Vetusta Morla

Named after the turtle in Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story, Vetusta Morla is an indie rock band hailing from Tres Cantos, Madrid. Formed in 1998, the group’s core lineup consists of high school mates Juan Pedro “Pucho” Martín (vocals), David “El Indio” García (drums), Jorge González (percussion), Alejandro Notario (bass), Alvaro Baglietto (guitar), and Juan Manuel “Juanma” Latorre (keyboard). After recording a string of demos between 2000 and 2001, and a self-released EP (Mira) in 2005, the band released Un día en el mundo (2008), their first full-length album. The LP went on to sell more than 35,000 copies and was eventually certified platinum in Spain. Recorded after an extensive tour through Spain and Latin America, Mapas (2011) received great reviews and was named Best Album of the Year by Rolling Stone Spain. Inspired by the Iberian country’s economic crisis, Vetusta Morla came back with La Deriva (2014), an ominous album that sounded more raw and direct than any of its predecessors. The shift in their sound paid off and La Deriva debuted at Number 1 on the PROMUSICAE list of Spain’s best-selling albums. The band broke their three-year silence with the Dave Fridmann-produced Mismo Sitio, Distinto Lugar (2017), a concise album that added more textures and nuances to their sonic palette. In 2020, they released MDSL - Canciones dentro de canciones, a more organic and pared-down reimagining of Mismo Sitio, Distinto Lugar.