Fresh off the release of their third full-length album Maleza on Century Media Records, Spanish sludge-punk duo Bala is back and bolder than ever. We caught up with drummer and vocalist Violeta Mosquera to talk about pandemic life in Spain, the band’s origins, teaching music to five-year-olds, and why two people are all Bala needs.
Capital Chaos TV: Good evening, Violeta Mosquera from Bala! How are you? What have you been working on lately?
Violeta Mosquera: Uh, I’ve been working at my school with the kids—teaching music and drums to a bunch of little kids. So, my head is like… [explosion gesture].
Capital Chaos TV: [Laughs] How old are the oldest, and how young are the youngest?
Violeta: Uh, five years old.
Capital Chaos TV: Oh wow. And you are in Spain, I take it?
Violeta: Yep, in the north—in Galicia.
Capital Chaos TV: Talk a little bit about Spain. Obviously, here in America we’ve heard the horror stories of last year. How have things changed, and how did you manage to make it through? Did you do any panic shopping?
Violeta: Yeah, no. No, I didn’t. I don’t believe in that. So, no. But toilet paper? We were out over here too. [Laughs] It’s been a tough couple of months—back in March, April, and June 2020—because we had to stay in our homes. I had to teach online, which was tough. Then, even when we could go out, it was only until 9 p.m., which is super early for here in Spain. Because when we get off work, we love to grab beers and hang out. So yeah, it’s been difficult.
Capital Chaos TV: I’m assuming you’re on the upswing now—things are getting better?
Violeta: Yes, yes. Things are getting better. Actually, now it’s different depending on the region you’re in. For example, Madrid is very open, but other communities are still closed and can’t do anything.
Here in Galicia, in fact, tomorrow they’re going to lift the… how do you say…
Capital Chaos TV: The curfew?
Violeta: The curfew! Yes, perfect! Tomorrow it ends here. So hopefully, we can live normal life again.
Capital Chaos TV: How exciting is that? That’s amazing.
Violeta: Yeah, yeah! It’s amazing. Bars still close early, and at home you can only be with four people, and you have to live with them. But, you know, the police don’t come inside your house to check, so… we can be a little bit “evil.” [Laughs]
Capital Chaos TV: Let’s talk about how you discovered the kind of music you play. What was your gateway band?
Violeta: Well, I’m a very rock and punk person. And I’m answering for both me and my bandmate, Anxela. I’d say when we discovered Nirvana and Babes in Toyland, and then 7 Year Bitch and all that stuff—something changed. Like, “Wow, this is something different from what we’ve heard before.”
I was really into classic rock. I loved Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath—all those bands. But when the grunge scene started to grow, it changed everything.
It’s also true that neither of us grew up with the internet, so it was much harder to find music. I remember saving money to buy a record, and sometimes I didn’t even like it. So I’d have to wait two more months to buy another one. It was tougher back then.
When a friend gave you a cassette or something, it was like, “Wow, this is amazing!” And then you might have to wait months to hear something new.
Capital Chaos TV: So Nirvana was kind of it?
Violeta: Yeah. In fact, when I talked to Anxela, it was funny—we both had the same experience. We discovered Nirvana with Nevermind, which isn’t our favorite album, but it sounded different. Then, a few years later, we discovered Bleach, and that was like, “Wow, this is the good stuff.”
Capital Chaos TV: And now music is instant, right?
Violeta: Yeah, but that’s kind of sad. I love grabbing an album and listening to it from beginning to end. People don’t do that anymore—it’s just one song, another song, a hit, and that’s it.
It feels like we’re losing the tradition of making a cohesive album. Even though our albums are short, it’s still a thing. It’s a whole process.
Capital Chaos TV: How did you settle on Bala as a band name, and were there other names you considered?
Violeta: Actually, finding a name was hard as [bleep]. Being just two people made it harder—when I said yes and she said no, we had a problem. It took a long time because most of the names we liked were already taken.
