“Agur esan barik, banoie”, says one of the songs of the group Gatibu and with this same phrase they say goodbye to 25 years of concerts – almost 800 – and to ten albums in which they have used Basque and its dialect, “bizkaiera”. ‘, well beyond the limits of the Basque territory. They will say goodbye on December 13, 2025 with a concert at the BEC in Barakaldo whose tickets will go on sale on September 23 at 8:00 a.m.
Despite the agur, Alex Sardui, the band’s singer, confesses that “the band will not disappear completely” from the music scene. He opens a space for elDiario.es/Euskadi a few hours after announcing the band’s farewell. In a conversation that takes place in ‘bizkaiera’, he affirms that his best moments in the band were at the beginning, with that hope of starting, while the worst he remembers is the death of Mikel Caballero, who was Gatibu’s bassist until the year 2022, who died in February of this year.
Gatibu leaves behind a “broad” musical panorama in Basque, according to Sardui, largely thanks to “the empowerment of women.” “There are many trends and styles and the empowerment of women has meant climbing two steps in one go in the musical panorama of Basque music,” she acknowledges. The singer emphasizes, however, that “there is no discrimination” against women in the music industry. “Fortunately, in the music union, it has not existed or I have not seen it. It is true that there are not many women who work, but there has never been discrimination,” Sardui acknowledges after confessing that “freedom is freedom” and that “no one is going to censor it.”
Since when and where does the decision to say “agur” come from?
It’s an idea that has been running through our heads for the past month, but little by little and naturally we realized that it was a stage that needed to be completed.
It’s been 25 years, I imagine it will be difficult to select the best moments of your career, but which one do you prefer?
There are many important moments, but I prefer the beginning of the group, when you have this illusion of creating a group and you see that it grows over the years, it gives you an impulse for everything else.
Was your friendship the key to your long life together? Are you down to earth?
Yes, the band will end, but we will not stop being friends. We are friends, we get along well, we know each other very well. We would not leave it because of our relationship, but because of Gatibu’s journey, our relationship will not break.
What do you think was Gatibu’s worst moment?
Mikel’s Death [Caballero, bajista del grupo hasta 2022 que falleció en México en febrero de este año]It was very difficult for us and maybe that also helped us make this decision.
The band will end, but we won’t stop being friends
Having such success in Basque is something special, but also, doing it in Biscay [dialecto vizcaíno dentro del euskera] even more. What does this mean for you?
It is our Basque language and we speak it as part of our normality, but it is true that in the music scene there were no groups that sang in Bizkaiera when we started. Fortunately, people accepted it and appreciated it.
Have you encountered any difficulties in this regard?
No, we were lucky and thanks to the song “Alkondarie” it was very popular, especially in Gipuzkoa. Since then there have been no more problems.
On stage you have taken off your clothes, you have defended political and social issues, you have performed with the flag of Palestine or the flag of the trans people collective. Have you ever been told not to do this kind of thing somewhere you have performed? Has anyone ever managed to censor Gatibu?
No, and if someone had told me not to do something at a concert, I would have done it anyway, without a doubt. Freedom is freedom and no one will censor me.
You’ve done many collaborations with other artists, but are there any that you miss?
No. We never had any big intentions when it came to collaboration. We have always interacted as friends and we are happy with the collaborations we have.
“Agur esan barik, bagoiez” (“Without saying goodbye, we are leaving”) is the motto you have chosen to say goodbye, even though the farewell will take place on December 23, 2025. What are you looking forward to on that day?
For now, we have not organized anything, it will be an exciting day that will please the public as much as us. The magic will be created, we have always had a very good atmosphere at the concerts, but this will be something very special. In the end, it will be very clear that Basque speakers are people who like to party, be with friends and have a good time.
How do you see the current musical panorama in Basque?
Very spacious. There are many trends and styles and the empowerment of women has allowed us to climb two levels in one go in the musical panorama of Basque music. Now we have women and men singing in Basque with different musical styles and there is a lot of choice, it is incredible.
Would you have liked the music scene to include more Basque women at the beginning?
Yes, the panorama has changed a lot. At that time, Inés was [Osinaga]Zuriñe [Hidalgo]Ayora [Renteria]There were four or five. Now there are many more. They did it well and broke the stage fright or the demands that existed in our generation. There is no more shame and their music is considered art. We have gained a lot from it.
In the groups, among the workers or technicians, there has never been any discrimination against men or women. It is a union that does not have that
Perhaps the fact that society is more aware of gender-based violence and discrimination against women, also in the musical world, has helped. It has opened doors and encouraged many to dare to go on stage.
Maybe, but fortunately it hasn’t existed in the music industry or I haven’t seen it. It’s true that there aren’t many women working, but there has never been any discrimination.
No? You don’t think so?
Not in music. In the bands, among the workers or technicians, there has never been discrimination between men and women. It is a union that does not have that. Today, there are more women and they are the main figures.
I guess you haven’t seen it, but there are always specific moments when women are discriminated against, both in music and in other professions, because it is society itself that discriminates.
Well, I haven’t seen it. In this world, fortunately, people who enter can be good or bad and what matters is that they are good and that’s it.
How do you see the future after this “agur”?
I guess I’ll have a normal life, I’ll be free on the weekends, I’ll go out with friends and see the world, but at the end of the day I’m a musician and I’ve been in this business my whole life, so surely in one way or another I won’t disappear completely from the scene.
