Javier Gurruchaga: “Before there was censorship, now there is self-censorship”

Despite such an evocative title as I went to GBSJavier Gurruchaga rejects the description of being nostalgic for him. «It’s not about thinking about when the songs came out. People still listen to them and in that sense they are the songs of today”, explains the leader of the Mondragón Orchestra. Along with Vicky Larraz, Nacha Pop and Danza Invisible, among others, he will be one of the performers who will be at A Coruña tomorrow (Coliseum, 19:30, from 38 euros).

— Many of those who will go to see him met him in «Crystal ball” when they were children.

— Yes, children who are 50 or older today [risas].

“What did that mean?”

—Ball It was a great experience. It opened the door to television language. It was a great idea by Lolo Rico. It was called The fourth part and I was the “Fourth Man”. He suggested that I do five programs. As they wanted, I spent a year and a half with them.

—He became a very popular figure in the middle of the Spanish pop wave of the 80’s. Was the Mondragón Orchestra a bit aloof from all that?

— We coincided in time with a movement that was another denomination of journalists. There is talk about the Madrid scene, but many of us were from the provinces. We started earlier, in San Sebastián. Everything coincided with the change that was taking place in society, politically and culturally. We didn’t have much to do with each other, but there was a desire to renew.

— 47 years have passed. Will you be celebrating the 50th anniversary?

— I don’t care much about age. People retire and the like, but the opposite happens to me, I like doing something more and more. Now I will make a show about Lorca and a film about the career of the Mondragón Orchestra. In addition, I am with a show about Edgar Allan Poe and my concerts in cinemas with an orchestra.

—This summary explains very well why the Mondragón Orchestra was so different. Many things come together in his music.

— Of course, jazz, cabaret, movies, television, parodies… All this can be combined with the songs of Lou Reed, Frank Sinatra or Liza Minnelli. Or with the surreal world of Fellini.

— Do you think that some of your boards would have problems in 2023?

“Now there is another way to communicate.” Before there was censorship, now there is more self-censorship. We inflicted it on everyone. Times are changing, in some things for the better, and in others for the worse. Watch the Trump or Putin show. There are still dictatorships, ultra-religious mentalities… It’s all there. Also politically correct. All this affects us, because you are on the way. Today, you think more than once how to make a song. In a way, it’s a comeback.

—Do you think you could release songs like Strawberry and lemon joints or Fat people prefer them?

-I do not know. But it’s all there, published. Like many writers, a lot of dark humor. I don’t know if they will end up banning Edgar Allan Poe, the Marquis de Sade, Casanova or the Marx Brothers. Or the Rolling Stones. Well, they already censored themselves and removed the song from their live performances Brown sugar. This state of affairs is getting pretty annoying.