Alaska (singer)
Encyclopedia
Alaska is a Spanish
- Mexican
singer, dj, and TV personality famous in Spain
and Latin America
. She was of the main characters in the so called Movida the cultural movement following the Franco dictatorship in Spain. This movement in which music, arts, cinema and fashion erupted and collided to confirm the actual society Spain had become under Franco. She has participated since the last part of the seventies in several groups of different success: Kaka de Luxe 1977, Alaska y los Pegamoides 1980, Alaska y Dinarama
1983 and since 1989 the duet Fangoria (band)
. She is also one of Mexico's and Spain's main gay icon
s.
Her father was a Spaniard exiled during the Spanish Civil War
and her mother a Cuba
n exiled by Castro
.
Some years before Francisco Franco
died, her parents decided to move back to Spain.
Alaska was a big fan of Lou Reed
, T-Rex, etc., but David Bowie
was her biggest influence. She even told her mother that she would love to be a boy just to be gay. The birth of punk also had a big influence on the young Alaska, who soon decided to form a band. She went to El Rastro
(Madrid
flea market
) looking for band members, where she met Nacho Canut
and Carlos Berlanga
.
In 1977, she, along with Fernando Márquez, Nacho Canut
, Carlos Berlanga and Enrique Sierra, among others, formed the band Kaka de Luxe, one of the first Spanish punk rock
bands. Alaska played the bass guitar
. In 1979 Gara, Canut, Berlanga, Ana Curra and Eduardo Benavente formed the band Alaska y los Pegamoides. Alaska was lead singer for the first time with Pegamoides. They took the name as a tribute to one of the bands they admired: Siouxsie and the Banshees. Due to some artistic differences, Carlos Berlanga left Pegamoides and with Nacho Canut they formed Dinarama. At this time Eduardo Benavente and Ana Curra were very involved in Parálisis Permanente
, one of the first gothic bands in Spain. A few months after Carlos Berlanga left the band, Pegamoides split up. In 1982, Alaska joined Dinarama and the band released their first album in 1983 Canciones Profanas under the name of Dinarama + Alaska. The band took the name of Alaska y Dinarama with their following album Deseo carnal and they kept this name until 1989 when Carlos Berlanga left Dinarama, in the middle of their tour for the last album Fan Fatal where all songs are tribute to the bands they admired and loved: Ramones
, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Michael Jackson
, Depeche Mode
, Aviador Dro
, Parálisis Permanente
, etc. As Dinarama they have released some of the finest songs of Spanish pop music, and without any doubt Dinarama has been one of the most influential bands in the history of Spanish music.
Once Dinarama splits up, Nacho Canut and Alaska adopt the name of Fangoria. They changed their style of music to electronic pop, in the style of Pet Shop Boys
. They released their first album Salto Mortal with Hispavox, their record company since Pegamoides. After that they left the company and released a trilogy with different independent companies: Un día cualquiera en Vulcano I, Un día cualquiera en Vulcano II and Un día cualquiera en Vulcano III. They did not play many concerts despite the fact that some said their music is fantastic. It was in this period that Alaska became an icon for the LGBT community
and became very active supporting Madrid
Gay Pride
.
Subterfuge, an important indie company released Fangoria's next album: Una temporada en el infierno, considered by some a masterpiece of electronic music. Fangoria started selling loads of CDs and the band became very popular. Another album with Subterfuge, Naturaleza muerta proved that Fangoria was an amazing electronic band and Alaska a fantastic performer. Some differences with Subterfuge forced Fangoria to leave. DRO (Warner) released their following album: Arquitectura Efímera.
In the last part of the 1980s, Alaska was the host of the hip children's TV show La Bola de Cristal
.
In 2006, British artist Jack Lucien revealed on his MySpace
that he would be sampling Alaska's A quién le importa on a new album. Although it did not end up on the album, the song leaked in June 2008. This isn't the first time A quién le importa has received attention in modern popular culture.
For discography, see the Fangoria
page.
In 1980, Alaska appeared as Bom in the Pedro Almodóvar
film Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón
. She has had cameo roles in several films like Airbag, Más que amor, frenesí, etc.
She has collaborated on such soundtracks as The Killer Tongue (La Lengua Asesina) with Robert Englund
, The Bear Cub (Cachorro), Bandid Lover (Amante Bandido) in Miguel Bosé
's Papito
(2007), etc.
In 2006, Fangoria visited México to promote their new album El Extraño Viaje. Alaska appeared on two sketches of Telehit's Desde Gayola
(a Mexican parody show), the first one she apperared as herself in an interview with Tesorito, the second one playing the character of Galaxia (a DJ) with Supermana, Chef Ornica & Manigüis. Clips of her appearance are very popular on YouTube
.
