When I was twelve years old, I spent hours and hours in my room,
sitting on the floor and listening to music. At first I listened to all kinds of styles,
but soon I began to be interested much more by Rock and Metal mainly, even when I was much
younger, I already bugged my parents with songs by Miguel Ríos. I also remember perfectly
those christmas in which my grandfather (Part of me) walked around half the city to buy a
toy guitar he gave to me on Kings' day.
That's how it all began, with that guitar headbanging in front of the TV every time the video
for The Final Countdown was played, around 1986, me, seven years old, with little long hair
behind the ears... Already fourteen, I started playing electric guitar (this one was real,
very bad, but real... hehe). I started my first band along with my long time friends
Javi Canseco (Cuatro Gatos) and Alex Briceño. We were awful, but we had a blast while
we learned how to play. Soon after that, Javi and I joined my neighbour from the ninth
floor Pepe Herrero, who at the time already played electrit guitar, piano,
tuba and everything you could put in his hands... He was always a machine!
Pepe said I had to sing, I was better at it than guitar...
You see, I took his advice and here I am...
Between the three of us some more friends (Gustavo, Safe, Sebas, María, Jose [Hamelyn]
and later Patricio) we formed Krysalida, my first band as a vocalist and what could be
the beginning of Stravaganzza. It was a very similar band in concept.. We used orchestrations
and real violin. We liked to create dark atmospheres and movie soundtrack ambiences
and we mixed it all with Metallica, Sepultura and Helloween, which was what we liked the most.
We created avery personal style without knowing it and we even were one of the first
to use a gutural voice along with a melodic one (which became a very popular
formula a few years later).
With Krysalida we met Patricio Babasasa, a character that won't go unnoticed.
When I first met him, the first thing I thought was:
- Damn! This one is truly "black"!
And we rapidly began a great friendship that lasts since then.
When Krysalida broke up, Patri and I decided to stay together with a new band: Azabel.
We teamed up with Sebas (the other gutural vocalist from Krysalida), Miguel (Human Minzer)
and Lorena (Hellend) as a lyrical singer. So in Azabel we were three vocalists...
Who can give more?
In this band I focused a bit more on guitar and composing the songs but, meanwhile,
I still studied singing and learned step by step about any style. I opened my mind
to all kinds of singers who, without coming from Rock, contributed a lot to my way
of singing. Mónica Naranjo, Nino Bravo and Camilo Sesto were some of these big influences.
Thanks to Azabel we could meet another fundamental pillar in this story; Edu Fern‡ndez,
with whom we finally had a complete lineup. At the time (we were 18 years old)
we were very influenced by Dimmu Borgir, Covenant y Cradle of Filth (imagine the outcome...).
For some time I combined Azabel with the recording of my first album as a session musician,
with the band Al Borde, whi didn't have a vocalist and offered me the chance to record
for them. This was my first work as a studio musician. Shortly after that, I got the chance
to be a part of Saratoga. Then it was imposible for me to compatibilize everything and had
to take the difficult decision of leaving Azabel to fully devote myself to the professional
music world, which was what I had been preparing for through all my life.
My bandmates and friends from Azabel fully understood and it's something I'll be eternally
grateful for.
It was then when I integrated on the project by two renowned musicians in the Spanish
rock scene: Jero Ramiro (Ñu, Santa) and Niko del Hierro (Barón Rojo, Ñu) and thanks
to Saratoga I also was lucky to meet an ace like Dani Pérez (Ekcema, Skizoo).
With this band I recorded six albums, including a live concert and I'm proud to have
a golden DVD in my cabinet thanks to "Saratoga 1992-2004", which got a great welcome.
The other DVD "A morir" wasn't so successful but I also keep it in high esteem.
Through all these years in Saratoga IÕve met a lot of wonderful people and very important
to me. From Rock personalities like Ian Gillan or Ripper Owens to mates and great friends
like Andy C. "Spears", Ruly or the unforgettable Big Simon. I've also had the chance to play
for thousands of people on stages as important as "Las Ventas" bullring or the "Viña Rock"
festival. Unforgettable experiences that I hope to repeat soon.
Through the years I also got to collaborate with a lot of friend bands like Avalanch,
Dark Moor, Mago de Oz, Metal Mareny, Dragon Fly and many more, groups with which I've had
great fun and learned a bit of every one of them, wether being them well known or not.
On early 2002 I began to realize that, though I was feeling good in Jero and Niko's band,
along with Dani, I lacked something more personal in my life, something of my own.
Then I reunited with Pepe and my long time musician friends to form a band to make
a special music and from a rather peculiar point of view...
At first we didn't even have a name, we just got together as friends to play and have fun.
Although the idea came out from Pepe and me in a conversation listening to music at my home,
soon everyone joined:
Alex Briceño, Paco Cinta (long time friend and guitarist), Anti (who started as a keyboard
player and ended up being our sound tech) and Edu Fern‡ndez, who I fully trusted and was
my close friend since Azabel. We started the rehearsals with some song by Pepe. I still
remember "Miedo en el alma" played by all of them...
We gradually became aware that it could become something more serious and part
of the friend group decided to step aside from the project at the right time. Finally,
Edu Pepe and I remained in the lineup since we were the ones who had more influences and
ideas in common. We decided to look for a "super drummer" to go on with that which promised
to turn into something special. It didn't take us too long to realize we had him right
in front of our nose. Dani Pérez was the perfect candidate since, besides playing like
no one else, he was just as good friend as all the former band members. All was complete.
Stravaganzza was born and with it a handful of new illusions and the will to create.
Until today we have recorded three studio albums and a maxi single with a cover of
"Hijo de la Luna" by Mecano. We have toured throughout Spain, we also have benn part
of "Viña Rock" several times and we even got to play at the "Pop Komm" festival
in Berlin.
Sadly, my friends Edu and Dani had to leave the band on early 2006.
It was a tough hit and there have been moments in which Pepe and I felt it was difficult
to continue with Stravaganzza. Luckily and in an almost miracolous way (since it wasn't
an easy task to replace Dani and Edu), we found two perfect replacements in less than a month.
Patricio Babasasa and Carlos Expósito managed to give back to Stravaganzza that special
air we hended to go on. I told you about Patricio a few lines agoÉ it's been many years
together making good music and having a great time. As for Carlos, I can only say I've found
in him a new friend and such a brilliant musician that makes me feel secure about
Stravaganzza's future.
I hope I didn't bore you with my story. It's still unfinished, since I hope to write
much more about Stravaganzza and my music.
Warm regards. Heavy Metal Forever!!
© Stravaganzza 2008 • Stravaganzza
Myspace • Web Design: Eva
Under Creative Commons licence.