MAQUINA .(PT) & Pales (FR)

Founded by Jordi Batiste (bass, flute), Enric Herrera (organ), Lluís "Luigi" Cabanach (guitar), and Santiago "Jackie" García Cortés (drums) as Sisa's backing band, "Máquina!" is maybe the very first underground rock group to have recorded in Franco’s Spain, their first single dating back to early 1969. Their first LP in 1970 had striking artwork depicting a clock coming out from a croissant, meaning that it was time to wake-up in Spain: The album was called "Why? Máquina!" and it was clearly so rebellious under a dictatorship that fellow group "Tapiman" (founded by ex-Máquina drummer J. Mª Vilaseca, "Tapi", and Barcelona crosstown rivals/friends) answered them with a track called "Don’t Ask Why". The five-piece group developed a high-energy Hammond-driven psych/prog rock with two lead guitarists, with many extraordinary musical moments given the context of those years. Two years later, the band recorded with a different line-up (both guitarists having left, and including Carles Benavent on bass). It was a live album with a much different bluesier sound complete with a brass section (and almost all new material) reminiscent of Chicago Transit Authority. Màquina! Line-ups: - Summer 1969-Winter 1969: Luigi (guitar) / Jordi Batiste (bass, vocals) / Enric Herrera (keyboards) / Santiago "Jacky" García (drums) - Winter 1969-May 1970: same, change Jacky for "Tapi" (drums) - May 70: same, Luigi plays also bass, and adding J. Maria Paris (guitar) - May-August 1970: Luigi / Paris / Herrera / Tapi. - October 1970-January 1971: Luigi / Paris / Tapi. - January-February 1971: Luigi / Paris / Tapi / Alvaro Is (organ) - March-Summer 1971: Herrera (keyboards) / Emili Baleriola (guitar) / Carles Benavent (bass) / Salvador Font (drums) / Carlos Avallone (trombone) / Ricardo Solís (trumpet) - Fall 1971-Early 1972: Herrera/Baleriola/Benavent/Font/ Juan Mena (sax) / Ramon Mora (trumpet) / Peter Rohr (sax) / Arta (voices) - May 1972-October 1972: Herrera / Baleriola / Benavent / Font / Jordi Batiste (vocals) / Hubert Grillberger (trumpet) / Peter Rohr (sax) Printed variations of the group's name on releases: - māquina - MĀQUiNA! - MÁQUiNA! - MAQUINA