, upon being alerted to Fangoria
's music video "El Cementerio De Mis Sueños" ("the cemetery of my dreams") by a reader of her column on www.salon.com, had the following to say about Alaska in her column dated January 10, 2008:
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
singer, dj, and TV personality famous in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. She was of the main characters in the so called Movida the cultural movement following the Franco dictatorship in Spain. This movement in which music, arts, cinema and fashion erupted and collided to confirm the actual society Spain had become under Franco. She has participated since the last part of the seventies in several groups of different success: Kaka de Luxe 1977, Alaska y los Pegamoides 1980, Alaska y Dinarama
Alaska y Dinarama
Alaska y Dinarama was a Spanish electro-pop band formed by Olvido Gara, Ignacio "Nacho" Canut Guillen and Carlos Garcia Berlanga de Manrique in 1982. The group was popular and influential during La Movida Madrileña...
1983 and since 1989 the duet Fangoria (band)
Fangoria (band)
Fangoria is an electro-pop band, the brainchild of Alaska and Nacho Canut. They have sold over 1,200,000 CDs.In 1977 Alaska, along with Nacho Canut and Carlos Berlanga, formed the band Alaska y los Pegamoides. Later, in 1982, they changed the name to Alaska y Dinarama...
. She is also one of Mexico's and Spain's main gay icon
Gay icon
A gay icon is a public figure who is embraced by many within :lesbian, :gay, :bisexual and :transgender communities...
s.
Her father was a Spaniard exiled during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and her mother a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n exiled by Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
.
Some years before Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
died, her parents decided to move back to Spain.
Alaska was a big fan of Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, T-Rex, etc., but David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
was her biggest influence. She even told her mother that she would love to be a boy just to be gay. The birth of punk also had a big influence on the young Alaska, who soon decided to form a band. She went to El Rastro
El Rastro
El Rastro de Madrid or simply el Rastro is the most popular open air flea market in Madrid . It is held every Sunday and public holiday during the year and is located along Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, between Calle Embajadores and the Ronda de Toledo .A great variety of products ...
(Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
) looking for band members, where she met Nacho Canut
Nacho Canut
Nacho Canut is the bass player and one of the main composers of the band Fangoria.He also was in the groups Alaska y los pegamoides and Alaska y dinarama together with Carlos Berlanga and Alaska....
and Carlos Berlanga
Carlos Berlanga
Carlos Berlanga, born Carlos García Berlanga, was a Spanish musician, composer and painter.Berlanga was born in Madrid, Spain....
.
In 1977, she, along with Fernando Márquez, Nacho Canut
Nacho Canut
Nacho Canut is the bass player and one of the main composers of the band Fangoria.He also was in the groups Alaska y los pegamoides and Alaska y dinarama together with Carlos Berlanga and Alaska....
, Carlos Berlanga and Enrique Sierra, among others, formed the band Kaka de Luxe, one of the first Spanish punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands. Alaska played the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. In 1979 Gara, Canut, Berlanga, Ana Curra and Eduardo Benavente formed the band Alaska y los Pegamoides. Alaska was lead singer for the first time with Pegamoides. They took the name as a tribute to one of the bands they admired: Siouxsie and the Banshees. Due to some artistic differences, Carlos Berlanga left Pegamoides and with Nacho Canut they formed Dinarama. At this time Eduardo Benavente and Ana Curra were very involved in Parálisis Permanente
Parálisis Permanente
Parálisis Permanente was a Spanish post-punk band from the 1980s, noted for being the precursors of the "dark sound" of the Movida Madrileña.-Biography:...
, one of the first gothic bands in Spain. A few months after Carlos Berlanga left the band, Pegamoides split up. In 1982, Alaska joined Dinarama and the band released their first album in 1983 Canciones Profanas under the name of Dinarama + Alaska. The band took the name of Alaska y Dinarama with their following album Deseo carnal and they kept this name until 1989 when Carlos Berlanga left Dinarama, in the middle of their tour for the last album Fan Fatal where all songs are tribute to the bands they admired and loved: Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Aviador Dro
Aviador Dro
Aviador Dro is an electronic band from Spain that formed in Madrid in 1979 with influences such as Gary Numan, Devo and Kraftwerk. They were part of the Movida Madrileña...
, Parálisis Permanente
Parálisis Permanente
Parálisis Permanente was a Spanish post-punk band from the 1980s, noted for being the precursors of the "dark sound" of the Movida Madrileña.-Biography:...
, etc. As Dinarama they have released some of the finest songs of Spanish pop music, and without any doubt Dinarama has been one of the most influential bands in the history of Spanish music.
Once Dinarama splits up, Nacho Canut and Alaska adopt the name of Fangoria. They changed their style of music to electronic pop, in the style of Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. They released their first album Salto Mortal with Hispavox, their record company since Pegamoides. After that they left the company and released a trilogy with different independent companies: Un día cualquiera en Vulcano I, Un día cualquiera en Vulcano II and Un día cualquiera en Vulcano III. They did not play many concerts despite the fact that some said their music is fantastic. It was in this period that Alaska became an icon for the LGBT community
Gay icon
A gay icon is a public figure who is embraced by many within :lesbian, :gay, :bisexual and :transgender communities...
and became very active supporting Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
Gay Pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
.
