Members of the band showing-off newly acquired instruments, prior to this they had a couple of "classical guitars" from the recently started "taller de musica" the prisons first music workshop.
The late Juanjo Gomez Ayala a renowned jazz guitarist, who also ran a music academy, saw Allan at one of the first music workshops and suggested getting a band together to enter "Murcia Joven" a "battle of the bands" competition organized by radio station ORM with sponsorship from CAM bank & Murcia council.
Shortly after the band was formed they began to attract good publicity and it wasn't long before they were playing live for the other inmates.
This was the first time some of the band had been outside their own "module" in years. It might only have been a few hundred metres but a visit to the open section or the women's section meant passing through various security checks.
It was during these early "concerts" that the prison authorities started to invite guests which included the press. The word must have spread as various off-duty staff would also attend.
When the band started to gain recognition they were allowed to rehearse in one of the prison's multi-use areas which was normally used for showing films or for meetings.
The hall where the band rehearsed soon became everyone's favourite "shortcut", with staff finding any excuse to pass through and listen to the latest song or catch-up on the latest news.
Our social workers had "pulled strings" getting our instruments, somewhere to rehearse and permission to come and go, almost as we pleased.
What we didn't realize at the time was that we had created a division within the staff & the prison officials.
We later found out although many of the staff supported us others may have felt we should have a diet of "bread and water" and instead of playing music our time might have been better spent "breaking rocks"
This could be the first time "Jailhouse rock" was a newspaper headline for the band
From the first rough songs recorded on a borrowed tape recorder and sent out more in hope than anything else, Angel Sopena "Spain's John Peel" has been a constant support.
The 6 tracks were recorded "live" (under studio conditions)
Thanks to Paco Jeronimo for these images and early photographs.
And thanks to Paco, Carlos and others for their help and support and for
believing then & now.
Not forgetting the Berlin "groupies" for their backing vocals, smiles and reminding us we were human "back in the day".
"Murcia Joven" was a "battle of the bands" competition organized by radio station Onda Regional de Murcia with sponsorship from CAM bank and Murcia council
Cassette 1 cover artwork
"Stormy waters" was first released as part of the double cassette compilation
"UN AÑO DE ROCK EN MURCIA '91"
Part of the band's prize from Murcia Joven was the opportunity to record at Pepe Moreno's STUDIOS PM in Murcia.
The recordings took place at the end of July 1991 with Pepe Moreno as Engineer
Shortly after these recordings were made Allan was transferred to Carabanchel, Madrid's notorious maximum security prison ending this chapter in the Berlin90 story.
Allan McCarthy left Carabanche spending the winter at the remote el Dueso prison in Santander.
Although not part of his original sentence less than a month before his release Allan was notified that he would be extradited on his release and prevented from returning to Spain for five years.
Allan was eventually released on St Patrick's day 1992
This was the first correspondence he had received from the British Consulate.
SIX MONTHS AFTER HE WAS RELEASED
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