KGB

KGB formed in Granada (Spain) in July 1982 by José Cristóbal Sabío (vocals), Francisco Cara (vocals and bass), José Ángel Ruiz (guitar) and Ernesto “Eric” Jiménez (drums), all between fifteen and sixteen years old. The group was a continuation of the European punk of the late 70's and showed an dark aesthetic close to bands as Echo & The Bunnymen or Jesus & Mary Chain, although during their first months they tried to emulate pioneering bands as Sex Pistols or The Clash. 

 

 In this way, they emerged in the wake of other Granada punk-rock groups like TNT or 091, more veteran and skilled with their musical instruments. Shortly after forming the band and traveling to Madrid to show some demos to Servando Carballar (at that time in charge of DRO) they managed to participate with two songs ("Agradable Sorpresa Con Una Japonesa" and "Maroto") in the compilation album 'Punk? Qué Punk' released by the independent record label. That experience led DRO to release a single in 1982 and the songs chosen were "Treblinka" and "Luftwaffe". Some of these tracks were also included on various compilation or retrospective albums later released by DRO. 

 

In 1983, DRO included them in the program of the Rock-Ola venue in a concert in which they shared stage with Nick Fury, 091, Angeles Caidos, Alphaville and Aviador Dro. Their lyrics recreated tortuous atmospheres and decrepit aesthetics very common in the most advanced groups of that time, also declaring themselves fans of British bands like Joy Division, Killing Joke, The Cure or Siouxie & The Banshees, defining their music as “neo punk”. In their last period they included keyboards and a drum machine in their line-up, thus drifting towards a more sophisticated sound but with the same tormented vocation. 

 

Like so many other groups of the same wave, they disappeared with the arrival of the "authentic sound", being literally devoured by bands that, during the mid-eighties, buried the references to the Kremlin and Berlin under new nods to Memphis and Route 66. After the dissolution of KGB, Eric Jiménez was the founding drummer of Lagartija Nick, another of the great from Granada. Paco Cara joined forces with Paco Chica, José Ángel Tejero and Celestino Picazo to form 400 Golpes at the end of the decade.

 

In 2016 the specialized label Vomito PunkRock Records released an LP with songs from the two demos that KGB recorded in 1982 titled 'Granada 82'. It also includes a fanzine with the history of the band. [SOURCE: GRUPOS NACIONALES NUEVAOLA80]