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Ska-P

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Ska-P

Ska-P (IPA: [esˈkape]) is a ska punk band formed in Madrid[1] (Vallecas), Spain, in 1994, that could be categorized, politically, as an anti-establishment musical group. It is one of the most popular ska bands in Spain and Europe.

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.

Their nonconformist attitude is also evident in their eccentric haircuts. Some band members have mohawks while others are almost bald-shaven (with a ponytail at the back).

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 in Leganés (near Madrid), on September 24 2005, filled the 10,000-seat La Cubierta Stadium.

In April 2008 the band confirmed they were getting back together and on September 5th, 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]

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 yo depite 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 was Arezzo Wave, a band from Italy.

2000-2002: At the top

In the year 2000 they recorded Planeta Eskoria, which some consider their best work, ossifying their sound and creating songs with a more serious tone, although the album also included festive songs in the vain of previous discs and the lyrical content was not different than 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 all the other European countries previously mentioned. They also returned to Latin America, playing in Argentina, Chile, 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, the beginning of the end

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.

2007-2008: The Return

On October 12, 2007, two years after the "indefinite hiatus" began, a message from Pulpul appeared on the official Ska-P Web site talking about 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 Venezula.

The album Lágrimas y Gozos was released October 7, 2008.

Ideals

Ska-P is very open and frank about their views. Common themes throughout Ska-P's songs are human rights - including abolishment of the death penalty, social injustice, anti-fascism, anti-capitalism and the support of legalization of cannabis, and animal rights (particularly the abolishment of bullfighting).

Controversies

Ska-P has been criticized (by anarchists and non-anarchists alike) vis-à-vis their political stands. The most common criticism is that there is an irreconcilable gap between their words and their deeds. The reason for this criticism is that although they call themselves anarchists and anti-capitalists and support autogestion, they themselves do not practice self-management but are rather on RCA Records, a part of multinational corporation Sony/BMG, and that they have participated in festivals put on by big business, such as the Pepsi Music festival, which critics charge is incoherent with their ideas. To this charge, the group answers that they are participating in the system in order to destroy it, and that is impossible today to be completely consistent with anti-capitalist ideas.

They also claim that all the money they earned participating in the Pepsi Music festival was donated to mapuche groups. However, critics charge that these ends do not justify the means and are inconsistent with anarchist ideals, given that even if they are helping a persecuted people, they are also helping the very entities responsible for the persecution. Some say the donations are nothing more than an effort to save face, besides being contradictory to what they themselves say in their lyrics.

Others have called them hypocrites, and claim that they have never been anarchists, and simply posture for commercial success and to earn more money. Self-managed anarchist groups such as Los Muertos de Cristo and Sin Dios have attacked them directly or indirectly, claiming that Ska-P is taking advantage of anarchist ideas to line their own pockets.

In spite of claiming to be anarchists before their "indefinite hiatus," on their first disc released since, Lágrimas y Gozos, a controversial song "El Libertador" ("The Liberator"), which details the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and firmly supports his government, was included.

Members

  • Pulpul (Roberto Gañan Ojea) - Rhythm guitar and lead vocalist (1994)
  • Joxemi (Jose Miguel Redin Redin) - Guitar (1996)
  • Julio (Julio Cesar Sanchez) - Bass guitar (1994)
  • Kogote (Alberto Javier Amado) - Keyboards and backing vocals (1994)
  • Luismi - drums (since 1999)
  • Pipi (Ricardo Degaldo de la Obra) - Toaster and backup vocalist (1996)
  • Pako - Manager and previously drums (1994)
  • Toni - Guitar and backing vocals (ex-member 1994)
  • Txikitin (Alberto Iriondo) - Trumpet
  • Gari (Garikoitz Badiola) - Trombone

Other projects

Discography

Studio albums

Live

Singles

Others

Tributes

Videography

  • Ska-p en concierto (1998) (VHS)
  • Seguimos en pie (1999) (VHS, DVD)
  • Incontrolables (2003) (DVD with audio CD)

Citations

  1. ^ Review by Chris True at allmusic
  2. ^ 2008-04-24 SKA-P INFORMA
  3. ^ Metrópoli - El Mundo Digital Spanish-language online version
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