Artists Thursday 4                    Artists Friday 5 

SATURDAY 6

LAS CULEBRAS

Pamplona was the city where this band of indomitable rockers was born in 2005. Las Culebras is composed by Olaia Heep (guitar and voice), Kriss Teen (guitar and voice), Marga Malaria (bassist and voice) and Dani Piton (drums). Showing their different influences that include Stooges, Kiss, Black Sabbath or The Runaways, Ramones, New York Dolls, MC5… in 2006 they release a rough cut that will be the prelude of their first work entitled as the band’s name and published the following year. This album composed of 11 songs of pure adrenalitic rock and roll, got very good critics in the specialized press. At the end of 2007 the only male of the band, the drummer Dani Piton, leaves the band and is substituted by Karmen Kobra. The band formed in Navarra has been awarded with the prize for the best Basque band in the Villa de Bilbao 2008 contest and with it, the opportunity to play in this new Azkena Rock Festival edition.

myspace

THE ROYAL CREAM

The Royal Cream is a rock and roll band formed in Stockholm. Their musical roots are based on the 60’s and 70’s music. Among their recordings, their LP “Death is Not A Destination, It’s A State Of Mind” (2005) stand up together with the 2006 EP “Musical Sensationalism”. Their music mixes punk, blues, soul and rock and among the artists that have influenced them are Neil Young, Thin Lizzy, Velvet Underground or Sex Pistols. As a curiosity, The Hellacopters have recorded their song “Darling Darling” in their farewell versions album “Head Off”. The lyrics of The royal tell about far lost loves or perhaps about phantoms that follow us, about broken hearts and everyday life’s frustrations. Strength and melody could define the music of the Scandinavian band.

myspace

SEX MUSEUM

Sex Museum is, without any doubt, one of the greatest legends of the Spanish rock. Formed in Madrid in 1985, during these first years they started to demonstrate the potential of their live sound and in 1987 they started to perform outside the country, something that will become usual during their career. That same year they released their first LP “Fuzz Face” followed by others such as “Independence“ or “Nature’s Way”. In 1993 they recorded they first live album “Thee Fabulous And Furry Sex Museum”, and the following year they released “Sparks” and opened the Deep Purple concerts in Spain. In 1996 they recorded “Sum” and the year after they decided to have a break in their career. They came back in 2000 with the release of “Sonic” and two years after they did the same with “Speedkings”. In 2003 a new live album came out entitled “Fly By Night” in CD and DVD format and in 2006 they released their last studio album under the name “United” for which Javi Vacas joined the band composed of the Pardo brothers playing the bass. On February 2008 it has seen the light the compilation “15 Hits That Never Were”, their last album at the moment.

www.sexmuseumrock.com

BABY WOODROSE

JOHN CALE & BAND

John Cale is pure modern music history. This 66 years old Welsh, The Velvet Underground’ co-founder together with Lour Reed, gave the minimalist and intimate touch to the band. Cale has also worked producing artists such as The Stooges or Patti Smith. If we focus in his solo career, albums such as “Paris 1919” (1973), "Music For A New Society" (1982), or the intimate live work in "Fragments Of A Rainy Season" (1992) are outstanding. We cannot neither forget their last albums “Black Acetate (2005) and the live “Circus Live (2007), a double CD gathering live recordings between 2004 and 2006 where he revisits songs of his whole career with new arrangements. Compositions that Cale will expand in Vitoria’ s air in his Azkena Rock Festival´s performance. Do not loose one of the biggest innovators of the contemporary music.

www.johncale.com

LOS LOBOS

Los Lobos started in Los Angeles in the 60´s versioning their own contemporaries. It is in the 70’s when they begin to mix up rhythms and to create a personal style. Their musical moulds are build from blues, rockabilly, jazz, tex-mex rhythm and blues and the traditional Mexican music, which make them one of the most unique and distinctive bands of America. In 1984 they release “How Will The Wolf Survive?” with a big record company and they get the recognition of audience and critic. Short after they record an album of Richie Valens’ versions with the classical theme La Bamba after which they became famous all over the world. They celebrated their 20th anniversary with “Just Another Band From East LA”, a double CD including rarities and some of their most important singles. They already have a long list of albums, and the last one is “The Town and the City” (2006).

www.loslobos.org

THE GUTTER TWINS

The Gutter Twins is the band where two rock classical singers have joined their strengths: Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whighs) and Mark Lanegan (The Screaming Trees). In 2007 this project started functioning when the Pitchfork media web announces that the alliance between these two great musicians, defined as “two of the greatest front men of the alternative rock era”, has signed for the label Sub Pop. No sooner said than done, last March 4th “Saturnlia”, their first discography word, saw the light. The band already started its live activity some months ago and they even appeared in the mythic US David Letterman’s “Late Nigth” last March 20th. Two geniuses reflecting once more in their songs the darkest emotions of their hearts with feeling and depth.

