Alvaro Gastmans of Hairy Nipples on Seville, Tintin, and what you should be wearing

Alvaro Gastmans has been in the Spanish band HAIRY NIPPLES for 15 years. The band just released a new mini-lp “X-bomb” (clifford records 2019); their song from this album ‘Like Everybody Else’ can be heard on Holy Crap Records Podcast #36. In 2007 Hairy Nipples won the prize for best Spanish garage band in the Pop Eye Festival, and were featured on 2 movies. Gastmans also has a solo career in which he is influenced by French music, especially by genius Serge Gainsbourg. He has released 2 solo albums and 3 EP’s. He is currently producing an electronic analog album, and making demos of future songs both for his solo project and Hairy Nipples.

My favorite thing to wear onstage:
Black shirt/jacket or a vest. I don’t like bands that play with the same outfit they’ve been wearing for the sound check or that have been wearing (and sweating) the whole day through; I think a concert is a special occasion, especially if you are on stage, and you should look smart to show the audience that you care. Never put on stage the same clothes you used to go to the supermarket.

The last musical instrument or musical-performance-related item that I bought and loved was:
The volca analog synthesizers by Korg. They are so tiny they look like toys for kids, but the sounds you can get from them, combined with special effects and pedals, are absolutely mind-blowing. I can be for hours stuck on one loop just playing with the knobs and oscillators trying to get different sounds. I have a drum loop, a bass synth and a polyphonic synth and I am already thinking about getting some more. Although I have a rock background as musician, I always loved psychedelic music, and it was just a few years ago that I got into the 70´s and 80´s electronic music and kraut rock sounds, and I found it really interesting and since then I am totally into it!

The Volca by Korg: a diverse array of fat sounds! 

The musical instrument or musical-performance-related item that I really really really want is:
A Fender Rhodes 73 keyboard. Since I was a kid I loved the sounds you can make with that keyboard, and most bands I like have used it at some point; also the way it looks it simply beautiful to me. Stylish, simple, not very big but with a powerful stage presence.

Something I wish I’d known before joining/starting a band:
A band is about songs. Egos can’t be the driving force of a band. To be more humble on your artistic proposal will help dealing with frustration.

I live in Seville (Spain).
I’d been living in the city of Malaga by southern coast of Spain for nearly 20 years, but at some point I wanted to have a family and I knew that if I moved to Seville I could have that life, so I did and I don’t regret the decision; I keep my band (Hairy Nipples) in Malaga though; It is only 200 km away so we still can rehearse and plan concerts.

The general vibe of Seville is: Heavily traditional. The weight of religion, traditional customs and a certain classism in all public domains (Holy week, bullfighting). I have the feeling that this sometimes suffocates the efforts of the underground artists that don’t have much echo or place on the cultural agenda of the city, but the artists and especially the bands are part of a very interesting scene that is trying to make this a more cosmopolitan and open-minded city.

The Holy Week processions in Seville are Spain’s most famous

The best place to play music here is:
“Sala X”. The place has a very good sound, in most concerts I’ve been I don’t recall having a bad experience; it also has a medium capacity which makes easier to bands to have a minimum audience and it is well located, not very far away from the center.

“A cracking little bar” – Google reviews

The best place to SEE music here is:
The Contemporary Art Museum (CAAC). Although it feels that every festival is on that same place, it is still one of the most beautiful places to see music here. The place is an old monastery with its architecture from the 15th century together with the facilities of the contemporary art museum, which makes a nice contrast. It is on the open air, and in the hot summers here it is the place to be in the evenings.

Seville’s CAAC is host to a lot of big festivals

My favorite local band (aside from my own):
Los Rosarios. They are pretty new but the members were part of other important bands from Seville whose I was fan as well. This new project sounds more like The Stooges, The Gun club, Velvet Underground with a electronic drum machine which makes them approach Suicide and other Spanish punk bands.

I collect:
Comic books. I am a huge fan of classic European comics and graphic novels. I was never interested in superheroes although I’ve read the most famous. I am also an amateur draw-er myself and I find great pleasure in reading and re-discovering my favorites books. “Tintin” and other Franco-Belgian characters are my favourites.

In my fridge you’ll always find:
Yogurts
why
I’m a father of a 4 year old girl

If you’re going to buy me a gift, say in the under-$50 range, I would like:
A comic book or a vinyl.

The last music I downloaded was:
Kosmischer Läufer vol.4. I´ve downloaded the other 3 previous volumes which were presented as “The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Program 1972-1983” and that got me hooked, and I found a wonderful collection of space-kraut-rock music.

In my heart I wish I was:
More focused. I tend to do too many things at the same time and that makes the creative process extremely long and sometimes discouraging, especially right now that I am aware how short time really is.

A beauty staple that I’m never without is:
Bleu de Chanel perfume. It´s classy, fresh and a bit bitter; could be related to my personality?

This woody, aromatic fragrance is made for the man who defies convention.

My personal analysis of the current state of the music industry is :
Change is inevitable, but the music industry had to change quicker these last 10 years although they did not really wanted to; I don’t think it will disappear entirely, as music will still be considered a good which can be traded, but the way people consume music is way much different from the glory days of the record industry. I am also a secondary teacher and I see that among most of my students MUSIC IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS IT WAS, it is not defining personality or tastes in other areas. Fashion, technology and talent shows have taken the interest of most teenagers and art is not considered as something important. We have more music available than ever for little (or none) money, but musicians must earn some money to live and to pay their recordings as the “home studio” era is gone, mainly due to the poor quality that was hiding in most of these recordings. The interesting music will be there for everyone to listen to, but the way to get there is not through mass media or tv shows.

My favorite websites or apps are:
Amazon music unlimited. I had a 3 month free trial and I am understanding now the success of streaming platforms and the joy of creating playlists.

Favorite seasonal beverage:
Beer, especially abbey types (Chimay). I am half-belgian, it is part of my DNA I guess.