Ñu

Ñu was a Spanish hard-rock band that released four albums on Chapa between 1978 and 1984, followed by three titles on Barrabás during the late 1980s. Seven further albums appeared over the subsequent two decades.

Members: José Carlos Molina (vocals, flute, guitar, violin), Rosendo (guitar, 1974-77), Juan Almarza (bass, 1974-76), Felipe Salinas (drums, 1974-76), Chiqui Mariscal (bass, 1976-77, 1981-84), Ramiro Penas (drums, 1976-77), José María García “Sini” (guitar, 1978-79), Jean François André (violin, 1978-80), Jorge Calvo (bass, 1978-80), Enrique Ballesteros (drums, 1978-79, 1985-91), Raúl Garrido (drums, 1979-80), Eduardo Pinilla (guitar, 1979-80, 1984-85, 1988), Jerónimo Ramiro (guitar, 1981-84, 1988-91), Miguel Ángel Collado (keyboards, 1981-85, 1988), Bernardo Ballester (drums, 1981-83, 1994-97), Bob Thackway (drums, 1983), Alejandro Colantonio (drums, 1984-85), José Luis Ajenjo (bass, 1984-85), José Luis Rodríguez (bass, 1985-88), Enrique Bertrán de Lis (guitar, 1985-88), Toni [aka El mago] (keyboards, 1985-86), Enrique Valiño (violin, 1987-88), Nicolás del Hierro [aka Niko] (bass, 1988-91)

Background

Ñu formed in Madrid in late 1974 when singer and flautist José Carlos Molina and guitarist Rosendo Mercado renamed their group Fresa. Bassist Juan Almarza and drummer Pedro Cruz completed the quartet. Mercado joined Fresa in 1972 after leaving engineering studies at ICAI. Molina previously played harmonica in Alturas and Polvo/Dust, then formed Cámara Oscura. Fresa played town festivals and backed singer Jeanette while Molina and Mercado added original songs to the repertoire.

Ñu first appeared under the new name at Madrid’s Teatro Monumental on February 16, 1975, in the Trofeo Festivales Pop competition. The group won the contest, though Felipe Salinas replaced Cruz on drums in a later round. Mercado spent part of the year in compulsory military service and returned to the group. Ñu backed whistling performer Kurt Savoy at an Ariola session and used spare studio time to record two original songs. Ariola issued “Que nadie escape a la evolución” in 1976 (b/w “Volando en sociedad”) without consulting the quartet. Molina first heard the record at the Jayto discotheque in Móstoles.

In August 1977, Ñu played the Calella Càmping Rock festival. A dispute over stage equipment at a Madrid concert on December 31 ended the partnership between Molina and Mercado. Molina assembled a new lineup with bassist Jorge Calvo, drummer Enrique Ballesteros, guitarist José María García “Sini,” and violinist Jean-François André. Contacts with producer Vicente “Mariscal” Romero and Chapa director Luis Soler led to a contract. The group entered Madrid’s Audiofilm studios in June 1978 to record Cuentos de ayer y de hoy.

Discography:

• “Que nadie escape de la evolución” / “Volando en sociedad” (1976)
• Cuentos de ayer y de hoy (1978)
• A golpe de látigo (1979)
• Fuego (1983)
• Acorralado por ti (1984)
• No hay ningún loco (live, 1986)
• El mensaje del mago (1987)
• Vamos al lío!! (1988)

Sources

• Rosendo Mercado, official biography. Fresa, Mercado’s early career, and the split. (Web oficial)
• El País, February 3, 1995. The debut competition and original stage lineup. (EL PAÍS)
• El País, January 22, 2001. Molina’s account of the Savoy session and the unannounced single. (EL PAÍS)
• Enderrock, August 5, 2017. The Calella festival dates and Ñu’s appearance. (Enderrock.cat)
• El País, August 31, 2020, and Metal80’s Ñu history. The equipment dispute, replacement lineup, and Chapa sessions. (EL PAÍS; Metal80)
• The Sentinel interview with Ramiro Penas. Penas said Mercado recruited him after the December 1977 split, despite later accounts that place him in Ñu. (The Sentinel)
• Euzomo discography. Ariola and Chapa catalogue entries. It transcribes the original single title with “a la evolución”; some later databases use “de la evolución.” (Euzomo)