A Musical Ephemeris
It is well known that Lluís Gavaldà is prone to forgetting many things, but this week marked a significant anniversary for Catalan music. It’s been 20 years since ‘Pau’ was published, one of the many songs in Els Pets’ repertoire, included in their eighth studio album, the wonderful August, which has reached classic status. This musical ephemeris has been commemorated with a special gift: an updated version of the lyrics performed by the talented Cala Vento.
A Deep Musical Relationship
The relationship between Cala Vento and Els Pets, especially with Lluís Gavaldà, has deep roots. As teacher and disciple, the musicians of l’Empordà have always shown their admiration for Constantí’s iconic band. This was evidenced when they invited Lluís Gavaldà to collaborate on their Balanceo album, performing the hidden song ‘Liquidación total’. ‘The Pets are a very special group because they have managed to transcend several generations; ours is surely that of Bon dia, Respira, August, etc…’, expressed Aleix Turón and Joan Delgado in a recent interview. ‘It’s a very influential group in the local pop-rock scene. We met Lluís Gavaldà in 2018, when he invited us to perform at the Minipop festival in Tarragona’. This relationship, based on friendship, respect and mutual admiration, has witnessed a new chapter with the version that Cala Vento has created of the theme ‘Peace’ coinciding with the 20th anniversary of its publication.
A New Interpretation
Cala Vento has performed a song entirely in Catalan for the first time, updating the lyrics of ‘Pau’ to reflect that the protagonist is over forty years old. This new version highlights social issues that continue to be relevant today. In addition, the group has accompanied the song with a video clip that pays homage to the original of Els Pets, which, in turn, recalled Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues. The video clip features the participation of Bruno Sokolowicz, former presenter of the TV3 music program Sputnik and creator of the pioneering Internet radio Scanner FM, playing the character of Pau twenty years later.
