Imanol

One of the best voices among the Basque songwriters was Imanol. Imanol Larzabal Goñi was born in Saint Sebastian (Sp. San Sebastián; Eus. Donostia) in 1947. In despite of the hard prohibition that Francoist authorities make on the Basque language use, at his home always was spoken Euskara, the Basques' immemorial language. Imanol was a young activist: being young he was a dantzari (traditional Basque dancer) as a member of the cultural Basque group Argia (light), he began to sings in Basque since 1964; in 1968 gets into the universitarian abertzale (a Basque word that means a Basque patriot) studients union, and finally he joins as a ally and supporter of ETA: Basque Country and Freedom (Eus. Euskadi ta Askatasuna; Sp. País Vasco y Libertad), when this armed group means other thing that today (look behind) and records an EP under the pseudonim of Mitxel Etxegarai. In 1971 he was arrested for "belongings to armed band"; gets free, but when the regime arrests an ETA activistists, in the so called Burgos process, he decides to exiliate himself to France. There he mets Paco Ibáñez, a son of Spanish refugiates, who has being singing great Spanish poems from all times. With his help and friendship, Imanol records his first LP "Orain borrokarenean..." (Now in the fight). He also recorded in France others great albums: one with Castilian female-songwriter Elisa Serna; with the Britain great folk group Gwendal he recorded two LPs: Herriak ez du barkatuko! (People shall not forgive!) in France, and Lau haizetara (To the four winds) in Spain, after to obtain Amnesty in 1977. In Spain already he records a lot of well templated records as in Basque as in Spanish. For deffending ex-ETA activist Yoyes' remember, killed by her own ex-companions-in-arms, he gets threats from ETA, so he went out Basque Country. Imanol finally died in 2004, in Orihuela.
Imanol's art and deep voice has been defined as a voice of soil. His songs was a middle of poetry and traditional Basque music and songs, and he always loved his land. His friends still carrying him in the heart.

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