With all the work involved in recovering, re-editing, remastering and updating many tracks from the Picap’s back catalogue coming from Edigsa’s, Als 4 Vents,… Rock on the Rocks is to become a genuine rarity worthy of any record collection.

Whilst organising the whole Als 4 Vents back catalogue, we found a record labelled Rock on the Rocks. There was no information on the musicians with it, and no credits; nobody even really knew what period it was from. After listening to it we realised that it was a recording of cover versions of Rock & Roll classics. Seeking out information and asking around we found out that Àngel Fàbregas, the director of Als 4 Vents, had been commissioned to produce it. He had been asked to make a record of rock classics sung in Spanish as there was nothing similar on the market. The circumstances of those times meant that, like other records made by Als 4 Vents, it went onto the market without any type of credits.

Rock on the Rocks was recorded in 1972, shortly before Màquina! said its farewells with a live concert. The studio musicians were the members of Màquina!: Enric Herrera on piano, Carles Benavent on bass, Emili Baleriola on guitar and harmonica, Salvador Font on drums and the voice of the legendary Guillem París from Pan & Regaliz. The translation, lyrical adaptation and backing vocals were the work of Manel Joseph, member of Dos + Un. The artists themselves were responsible for production and the recording of four tracks took place over two days in the Gema studios in Sarrià. 

After over 30 years, different reasons have led us to re-edit this record, in particular the considerable historical interest. This could be said to be one of the few recordings where Carles Benavent, who was to become one of the greatest internationally recognised bass players in recent decades, can be heard playing standard bass alongside artists, like Paco de Lucía, Chick Corea and Miles Davis. Another characteristic that cannot be overlooked is that major players in Progressive Rock came together for the occasion: Guillem París, from Pan & Regaliz; most of the performers on the second wave of Màquina! and Manel Joseph from Dos + Un.

In short, this record was a farewell to the end of a phase, the end of an era, and what better way to say farewell than by playing Rock & Roll classics.

Text: Àlex Gómez-Font

You can buy the album on the website