LIKE A SUNDAY

Usura emerged from Madrid’s vibrant underground in 1989, when vocalist Ana Béjar, guitarist Alfonso Pozo and keyboardist Miguel Dávila began performing with nothing but a drum machine. Their early demos quickly won them the “Circuitos de la Comunidad de Madrid” contest in 1990, prompting the addition of Waterboys alumnus Howard Toshman on second guitar. When Toshman returned to the UK, English drummer Gary Ellis (formerly of Cement Garden and La Cucina) joined, and by 1991 the band expanded to a sextet with Ramón Moreira on guitar and José Luis Zabala on bass. Their debut Elefant Records EP Come What May Believe What I Say (1992) earned widespread acclaim—Rock de Lux ranked its lead track “Lovesick” as the eighth best song of the year—and secured airplay across Spain and Europe. In late 1992, Usura co-headlined the landmark “Noise Pop 92” tour alongside El Regalo de Silvia, Penelope Trip and Bach Is Dead, culminating in a sold-out, nationally broadcast finale on Radio 3. Riding high, they released the single “Maze” / “Vals” (1993) as a preview to their powerful full-length Hake Romana (1993), a 14-track odyssey of manic riffs, shimmering mid-tempos and Béjar’s commanding vocals. Hake Romana garnered rave reviews—Ruta 66 and El País lauded its imaginative scope—and led to sold-out shows, including opening slots for Yo La Tengo and Lush, solidifying their status as one of Spain’s most dynamic indie acts before their heartfelt farewell in early 1994.