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Each week we choose a theme, and present various stories on that theme. Hosted by Ira Glass. Produced by Chicago Public Media. Distributed by Public Radio International. 

Formed in 1994 in Lekunberri (Nafarroa, Basque Country), BERRI TXARRAK boasts a discography currently featuring seven records and a documentary film, each of them a milestone in the band’s unstoppable progression. BERRI TXARRAK (translation: Bad News) has set out from the Basque rock scene to conquer the world through constant international touring, including Europe, Asia, Southamerica, USA…
The band’s line-up, from its formation until 2003, included Gorka Urbizu (vocals and guitar), Aitor Goikoetxea (drums), Mikel “Rubio” Lopez (bass) and Aitor Oreja (guitar). During that period they published their first four works, all of them sung in Basque and under the independent label GOR: Berri Txarrak (1997), Ikasten (1999), Eskuak / Ukabilak (2001) and Libre © (2003).
While their first two albums earned them a considerable local fan base, it was with the third one, and especially with Libre ©, that they succeeded in making a place for themselves throughout Spain, with major reviews in the specialised press (their fourth album was ranked the best release of the year by the editorial team of Rock Sound). This album features the hit ‘Denak ez du balio’, with guest vocals by Tim McIlrath from Rise Against, band with whom they toured all over Europe in 2006. 
In 2004 Aitor Oreja decided to leave the group, and BERRI TXARRAK ventured forward as a threesome, devoting their efforts to composing what would become the key release in their extensive career up to that point: Jaio.Musika.Hil (GOR, 2005). Recorded in a farmhouse in Eraso (Navarra) by Karlos Osinaga (Lisabö) and mixed by Ed Rose in Kansas (USA), this album was very well received by both the public and the press, as evidenced by the fact that publications like Mondosonoro and Entzun lauded it as the “best record of the year”. With this work BERRI TXARRAK exploited the international inroads it had made in previous years, embarking on a mega-tour lasting three years, with over 200 concerts throughout the world: Japan, Taiwan, Nicaragua, USA, Mexico and countless tours around Europe. 
BERRI TXARRAK filmed a 70-minute documentary depicting their feelings and experiences during this mega-tour, together with filmmaker Ibon A. Totorika. The result was Zertarako Amestu (GOR, 2007), a rockumentary shortlisted in several film festivals including London’s Portobello Film Festival (UK) and Zinemastea in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country).
Upon completing this tour, the original bass player, Rubio, left the band and was replaced by David Gonzalez. After devoting 2008 to the composition of new pieces, interspersed with short international outings (Fujirock Festival – Japan, Maifest – Switzerland…), in April 2009 BERRI TXARRAK flew to Chicago’s Electrical Audio studios to record their sixth album with one of the biggest names in sound recording, Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Neurosis…). Entitled ‘Payola’, this was the threesome’s first album on Roadrunner Records – Only In Dreams, published in CD and vinyl format in September 2009. The first song of the album,  ‘Folklore’, won the ‘Best Punk Song Vox Pop’ award at INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS 2010, with Tom Waits or Ozzy Osbourne as judges among others. 
The band (with new drummer Galder Izagirre) chose Ross Robinson (Slipknot, At The Drive-In, The Cure, Sepultura...) to produce their 7th studio album, called 'Haria' ('The Thread'), released in late 2011 by Kaiwoas-Graviton – Only In Dreams. Twelve brand new tracks full of emotion, power and attitude as 'Albo-kalteak', 'Harra' or 'Makuluak' (with lyrics based on a poem by Bertolt Brecht). This album features backing vocals by Matt Sharp (The Rentals, Weezer), on the track 'FAQ'.  This album got really good reviews and brought them to perform at such important events as HELLFEST 2013 in France. 


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