an influence on society. The exponential increase in the presence of females brings a breath of fresh air to the music scene. First edition of the MEM Many artists record and Vinyl reemerges just Internet begins the Festival, Bilbao. (2002) publish with internatio- when the format was digital distribution of nal producers, which about to disappear. music. Audiolab, the sound changes their sound. laboratory of Arteleku, Rock loses ground in Elektronikaldia Festival, San Sebastián. favour of lighter forms San Sebastián. (2002-2014) anthems comes to an of music. (1999-2004) end. Digital technology colonizes all music gets underway: EH production. new century is forged zuzenean, BBK Live, with a great deal of Jazzaldia (updated Two years before his version), Azkena Rock, death, Mikel Laboa opens Kobetasonik, Hatortxu, for Bob Dylan in the San etc.