Spanish hard rock and progressive rock band from Córdoba, Andalusia, founded in 1979 by Manuel Martínez Pradas (vocals), Miguel Galán Martínez (guitar), Pablo Rabadán (keyboards), Manuel Molina Huertas (bass) and José Antonio Molina Huertas (drums).
They started being part of the "Andalusian Rock" scene from the 1970s, influenced by acts like Deep Purple, Triana, and Uriah Heep, among others, shifting to a hard rock pop sound later. The line-up has changed several times through the years, though the group is still active.
The year was 79 when five young lovers of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd and decided, after several failed attempts, form a band with professional aspirations.
. Little by little, they share their musical interests to achieve their own musical line that meant the most innovative and hard about the new "Rock Andaluz", the cultural movement that, at the time, moved to the masses of young, rebellious against and essentially established forms thirsty for freedom.
. In 1980 achieved record their first album that, after the fashion of the time, the group was named "Madinat al-Zahra". This album contained a song "Walking in the Mosque" that from his native Cordoba was spreading throughout the country to become an authentic Andalusian feel anthem.
. Success was almost instant, and suddenly, the gang was forced to take a career in one year I did two laps on the map and at the same time, composing songs for a new album.
. "Corner of the Wind" was released in 81 following the success of the previous line, then came "Andalusia" in 82, but at the same time as "the Madrid scene" began to take its first steps, the "Andalusian rock "went resenting the time and was exhausted commercially. The result was a break in the record that Medina was active tour after tour.
. In 1986 the band decided to self-finance their 4th album tired of waiting for the opportunity that never came. "Spanish Caravan" marked the most difficult moment in the history of the band, was the turn of the leaks and resignations. Medina survived thanks to its most cherished values, the direct and the desire to stay alive against the obstacles and those that were given by "enterraos dead."
. It was on July 89 when a renewed Medina al-Zahra is brought into contact with manager Javier Gálvez and, therefore, with the label Avispa. At that time, the group enters a new guitar, Paco Ventura, whose youth and musical education would be key developments in the evolution of the band.
. On September 89 starts recording the 5th album and 1 with Avispa "... in Al-Hakim." It was also the first album that featured the hand of Carlos Martinez in the production as a support for finding a new sound. The name "Al-Hakim" was a sort of homage to the rehearsal studio where they hatched the issues that were going to write, although such "local" was actually an elegant Arab construction on the outskirts of Cordoba.
. Thus began an arduous task as difficult as before the first disc, at a comeback and convince the doubters that he "killed and enterraos" was just a phrase that some ill would have ever uttered.
. "In Al-Hakim" tiptoed into the sales and radio charts but never fell. His step was firm overtones of courage and hope to a story in which all were willing to let the skin, not just group members also were their families, staff, Wasp, the agency manager and, of course, precious and unforgettable that handful of friends who, from their microphones and printed pages, discussing with colleagues to defend that this was not a lost cause.
. The tour "in Al-Hakim" was a new change in the group, Manuel Reyes, a battery expert and Cordoba who had debuted with Medina, as a percussionist, on January 6, 90 at the Gala Iberpop of Logroño, it was definitely battery charge.
. He quickly raised the idea of recording a live album. It was June 30 of that year during a concert held in mythic and Leganes (Madrid) and Medina returned to enjoy the sweetness of success and the crowds. "Live" recorded the group's history to date and marked a turning point in his career, from there everything would be different.
. After a year marked by the road work would the 7 th album, "No Time" and included the participation of a new bassist, Jose Miguel Fernandez. "No Time" was a critical and decisive step towards the future. Medina was a new style of rock bands, had distanced himself from his roots and began the symphony "was Medina" in which the adjectives to define his music became increasingly difficult.
. "Everything has an end" and "I need to breathe," were the first two singles with which "No Time" reached gold and platinum with only three months apart. Now it was successful and spectacular tours, Medina al-Zahra was already a well-oiled unstoppable machine.
