2023-10-27 12:00:13
He has performed more than 1,300 concerts The sticker behind the back It’s curious because, when it comes to a figure this high, you might think that there were better nights than others. However, for the band all of them, without exception, were unique. They have never been repeated or relaxed. Each date is a bomb of fun, dance and energy so big that it not only enrages the public, but also its nine members. Fundamental condition for the scenario to have become the best of its allies. To the point that, 20 years after its debut, they still continue to get on it with the passion of then. “It is enough to step on it to cure all evil,” he points out. Adrian Salaswho together with his team has released eight albums, two documentaries, a book and a live album.
Versatile and unprejudiced, they have played with genres and languages as they please: rumba, meringue, pop or ska in Catalan, Spanish, Basque or Galician. The order of the factors does not alter the party. Perhaps the reason why they have endured two decades of popularity. “Hey, we still have a lot to do,” says Rubén Sierra, laughing. As the Wizink Center that, this Friday, will burst with everlasting themes: And fly, How flowers are made, we are not from here Big Carmen... The same ones that, just a few days later, will make Latin America vibrate. Without hesitation. Well, its repertoire is so diverse and inclusive that it knows no boundaries. Always in the appropriate state of grace.
Q. You have written about migration, love, anxiety, dependency, loneliness… Is it difficult to find new points of view with which to approach the world?
A. It’s funny because, for a while, they asked us for more political lyrics… But we already had one. And in that I already collected everything I wanted to say. There are groups that are very vocal and, every few months, they have something to add. We do not. We function differently. Sometimes a phrase comes up that serves as a chorus and you start pulling on it. In others, we invent the story as if it were a story. You need things to happen to you to inspire you.
Q. How has the industry changed in 20 years?
R. It is in continuous evolution. Now, for example, there is great saturation. The offer is so vast that you don’t even notice when your favorite singer releases new material. And it’s normal because, luckily, we can reach more and more. Plus, nowadays, it seems like you have to constantly release songs. They wear out quickly and no longer perform as well as before, which translates into less money. So you have to manage to do it in the most economical way possible.
Q. Is it more difficult to reach the dough?
A. I would say it’s easier to get frustrated. There are those who want to go viral on the first try. And the only way to verify it is with data. We, at the beginning, didn’t have them. So, we kept going. This has changed and, when the artist discovers that five people have listened to him in the last week, he leaves it. They no longer think about doing long-distance races.
Q. Has the adjective bothered you? verbenero that they have sometimes placed on them?
R. When they say it to you, you know there’s a derogatory tone behind it. We do what we want, without self-censorship. Neither in the language nor in the style. What we want is for people to have fun on the tour.
Q. Nine men at the head of a successful group. If there had been nine women, would they have had the same privileges?
A. Unclear. Nowadays, we know more female bands because there weren’t any before. Which means it wasn’t easy for them. And, when they arrived, they usually took the place of the vocalist. There were no references for drummers, guitarists, bassists… That’s why it’s so important to see them: that’s going to encourage more and more girls. Just like it is happening with soccer players.
Q. How do you manage egos on the stage?
A. We give each other space. We are a team and, as such, we go together. It has been like this since the beginning. If you know that someone needs a solo, we give them their time.
Q. After achieving the dreams that you set as young people, what is next?
A. We have many places left to visit. We are going to Colombia, for example, this November for the first time. We would love to finish Latin America. And, of course, make the leap to Africa. We would also like to record an album in another country. In short, living experiences… which is what La Pegatina offers us, above all.
Q. How many countries have you visited?
R. 34. The furthest geographically has been Australia. And, on a cultural level, China.
Q. Is the public very different there?
A. It was quite a while ago and, perhaps, today they are more used to it. But, when we went in 2011, censorship put too many obstacles for foreign names to play there. They had a great time, they blended in quickly with us. However, there are places where they dance better than others. Spain or Chile usually do it great. On the other hand, those from Eastern Europe tend to be ruder.
Q. Once the debate on languages in Spain has reopened, how do they articulate them to compose?
A. We are bilingual. And, therefore, we change from one to the other without realizing it. We have it naturalized. Although there is an interesting nuance: no matter how much you know English, you do not express yourself with the same precision as in Spanish. Saying things accurately is only possible in your native language. I would like the four officers to teach in schools throughout Spain. We have an enormous linguistic wealth. And each one teaches you sensations and emotions that you don’t find in others. Likewise, reaching public television stations in other communities would be incredible.
Q. What do you think of the reaction of certain political parties?
A. I don’t understand what the debate is. If the problem is money to pay translators, there is one and it is incomparable. Above all, when they privatize hospitals.
Q. To what extent are the news a source of inspiration?
A. We look more at the social context than at a specific news item. A moment when you feel that there is a need to express something on a collective level.
Q. Should you go to jail for a song?
A. Never. Neither for singing nor for humor. The Gag Law still exists in Spain. You can mutate, warn, rebuke… but not this.
Q. Have you ever been censored for this issue?
A. No. Through metaphors we express what we want. If you say that the Crown should be set on fire, you are taking a risk. You must be smart.
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