More bands
In 1998, I performed live for the first time. On guitar. That was an acoustic show with my eldest brother Germán and a friend of us, Josete. And there was another acoustic show with Germán as well and another friend of us, Ariel. That was all. Until...
My first bands
In 2001, a guy from highschool called Unai asked me if I wanted to play the drums. He on guitar/vocals, Víctor on bass and me on drums rehearsed and performed live for a few months. That was when I began learning how to play the drums. We were called ZÁRAME and played some rock stuff. But in the last two shows, we used the name NOUS I had proposed, and I played the guitar and sang a few songs on a stage for the first time in my life, while Unai played the drums. Afterwards, we stopped rehearsing and everyone and everything disappeared as nothing had happened...
By that time, I joined another band as the bass player. I didn't even had my own bass guitar, but I did it fine. We played some kind of hardcore, thrash or whatever. Anyway, it sounded really good and I enjoyed a lot playing there. Unfortunately, after two months rehearsing with them, the guitar player had a baby and we split up. We didn't have a name -maybe a kind of joke name, LOS PICHAFINA, but nothing serious-. I haven't heard of them all in a long time, but Carlos is now NON SERVIUM drummer.
By the end of 2001, my brother Marcos said we could rent a rehearsal room to play with Germán and spend some time. So on 4th January 2002, we did it, and spent one year -maybe more- playing only covers -Ramones, Rancid, Green Day, Nirvana, etc.- in a kind of jam sessions, where everyone played everything. Then, maybe in 2003, I asked them to try to play one of my own songs and, one year later, we had 18 original songs ready to be played on a stage, half way between grunge and punk rock. Now the components were fixed: Germán on bass, Marcos on drums and me on guitar/vocals. In 2004, we performed for the first time in front of an audience, a two hours show, own songs and cover, full of punk rock music and beer. And that was the beginning of NOUS as we know it.
VEIN
The same year 2004, a girl called Diana got in contact with me through NOUS' old website. She played the guitar and was looking for a drummer to form a band. So we met Rocío -vocals-, Laura -bass- and Rafa -guitar-, we played some grunge stuff and formed the band VEIN. We only released an EP, "When Beauty Meets Abuse" (DIY, 2005), but we rocked like hell!
One year later, Laura left the band and, although Aleks -of NOTHINK- played the bass with us in a few gigs, we split in 2006.
[Meanwhile, Diana and Laura formed the band REZNIK with Lolo on drums. I used to perform one of their songs on drums when Lolo invited me to. I did it in a couple of their shows. They do some brief instrumental stuff.]
LULLABIES
By the time I was playing both in NOUS and VEIN, Alfredo -coming from the band SPERM- got in contact with me and asked me to play the guitar with his new band LULLABIES. We would be Mónica -voice-, Alfredo -drums-, Adolfo -former bass player from THE SUNS- and me. I listened to the demo CD he'd given to me and I liked it, 'cause it was something new for me, different from every band in town by that time and their live show were quite good. After one week rehearsing, I played my first show with them, on guitar and singing back-up vocals. It sounded good, despite I was completely drunk, something I'm not proud of at all, but you know, before your first concert, you are nervous, you drink a beer to calm down, then another one...
When Alfredo couldn't play on drums and sing at the same time in a couple of songs, we swapped instruments. We did some kind of "stoner"-pop, as they used to call it.
On 13th October 2007 I played with them for the last time. They just didn't like the fact that I could play in other bands, so I was practically forced to leave the band. After that, they played with some other guitar players and recorded and album -sounding totally different from what we used to sound like- and they split up before releasing that album. Luckily, we once opened for a foreign band and Little Joe said to me: "F*ck them! I play in five bands!!!" -maybe a few more-. And that's when I met this awesome Canadian band and became a big fan of them, THE REAL McKENZIES.
KURT COBAND
In February 2006, NOUS performed a tribute to NIRVANA in Madrid, with Marcos on drums half the show and Juan -former drummer of IDIOTERNE- the other half. In January 2007, NOUS performed another Nirvana tribute in a party organized by te magazine Los+Mejores, but this time we used the name NIRVANOUS. And in April 2007, we did our last Nirvana tribute by NOUS, maybe because we were one of the most grunge bands in the city by that time...
In 2008 I got a phone call from a guy who was starting a tribute to Nirvana and needed a singer/guitarist. He was Saúl -bass player of BARRIO TOMILLO- and the drummer was Iván "el Huevo" -drummer of HABEAS CORPUS-. In August that year, we gave our first concert under the name of Nevermind, but then we realised there was a metal band called like that, so we became KURT COBAND.
Soon after, Iván left the band and was replaced by Juan IDIOTERNE, adding backing vocals to our shows. We have fun and people tell us they really enjoy our shows. That's enough!
Update: In February 2014 we played 2 shows, Barcelona and Madrid, with a special guest: Vick -lead singer and guitarist of IDIOTERNE- on guitar and vocals, Juan on drums and back-up vocals, and me on bass. What a pleasure!
The videos on the right are "In Bloom" and "Lounge Act", but you can find a few more on the Internet. Enjoy 'em!
FUNKY MONKEYS IN THE SEX MAGIK
In January 2009 -maybe December 2008- I joined a few people to perform a tribute to the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. The band was formed by Saúl on bass, Gonzo on guitar -both members of the band BARRIO TOMILLO-, Maxi on drums and me on vocals. Yes, only on vocals... We were called FUNKY MONKEYS IN THE SEX MAGIK and we only performed the entire "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", one of the best classic albums of the 90's.
