Barón Rojo are a Spanish heavy metal band who reached international success in the 1980s. The band is led by siblings Carlos and Armando de Castro, previously from the band Coz, and it is considered one of the most important representatives of Spanish hard rock bands, along with Obús. "Barón Rojo" in spanish is "Red Baron", the name of the band is an homage to Manfred von Richthofen, and the eponymous song "Barón Rojo" is about him.
History
The band released their debut album Larga Vida al Rock and Roll in 1981, and the first single taken from the LP was Con Botas Sucias. It achieved moderate success, earning them several coverage from the media after winning a gold record selling certification. To promote the album, Barón Rojo made a tour around Spain.
They moved to London for the recording of their second album Volumen Brutal on the Kingsway studios, owned by Deep Purple's frontman Ian Gillan. This album was released in two versions: one with the lyrics in Spanish and another sung in English. Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden is credited for helping them with the translation. This led the band to international success specially in England, where they graced the cover of music magazine Kerrang!. The album, which included tracks like Los rockeros van al infierno, Incomunicación and Resistiré (Stand Up in English) sold two million copies in total.
In 27 August 1982 Barón Rojo played at Reading music festival, along with renowned bands as Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister and Marillion.
In 1983 Metalmorfosis, their third Studio album also recorded in London, was released and contained, amongst many other tracks, the well-known ballad Siempre estás allí.
After that, they released their fourth studio album En un lugar de la marcha in 1985 with songs as Hijos de Caín and Cuerdas de acero, as well as two live albums titled Barón al Rojo Vivo (1984) and Siempre Estáis Allí (1986).
From then on, the band began experimenting with new elements including orchestral compositions, as it can be heard on their 1987 album Tierra de Nadie.
By the end of 1989, after they released their album Obstinato, José Luis Campuzano “Sherpa” and Hermes Calabria leave the band, leaving the De Castro brothers with an ever-changing formation where components as Pepe Bao (bass) and Maxi González (vocals) stayed in the band for just one year, and Antonio del Nogal "Ramakhan" (drums) stayed for four years.
Desafío, released in 1992 and recorded in Madrid was produced by guitarist Carlos de Castro with Niko del Hierro on bass and José Antonio del Nogal "Ramakhan" playing drums.
After a two compilation albums, the studio album Arma Secreta (1997) and some legal disputes with record company Zafiro about the royalties of the previous albums, BMG released a double compilation album called Cueste lo que cueste, which included 31 hits by the band plus four new songs.
2001 saw the release of the album 20+, an allusion to the more than twenty years of existence of the band, and in 2003 the cover versions album Perversiones saw the light and featured cover versions from bands as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and AC/DC.
Drummer Vale Rodríguez left the band in 2005, a place José Martos took again for the second time.
By 2006 the band released Ultimasmentes, in which all the songs were sung by Carlos de Castro, except for the instrumental opening and finale.
Ángel Arias and José Martos left Barón Rojo in 2007, just after the live CD and DVD Desde Barón a Bilbao was released, and Tony Ferrer left the band in September, 2008. He was replaced by former Ñu basist Gorka Alegre.
They made a reunion concert on June 20, 2009 at the Metalway music festival in Zaragoza, with the original formation including José Luís Campuzano "Sherpa" doing vocals. That same year they released their last album yet: live album En Clave de Rock.
Band members
Current
- Carlos de Castro - lead vocals, guitar
- Armando de Castro - backing vocals, guitar
- Gorka Alegre - bass
- Rafa Díaz - drums
Past band members
- José Luis Campuzano "Sherpa" (1980 to 1989) - bass, vocals
- Hermes Calabria (1980 to 1989) - drums
- Máximo González (1991) - vocals
- Pepe Bao (1990 to 1991) - bass
- José Antonio del Nogal "Kamakhan (1991 to 1995) - drums
- Niko del Hierro (1991 to 1992) - bass
- José Luis Aragón (1993 to 1995) - bass, chorus
- Valeriano Rodríguez (1998 to 2005) - drums
- Angel Arias (1995 to 2007) - bass
- José Martos (1996 to 1998, 2005 to 2007) - drums
- Tony Ferrer (2007 to 2008) - bass
- Gorka Alegre (2008 to present) - bass
Discography
Studio Albums
- Larga vida al Rock And Roll - 1981
- Volumen brutal - 1982
- Metalmorfosis - 1983
- En un lugar de la marcha - 1985
- Tierra de nadie - 1987
- No va más - 1988
- Obstinato - 1989
- Desafío - 1992
- Arma secreta - 1997
- 20+ - 2001
- Perversiones - 2003
- Ultimasmentes - 2006
Live Albums
- Barón al rojo vivo - 1984
- Siempre estáis allí - 1986
- Barón en Aqualung - 2002
- Desde Barón a Bilbao - 2007
- En Clave de Rock - 2009 (with the Symphonic Band of the CIM of Mislata, Valencia)
Compilations
- Larga vida al Barón - 1995
- Cueste lo que cueste - 1999
- Las aventuras del Barón - 2006
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