Remigi Palmero

Remigi Palmero, One of the Founders of Mediterranean Rock and a Key Figure of the Valencian Music Scene, Has Died

In Spain, Remigi Palmero has died at the age of 75. He was a musician, composer and guitarist considered one of the central figures of Mediterranean rock and a key representative of the Valencian music scene of the second half of the 20th century. The artist passed away on January 24 in his hometown of Alginet (province of Valencia), just one day after his birthday.

Remigi Palmero was born on January 23, 1950, and was connected with music from an early age. Already as a teenager he began performing in local bands, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s he became a notable figure in popular regional groups, including Els Cinc Xics, where rock and pop compositions adapted for local audiences were performed. This period laid the foundation for his future career as an author and composer.

A key milestone in Palmero’s career was the release of his debut album Humitat Relativa in 1979, which is now considered one of the foundational works of Spanish Mediterranean rock. The record stood out for its bold fusion of rock, folk, jazz, funk and Afro-Cuban rhythms, as well as for the use of lyrics in the Valencian language. The album included compositions inspired by the poetry of the Valencian literary classic Vicent Andrés Estellés, turning the work into both a musical and cultural statement of its time.

Over the years, Humitat Relativa gained cult status and was reissued several times, while Remigi Palmero came to be mentioned alongside figures such as Pep Laguarda and Juli Bustamante — musicians who shaped the identity of the Valencian alternative scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. During the same period, Palmero also took part in the project In Fraganti, where he continued to experiment with sound and musical forms.

Although his name was rarely in the spotlight of the mainstream media, Palmero continued to work and record music. In later years, he released the albums Provisions and Sense comentaris, which showed a clear inclination toward minimalism, free structure and artistic independence. His work increasingly came to be perceived as timeless music — intimate, personal and free from commercial compromise.

In addition to music, Remigi Palmero was actively involved in painting and visual art, something that also influenced his approach to composition and imagery. Colleagues and music critics repeatedly noted his rare ability to balance tradition and experimentation, as well as his significant influence on several generations of independent Spanish musicians.

The death of Remigi Palmero is a notable loss for Spanish culture, Valencian rock music and the entire movement known as rock mediterráneo. His legacy remains an essential part of the region’s musical history, and the album Humitat Relativa is still considered fundamental for understanding the evolution of the Spanish alternative scene at the end of the 20th century.