Fermin Muguruza
Fermin Muguruza (Irún, Guipúzcoa, Spain) is a Basque nationalist rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer and disc label manager. In adition to his career in music, he stood for the European Parliament elections in a low position on the Herri Batasuna list (though was not elected). He's brother of musicians Íñigo Muguruza and Xabier Muguruza and is one of the personalities interviewed for the documentary film The Basque Ball (2003).
Music career and socio-political views
Muguruza has taken part in more than twenty albums, and is one of the most important artists from the Basque Country. Firstly in the band Kortatu, later in Negu Gorriak and in a one-time collaboration with Dut, and most recently in his solo career, he has always defended the use of euskera and the need for social justice. His socio-political views have created problems, especially outside the Basque Country, where he is continuously accused of being an apologist of the terrorists ETA. He has denied such accusations, expressing a desire towards a pacific process of independence, which he considers on abeyance until both parts would left behind their prejudices. This position, which Muguruza frequently argues for during interviews, contrast with his lyrics, which seldomly express criticism of ETA's violence—some of them, especially from his early career in the band Kortatu, show respect and estimation for ETA members (e.g. the song "Sarri, Sarri", which applauds the escape of two ETA members from prison). This contrasts with his persistent denunciation of the actions of the Basque, Spanish and French governments and police corps as well as of Spanish nationalist terrorist groups. In an international level, Fermin Muguruza holds acute left-wing views that lead him to criticize U.S. government, corporations and the globalization process, all of which he denounces as imperialistic and homogenizing apparatus. Musically, he has diffused the situation in the Basque country (i.e. the oppression that, in his opinion, Spain has over Euzkadi) and, although his lyrics are in Basque, his compositions are a melting pot of different cultures, with a big influence of Jamaican (Sisla, Anthony Bä ) and electronic music (especially drum and bass), which he commonly mixes over Basque instruments.
Discography
Kortatu
- Kortatu/Cicatriz/Jotakie/Kontuz Hi! (1985)
- Kortatu (1985)
- El estado de las cosas (1986)
- Kolpez kolpe (1988)
- Azken guda dantza (1988)
Negu Gorriak
- Negu gorriak (1990)
- Gure jarrera (1991)
- Gora Herria (1991)
- Borreroak baditu milaka aurpegi (1993)
- Hipokrisiari Stop! Bilbo 93-X-30 (1994)
- Ideia zabaldu (1995)
- Ustelkeria (1996)
- Salam, agur (1996)
Fermin Muguruza eta Dut
- Ireki ateak (1997)
Fermin Muguruza
- Amodio eta gorrotzko kantak (1984-1998) (1998)
- Brigadistak Sound System (1999)
- erREMIXak (1999)
- FM 99.00 Dub Manifest (2000)
- Korrika. mundu bat euskarara bildu
- In-komunikazioa
- Irun Meets Bristol. Komunikazioa
- Sala Apolo, Barcelona 21/01/04
- 99-04 DVD + CD
- Xomorroak (Bizitza lorontzian)