Radio Futura

Infobox musical artist
Name = Radio Futura


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Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = flagicon|Spain Zaragoza, Madrid (Spain)
Genre = Rock
Latin rock
Punk
Years_active = 1980–1992
Label = Ariola-RCA
Associated_acts = Juan Perro
URL =
Current_members = Santiago Auserón (guitar, vocals, lyrics)
Luis Auserón (bass guitar, backing vocals)
Enrique Sierra (guitar)
Past_members = Carlos Velázquez aka Solrac (drums)
Ollie Halsall (unofficial member) (guitar)
Notable_instruments =

Radio Futura was a pop rock Spanish group. They rose to become one of the most popular bands in Spain during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1989 they were voted the best Spanish act of the 80s.

The beginnings

In 1979, painter, amateur singer and synthesizer experimenter Herminio Molero approached some of his acquaintances in order to form a pop-rock band. The final selection included the Auserón brothers, Luis and Santiago (who wrote reviews at the time in a music magazine under the name "Corazones Automáticos"), Enrique Sierra (guitar player from Kaka de Luxe) and percusionist Javier Pérez Grueso. They got their name Radio Futura ("Radio of the Future") from an Italian independent radio station.

Herminio Molero contributed with his fusion of electronic and traditional music to the style of the group while Enrique Sierra added a punk touch. The band soon became one of the iconic images of what came to be known as la Movida madrileña. After months of rehearsing and some live performances they published -helped by Molero's contacts in the music industry- their first album "Música Moderna" in 1980, which yielded them an unexpected success with their single "Enamorado de la moda juvenil" (later on, the band's remaining core trio would say that they did not recognize themselves in this first record [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/tenta.htm The band interviewed and reviewing their previous efforts in retrospective (1998)] ] )

Molero and Pérez soon abandoned the group due to disagreements on the concept of their music, which left the band as a trio formed by Santiago Auserón (frontman, lyrics, guitar, vocals), Luis Auserón (bass guitar) and Enrique Sierra (guitar).

These three completed the line up in 1981 by recruiting drummer Carlos Velázquez, known as Solrac, who had already participated in the first album. After what had been a rather impromptu and basically amateur record, the new line up decided to take on a professional approach in their music career and get rid of their initial aura of "media pampered one hit wonder boys". [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/salcomun.htm Early interview with the band] ]

The Quartet: a growing band

In 1981 they recorded the single "La estatua del jardín botánico", whose music video was one of the first ever produced in Spain, [ [http://www.mtv.es/mtv.es/artistas/article.jhtml?id=30014381 MTV Spain Bio on Radio Futura mentions "La Estatua del Jardín Botánico" as one of the first music videos ever shot in Spain] ] soon followed by "Dance usted", the former gave them a cult hit which still remains in the Spanish indie music subconscious, with the latter they introduced what they described as a "funky-punky" sound virtually unknown in Spain by that time.

"La Ley del Desierto, la Ley del Mar"

The band had to strive to get rid from their contract with their original record company, Hispavox (nowadays a part of EMI) since it desired to keep for their second album the same whimsical or mainstream touch of their first record, while the band's new line up had decided to break free from the fad and amateuresque touch of their first record, and devote to develop a long term career.

They finally reached an agreement with their former record company and got signed for Ariola (now a part of RCA). During these months they had built a repertoire of several songs, which they played live, waiting for the record deal to release their second album. This was finally possible in 1984, when "La ley del desierto, la ley del mar", a double album, came out. A few years had passed from their first release and this interim helped the band to leave behind the echoes of their impromptu and whimsical, yet successful, debut album. At the same time, the hiatus allowed the band to work intensenly on their new songs, which they self produced.

This their second album, whose sound was completely different from their debut, became another unexpected commercial success, with the hit single "Escuela de calor" which has probably remained like their most famous song. Tracks included in this record such as "Semilla Negra" introduced the first hints of what would soon become their signature contribution: Latin rock based on a highly intellectualized basis (front man Santiago Auserón holds a degree in Philosophy and is known for lengthy answers in flourishing vocabulary) but, notwithstanding, aimed at the streets and addressed to the general populace; this popular turn became the standard in Spain after them, but was a virtually unknown territory back in the day when Radio Futura started defining its boundaries.

