What's My Scene: Los Coronas'Spain

FL caught up with Los Coronas to get their guide to the best music from Spain – from bands that merge Flamenco with Progressive Rock to the one of the ‘80s most important underground acts.

Los Coronas are five Madrilenians who have been playing surf rock since ‘91. The band has touched down for their first ever tour of Australia and after playing at Peats Ridge and Pyramid Rock, they’re hitting the road for a run of headline shows playing tracks from their their debut Australian LP El Baile Final.

Burning

These guys were far ahead of their time. They were the band who introduced the mix of the Rolling Stones with Lou Reed sound in Spain, similar to Mott The Hoople but with Spanish-language lyrics. Nobody could bring to the recording studio the magic and the intensity this band had on stage. Burning and bad luck always went hand in hand, but his first album Burning Madrid is perhaps the best R’n’R album ever recorded in Spain.

Triana

They are the founders of a rock style developed in Andalucia (south of Spain), called in Spanish “Rock Andaluz”. The main characteristic of the band was to merge Flamenco with Progressive Rock, similar to The Doors. In Spain they had great success among the most troubled youth in the mid ‘70s. Their debut album El Patio is a masterpiece recorded in 1975.

Los Pekenikes

The greatest Spanish instrumental rock n roll band ever. They played with The Beatles as supporting band the only time the group came to Spain in 1965; the Madrid show was held at a bull ring. They combined instrumental and vocals but their instrumental work was amazing, they were like the spanish Shadows. Try songs like ‘Los Cuatro Muleros’, ‘Shindig’ or ‘Hilo de Seda’. One of their guitar players, Tony Luz, is still playing with his solo project called The Silvertones, he’s a real rocker with a terrific guitar tone of his 67’ Gretsch or 57’ Silvertone.

Depedro

The self-titled debut album of this band is a collection of great songs. The singer, Jairo Zavala paid particular attention to his mostly Spanish-language lyrics, which balance emotional candor with a kind of magical realism. This guy has got his own really cool style of guitar playing; one that is pulled from blues, folk, flamenco, afrobeat, Latin and rock. The music throughout this album has a specially emotional flavour, achieved with minimal elements, perhaps the most evocative Spanish band of the present.

Los Enemigos

One of the most important Spanish underground bands from the mid ‘80s until 2001 when they broke up. Their frontman Josele Santiago is a great guitar player and songwriter, his dark Spanish-language lyrics full of symbolism. He does it in his own way, so you either love him or you hate him. In 2004 he started began his solo career, recording five albums, all of them are very excellent. Memorable albums are La Vida Mata,La Cuenta Atrás and Las Golondrinas.

Los Coronas tour:

Tuesday, January 1 – 

Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle
Wednesday, January 2 – Clancys, Dunsborough (W/ Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
)
Thursday 3 January- Settlers Tavern, Margaret River 

Saturday 5 January- Space Theatre, Adelaide
Sunday 6 January- ‘Summer Of Soul’, 
Mossvale (W/ Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
)
Tuesday, January 8 – Toff In Town, Melbourne (W/ The Bluebottles)
Thursday, January 10 -
 Westernport Hotel, San Remo
Friday, January 11 – The Famous Spiegeltent, Sydney

Saturday, January 12 -
 The Famous Spiegeltent, Sydney
Tuesday, January 15 – Toff In Town, Melbourne (W/ The Exotics
)
Wednesday, January 16 – Mona Foma, Hobart

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