He is so used to people turning around in his path that he doesn’t even notice it anymore. artist and man of great popular culture is like a moving Christmas tree who has always done his own thing, without giving in to the tyrannical fashions or musical trends imposed by the mainstream media. He has recorded albums that are impossible to classify –«Pop cañí», «Cutrelux», «Glam Zelestial»–, while he spread, and continues to spread, his musical wisdom in different radio programs, some of them historic. He was born in Iznatoraf (Arab heritage), in Jaén, but his homeland has no other flag than that of audacity and endless curiosity.
In the 80s he invented the “cutreLux”. Define it in your own words.
It’s a fun concept that we invented in the 80s that combined trashy and luxury, both words in quotation marks. It consists of taking everyday, ordinary things, like kitchen utensils and supermarket items, to “luxury”. They were winks. Like they did, but a different thing, Warhol and all that crap.
He had a show with that name, which was followed by another, “guarry-pop.” This was a scathing critique of the society of the time. Is it still relevant?
“Gurry-pop” never changes. Whether you like it or not, we are politicized by everything around us. Even if you want to be free, you are in the loop. The most logical thing would be to make a kind of mini-commune and make it less of a hassle to get into the system. But either you are a “clochard”, a vagabond, or you are in the middle of all this mess. It has always been like this, it is nothing new.
There are some 80s song titles that are priceless. Do you think there is a lack of imagination these days?
In the 60s, which is the decade I like the most, there are incredible titles. I think people have lost the fun aspect of music. That you can sing it when you’re washing your silver dishes, ha, ha, ha. Because I think music should be popular.
He is a lover of copla and pop. What do you think of reggaeton and trap, the genres that reign among young people today?
I find certain songs funny, but I’m not much of a reggaeton fan. I’ve isolated myself from that type of music because I find it monotonous. But if people like it and sing and dance to it, then okay.
He sang with Susana Estradaerotic myth of the Transition, the song “La banana” for a duets album. He couldn’t have chosen a better partner.
I knelt down when I saw her, I prayed to her a little. She is a very nice lady and very willing. These are songs to which you can give whatever meaning you want: “Banana is a fruit / that grows here in Spain. / Banana is a fruit, / that is from the Canary Islands. / Banana is very tasty / and it is sweeter than honey. / Banana, to eat it, / you have to remove its skin, / the skin, the skin, the skin, the skin.” And then she offers the banana: “Do you want a banana? / Look how beautiful it is. / If you want, I’ll peel it for you / and eat it later.” I can go from a Mahler symphony to a hit by Luis Aguilé or Georgie Dann, or one of the greats of Spanish pop music.
What was the Movida?
That’s what I say, ha, ha, ha. Things need to be given a name. After the Franco era, in 1975, when Paquito died, people really wanted freedom, to do things, and there was a Movida in every place. In Madrid there were neighbourhood movidas, the heavy metal, pop/rock, etc. But they have exaggerated it too much.
It was, in essence, a joy. A waste.
Yes. People were into it, they had fun, they were relaxed. Later they reformed musically and played better, but at first those who played well didn’t get a win. It was Spanish punk, so to speak.
What is glamour?
Simplicity, but with elegance. You have to be a star with a period and a comma.
Who is more elegant, you or Tamara Falcó?
Tamara Falcó? Who is that?
Radio is your second home. You have collaborated on programmes that remain in your memory, such as “Escápate, mi amor” (Radio 3). Will we always have radio?
The radio will remain because you can listen to it while you sweep the house. You have to pay attention to television with both eyes to see what filth they throw at you. I am very much into radio, I have always been involved in many programmes, on Radio 3, on SER, and I have met wonderful people who are no longer with us, like Françoise Hardy, and I am still on RNE 1 and Radio 5 Todo Noticias, where I have a section called “Quesitos”.
This section is entitled “Do you have a light?” Mr. Clavel: Do you have a light?
And what are you going to give me? Ha, ha, ha.