His aim was to uncover hidden gems from top secret Spanish sources, validating the extraordinary work of artists who thrived beyond the public realm. What emerges, almost by accident, is a vibrant history of popular music in the 60s and 70s. The book tells a compelling story of a musical transition, where rock acquired a Spanish-origin name. It’s an engaging journey through the discs, presented in the exact order they were rediscovered.
Journalists Juan Puchades (Valencia, 1965) and Cesar Campoy (Valencia, 1973) began writing their book Top 100 Spanish Rock Albums of the 60s and 70s (Efe Eme) with great momentum, not waiting for the first edition to sell out in weeks. The project’s momentum has continued, with a second edition already in progress. In a country where Movida and even indie still carry considerable influence, and where music before Radio Futura, Alaska, Nacha Pop, Los Planetas, and Vetusta Morla often fades from attention, this work stands out as a notable achievement that deserves reader attention.
Cover of Juan Puchades and César Campoy’s Top 100 Spanish Rock Albums of the 60s and 70s. Archive
Information against stereotypes
The authors clearly enjoyed the process, and their pages radiate that enthusiasm. They explain that quality and originality took priority, noting that many early 1960s bands performed covers of international songs that offered little originality. Yet some groups translated and adapted tunes into Spanish, sometimes adding new elements that aligned with local culture. Rock, they point out, began in the United States and spread worldwide, including across Spain. The decade highlighted brave albums and bold moves by artists such as Lone Star, Cheyennes, Wild, Hurricanes, and Lightening, while solo careers by figures like Juan Pardo and Mickey added depth to the narrative. The aim is to dismantle stereotypes and showcase authentic contributions that deserve broader recognition.
Campoy expands on the same idea, celebrating a wide roster of names and urging readers to look beyond established stars. The book honors fearless musicians whose discographies are strong despite limited acclaim, from bands with scarce commercial claims to those who salvaged overlooked material. It also highlights the emergence of groups that connected Los Bravos to a national sound and recalls how the Zafiro/Novola label sought to mirror the Los Brincos model that reshaped the Spanish music scene.
A fusion from far back
The narrative foregrounds personality, originality, and cultural pride. Many of these musicians drew from regional identities, a factor especially relevant during a period of rapid creative expansion. The book notes a surge of new acts across Spain, with artists like Rosalía, Bronquio, Baiuca, Rodrigo Cuevas, Califato ¾, and Sandra Monfort cited as contemporary examples of regional and hybrid music scenes. The fusion of local sensibilities with international trends, including electronica, reggaeton, and hip hop, is a recurring theme. In the 70s, a Latin-inflected sound gained traction in artists such as Barabbas, illustrating an external projection that predated the internet era and required cross-continental collaboration for recognition. Fernando Arbex’s 1970s work is highlighted as a notable example of this broader reach.
Progressive and psychedelic threads emerged soon after, with Andalusian and Mediterranean rock shaping a distinct regional flavor. The book references pivotal acts and regional talents from Valencia to Catalonia, the Basque Country, Euskadi, and Galicia. It notes how some artists released material in their own languages, a practice once constrained by censorship but later embraced for its musical and cultural value. The discussion includes how flamenco elements appeared in certain arrangements and how regional voices contributed to a broader Spanish rock vocabulary. The narrative emphasizes the early pairing of lyrical depth with regional musical idioms as a hallmark of the era.
Important names
The authors reveal the surprising international dimension of the scene. They discuss how a Swiss and an Italian sought musicians in Franco’s Spain to help their acts succeed abroad. Two influential producers from that era, Alain Milhaud and Rafael Trabuccelli, appear repeatedly in the story, noted for their work with Los Bravos and Miguel Ríos. The book documents a Spanish industry eager to export, with Hispavox and the Torrelaguna sound packaging many bands for Latin America. Campoy adds that a German artist contributed to Los Bravos, underscoring the European cross-pollination behind Spanish-pop productions. The collectible anecdotes about producers, arrangers, and the international ambitions around these acts illuminate the global nature of the period.
The authors also reflect on the quieter voices that deserve attention. They highlight musicians who never charted widely but offered significant contributions and hinted at a coming wave of new music. When asked to name the most representative bands or musicians of the era, Campoy favors Los Brincos for the 1960s and Cánovas, Rodrigo, Adolfo and Guzmán for the 1970s. Puchades acknowledges that Los Brincos were a pivotal force akin to a local Beatles, while noting that Cánovas, Rodrigo, Adolfo, and Guzmán are a cult favorite whose influence remains strong among critics and dedicated fans. These reflections anchor the book’s celebration of enduring, if sometimes overlooked, musical pioneers.