Day 530

Something that gets on my nerve has been happening more and more lately. I write about bands I recommend band because I want to. I find them. I take my time to scout Bandcamp, my friend’s recommendations, Soundcloud, Youtube, etc. And then suddenly I see promo companies tagging me on Twitter or Facebook thanking me for reviewing the bands they represent. It sort of pisses me. They didn’t do any work at all, they didn’t reach me, didn’t offer me an opportunity to listen to the music, a record, a link, nothing. And suddenly they take credit for my small and probably insignificant recommendation. This just happened to me with Pia Fraus. But in the past it has happened to me with other bands.

Maybe this happens a lot. Maybe there are other blogs and pages that do the same. They just like the music and recommend it. The bands must be elated. They must think that the PR company is doing a great job. But that is crap. They didn’t move a finger.

I really have a thing against PR companies. I don’t trust them at all. What’s their job? Sending mass emails with silly praise for bands they don’t even probably care and a link or two? That doesn’t sound like people passionate for music.

Again this behavior of tagging me and thanking me for a recommendation, really pisses me. One thing is the band thanking me. But a PR company? I don’t do it for them. I would never do it. Also. I have never EVER accepted anything from a PR company. Whenever I receive an email from them, I ignore. I don’t have time nor the will to recommend bands that can afford a PR company. That’s not the indie way in my book.

So yeah, I will continue supporting the music of these bands by getting their records, because their music is ace, but I won’t be recommending the music in the blog.

The Caraway: what great news! The Japanese band, a favourite of the blog (check the interview), will be releasing an EP with the fine Blue-Very Label! The EP is holiday-themed. It is titled “Another Christmas Will Come Around this Year” and we can preview the title song right now. The EP consists of 3 more songs, including a cover of Johnny Dee!

A Great Big Pile of Leaves: very close by to me, just down south, Brooklyn. That’s where this trio comes from. They released an album  called “Pono” this month on vinyl, CD and tape. I am not familiar with the band I must say. This is their third album! So yeah, I am discovering the 10 songs that make up their album on Bandcamp, and they are a nice surprise.

Sunnbrella: now we head to London to discover the solo project of David Zbirka. His latest song is a very fine slice of bedroom dreampop. It is titled “Pauline” and as is quite normal, a song with a girl name for a title is usually good. This is no exception!

The Ghost Ease: another new discovery for me, never heard about Portland’s The Ghost Ease. Their latest single is a lovely pop song called “Angel”. I guess what I like the most are the vocal melodies… it is cool, catchy song!

Fantasy Postcards: and I have to end this review of new discoveries with “Caught in Our Shadow” the new song by Johan and Mathias! I am a fan of all the music they’ve been involved with, including Able and The Seashells, two terrific indiepop bands of course! Base in Uppsala the band knows how to make timeless pop music!

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I have wanted to write about Los Murciélagos for ages. The thing is I have hoped to find copies of their records for many years and I haven’t been able to do so. Their album, 7″ and split 12″ (especially this last one) have been on my wishlist for long. At this point I feel I won’t ever be able to find copies. So maybe, perhaps, just maybe, someone has spare copies and can help me. Anyways… who were Los Murciélagos?

They were from Spain, from the city of Oviedo in Asturias. That’s the north of Spain. That’s where my wife’s family comes from and a place I visited two summers ago and fell in love immediately. The vibe, the food, everything was perfect. I wouldn’t mind retiring there, if I ever retire!

Los Murciélagos translate in English as The Bats. Of course we know two very good bands called The Bats. The band is strictly not indiepop but considered a mod band. And actually the band’s original name was quite long, Los Murciélagos de Assisí Underground. Not sure why that name. Anyways, they started in 1987 and would release a 7″, an album and a split 12″ with the band Los Cautivos.

Most of what I am going to tell you about the band appeared on a post by the Spanish blog Nueva Ola 80. I hope they don’t mind as it this will be in English and hopefully a larger crowd can find out about their music.

The band was formed by Mercedes Covisa on vocals, Pablo Martínez Vaquero on guitar and keyboards, Flower Riesgo on guitar and Chús Gil on drums. All of them had previously been in the band Crónicas Húmedas. Flower had also been on the Langreo band La Tentación alongside Chús. This was their hometown.

In 1989 Chús passed away. But before that José Labra had replaced him as their drummer.

Their first demo tape had the songs “Amor a Mordiscos”, “Bat is Back (Voy a por ti)” and “Prefiero Ser Clark Kent”. Their second demo tape which was titled “4 Greatest Hits” had the a cover of Spencer Davies Group’s “Keep on Running”, “Los Tres Asientos de Atrás”, “Chico Duro” and “El Otro Infierno”. Both demos were released in 1987.