Subterfuge, an important indie company released Fangoria's next album: Una temporada en el infierno, considered by some a masterpiece of electronic music. Fangoria started selling loads of CDs and the band became very popular. Another album with Subterfuge, Naturaleza muerta proved that Fangoria was an amazing electronic band and Alaska a fantastic performer. Some differences with Subterfuge forced Fangoria to leave. DRO (Warner) released their following album: Arquitectura Efímera.
In the last part of the 1980s, Alaska was the host of the hip children's TV show La Bola de Cristal
La Bola de Cristal
La Bola de Cristal was a Spanish TV Show that aired on TVE from 1984 to 1988. The show was the brainchild of Spanish writer Dolores Rico Oliver and was conducted by pop singer Alaska...
.
In 2006, British artist Jack Lucien revealed on his MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
that he would be sampling Alaska's A quién le importa on a new album. Although it did not end up on the album, the song leaked in June 2008. This isn't the first time A quién le importa has received attention in modern popular culture.
For discography, see the Fangoria
Fangoria (band)
Fangoria is an electro-pop band, the brainchild of Alaska and Nacho Canut. They have sold over 1,200,000 CDs.In 1977 Alaska, along with Nacho Canut and Carlos Berlanga, formed the band Alaska y los Pegamoides. Later, in 1982, they changed the name to Alaska y Dinarama...
page.
In 1980, Alaska appeared as Bom in the Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar Caballero is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Almodóvar is arguably the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular...
film Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón
Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón
Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón is a 1980 Spanish film, a campy comedy, written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Starring Carmen Maura, Alaska and Eva Siva...
. She has had cameo roles in several films like Airbag, Más que amor, frenesí, etc.
She has collaborated on such soundtracks as The Killer Tongue (La Lengua Asesina) with Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
, The Bear Cub (Cachorro), Bandid Lover (Amante Bandido) in Miguel Bosé
Miguel Bosé
Miguel Dominguín Bosé is a Latin Grammy-winning Spanish/Italian musician and actor.-Early life:Bosé was born in San Fernando Hospital in Panama City, Panama, the son of the famous Italian actress Lucia Bosé and the legendary bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguín. He is also a cousin of Carmen...
's Papito
Papito (album)
Papito is an album released by Spanish pop singer Miguel Bosé to celebrate his 30 years in the Music industry. The album includes 14 tracks of previously known hit songs by the artist, in reworked versions in collaboration with many artists including Juanes, Shakira, Amaia Montero, Ricky Martin,...
(2007), etc.
In 2006, Fangoria visited México to promote their new album El Extraño Viaje. Alaska appeared on two sketches of Telehit's Desde Gayola
Desde Gayola
Desde Gayola is a Mexican sketch comedy television series broadcast on the music videos network Telehit from 2001 to 2006. The show started out as a one-sketch for the channel, and turned into the most successful show on the network...
(a Mexican parody show), the first one she apperared as herself in an interview with Tesorito, the second one playing the character of Galaxia (a DJ) with Supermana, Chef Ornica & Manigüis. Clips of her appearance are very popular on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Reception
U.S. intellectual Camille PagliaCamille Paglia
Camille Anna Paglia , is an American author, teacher, and social critic. Paglia, a self-described dissident feminist, has been a Professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1984...
, upon being alerted to Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
's music video "El Cementerio De Mis Sueños" ("the cemetery of my dreams") by a reader of her column on www.salon.com, had the following to say about Alaska in her column dated January 10, 2008:
Kaka de Luxe
- Kaka de Luxe (1978)
- Kaka de Luxe/Paraíso (1982)
- Las canciones malditas (1983)
Alaska y Los Pegamoides
- Grandes Éxitos (1982)
- Alaska y Los Pegamoides (1982)
- Llegando hasta el final (1982)
- Mundo Idómito (1998)
Alaska y Dinarama
- Canciones Profanas (1983)
- Deseo carnal (1984)
- No es pecado (1986)
- Diez (1988)
- Fan fatal (1989)
Fangoria
- Salto mortal (1991)
- Un día cualquiera en Vulcano S.E.P. Vol. 1.0 (1992)
- Un día cualquiera en Vulcano S.E.P. Vol. 2.0 (1993)
- Un día cualquiera en Vulcano S.E.P. Vol. 3.0 (1995)
- Interferencias (1998)
- Una temporada en el infierno (1999)
- El infierno son los demás (2000)
- Naturaleza muerta (2001)
- Arquitectura efímera (2004)
- Naturaleza muerta remixes (2005)
- Arquitectura efímera decounstruída (2005)
- El extraño viaje (2006)
- El extraño viaje revisitado (2007)
- Absolutamente (2009)
- Completamente (2009)
- El paso transcendental del vodevil a la atrascanada (2010)
- TBA (2012)