Los Negativos

Los Negativos is a Spanish rock-pop band formed in Barcelona in 1984 by Alfredo Calonge (vocals and guitar), Carles Estrada (vocals and bass), Roberto Grima (guitar), and Valentín Morato (drums). Their music was rooted in the psychedelic pop of the 1960s, with influences such as The Byrds, The Beatles -'Rubber Soul' era-, and other classic American and British psychedelic bands. Although they had fairly modest success, their first LP, 'Piknik Caleidoscópico', became a legendary reference point for fans of this type of music and for mods, until it was reissued by the Mushroom Pillow label on CD (2005) and vinyl (2008). It included 14 tracks ranging from precious pop, with harpsichord, vibraphone, and twelve-string guitar arrangements, to more energetic songs such as “Viaje Al Norte” and “Moscas y Arañas”; the lyrics are full of references to pop culture and psychedelia. Later, in 1987, they released a second album, '18º Sábado Amarillo', more commercially oriented, and a compilation of demos and unreleased live recordings, entitled 'Las Cintas de Thule'. 

 

In 1996, two of the original members, Carles Estrada and Valentín Morato, together with Albert Ramírez, reunited to record a new album as Los Negativos, entitled 'Puzzle'. In 2009, a new album, 'Dandies Entre Basura', was released with the band's classic lineup. After its release, Raúl Costafreda, who had already collaborated as a musician and producer on 'Dandies Entre Basura', joined the group as a new member. In February 2014, the single from what would be their sixth LP, 'A Tumba Abierta / Turmix', was released. 

 

Sadly, on May 14, 2014, Alfredo Calonge died of a heart attack, just one week after finishing 'Duplexin', a posthumous album that would be released months later, in January 2015. On December 4, 2014, a tribute concert to Alfredo Calonge was held at the Apolo venue in Barcelona, featuring musicians with whom he had collaborated on musical projects and friends from the sixties-mod scene, such as Sex Museum, Brighton 64, Los Bisontes, Bondage, The Canary Sect, Dr. Explosion, The Excitements, Miqui Puig, The Pinkertones, Los Selenitas, and, of course, Los Negativos, who performed songs from the LP 'Piknik Caleidoscópico'. 

 

Currently, the band continues to shape all kinds of projects related to their music under the direction of Geyser, the production company they created in 2014, and they seem ready to continue performing their songs live. Valentín Morato, their drummer, passed away in the early hours of July 6, 2024. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]