Flash Strato

Vigorous pop, rapturous melodies and a convincing live performance. These were the main attractions of Flash Strato, a power-pop quartet from Madrid that, despite its obvious virtues, was not able to achieve success in the full eclosion of the Madrid movement. 

Flash Strato became known in Madrid in 1980, sharing stage with other pop bands from the capital such as Rubi y Los Casinos, Los Secretos, Mamá, Modelos, Fahrenheit 451 or Alaska y Los Pegamoides. Its best-known line-up included Enrique Bastante (guitar and vocals), Emilio Huertas (guitar and vocals), Víctor Martín (bass) and Toti Árboles (drums), coming from bands such as Prisma or Plástico. 

Flash Strato's good instrumental technique, his vocal mastery and a certain facility to compose accurate pop pills with catchy choruses soon brought the attention of the record companies. However, their first vinyl delayed its release for too long, being issued when the group was already in a state of exhaustion due to changes in the formation. 

Thus, in 1982, the Carnaby label (a subsidiary of Columbia) released a first single as a prologue of a future album that never saw the light. Instead, the following year a maxi-single was published including "Madrid en Tecnicolor" and "Bajo Tus Ruedas". The tracks, produced by José María Moll, foreshadowed a bright future for the group, but an almost non-existent distribution and vague media support soon ruined all their expectations. At this moment the group had changed drummer with the entry of Carlos Yebra. 

The quality of songs like "Cristales Molidos" or "Madrid en Tecnicolor" is not inferior at all to that of other classics, already consecrated, of the Madrid pop of the first 80. However, the presence of Flash Strato is conspicuous by their absence in the various musical compilations dedicated to those years.

After the dissolution of Flash Strato, Enrique Bastante played as live guitar and second vocalist for Gabinete Caligari. Toti joined Los Pegamoides, later going through all its musical ramifications: Parálisis Permanente, Los Seres Vacíos and Dinarama. Later he would accompany bands such as La Unión or La Frontera, passing away in 1993. Víctor was a back-line technician for Joaquín Sabina, as well as substitute bassist for Isma en Angel y Las Güais and, finally, playing with Germán Coppini. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVA OLA 80]