Berri Txarrak

One of the most successful Basque-language rock bands of their era, Berri Txarrak are an alternative rock band who made their eponymous album debut in 1997. Founded in 1994 in Lekunberri in Nafarroa (in Basque) or Navarra (in Spanish), the band was originally a duo comprised of Gorka Urbizu (vocals, guitar) and Aitor Goikoetxea (drums). The duo was later joined by another two bandmembers, Aitor Oreja (guitar) and Mikel López (bass). Following the release of a debut EP, Maketa (1995), the band made its full-length debut in 1997 with the eponymous album Berri Txarrak on the GOR Diskak label. Subsequent albums released on the label include Ikasten (1999), Eskuak/Ukabilak (2001), Libre © (2003), and Jaio.Musika.Hil (2005). The band then underwent some lineup changes, dropping Oreja and López and adding David Gonzalez (bass) to form a power trio. After a four-year wait between albums, Berri Txarrak released their sixth album, Payola (2009), on the Warner Music label Roadrunner Records. Notably produced by Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studios in Chicago, Payola was a Top Ten hit on the Spanish albums chart.