Sangtraït
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 in La Jonquera, Catalonia, Spain |
| Defunct | December 20, 2001 |
| Headquarters | La Jonquera , Spain |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Sangtraït was a Catalan band known for their blend of hard rock and heavy metal, occasionally infused with fantasy and medieval motifs alongside modern subject matter. Established in 1982 in La Jonquera, they set themselves apart from other groups of their era.[1]
Their prominence rose notably during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, propelled by popular tracks such as "El vol de l'home ocell" (*The Flight of the Bird-Man*), "Somnis entre boires" (*Dreams Amidst the Fog*), and "Els senyors de les pedres" (*The Lords of the Stones*).
The group concluded their career with a final performance on 20 December 2001 at Razzmatazz in Barcelona, marking their official disbandment.[2]
1979–1988
Sangtraït’s roots trace back to the summer of 1979 at the residence of Quim Mandado in La Jonquera, where he played piano alongside Josep M. Coro on classical guitar. Both aged 17, they shared a passion for blues and rock music.
Soon, additional musicians joined the ensemble: La Lupe, Papa Juls, Xavi Rodriguez, and French drummer Patrick. Their repertoire consisted mainly of blues and Beatles covers. To afford improved instruments, some members took up firefighting jobs, balancing their employment with musical rehearsals. Performing under the name Los Bomberos Atómicos, they delivered renditions of rock'n'roll classics and a Catalan adaptation of "The House of the Rising Sun" originally by the Animals.
This formation laid the groundwork for Sangtraït, featuring La Lupe (guitar/vocals), Quim (bass), Josep M. (guitar), Xavier Rodríguez (keyboards), Víctor Rodríguez (drums), with Papa Juls contributing to theatrical projects and harmonica parts. Early collaborators included Valentín López, Emerio Marc, F. Solà, and Marc González, who eventually became the band's lead vocalist.[3]
1988–1992
In 1988, Marc Gonzàlez departed from the group, prompting Quim Mandado to assume vocal duties. Subsequently, La Lupe and Martín Rodríguez recorded a demo containing three tracks: "El Vol de l'home ocell" (*The Flight of the Bird-Man*), "Els senyors de les pedres" (*The Lords of the Stones*), and "Buscant una dona" (*Looking for a Woman*).
Their debut album, Els Senyors de les Pedres (*The Lords of the Stones*), was financed by Picap and recorded at Aurha Studios located in Esplugues. This release achieved sales nearing 10,000 copies and resulted in over thirty live performances. Additionally, they contributed the song "Neu" (*Snow*) to the holiday compilation Tocats del Nadal.
The follow-up album Terra de Vents (*Land of Winds*) arrived in 1990, featuring songs such as "Sang en el fang" (*Blood in the Mud*) and its title track. Their inaugural concert in Barcelona was held at Studio 54 on 17 May.
By 1991, L'Últim Segell (*The Last Seal*) had sold approximately 90,000 copies and supported a tour consisting of 120 shows. A highlight was their performance on 14 June at Palau Sant Jordi alongside Sopa de Cabra, Sau, and Els Pets, attracting an audience of 22,104 attendees. This event was documented through a live album and video titled Sangtraït al Palau Sant Jordi.
1993–2000
In 1993, the group produced their fifth studio album, Contes i Llegendes (*Tales and Legends*), featuring contributions from Jordi Armengol and Lluís Llach, who paid homage to Freddie Mercury through a special performance.
Although no album was released in 1994, the band took part in the 20th anniversary celebration of Companyia Elèctrica Dharma with the song "Ciutats" (*Cities*) and gave a concert in Madrid. The following year, 1995, saw the release of Eclipsi (*Eclipse*), an album that captured the waning phase of the Catalan rock scene, accompanied by a CD-ROM containing detailed information about the band.
Towards the end of 1996, they unveiled Noctàmbulus (*Nightwalker*), notable for its provocative cover art depicting an angel and a devil sharing a kiss. Additionally, they launched their official website, which was managed by guitarist Josep M. Corominas.
In 1997, the band recorded a Catalan-language rendition of Elvis Presley’s "Burning Love" for the compilation album Tributo al Rey. Two years later, in 1999, they took part in a tribute concert honoring Carles Sabater at Palau Sant Jordi and released L'altre Cantó del Mirall (*The Other Side of the Mirror*), which included the single "El bosc de formigó" (*The Concrete Forest*).
