Asturcón -

Asturcón was a Spanish symphonic/folk band behind a 1981 self-titled album on Dial.

Members: Paulino Solana (guitar), José Carlos [aka Mingla] (keyboards), Víctor Carrizo [aka Viti] (drums, flute, bagpipes, vocals), Juan Carlos Martínez (bass)

Background

Asturcón formed in 1978 in Gijón around singer-drummer Víctor “Viti” Carrizo, a former member of Crack.

Carrizo played during 1974–75 in Crack, a Gijón band that used Spanish lyrics and emphasized transverse flute in folk arrangements. Guitarist Paulino Solana also passed through an early Crack lineup and played with bassist Juan Carlos Martínez in Madson. Solana formed Sombrero de Copa in 1979 with singer-guitarist Luis Núñez.

Asturcón performed in 1978 on a Gijón bill headed by Joan Manuel Serrat. The band appeared in 1979 at the La Felguera festival alongside Azahar and Bloque. Asturcón stabilized by 1980 as a quartet with Martínez, Solana, and keyboardist José Carlos “Mingla”.

Carrizo wrote Asturian lyrics and incorporated traditional tunes into rock arrangements with gaita and flute. The musicians financed the September 22–24, 1980, album sessions at the Madrid studio operated by former Los Bravos guitarist Tony Martínez.

Discography:

Asturcón (1981)

References and notes

Eduardo García Salueña, “Rock progresivo e identidades culturales en España: el caso de Asturcón” — Revista de Musicología, vol. 32, no. 2, 2009, pp. 591–602. The strongest source for the causal musical history: Carrizo in Crack during 1974–75, Spanish-language songs and transverse flute, followed by the development of Asturian language and traditional material in Asturcón. Full article consulted through the author upload. (Academia)
Rafa Balbuena, “Apuntes sobre el rock asturiano en la Transición (1973–1982)” — AMAS 2008, printed pp. 130–134. Establishes Paulino Solana and Jorge Martínez in early Crack lineups and identifies Jorge and Juan Carlos Martínez as the central Madson partnership. This history prevents the early personnel from being conflated with the quartet that made Si Todo Hiciera Crack. (AMAS, PDF)
Fran Solana, “Curriculum” — Self-published musician biography, December 6, 2012. Confirms the Madson connection, formation of Sombrero de Copa, and the Asturcón album quartet. Identifies the guitarist as Fran Solana (“Pol”) and distinguishes the original Diapasón LP from the later Dial CD. (Fran Solana)
“Sombrero de Copa” — Supplies the formation year and the partnership between Paulino Solana and singer-guitarist Luis Núñez. Cross-checked against the Solana biography. (Nuevaola80; Pedro J. Pérez, with contributions from Rafa Balbuena)
Julián Molero, “Asturcón” — group history — Supports the Serrat bill, La Felguera festival, personnel changes, settled quartet, and Madrid studio connection. Contains an internal chronology conflict: formation “late” in 1978 precedes a stated August debut. The background therefore retains the year and the documented bill without an exact formation month or debut day. (La Fonoteca)
Julián Molero, Asturcón — album entry — Explicitly identifies the recording as self-financed, credits Carrizo with composition or arrangement, and places the subsequent release on Diapasón within Dial. Provides the basis for ending the background with the sessions rather than an unsupported label signing. (La Fonoteca)
“Asturcón” — discography and personnel entry — Cross-checks the September 22–24, 1980, session dates, Toni Martínez studio credit, Asturian-language repertoire, and original Diapasón imprint. Used for factual corroboration rather than musical evaluation. (The Spanish Progressive Rock Encyclopedia)