In 1988 Labra leaves the band for yet another drummer, José Moragón. This lineup gets signed to Misfit, a new indie label that Rico Roces, from Radio Asturias, put together. The idea was to put a single out. They recorded “Amor a Mordiscos” and “Prefiero Ser Clark Kent” but in the end the label went bust. The songs end up then in their third demo tape, “Misfit Times”.

The song “Los Tres del Asiento de Atrás” is included in a compilation called “Tapes 85-88″ released by Bluestone. There are good bands in this compilation like Kamenbert, Los Canguros or Los Flechazos. Maybe one day I should write about many of these great mod bands.

Javier ‘Gum’ Méndez becomes the new drummer in 1989. This lineup would play a good show in Luanco alongside Los Cautivos and Los Módicos. After this the band would start playing more and more gigs in their region and also at the KGB venue in Barcelona.

The first release the band puts out is the split 12” with Los Cautivos. Released by the label KM 444 from Oviedo, the record was titled “Pow! Oviedo”. Los Murciélagos appear on the A side with two songs, the magnificent “Verde de Guerra (Pow! Oviedo)” and “Los Tres del Asiento de Atrás”. On the B side Los Cautivos have two songs as well. Some other details on the record show that Pablo wrote both songs for Los Murciélagos, Jorge Méndez played guitar on “Verde de Guerra”, Tomás Fernández played sax on that song too. Fran Elías produced the songs which were recorded and mixed at KM444 Studios by Joaquín Lacalle and Carlos Pinto.

There is a video of the band playing “Verde de Guerra” and “Los Tres del Asiento de Atrás” and “Keep on Running” at the Cathedral Square of Oviedo in 1989. I read that “Verde de Guerra” was actually written by Pablo for a previous band he was involved with, Los Cómplices.

On this same label, in 1990, the band releases a 7″ with two songs, “El Color de tu Alma” on the A side and “Prefiero Ser Clark Kent” on the B side. The catalog number is KP 002. Tomás Fernández once again played sax. Rita Beluche sang backing vocals, Javi Monge played guitar and César (I’m missing the last name) played keyboards.

Now it was time for the band to release their álbum “Directo al Corazón”. Released on tape and vinyl, the album had 12 songs. The A side had “El Color de tu Alma”, “Sonrisa Ácida’, “Prefiero Ser Clark Kent”, “Canción Absurda sobre la Muerte de Jim Cook”, “Taxi Driver (You Talking to Me?)” and “Para Siempre”. The B side had “Amor a Mordiscos”, “Directo al Corazón”, “Elena Francis”, “Bat is Back (Voy a por ti)”, “Do You Believe it Now?” and “La Próxima Vez”.

The record was once again recorded at the KM444 Studios and mixed there as well. The same people worked on it, Joaquín Lacalle and Carlos Pinto. The artwork for the record was created by Ringo Julián while the photos are by Puri Méndez and Johnny K. Prat. The illustrations for the back cover are by Javi ‘Gum’ Méndez. The record is dedicated to Chus.

After the album Flower leaves the band to be in the band Los Canallas and is replaced by Ángel Parada from Los Cautivos. Fernando Malva also joins the band on keyboards and Jorge Méndez and Tomás Fernández become permanent in the band playing sax and guitar. This new lineup plays many gigs and start recording the band’s second album which was titled “Reza lo que Sepas”.

The band starts hurting when Ángel and Javi start a band called the Beat Fever’s. I guess they start having problems to dedicate time to both. Also Pablo is working on the radio and even joins for a short time Los Flechazos to play bass. All of this doesn’t help the band and they decide to split.

Later on, in 1992, we see Mercedes and Pablo in a band that lasted very little, Les Paris Match. Pablo would release a solo record in 1994 called “Tal Como Éramos”. Other band that Pablo was Ritmods.  Javi Méndez would participate in Eurovision with the band El Sueño de Morfeo.

The band appeared on a few compilations, but all in this century. In 2003, on Bon Vivant Records’ “Moderno… Pero Español (Vol. 1)” compilation CD the band contribuetd “Bat is Back” and “Amor a Mordiscos”. In 2007, on a compilation CD called “No Se Salva Nadie” (NS2044) that came with the eponymous book by Rafa Balbuena that covered rock and pop from Asturias, the band contributed “Sonrisa Ácida”.

Lastly in 2009, the song “El Color de tu Alma” appeared on “Mi Generación (Lo  Mejor de la Escena Mod de los Ochenta)” (BCD067) a compilation CD released by Bip Bip Records.

I don’t know why I have the idea the band reissued their LP. Maybe they didn’t. For some reason I remember they did, maybe called “Directo al Corazón Plus”. But I can’t find any info. Maybe I dreamed it. Or maybe it was just online? On blogs?

Anyhow, who remembers them? Anyone from Asturias saw them? Or maybe friends from Barcelona saw them when they toured? What other songs did the band record? Did they record some for the second album that didn’t get released? Hopefully we’ll find out soon!

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Listen
Los Murciélagos – Verde de Guerra (Pow Pow Oviedo!)