2001: Farewell
Their final concert took place on 20 December 2001 at Razzmatazz in Barcelona, an event that was recorded and issued as the live album L'Últim Concert (*The Last Concert*). The band's concluding official appearance occurred on 5 September 2002 at Sala Mephisto in Barcelona, coinciding with the release of a double album and DVD documenting that farewell performance.
In 2003, Picap released Entre Amics (*Among Friends*), a collection of rare tracks, followed by a compilation of ballads titled Crits de Silenci (*Silent Cries*) in 2005. Although speculation about reunions emerged over time, none were officially confirmed. A thorough biography of the band was published in 2013 by journalist Ivan Allué.
Post-band projects
- In 2003, Martín Rodríguez collaborated with Rockson to release the album AM/FM.
- Quim Mandado debuted his solo work with Eclosió (*Eclosion*) also in 2003.
- Lupe Villar participated in the 2008 project Kcor D Rock with XII AMC, which involved translating heavy metal songs into Catalan; he later released "Profanacció" (*Profanation*) alongside Lupe Villar & The Rejects in 2020.
- In 2009, Martín Rodríguez and Quim Mandado joined forces with Joan Cardoner to form Los Guardianes del Puente (LGP), producing two albums before disbanding in 2020 following Rodríguez's passing.
- Josep Maria Coromines teamed up with Martín Rodríguez to establish Barbablanca in 2012.
- Papa Juls created Papa Juls Blues Band in 2011.
- Most recently, in 2023, Quim Mandado formed a new ensemble featuring his sons and Joan Cardoner, performing material drawn from Sangtraït, LGP, as well as his solo repertoire.
Milestones
- On 3 January 2020, Martín Rodríguez passed away in Figueres at age 64; he was born on 14 September 1955 in Cumbres Mayores (Huelva).
1982–1984
- Marc Gonzàlez – lead vocals
- Quim Mandado – bass guitar
- Josep M. Corominas – guitar
- Lupe Villar – guitar
- Papa Juls – harmonica
- Víctor Rodríguez – drums
1985–1988
- Marc Gonzàlez – lead vocals
- Quim Mandado – bass guitar
- Josep M. Corominas – guitar
- Lupe Villar – guitar
- Papa Juls – harmonica
- Martín Rodríguez – drums
1988–2001
- Quim Mandado – bass, vocals, keyboards
- Josep M. Corominas – guitar
- Lupe Villar – guitar
- Papa Juls – saxophone, harmonica
- Martín Rodríguez – drums
Studio albums
- Els Senyors de les Pedres (1988)
- Terra de Vents (1990)
- L'Últim Segell (1991)
- Contes i Llegendes (1993)
- Eclipsi (1995)
- Noctàmbulus (1996)
- L'Altre Cantó del Mirall (1999)
Live albums
- Al Palau Sant Jordi (live) (1992)
- L'Últim Concert (2002)
Video albums
- Vídeos, concerts i rock&roll DVD (2002)
Compilations / other releases
- Entre amics (2003)
- Crits de Silenci (2005)
Other recordings
- "Neu" (*Snow*), featured on Tocats del Nadal (Picap, 1988)
- "Ciutats!" (*Cities!*), performed live alongside Companyia Elèctrica Dharma (Picap, 1994)
- "Foc d'amor" (*Fire of Love*), Catalan adaptation of Elvis Presley’s "Burning Love" (Picap, 1997)
- "És inútil continuar" (*It Is Useless to Continue*), a tribute dedicated to Carles Sabater (Picap, 2000)
- "La gran nit del Sant Jordi 14 de juny de 1991" (*The Great Night of 14 June 1991 at Sant Jordi*), a documentary capturing the concert at Palau Sant Jordi
- ↑ Allue Montilla, Ivan (2013). Sangtrait. Vint anys emprenyant als veïns. Jonquera: Quarentena. p. 168. ISBN 9788415191735. Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ↑ "Sangtraït es retira a la Razzmatazz". La Vanguardia. 2001-12-20.
- ↑ "Sangtraït in the Gran Enciclopedia Catalana". Gran Enciclopedia Catalana. Retrieved 2014-03-09.