"De un País en Llamas"

Since the tour of "La Ley del Desierto, La Ley del Mar" had actually taken place before its actual release, it only took them one year to finish, in 1985, their next record "De un país en llamas", a risky, stark and somewhat baroque new studio album recorded in London (an unusual choice for a Spanish band back in the day, due to a series of reasons -budget too). The album reads close to a concept album (starting with "La ley del Desierto, la Ley del Mar", the band seemed to enjoy to produce cohesive albums with some sort of internal leit motiv).

"De un País en Llamas" represented a big leap from its predecessor: it revolved around a punk attitude but, at the same time, it saw the band finally leaving behind their amateur times. Their record company provided a decent budget for the recording sessions, which allowed a state-of-the-art production and, with it, unprecedent technical innovations and music effects handed by producers Duncan Bridgeman and he who was to become their long time musical companion and, in Santiago Auserón's words, some sort of a fourth band member in the dark: Jo Dworniak. [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/cad100.htm Interview reviewing in retrospective the band's history] ]

They also remixed their previous "Semilla Negra", increasing its Latin cadence and creating another cult pop song . The band was willing to explore a more Latin style in the fashion of songs like their own "El Tonto Simón" and drummer Solrac, who opposed this direction, abandoned the group in 1986.

Quintet: "La Canción de Juan Perro"

By 1986 the band was looking for new textures for their music. Once the drummer position was filled with Carlos Torero, an additional fifth member was also recruited: Pedro Navarrete, at the keyboards, introducing this position in the band.

This new 3 core members + 2 session musicians line-up gathered in a New York studio by the end of 1986, again with Jo Dworniak in the production tasks, to deliver "La Canción de Juan Perro", released in May 1987. It characterizes by a much more organic approach than its predecessor, from which it represented a new sudden turn. It aimed to get closer to the traditional sources of Spanish popular music, being the hiring of a horns section for the recording sessions probably the most clear statement of the new musical direction taken.The New York sessions are recalled by the band as their primest. The record had a good response and became their biggest seller to date. In retrospective, "La Canción de Juan Perro" is now considered, by the band and critics alike, as Radio Futura's finest effort. It is also credited for establishing in Spain the virtually unknown formulations of a Latin Rock based on a standard anglosaxon pop-rock but, at the same time, deeply rooted in the Spanish popular music, while striving for renovation at the same time. Santiago Auserón said regarding this record "we want the best with this record. We want to start the track of a Hispanic Rock"; the critic wrote regarding "La Canción de Juan Perro": "it is not only a masterpiece of our domestic rock but it contains the entire musical landscape sung in Spanish during the last decades". [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/boo26ene89.htm Review of "Escueladecalor" appeared in the monthly "Boogie"] ] . The particular sound crafted in "La Canción de Juan Perro" was to become, later on, the basics of the Spanish musical scene.Also, beginning with this record, Santiago Auserón gave renewed importance to the lyrics, he has ever since become one of the finest lyricists in Spanish, being earnest in using and renovating popular terms which had become partially out of fashion.

Soon after the supporting tour for "La Canción de Juan Perro" started, Enrique Sierra was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and had to be temporary replaced by another newly hired session musician: Javier Monforte.

extet and Live album

By 1988 Enrique Sierra had overcomed his health problems but the band decided to keep Javier Monforte as an additional guitar player thus turning the band into a sextet (in the meantime, drummer Carlos Torero had been replaced by Óscar Quesada).

There was not any new LP scheduled for 1988 but the band toured instead and, in the meantime, released a new maxi-single --"Paseo con la Negra Flor"-- which is basically a new studio take of their song "La Negra Flor" (included in "La Canción de Juan Perro"), including features of what had been its growth as a song when performed live. The new single included a spoken word section which represented, once again, a big novelty in the Spanish musical scene.

The last two concerts of the tour were recorded, mixed and released by beginning 1989 as Radio Futura's live album: "Escueladecalor" which became an instant big seller.

Once the live album was released, the sextet disbanded and the remaining core trio planned what was going to be their last studio LP.