. They reached new records, "Where is the light" (93), "Arab" (95), the Japanese editions of "Legend in Andalusia", "Where is the light" and "Arab" to "No Time" in Argentina, "Arab" in Egypt and many others with whom the group's international shadow stretched endlessly.
. In 96 recorded several concerts were recorded material for their 10th album "All those people", a double CD compilation of his "2nd story" with some new tracks.
. Musically it was taking a progressive approach to the Arabic origins and andalusís which culminated in "Tango" (98), a record halfway between Tangier and Madrid in which Moroccan Orchestra collaborated Yeblía Taktuka.
. Meanwhile, gold and platinum discs for sales of the last 5 jobs were beginning to fill walls, which was very dangerous, became an everyday occurrence for specialized media.
. The 99 had been marked by 10 years of working together Medina-Wasp and for that reason, edited "Ballads" a tribute to an artist's record during that time had become a group of good friends. At the same time, began recording the new album which incorporated as a musician support, Manuel Ibanez on keyboards.
. The year 2000 was, among a myriad of other things, the twentieth anniversary of Madinat al-Zahra as a professional group ".. walking twenty years and all thanks to you," as the letter of the first cut from that album.
. "XX" featured 14 new songs, it was not the typical collection to commemorate an anniversary, Medina al-Zahra, true to its principles, is distancing itself from the rules and come back to surprise you.
. Back to the road again to demonstrate the group leaving the venue of the concert when it's gone the last fan who wanted an autograph again to be the pendant group to the smallest detail before starting to play, although that involves long hours of trial and test again to prove that all places are equally important to them, no matter how many people fit in the enclosure or the inhabitants of the town, back to prove something as simple as important, professionalism.
. The Madrid presentation was videotaped with a wealth of technical means. Was one of those 2000 concerts with friends was recorded to the memory. The recording, made in the room Riviera, on December 2, 2000, was released on 10 May this year after a post-production process impressive.
. During 2001, the group continues its tour while preparing the composition and recording of what will be their new album. In late May, Medina Azahara reenters M-20 studies in Madrid, where with his usual producer, Carlos Martinez, starts the recording of "Land of Freedom" are working three months as a result which is probably The most elaborate album in the history of the group. Twelve new songs plus a version and all concerns and hopes to own a group of kids new to this story.
. From there, as if it were not already enough, they decide to take another step, to break another record, begins a lecture tour and record signings that lead them to 35 cities in which shuffled its fans, the "one on one" who always have been gala, idols of flesh and blood that thousands and thousands of "kids" and "not so kids" are given the pleasure of knowing personally, as they themselves have said "the scenarios are too high "must be in contact with people.
. After this grand tour, and almost without rest, begin preparing their new album "Original Version". In which include the issues that have endorsed Medina, issues of "Triana", "Miguel Rios", "modules", "Reality", "Flamenco" and "The Wild", + 2 unreleased tracks.
. Also released for sale, which is his first video in DVD format, which includes video clips, several live tracks, making of and interviews. All this compilation, is released on November 16, 2002, having a great acceptance among the fans and not so fans of Madinat al-Zahra.
. Come the year 2003 published a new job "Aixa" and in collaborating Antonio Orozco and the Symphony Orchestra of Cordoba, also included a version of the Scorpions, "Wind of change". The album is published on October 1 and includes a video clip of "Cordoba". A tribute to the city and they cuddled Honored Award "Cordobeses the Year." The disc has five weeks in the charts and in 2004, due to the high quality of this, get win 2 music awards, best rock album, and best song in Cordoba.
. Yes, have already made 16 albums, have 25 years on the road, have garnered gold records, platinum, traveled half the world, but all this is just data that testify to his perseverance and ability to evolve, data, above all , make them known creditors of the respect that undoubtedly deserve.
. Now comes the big moment, is 2005 the year of its 25th anniversary and, as always, back to work. Early March to be re-locked into a studio for new album capture the experiences and feelings that have accumulated during these months of work on stage.
They expect to work hard months until, in September, will see the light this new album together with surprises that will make it even more attractive, but that has never been an issue for the group with the creative capacity of the rock.
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