Our first show was on 5th February 2009 in Madrid. It was so fricking strange for me... As I couldn't hide myself behind a guitar or a drumset, I felt like naked! Anyway, I think we sounded quite good. After a few shows, that same year we split up.
FOOL FIGHTERS
The 25th February 2010 was a wonderful day for rock 'n' roll. It was one of our most expected nights in a long time. It was the night we performed our first FOO FIGHTERS tribute show! This time, I played the drums and sang background vocals, Juan -former drummer of IDIOTERNE and LEX MAKOTO-played the guitar and sang main vocals, and Germán -NOUS bass player- played the bass. What a show! Screaming, sweating and rocking out loud! By the way, we're called the FOOL FIGHTERS. We have only performed twice or three times and, at first we used to be a trio, but for the last show we had the pleasure to count on our dearest friend Willie on the second guitar. Here you go a video of our first concert. Enjoy it!
Collaborations
ME AND THE ARMY
On 20th and 27th September 2008, I played the bass and sang some backup vocals in the band ME AND THE ARMY -where my brother Marcos also plays the drums-. Two songs, "Berlin" and The Distillers' "Coral Fang". Later on, in March 2012, I would be taking the pictures of their new photo session. You can have a look at them on the Photography section of this very site.
And I think I performed with them once again later on, but I can't remember when, don't know where...
IDIOTERNE
In October/November 2008, I joined IDIOTERNE, one of the most powerful Spanish bands I've ever met. I played the second guitar and sang backup vocals in order to give them a hand in the release of their first album, "Idioterne" (Pupilo Records, 2008).
Our first show together was on 8th January 2009 and we performed in a few Spanish cities as part of that tour. I had become a big fan of them a few years before, and I think I'll always be. They kick ass!!! When I listen to the song on this video on the right... it still makes my hair stand on end!!!
PEN CAP CHEW
On 20th June 2009, I played the lead guitar and sang with my friends PEN CAP CHEW replacing lead singer Dani for just one show. It happened that they became finalists in a rock contest, but Dani was studying for an important exam, so he could not do that show. Then, David, their manager, phoned me telling me about the situation. So I checked out the songs at home and took a bus to their city for that weekend.
We rehearsed on the 19th in Marchena and performed on the 20th in Granada, at El Tren, although we couldn't even do a soundcheck before the show, 'cause we had had a car accident leaving the city... Anyway, lots of fun and rock & roll with another powerful Spanish band! You'd better check out this guys if you like alternative stoner rock!!!
BELGA
On 18th September 2009, I did something I thought I'd never do: to play the keyboard, the harmonica, the bass and sing back-up vocals in one show -but one instrument at once, of course-. It was with my friends BELGA, another underground band from Madrid. Lots of fun, a kind of show you will never see again, hehe!
This band was formed by Toño -coming from the band SELF STEREO- on guitar and vocals, Laura -former bass player of the bands VEIN and REZNIK- on bass and vocals, and her sister Sandra on drums -who would become LADY GRAPE drummer in the future-.
I don't have any photos or videos in this computer, and I haven't found anything on the internet related to that concert either. But I am sure there must be something somewhere... And I will upload it here when I find it.
THE HALFORD EXPERIENCE
The Halford Experience is a tribute band to JUDAS PRIEST, formed by members of ZINC, VECCHIAS, MOTOCICLÓN and a magnificent frontman. Some time in 2011, the drummer Dani got injured when he was skating or snowboarding, and they called me to replace him in a few shows.
I had to admit that I had only listened to a few songs of Judas Priest before and, after listening to the entire set list, I ended up loving that band. Maybe "Breaking the law" is their most famous song but, I don't know why, "Living after midnight" has become my favorite one.
You can watch a video from another show, performing "Metal Gods" and "Grinder" right here.
MOTOCICLÓN
Sometimes it happens that, when you are part of more than one band, some things in one may have an effect on the other. So this is what happened between Motociclón and The Halford Experience. Dani is the drummer in both bands, so when he got injured, Motociclón was having some shows ahead as well, so Robertez, one of the best frontmen I've ever met, phoned me and asked me to replace Dani in Motociclón as well.
I have to tell you that Dani is one of my favorite drummers in the world and I have learnt a lot by studying and rehearsing their songs. I had a great time playing with this band in a few Spanish cities. Heavy punk 'n' roll!!!
Outro
After all these years, I have played with all these people and really enjoyed doing it. Sometimes I may have done it really good, some other times I'm pretty sure I made my mistakes -due to the lack of time to practice or maybe just for being nervous- but it all was worth it. I made a lot of friends along the way, and I hope I can meet them soon again. Because all of this is what has made me be what I am now, because this is part of my story. And I would love to live it again. Cheers and rock and roll!
Chano.
20th January 2013
ALFONSO CRONOPIO TRIO
Back from the UK, I got a phone call from someone who wanted to recommend me to play drums with Alfonso Cronopio —founder leader of the 80's hardcore Spanish band TDeK— in a private party for the 50th birthday of himself and a few more friends of him. He needed a bass player too, so I recommended my brother Germán —NOUS bass player—. We had three rehearsals or so, and played nine songs. This happened in Madrid in July 2014...
Needless to say it was a huge honor and pleasure for us to play with such a musician. An amazing experience!