Daniel Ulecia, bassist of El Columpio Asesino, dies at 52

The Navarrese musician Daniel Ulecia, bassist of the indie band El Columpio Asesino, died yesterday Thursday at the age of 52, according to his family. The band has been on tour since last year to say goodbye to his 25-year career. In December 2023, Ulecia had to be replaced due to the long illness he was fighting.

References in Spanish independent music have said goodbye to Ulecia in the last few hours. “We send all our energy and a huge hug to El Columpio Asesino and to the family and loved ones,” published the group’s official account. Murcia Viva Sweden. The condolences have been added Vetusta Morla guitarist, Guillermo Galván, and organizations such as the Sonorama Ribera festival, Noches del Botánico or Festival Gigante, to mention a few. The family has announced that the cremation will take place this Saturday at 10:45 at the San Fermín Izarra funeral home in Pamplona.

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Ulecia trained at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles in the early nineties. After sporadic appearances in the group Catorce de Septiembre, he began his musical career as bassist for the group Cantina Bizarro, along with his brother Jon. He joined El Columpio Asesino in 2011, at the time they were recording the album Diamantes, one of the band’s biggest hits, with which they won five awards at the Independent Music Awards (MIN). This album is his Spanish indie classic Toro. Also included in this work Perlas, a song that they later recorded with Pucho, vocalist of Vetusta Morla.

Daniel Ulecia playing at the Tomavistas festival in Madrid in 2018. Mariano Regidor (Redferns/Getty Images)

After Diamantes, El Columpio Asesino would publish two more albums – Ballenas Muerdas en San Sebastián (2014) and Ataque Celeste (2020) – before announcing their retirement at the beginning of 2023. On the occasion of their separation, the group has announced their presence in several festivals in the coming months, such as Vive Latino in Mexico, FIV in Vilalba, Las Noches del Botánico, Lunar Sur, Bilbao BBK Live, and a final concert in La Riviera (Madrid) on November 9.

Ulicia was also a producer. Throughout his career he collaborated on the development of a dozen albums, including El Columpio Asesino for them and other groups such as Cabezafuego, Exnovios, Los Graves or Las Culebras. He even set up his own recording studio. “It seems as if all the steps should have a productive end, and sometimes the contemplative life is necessary,” Ulecia declared in an interview with EL PAÍS in 2020.

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