GOSE, the popular techno accordion band from Arrasate-Mondragón, Basque Country, finished their mini tour in the US with a great concert at the Basque Center in Boise on Saturday. They stopped in Idaho’s capital after performing in San Francisco for three days, where they also left people wanting to hear more.
The band arrived in Boise on Thursday, which gave them some time to get acquainted with the city and its people before the Saturday concert. I caught up with them at Leku-Ona on Friday night, where we had some dinner before heading over to the Basque Center for a couple of drinks. These guys are a bunch of interesting, fun, and down-to-earth people. On Satuday, Sean Aucutt — GOSE’s host for the weekend and member of local Basque band Amuma Says No — took the group down to the BSU game, where they got a taste of what a tailgate party looks like. We don’t have those in the Basque Country, and I hear the band had a great time, despite the cold weather.
It was great having a chance to meet the band, and now you can too. I hope you all enjoy the videos and the interview.
Q. How did you guys meet? In Arrasate? How was the beginning of GOSE?
GOSE: The three of us have known each other for a long time. We’ve all been involved in the music business for many years, each doing our own thing. Iñaki has always been immersed in the electronic music scene, Osoron has played the guitar in eleven different groups, and Ines plays the accordion. When we got together, each of us shared our talent and that’s how GOSE was born.
Q. Was it hard to publish GOSE’s first album?
It’s not easy to publish an album these days because the record companies do not really support emerging groups. That’s one of the reasons a group chooses to produce their own album.
However, when we released our first album in 2005, Ritxi Aizpuru was working for the Basque record company Oihuka. Thanks to him, our first work was released under a very well-known record company. We got lucky there.
Q. Are you all professional musicians or do you have a “normal” job as well?
If by “normal” job you mean a Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 job, then no, we don’t have another normal job. Like the old rockers say, nobody makes money with Basque rock & roll, so it’s very difficult to make a living with music. However, we do live for the music, and in our opinion that’s being a professional.
It’s true you can’t make a living from music, and we do have to do other jobs to make ends meet, but all the jobs we take have to do with music: Iñaki works as sound technician, and I teach.
Q. I’ve heard a bit about how the San Francisco concerts came about, but I would like to hear your version as well.
It has been an awesome experience. It’s always special to travel abroad, and coming to the United States to play our songs has been amazing. Besides, Philippe and his organization couldn’t have done a better job getting everything organized.
It’s true as well that not everything is a bed of roses during a tour. It’s hard to be always on the move, to be away from home. Being on tour is different from being on vacation, because after all, you are working. However, we enjoy our work a great deal.
Q. Was this your first time in the US?
Yes, this was the first time in the US for GOSE.
Q. How was the San Francisco experience? Was it like you expected?
It was an awesome experience, much better than we thought it would be!
Q. What do you think about the Basque communities in the US?
We are amazed. These are truly Basque communities, very organized in our opinion. You made us feel at home!!
Q. What’s in GOSE’s future?
Who knows! For now, we will be in Durango’s market at the end of the year, and I’m sure we will continue working hard next year!
Check out the pics and videos from GOSE’s concert in Boise.
Check out the pics and videos from GOSE’s concert in San Francisco.
Plough and the Stars clip (“We are GOSE and we are not from Spain – we are from THE BASQUE COUNTRY!”)
http://youtu.be/5xHnvkMvUj8
SFBCC & Plough and the Stars pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfbcc/sets/72157627965624315/show/
Sub-Mission Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfbcc/sets/72157627976341595/show/
Q. Nola ezagutu zenuten elkar? Arrasaten? Nola zan GOSE taldearen hasiera?
GOSE: Aspalditik ezagutzen genuen elkar hirurok. Bakoitza bere alorrean, urte asko daramatzagu musika munduan. Iñaki aspalditik ari da musika elektronikoaren munduan murgilduta, Osoronek hamaika taldetan jo izan du gitarra, eta Ines aspalditik dago trikiari lotuta. Beraz, elkartu eta bakoitzak bere alorrean dakiena gehitu dio goseri.
Q. Zaila izan zen lehen diska argitaratzea?
Ez da erraza gaur egun diskak argitaratzea, disketxeek ez dute apustu handirik egiten talde berrien alde. Hori da autoekoizpenaren aldeko hautua egitearen arrazoietako bat.
Hala ere, lehenbiziko diska argitaratu genuenean, 2005. urtean, ritxi aizpuruk Oihuka disketxe euskaldunean egiten zuen lan, eta bere babesari esker, lehenengo diska beltza disketxe haundi baten babespean kaleratu zen. Esan genezake zortea izan genuela hortan.
Q. Hirurok musikari profesionalak zarete ala beste lan “normala” daukazue ere?
Lan “normala” edukitzea astean bost egunez eta egunean zortzi orduz beste batentzat lan egitea bada, ez, ez daukagu beste lan normalik. Rockero zaharrek zioten bezala, Euskal Herrian rokanrolak ez du inoiz dirurik emanen, eta oso zaila da musikatik bizitzea. Musikatik ez, baina bai musikarako bizi garela, eta gure ustez hori da profesionaltasuna.
Egia da musikak bizitzeko ez duela ematen, eta beste lan batzuk behrrezkoak ditugula aurrera egiteko, baina guztion lanak dute muskarekin zerikusia; Ińaki soinu teknikaria da, eta neroni irakaslea, esaterako.
Q. Jada entzun dut San Franciscon egin zenuten kontzertuei buruz eta nola gertatu zan dana, baina zuen bersioa entzutea gustatuko litzaidake.
Izugarrizko esperientzia izan da. Beti da berezia etxetik ateratzea, eta Estatu Batuetara etortzea gure abestiak jotzera izugarrizko plazera da. Gainera, Philippe eta konpainiak ezin hobeo zaindu gaituzte.
Egia esan horrelako biretan dena ez da arrosa kolorekoa, gogorra da hemendik hara ibiltzea, etxetik urrun egotea… Biran zoazenean ez da inondik inora oporretan joatea bezala, azken finean lanean baitzaude, baina oso gustura egiten dugun lana da.
Q. Hau da zuen lehen aldia AEBetan?
Bai, hau da lehen aldia guretzat.
Q. Nola zan San Franciscoko esperientzia? Zuek pentsatu zenuen bezala edo erabat ezberdina?
Primerakoa izan zen esperientzia. Pentsatu baino hobea!
Q. Zeintzuk dira zuen iritziak AEBetako euskal komunitateari buruz?
Harrituta gelditu gara. Benetan komunitate euskalduna da, eta oso batua dagoela iruditu zaigu. Etxean bezala sentitu arazi gaituzue!!
Q. Zer dago GOSEren etorkizunean?
Nork daki! Momentuz, urte amaieran Durangoko azokan izango gara, eta datorren urtean lean jarraituko dugu, ziur!
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Pingback: GOSE in Boise: An interview with the band | A Basque in Boise | directoryofboise
Pingback: GOSE in Boise: An interview with the band | A Basque in Boise | directoryofboise