We wanted a Spanish word, something short, with a lot of meaning. When we found Bala, I didn’t like it at first because it sounded violent—I don’t like guns. But bala means “bullet” in Spanish. It’s direct, aggressive, and short. Eventually, after months of struggling, we just had to choose one—and that was it.
Capital Chaos TV: You said you don’t like guns, but have you ever been around them or gone shooting?
Violeta: No, luckily no. The closest I got was when we were touring in California. We once heard a gunshot and someone said, “Yeah, that’s a gun.” I couldn’t even tell—it was surreal.
In Galicia, there are hunting rifles for shooting animals. As a kid, I took my grandfather’s rifle and shot cans for fun. But I don’t like guns in a violent way. I find them kind of fascinating, but not for hurting people.
Capital Chaos TV: Has Bala always been a two-piece?
Violeta: Yeah, always. And it will stay that way. People always ask when we’re adding a bass player, but we’re enough. Two is good.
Capital Chaos TV: Yeah, two is hard enough! Three or more just adds complications.
Violeta: Exactly. I’ve played in other bands with more people—it’s always harder to agree on things. “Can you do this date?” “No, I have to eat with my grandma.” It gets crazy.
But with just the two of us, it’s easier to coordinate. We just need a car, throw in the drums and gear, and go.
Capital Chaos TV: Now your new album is your third, right? Maleza?
Violeta: Yes, Maleza, and it comes out next week on Century Media Records. We’re super excited!
Capital Chaos TV: Four videos have been released so far. Which is your favorite? How do you like making videos?
Violeta: I actually work making videos too, so I love it. If I had to choose, I’d say “X.” It had the biggest production, and it’s my song too. It’s also the only one fully in English—we have another one with a single English phrase repeated throughout.
I also really like “Dentro de ti,” it has this kind of Twin Peaks vibe I wanted to try out. I hadn’t played those rhythms before, and I’m happy with how it came out.
Capital Chaos TV: Do you use Adobe Premiere or Final Cut?
Violeta: I got used to Final Cut, but now I’m trying to switch to DaVinci Resolve. I’ve heard great things. But I know Final Cut so well—shortcuts and everything—it’s tough to switch.
Capital Chaos TV: How has the band progressed from Lume to this new album?
Violeta: We’ve grown a lot. Since releasing Lume, we toured Australia, Japan, California’s desert, L.A., Colombia… It’s been amazing—stuff we never dreamed of.
Our sound is more mature and defined now. We know better what we want. We’ve even experimented with harmonized vocals on Maleza, which we hadn’t done before.
Capital Chaos TV: Are you self-taught or did you take lessons?
Violeta: Self-taught. YouTube was my teacher. [Laughs] I’m not a great student. I don’t practice like I should. But the music I love comes more from the heart than the head, you know?
Capital Chaos TV: How did you connect with Century Media?
Violeta: It’s super exciting. Our first two albums—Human Flesh and Lume—were released by a small label from Santiago de Compostela. They believed in us from the beginning.
But when our tours started taking off, we needed a more international label. It was hard to part ways, but the logical next step was to look further.
Our management office, Holy Cuervo, is based in Spain and knows people at Century Media. We had a few offers, but when Century Media came in, we were like, “Yes, please! Where do we sign?”
It’s huge for us. So many bands we love are there. We never dreamed of something this big.
Capital Chaos TV: What do you have planned?
Violeta: Hopefully touring again soon! Our new booking agency is putting together shows for fall and next year. We can’t wait.
Capital Chaos TV: You’re excited to play live again?
Violeta: Oh yes, 100%. Even if it’s just one show. The stage is where I really express myself.
Capital Chaos TV: Thanks for the chat—best of luck with Maleza and all that’s ahead!
Catch Bala on tour and stream wherever you get your music.
Watch the full video interview below.
Categories: Bala, Interviews
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