Speak the Culture: Spain: Be Fluent in Spanish Life and Culture

189

1. Identity: the
   building blocks of
   2. Literature
   and philosophy
   3. Art and
   architecture
   4. Performing
   arts
   5. Cinema
   and fashion
   6. Media and
   communications
   7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
   the details of

Andalusian Kiko Veneno had more substance, a singer-

songwriter who successfully blended (indeed still blends)

flamencowith world music and straightforward rock.

In a similar vein, Joaquín Sabina also surfaced in the

1970s, a revered singer who prodded at Franco from

exile but now aims his protest songs at any issue that

gets his goat.

Punk got its claws into Spain in the late 1970s and early

80s, particularly in Barcelona. The Desechables were

one famous manifestation, equipped with a great punk

story – the guitarist was shot dead while trying to rob a

jeweller’s with a plastic gun. Another Catalan group,

Decibelios, blended punk with ska and came up with a

skinheads, sideburns and gravelly vocals routine. Today,

Ska-P, a Madrileño band with a distinctly leftist outlook,

carry the ska punk torch. Punk also became wrapped up

in Madrid’s movidamovement, where New Wave and

electronica bands took their cue from the US and UK.

Aviador Dro, a bit like a Spanish Kraftwerk, complete with

amusing robotic dancing, were big, but the female singer

Alaska was the largest star to emerge. Her resumé

recalls various light punk bands, children’s TV presenting

and a role as gay icon. Alaska’s latest band, Fangoria,

an electro-pop affair, has been going since 1990. The

band Mecano, a pop synth outfit with two brothers and

a female singer, were also born of the movidabut found

most success in the late 1980s and 90s. Like many of

the Spanish bands that emerged in the 1980s, they spent

much of the next two decades in the charts.

Julio Iglesias has sold

over 250 million records

worldwide.

No one else has sold

more records in more

languages.

At age 19 he had a bad

car crash, which ended a

promising football career

with Real Madrid and

pushed him towards

the mic.

He learned to speak

English in Ramsgate,

Kent in the 1960s.

Julio completed a law

degree in 2001 (having

dropped out 35 years

earlier).

He has eight children

from two relationships,

the youngest born in

May 2007.

In 1985 his father

(Papuchias the press

called him) was

kidnapped by ETA but

released unharmed after

a fortnight. The family

relocated to Miami soon

after.

Julio has a half-brother

and sister more than 60

years his junior.

Julio’s world:

you couldn’t

make this

stuff up

“I’M THE LATIN ARTIST WHO HAS BEEN

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN HISTORY AT

REPRESENTING THE LATIN CULTURE.”

Humble Julio Iglesias reflects on a remarkable career

v4 SPAIN BOOK 27/3/08 10:05 Page 189