Hours before Robe’s latest tour launch, his musical project Robert Iniesta announced a new group, a move that exposes a persistent, restless energy in the artist. He remains firmly in the present, even as the past keeps tugging at him, especially after the rocky farewell of his former band.
“(Live Nation) sued me for 3 million euros over interviews I gave about the refunds and for calling them fools during the conversation,” he tells Efe, adding that his lawyer has advised him not to say more. The remark underscores how quickly reality collides with ambition in the spotlight.
The saga traces back to 2020, with the onset of the pandemic that stalled Extremoduro’s farewell tour first in fall and then in spring 2021. Iniesta recalls the moment vividly: the idea of a comeback was almost treated as a joke by some, and he faced public skepticism. He later vented that the notion of a joint sign-off was dismissed by others, who accused him of oversharing or misreading the moment.
By May 2021, organizers faced the impossibility of honoring the original capacity and arrangements, and plans for 2022 were scrapped due to what was termed a lack of availability. In August, Iniesta was informed that Live Nation had sent a burofax declaring the tour contract terminated, effectively canceling the run in their view. He contends that the decision stemmed from impatience and miscommunication, arguing that postponements should have been matches of honest timelines rather than abrupt endings.
“I simply argued that a contract cannot be stretched indefinitely after one postponement without clarity on whether the shows will ever happen. We would set a date when the pandemic subsides, but the other party did not have the patience. The contract was canceled and refunds were mishandled,” he asserts today.
The incident resurfaces as Robe’s tour commences this Saturday in Cáceres, with around 40 dates lined up, shaping what could be one of the longest tours of the year. The crew implemented measures like opening the box office 15 days before each show to prevent changes prompted by new restrictions, aiming to keep performances smooth for fans who have waited years for live music.
Iniesta reflects that his approach has often been seen as avant-garde or even reckless, yet he regards those decisions as ethical and legal responses to a volatile situation. One cannot simply buy a ticket and modify the terms on a whim, he notes.
For fans, a thread of anxiety runs through the interview. If it depended on him and his band, they would be busy mining new material, much of it inspired by the era of his acclaimed album Mayeutica (2021). However, the appetite for songs from his Extremoduro years remains strong, as followers seek the familiar energy of those songs even as new work evolves.
“You won’t catch me at home playing material that’s 25 years old, but when performed live, those songs take on a fresh sense of meaning,” he explains, citing rock anthems like So clown, Sucede, and Salir as enduring touchstones that still electrify audiences.
Among the new material is Incompresible, a track written during the Covid-19 quarantine that imagines building a world where things that seem utterly incomprehensible could be reimagined or avoided altogether. He frames art as a tool for awakening consciousness and offering new perspectives on how people relate to the planet and each other.
Iniesta confirms there is plenty of material for a forthcoming Robe album, but the live-included piece Inexplicable is merely a bridge to satisfy fans until the album lands, possibly in 2023. “Sure,” he replies with concise certainty. The tour will carry on through November 12, with stops that include San Cristóbal de La Laguna in Tenerife, shows that have already sold out and Madrid Escena on June 11, the Arab Alcazaba in Badajoz on June 22, the Pirineos Sur festival in Huesca on August 5, and appearances at Parc del Fórum and other venues in Barcelona on October 1, among others.
When asked about a future alongside legendary peers like the Rolling Stones amid his approaching 80s, he responds with a pragmatic, hopeful outlook. Retirement is not in sight. If physical limits arise, he would shift from standing to playing seated, or simply adapt in ways that keep the music alive. And if the pressure of touring grows too intense, he vows to keep making music in some form, underscoring a lifelong commitment to creation over silence.
In this spirit, Iniesta remains open to studio collaborations with artists who express admiration for his work. Danny Martin is mentioned as one such potential partner. “Music can be made with anyone,” he says, embracing a wide spectrum of styles, as long as the collaboration excites him. He also acknowledges that the pace of work has slowed when collaborating but insists that joint projects are valuable and enjoyable, even if they require a different rhythm than solo efforts.
In sum, Robe’s trajectory blends reverence for his past with a restless drive toward new sounds and ideas. The artist’s ability to navigate controversy, reinvent projects, and still deliver live energy speaks to a career defined as much by resilience as by recognizable, beloved anthems that continue to resonate with fans across generations. The road ahead holds both the promise of fresh material and the enduring pull of a catalog that has become a pillar of modern Spanish rock, inviting listeners to join him on a journey that feels less like a finish line and more like a perpetual opening act for what comes next (citation).