myspace

THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION

After the breaking Pussy Galore´s breaking off, Jon Spencer does not loose his time and founds the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. In 1992 with Steve Albini as leader, they release their homonym debut album replete with punk and flaming blues followed by a second work that same year under the title “Crypt Style” where they include a version of the mythic Jerry Lee Lewis. “Extra Width” (1993) and “Orange” (1994) are their next works, the last one based on blues rock and soul sounds. The albums “Now I Got Worry”, “Acme” (1998), “Xtra-Acme” (1999) and “Plastic Fang” (2002) complete their discography with the name of their leader before the band’s denomination. In 2004 with the release of “Damage”, the denomination of the band is shorten up to Blues Explosion. Martina Topley-Bird and one of the leaders of Public Enemy, Chuck D., collaborate in this album. The powerful trio is composed of Jon Spencer (guitar and voice), Judah Bauer (guitar and voice) and Russell Simins

www.thejonspencerbluesexplosion.com

THE JAYHAWKS

These US folk rock leaders joined together in 1985 with guitarist and vocalist Gary Louris and Mark Olson heading the band. After their two first works “The Jayhawks” and “Blue Earth” in the independent field, George Drakoulias from the Def American label was interested in them and in 1992 they recorded the album “Hollywood Town Hall” followed by the ’95 album “Tomorrow The Green Grass”. That same year, Olson leaves the band to spend more time with his family. Already with Louris as the main head of the band, they release “Sound Of Lies” (1997) and, produced by the legendary Bob Ezrin, they release “Smile” (2000), and album closer to the pop sound. In 2003 they come back to their acoustic and country roots with “Rainy Day Music”. The return of the yearned Mark Olson to the band in the Azkena Rock Festival 2008 will be an unavoidable experience for their fans.

www.jayhawksfanpage.com

DINOSAUR JR.

To talk about Dinosaur Jr. is to speak about one of the most influent bands of the alternative 90’s rock. The band was formed at the beginning of the 80’s with J. Mascis (guitar and voice), Lou Barlow (bassist) and Murph (drums) as the original members although Mascis has been the only constant member in all the groups. Their first album entitled “Dinosaur” was recorded in 1985 and presents a good sample of what was going to become a long musical trajectory of the band; sharp and noisy guitars, a melodic voice and several influences such as Neil Young’s. After the recording of “Bug”, Barlow abandons the band and forms Sebadoh. In 1991 the band comes back to the market with the album “Green Mind” and the entrance of Mike Johnson as the bassist. In this album, while keeping their hallmark, there are still several changes in the way of treating the songs. In 1997, the release of “Hand It Over” closes Dinosaur Jr’s second stage. In 2005 the original band’s formation comes back touring and in 2007 they edit their last album entitled “Beyond”.

www.dinosaurjr.com

DUFF MCKAGAN’S LOADED

There are musicians who do not need introduction with such a trajectory behind them. One of these examples is Duff Mckagan. This renowned musician from Seattle will be remembered as the guitarist of one of the biggest bands of the hard rock history, weather some people like it or not: Guns N Roses. Settled in Los Angeles, Duff was always the punk spirit of the band as he demonstrated in his solo works or with Neurotic Outsiders, the band he shared, among others, with Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols. Another of the blond bassist’s groups is Loaded, created in 1999. The band has survived after the stop that Velvet Revolver is suffering at the moment. Loaded has two albums “Live Episode”, released the same year as the band’s foundation and “Dark Days”, released in 2001. The band is recording a new album at the moment that will come out at the end of this year. Its members are McKagan himself as guitarist and vocalist, Geoff Reading as drummer, Jeff Rouse as bassist and Mike Squires as guitarist.

myspace

ORANGE GOBLIN

Orange Goblin is a British domo metal band formed in 1995, initially under the name Our Haunted Kingdom. In 1997 they release their debut album “Frequencies From Planet Ten” and later another five more albums, “The Travelling Blues” (1998), “The Big Black” (2000), “Coup De Grace” (2002), “Thieving From The House Of God” (2004) and “Healing Through Fire” (2007), all of them with the label Rise Above Records except the last one launched by Sanctuary. The band is composed of Ben Ward (voice and guitars), Joe Hoare (guitar), Martyn Millard (bass) and Chris Turner (drums). Among the groups they have played with during their career are Heaven & Hell, Monster Magnet, Alice Cooper or Dio. Strong, stone, dense and intense sounds define the music of this band.

www.orangegoblin.com