Radio Futura

The beginnings

In 1979, painter and synthesizer experimenter Herminio Molero gathered acquaintances to form a pop-rock band. The final selection included the Auserón brothers, Luis and Santiago, who wrote music reviews under the name 'Corazones Automáticos'; guitarist Enrique Sierra, formerly of Kaka de Luxe; and percussionist Javier Pérez Grueso. The band took its name from an Italian independent radio station. Molero blended electronic and traditional music, while Sierra added a punk touch.

Radio Futura soon became an iconic image of la Movida madrileña. After rehearsals and live performances, they released their first album Música Moderna in 1980, which brought unexpected success with the single 'Enamorado de la moda juvenil'. Molero and Pérez left due to disagreements over musical direction, leaving the trio of Santiago Auserón, Luis Auserón, and Enrique Sierra. In 1981 they recruited drummer Carlos Velázquez, known as Solrac, who had played on the first album. The new lineup decided to adopt a professional approach and shed their initial reputation as one-hit wonders.

The Quartet: a growing band

In 1981 the band recorded the single 'La estatua del jardín botánico', whose music video was one of the first produced in Spain, followed by 'Dance usted', which introduced a 'funky-punky' sound then virtually unknown in Spain. The band struggled to escape their contract with Hispavox, which wanted a second album with the same whimsical touch as the first, while the band sought to break free from that amateurish fad. They reached an agreement and signed with Ariola.

During this period they built a live repertoire while waiting for a new record deal. Their second album, La ley del desierto, la ley del mar, was released in 1984. The hiatus allowed them to work intensively on new songs, which they self-produced. The album, sonically different from the debut, became another commercial success, with the hit single 'Escuela de calor'.

Tracks such as 'Semilla Negra' introduced early hints of Latin rock based on an intellectualized foundation—frontman Santiago Auserón holds a degree in Philosophy—yet aimed at a general audience. This popular turn later became standard in Spain but was virtually unknown when Radio Futura began defining it.

Quintet: La Canción de Juan Perro

By 1986 the band sought new textures, clearer arrangements, and a rhythm section leaning toward Latin sounds while retaining a rock attitude. Drummer Carlos Torero joined, and Pedro Navarrete was added on keyboards. This lineup of three core members plus two session musicians recorded at Sigma Sound studio in New York City, owned then by Talking Heads, possibly the first time a Spanish band recorded in New York. Jo Dworniak produced again.

The resulting album, La Canción de Juan Perro, was released in May 1987. It took a more organic approach than its predecessor and included international hit singles such as '37 grados' and 'A Cara o Cruz'. The hiring of the Uptown Horns signaled a move toward traditional Spanish popular music. The New York sessions are recalled by the band as their finest.

The record became their biggest seller to date and is now considered by the band and critics as Radio Futura's finest effort. It established Latin rock based on Anglo-Saxon pop-rock but deeply rooted in Spanish popular music. Santiago Auserón said of the record, 'we want to lay the foundations of Hispanic Rock'. Beginning with this album, Auserón gave renewed importance to lyrics and became known as a fine lyricist.

Soon after the supporting tour began, Enrique Sierra was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and was temporarily replaced by Javier Monforte.

Veneno en la Piel, mass success and last releases

In 1989 the band toured again; Enrique Sierra fell ill and was temporarily replaced by Ollie Halsall. By the end of the year the band entered the studio with a new lineup: Antonio Vázquez on drums, Halsall retained alongside Sierra. Also in 1989, the band was elected by popular vote as the best Spanish band of the 1980s. In January 1990 they completed their last studio LP, Veneno en la piel. The self-produced album stayed faithful to the Latin rock of its predecessor, with a cleaner sound. It went straight to number one and remained there for weeks. After the tour, the members grew weary of the music business and the unprecedented money generated. Influenced by Sierra's health problems and Halsall's death due to an overdose in 1992, they decided to disband at the height of their careers.