1945
Interview conducted April 8, 2021
By Dan Locke
Formed in the spring of 2016 (Salamanca/ Spain), Nineteen fortyfive is the result of the union of 5 experienced musicians from other bands (K-OS, Evil Rise, Sarah Evil..) They wield an eclectic, vigorous mix of metal styles, full of strength and speed.
– Sarah García: voz
– Javier Rubio: Bajo
– Gorka RC: Guitarras
– Diego González: Guitarras
– Jose Angel koko: batería
What is your upbringing?
Despite having all gone to university, our musical studies are not professional. We are self-taught
How did you discover music?
Our first rock records were listened to when we were 8 or 9 years old. My mother gave me the KISS killers album when I was that age
How did you start to write music?
My first guitar was 12 years old and it was a Spanish one. That was the beginning of everything
You formed the band in the spring of 2016 in Salamanca, Spain. How did your band form?
Salamanca is a charming little university town. Here we all know each other. Three of us were playing in a well-known band (K-ØS ) that broke up around this time. we spread the rumor and here we are 5 years later.
How did you get your bands name?
1945 was a fantastic year: WW II ended, UN was created and the most importantly, that year Lemmy Kilmister was born.
Describe your music.
HEAVY METAL (with capital letters)
What was your first performance at like?
Our first gig was in a small music Bar, with a lot of nerves, a lot of folks and a few extra beers to celebrate it.
Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP ?
In Spain we belong to SGAE, something like an association of authors to defend our rights. we get shit for them
What makes a good songwriter?
Muses. The rest is just luck
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
To be honest, I don’t exactly remember my first song. at that time everything was disjointed. I have with me a riff that I never recorded and one day I should
How did you find Diego as your new guitarist?
He has been a close person for years. Good friend and best person
Diego-How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
Diego: I bought my first guitar when I was 20 years old and it was a Squier strat in my hometown (Valladolid). She is still with me awake. I took it apart and used the parts of it on other guitars
Diego- What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?
Diego: My favorite guitar at the moment is a Gibson Flying V 2009. The sound is beastly, but its comfort is the best.
What is the process of writing your music?
I get a lot of ideas at home and then share them with the rest of the band and give it shape.
There is no special way of doing things, but every song is diferent
Tell me about the creation of “Lost Dreams”? How did you find the location?
This video clip was our debut and it’s Golpejas (a little village near Salamanca) and it was a tin mine. it’s our local desert
What is the backstory of the video?
It’s a very amateur video without a script or anything like that. We liked the place and we just did it. It was very funny
Tell me about your upcoming LP “Heavy Metal is Not for Sale”?
It is an album that meets all our efforts during the last years.
Iit is the compendium of everything. I think it’s our first full album and it’s like reaching youth but with the maturity of our forties.
How was it to record the LP at Tiempo de Estudio?
It took us more than a year to record and shape it. The pandemic screwed up much of our plans
What is your favorite track on your album?
They are all favorites, but “Our home” is a different and special song
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
It is the Present and have to accept it
Digital vs. vinyl?
Both are right. The important is the content
one of my favorite songs that takes me back to the past. We want to make a version with 1945
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
this virus is ending everyone’s patience, including musicians, fans, record labels etc … it’s a big shit for everyone
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Enjoying free time at home: my partner, reading and my guitars
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
Stay safe = stay at home
We barely went out to go to the outdoors and the supermarkets
How was it to record “1945 live in Pandemic” – No audience, no bar, no merchandising…but with a lot of desire and energy?
It was a different and very strange recording. We were alone with just a few technicians and without the heat of the public. is part of this disease and its consequences
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I have resumed mountain hiking
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
We do not have an opinion on this, because we do not use this Facebook service, but surely there will be other platforms to get your music to the fans. If someone puts a stone in your path, just go around it
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
in our case, releasing a new album and recording a live show like “Live in Pandemia”
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
since there are emerging bands and opening shows, paying to play is a reality
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
Not our style
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Do you think this will save music venues?
I can only speak for the scene in Spain and perhaps some European countries, where these measures have not stopped the bankruptcy of many music businesses. Only the strongest will survive
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artist. The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. RELIEF RESOURCES. Have you applied for it yet?
honestly, we do not know that program
What is your happy place?
Mountain & music bars
A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative then the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality.
Everything in this life has a price. I would like to have an offer to value it
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
more difficulties to be heard and known.
In the end you have the feeling that if you don’t checkout, you’re not worth shit.
Artists hardly have a window to show their worth for free.
The music industry sucks
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
We are not tiktok users.
We really do have social media because that’s what’s cool now, but we’d like to go back to the days of Black Sabbath, Metallica or Accept where a band didn´t need that shit to be recognized.
Finally we are all swallowing with that progress that does not make us happy
We miss a lot the past in this regard
The British government, buoyed by early good news on a brisk roll-out of vaccinations in the UK, set out a roadmap that, as things stand, would see the re-opening of large music events in the UK, with no audience limit, on June 21.Live Nation and its subsidiary, Festival Republic, didn’t hang about after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made this announcement on Monday (February 22).
The companies quickly announced that their Reading & Leeds festival – an annual fest taking place across two locations in the UK with a combined capacity of around 180,000 – would be going ahead between August 27 and 29 this year, and that tickets were on sale.
With that in mind. Are you willing to go play London again?
We are looking forward to playing again in the UK and anywhere in the world that wants to give us the opportunity.
Our goal with this new album “Heavy Metal is not for sale” is to be able to defend it live and gain more audience, and their aspect.
Finding a gap in the current scene of heavy metal
Danny Wimmer Presents just announced their 2021 Festival Calendar: Which includes the following live shows:
DWP Partners With Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival For July 23-25 Event In Mansfield, OH
Louder Than Life Set For September 23-26 With Newly Added Thursday Night Celebration In Louisville, KY
Welcome To Rockville Expands To 4 Days And Shifts From Spring To November 11-14 In Daytona Beach, FL
Aftershock Set For October 7-10 In Sacramento, CA, Almost Sold Out
Would you be willing to play these shows and what precautions would you like to have in place?
It would be a fucking dream to be able to play in those shows.
I couldn’t give you a finger of my hand, because I don’t play on Black Sabbath (laughs) but we would be willing to play for travel expenses.
Regarding health measures, we trust that large events will know how to solve it, both for artists and for the public.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
We are 1945 and we have come to stay. Give us the opportunity to listen and enjoy our heavy Metal. Visit our social media and get to know us.
It would be a dream to be able to play in the USA
.Thanks everyone for your time, especially for you Dan and your Unrated Magazine.Stay Hard * Stay Metal
