“I never wanted to be a rock and roll star”

Is this like football and is there an advantage to playing at home?

I don’t know, I haven’t been to Alicante for a long time. From some concerts in the Stereo room and Ocho y Medio almost ten years ago. I came back to play with Miguel Ríos, but not with anything of my own. But I think I have some advantages.

You don’t have a gold record, nor are you in the Top 40 or the Cadena 100. However, you went on Radio 3 and played with people like Miguel Ríos, Tequila or M-Clan and shared a record with Coque Malla or. Guille Milkyway has words of praise for you, your music, and your lyrics.

I carry well. I don’t think this is the only case of people who have nice words about them and have not had great success. I think there are a lot of us in that car. But I consider myself lucky, I’m living the life I want and it’s good for me. It’s always cool when they talk well about you.

As if you never wanted to be a rock and roll star…

No, I never wanted to be, but like most of us who do, you always want to reach more people. There was a time when Mr. Mustard thought he could make that leap, but then there are factors out of your control. But I never wanted to be a rock and roll star. It’s a life that wasn’t created for me, but I’d love to be known a little more because that’s what helps you keep doing things.

“I love acting in the tragicomic, don’t underestimate the humor or irony but the song takes me to it”

A magazine published a story about you as part of the “Musicians in the Shadows” series.

I am half. It is true that sometimes there is a my bestia difference between so-called session musicians and those who manage their own projects. To be honest, I don’t see myself in the shadows because I think all the people I play for are well known and take it upon themselves to get to know me. But hey, I think shadow musicians mean that side of the musician to others. In this sense, anyone who is a musician for others gets a little overshadowed, which is sometimes very comfortable because they don’t focus on you.

I understood this more as a kind of volunteerism, as if you were always on the verge of mass popularity.

After a long time, there are people who know a lot about my projects. What is certain is that the fans that Señor Mostaza has, or that I have, are always hard-won. We were a band that had not entered the independent festival circuit and that could have hurt us at some point. The same thing happens as A sunrise that is no small thing and we are very well known in 20 years. Then there are contradictions because Senor Mostaza has songs on spotify with 2 million listeners. We weren’t at the top of the bestseller list, but I think we got some recognition.

Musician Luis Prado. Ruben Salcedo

Let’s get to the lyrics. I would say sentences, everyday references and a song of love, heartbreak, complaint, and even protest… but with a filter of humor or irony.

It’s a little hard for me to avoid humor or the sentence that made you laugh a bit in the previous sentence. This is my way of composing. I have more serious songs, but songs that use irony get more attention. I am not sure. It’s an impression I got. I love acting in the tragicomic, don’t underestimate the humor or the irony, I like more when the song takes me to it or if you get too much love I can load it with a sentence.

Don’t you think your songs could be self-help songs in a way?

I do not see. That would be nice to think about, but I’m having a hard time seeing my songs act as self-help. Rather, they serve as an outlet, a reflection. They do not produce solutions, they present unsolvable situations.

If some of your songs are listened to by someone who doesn’t speak Spanish, they think it’s a ballad or a love song because of the music, but in reality, the lyrics don’t match at all.

Yes, this is a game that is also great when doing Spanish songs. You know for yourself when you are more original by putting it according to which sentence with a certain melody. I think we need to do something a little original. If you can clearly see a typical folk song in that melody, then you are not doing anything new. Another way something ironic works. In English rock, the music often overlaps with the lyrics. With exceptions. For example, Bowie has very strange words.

emotional tsunami It was your second solo album and now you are preparing a new album. Will you present any of the new songs in Alicante?

I don’t think so because the recording is still under construction. halfway It’s true that I’m trying to do something different with each concert and at the same time make a special version of a theme, but the bulk of the concert is usually emotional tsunami And my favorite fearsIn addition to the songs I did with Señor Mostaza.

“The fans that Señor Mostaza has or I have are always hand-picked”

The tween is less visible when the leader and voice of a group continue alone. What is left of Mr. Mostaza in Luis Prado?

many things. In fact, it was a kind of logistical break due to my inability to combine programs and at one point my body asked me to make songs that didn’t depend so much on a band’s sound. But it’s a very continuous trajectory because I’m back 100 percent songwriting at Señor Mostaza.

The Beatles, Leon Russell, Nina Simone… are you a little mythomaniac?

Not much at this point. You’re more of a mythomaniac when you’re younger. I still love to read biographies of musicians. I recently read a huge book about The Kinks that I love, but I think over time you always solve the mystery while also realizing how important the people you admire are. But I’m not much of a mythomaniac. The Beatles were a super reference for us when we were at The Flauters, but we loved seeing it. Rules, a parody of Monty Python’s about them. That’s why we also loved to laugh at the musicians we admire.

Can you imagine playing your red piano in front of 20,000 people like Luis Prado? If that were the case, would your music be something else?

Maybe a little yes, because it’s a situation I’m not in. Or no, I don’t think it would change much musically, it would have been the same. I think my concerts will be the same. It would be a huge quantum leap. Another situation is with what euphoria I will live if I experience this or feel more pressure. But no, musically I wouldn’t even change a comma because I did what I always wanted to do.

In Alicante, they will ask you which song they always play at their concerts?

My people don’t ask for certain songs much. There are some things that I know everyone knows, like below i am fat, but when they ask me for a song from the public, it’s a song I don’t normally play. Those who raise their voices are those who want something a little more unique.