"Veneno en la Piel", mass success and last releases

In 1989 the band hit the road again for a tour. Again Enrique Sierra fell ill and was temporarily replaced by Ollie Halsall. The band was finally back in a studio by the end of the year with a new line up (Antonio Vázquez takes in the drums and Halsall was kept along with Enrique Sierra, whom the Auserón brothers waited on until he was recovered for the sessions). Also in 1989, the band is elected by popular vote as the best Spanish band of the 80s. [ [http://www.lahuellasonora.es/mrf.html Juan Perro official site quotes the award of best band of the 80s] ] By January 1990 they had completed what came to be their last studio LP, entitled "Veneno en la piel". The self produced album kept in the trail of the Latin Rock its predecessor had defined, with no major style changes other than an even more basic or "clean" sound. [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/boogie28.htm Review of "Veneno en la Piel" in the monthly "Boogie"] ]

The album went straight to #1 in the charts [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/granmus.htm Interview with the band, discussing the immediate #1 of "Veneno en la Piel" and other topics related to this record] ] and stayed there for weeks; impulsed by their record company, the band engaged in their biggest to date live tour. On Sept. 30th, 1990, the band closed it in Madrid with what was going to be their last live performance as a band.

By the time when the tour was finished, the band members had grown weary of the musical business and the enormous amounts of money generated around the band, with no precedent in the Spanish indie pop-rock scene. Having achieved a huge notoriorety and a near absolute lead in the Spanish pop-rock scene (only contested by the synth-pop oriented trio Mecano), and also influenced by Enrique Sierra's health problems and Halsall's death by overdose in 1992, they decided it was time to disband at the height of their careers before the music industry devoured their creativity as artists. [ [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/articulos/rf/pies.htm Santiago Auserón expressing his concern about the direction that the musical scene was taking in Spain (1990)] ]

The band remixing itself; compilations and tribute records

Still the band was subjected to a contractual tie for a further record. To fulfil this, in 1992 they got into the studio again with Dworniak to produce "Tierra para bailar" a record which includes new takes of old songs and a brand new one ("El puente azul") which became their last original recording. With this one, their record deal with Ariola was finished and so the band was, as they had decided not to tour to support this record.

After they disbanded, there have been a number of rarities, compilations and tribute records, such as "Rarezas" (a rarities record part of a box released in 1992 including their whole discography).Then "Memoria del porvenir" was released six years after, in 1998, as a new compilation with different takes and re-recordings by the own band of some of their classics. In 2003 there was a final compilation in box format "Caja de canciones" which intends to be an ultimate luxury compilation aimed at the fan base including all of the band productions.

A Greatest Hits special edition was released in 2004 under the name "Lo mejor de Radio Futura: Paisajes eléctricos (1982-1992)". Also in 2004 appeared the tribute record "Arde la calle. Un tributo a Radio Futura" including covers of the band's hits by a selection of contemporary bands and artists from the Spanish speaking world.

Discography

Albums

*"Música moderna" (Emi-Hispavox, 1980)
*"La ley del desierto, la ley del mar" (RCA, 1984)
*"De un país en llamas" (RCA, 1985)
*"La Canción de Juan Perro" (RCA, 1987)
*"Escueladecalor. El directo de Radio Futura" (RCA, 1989; live album)
*"Veneno en la piel" (RCA, 1990)
*"Tierra para bailar" (RCA, 1991; the band remixing some of their own songs)
*"Memoria del porvenir" (the band re-recording some of their own hits 1998)

Compilations

*"Caja de canciones" (includes all their records with RCA and a Rarities album) (RCA, 2003)
*"Lo Mejor de Radio Futura: Paisajes Eléctricos (1982-1992)" (2004)

Tribute albums

*"Arde la Calle. Un Tributo a Radio Futura" (2004)

Bibliography and notes

* [http://www.bibliotecanueva.es/catalogo_detalle_libro.php?idLibro=1270"La Transición y su doble. El rock y Radio Futura"] by Cristina Tango. The first analysis on the importance of Radio Futura in the Spanish rock. With an interview with Santiago Auserón, the band's frontman.

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/stadium/2414/RADIO_FUTURA.htm Unofficial fan site]
* [http://www.lahuellasonora.com/ La Huella Sonora is the recording studio of Santiago and Luis Auserón, the site includes info, pics and downloads from both their Radio Futura and solo careers]