Music of Gibraltar
Encyclopedia
Gibraltar
is a British overseas territory with many musical influences. Rock
based music
is undergoing a renaissance
with a multitude of local bands playing original material and covers. Local venues have begun accepting Gibraltarian
bands and those from nearby Spain
, resulting in a varied mix of live performances every weekend as well as some weekday nights.
Musicians from Gibraltar include Charles Ramirez
, the first guitar
ist invited to play with the Royal College of Music
Orchestra, and successful rock band
s like Breed 77
, Melon Diesel
and Taxi
.
The best known Gibraltarian musician is Albert Hammond
, who has had top 10 hits in the UK & US, and has written many songs for international artists such as Whitney Houston
, Tina Turner
and Julio Iglesias
among many others.
Concerts in Gibraltar by well known international acts have recently given local acts a showcase for original material in their supporting roles. These include Surianne
supporting Suzanne Vega
, Sarah Howard supporting Steve Hogarth
and SuperWookie supporting Marillion
.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
is a British overseas territory with many musical influences. Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
based music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
is undergoing a renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
with a multitude of local bands playing original material and covers. Local venues have begun accepting Gibraltarian
Gibraltarian people
The Gibraltarians are a cultural group native to Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean sea.- Origins :...
bands and those from nearby Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, resulting in a varied mix of live performances every weekend as well as some weekday nights.
Musicians from Gibraltar include Charles Ramirez
Charles Ramirez
Charles Ramirez is a concert guitarist based in London. He is also Professor of guitar at the Royal College of Music.-Early life:Charles Ramirez was born on 2 September 1953 in Gibraltar...
, the first guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist invited to play with the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
Orchestra, and successful rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
s like Breed 77
Breed 77
Breed 77 is a British band from the overseas territory of Gibraltar whose music is a fusion of alternative metal and flamenco.-Origin:Breed 77 comes from the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Old Gibraltarian school friends, Paul Isola, Danny Felice, and Stuart Cavilla met up in London and...
, Melon Diesel
Melon Diesel
Melon Diesel was a successful Gibraltarian pop rock band, signed by Sony Music, who achieved popularity in Spain.-History:Melon Diesel started playing under the name of Treehouse in the early 1990s. The name was changed in 1995, based on an alcoholic drink served at a Gibraltar bar known as...
and Taxi
Taxi (Gibraltar band)
Taxi is a Gibraltarian pop rock band founded in 2005 after the break-up of Melon Diesel. After the quintet's break-up, its members dissolved into two different bands: Taxi and Area 52...
.
The best known Gibraltarian musician is Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
, who has had top 10 hits in the UK & US, and has written many songs for international artists such as Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
and Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
among many others.
Concerts in Gibraltar by well known international acts have recently given local acts a showcase for original material in their supporting roles. These include Surianne
Surianne
Surianne Dalmedo, known as Surianne, is a Gibraltarian international singer and songwriter of acoustic latin/rock/flamenco music. Described as an "inglesa gitana" her music style is derived from a blend of various cultures; Gibraltarian, Spanish, British and North African, inspired by...
supporting Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, Sarah Howard supporting Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth also known as "h", is the lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist/guitarist with the British rock band Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and vocalist with How We Live...
and SuperWookie supporting Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
.
Notable Gibraltarian bands
- Breed 77Breed 77Breed 77 is a British band from the overseas territory of Gibraltar whose music is a fusion of alternative metal and flamenco.-Origin:Breed 77 comes from the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Old Gibraltarian school friends, Paul Isola, Danny Felice, and Stuart Cavilla met up in London and...
- Internationally recognised FlamencoFlamencoFlamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
-Metal band. - TaxiTaxi (Gibraltar band)Taxi is a Gibraltarian pop rock band founded in 2005 after the break-up of Melon Diesel. After the quintet's break-up, its members dissolved into two different bands: Taxi and Area 52...
- Pop rockPop rockPop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band formed by three of Melon DieselMelon DieselMelon Diesel was a successful Gibraltarian pop rock band, signed by Sony Music, who achieved popularity in Spain.-History:Melon Diesel started playing under the name of Treehouse in the early 1990s. The name was changed in 1995, based on an alcoholic drink served at a Gibraltar bar known as...
's former members. - Adrian PisarelloAdrian PisarelloAdrian Pisarello is a Gibraltarian rock, punk and folk musician and songwriter.-Biography:Adrian started his musical career playing in various local bands as Lead Vocalist, Rhythm Guitarist and Lyricist/Songwriter, he played everything from Blues, Funk and Reggae to Punk and Heavy Metal...
& the EC band - Acoustic RumbaRumbaRumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
-Rock with Flamenco and JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
influences. - No Direction - Indie/Alt based rock, 2005 UK Songwriting Contest Finalists.
- Orange Peel - Grunge/Alt Rock Music, Runners-up Battle of the Bands Gibraltar 2010 + 2011
- !The Noiz! - Alt Rock, Up and coming youth band, opened for Alan Parson's Project and Simple Minds, Winners Battle of the Bands Gibraltar 2011
In Popular Culture
- Gibraltar is mentioned in the song 'Love is Here to Stay', from the 1951 film musical An American in ParisAn American in Paris (film)An American in Paris is a 1951 MGM musical film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary, and Nina Foch, the film is set in Paris, and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a script by Alan Jay Lerner...
by the American songwriting partnership of GeorgeGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and Ira GershwinIra GershwinIra Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
.