Juanra Prado, 35, holds a degree in Business Sciences. He has his job, but in his spare time he publishes records “like others go for a run”. We interviewed him in the Gladys Enea park of Donostia and his calm attitude, like the Dodo bird, symbol of the seal, seems to indicate the quiet music he edits. “As I work alone, I choose music according to my tastes. I look for groups with quiet sound and similar roots, so that the buyer finds consistency in the seal.” So far, he has published 23 albums, with limited editions of around 100 albums. Indie, folk and alternate pop to delight the ears. With the help of Spanish artists, we have known groups such as Segundo Vedette or Ursula. Listening to Europe, the dormant voice of the French artist Burzinski and the melancholy of the British group Tex La Homa, among others. The catalog also has the presence of Euskaldunes: In addition to Manett, Saioa, Elurretan and Joseba Irazoki. Although Prado does not put his hands on music on a technical level, his lungs are well tied in his design. The cardboard boxes, cardboard, rubber and stamps are characteristic of the label. The program's Matrioska heart album comes inside a beautiful and curious box in the form of an aliocha. “The added value is that of design. It's not an empty plastic box. They're personalized."

In the year 2000, he began to edit music with a compilation of several groups. It was a job that had gone through the factory. “We made a thousand copies. It is sold in Europe and around the world. It was crazy. I ended up tired of bureaucracy and administration. So I decided to work differently.” Making money is not a priority at Moonpalac. Not even an option, because what has been taken out is for self-financing. “More than the temptation to make money, it has given me the temptation not to lose money,” says Prado without losing his humor. Some discs are sold very well and others are not. Some compensate others. In any case, Prado's goal is to work in a job he likes. “I’m realistic. With the music I edit, surely you couldn't live. And yet, I wouldn't like it. I love working as much as I can.”

Among those he has edited, they have been creators who have not had any stamp and have addressed it. But many don't want a bigger stamp. They've started working with Pablo Prado without any reminiscence, because they liked the catalog. It does not see any damage to major stamps. “Maybe if some groups so wanted, they would come to a big stamp. All right! I would be happy.” He believes that self-managed projects like Bidehuts work well, but at a lower level he does not know a label as small as his own. “At the level of the Basque Country, the usual ones are maintained. Gaztelupeko Hotsak, Gor… There are many groups that self-edit the works. And that's good. It’s easy and they can reach people.”

Euskaldunes and copyright

Before recording the works of the Basque musicians, the Basques did not buy him any album. He received petitions from other places in Spain. The situation changed with the first work by Joseba Irazoki, Folk me, Laztana, which he published in 2006 with the artist Brian Michael Roff, who was the creator. Prado edited five songs from each of the artists and thanks to that he began to sell among the Basques. A year later, Particular Land of Saioa was the first job to intensify the trend. “Although my first requests from Euskadi were to receive works from these two artists, now the same buyers ask me for more catalogue works. This is something that Joseba Irazoki has collaborated in. It plays in many places, it meets a lot of people and through it people are recognizing the seal.”

On the internet portal you can hear the entire catalog through the Bandcamp platform. It has excellent quality and you can play all the music you want. If they're not downloadable, they're not unloaded by the anti-download philosophy. The fault is the importance given to this manual work, which is in favor of taking care of the disk as an object. The Sinde Law was passed on February 15 at the Congress of Spanish Deputies. This law may authorize the closure of the portals that permit downloads. On copyright, the musicians of Moonpalace have made different choices. “Some artists record songs at SGAE, others do not. I don’t ask for any right, just what it takes to get copies.” Although they are not downloadable, there are exceptions. Joseba Irazoki wanted to start the rain down. For most artists, the goal is not to make money with sales. More than getting promotion and concerts.

Profession and passion

Prado has chosen the musicians he has presented so far in different ways. “People have come to me because I knew the stamp and others I have searched the websites.” Asking if he has ever wanted to retire on a long road of nine years, he has responded by smiling that, despite feeling tired, passion leads him to maintain the project. There's always a new music coming into your ears. “My latest work, Fold in the wind from House of Wolves, is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard for years. If I had rejected the draft last year, I would not have been able to publish it! There is always some new music that tempted me.” Ask for advice for beginners and advise us not to be forced: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. I'm glad. I differentiate it either by hobby and not by profession.”