Musica By Mikel Rock en español singer Mikel Erentxun talks to qvMagazine about gays, music, and Morrissey! By Luther Orrick-Guzman Mikel Erentxun is a prolific and sentimental Rock en Español idol. As both a solo recording artist, and as the frontman for the band Duncan Dhu, he has made some of the best and most inspiring Spanish rock songs. Mikel recently spoke to qvMagazine and shared some insight about his current album, "Te Dejas Ver," his musical influences, and the recurring themes of family and sexuality in his songs. Mikel is widely known for his introspective, and often times, melancholic lyrics. He is often compared to British rock star Morrissey, who also uses the same style of writing. Mikel, himself, acknowledges that Morrissey is one of his greatest inspirations. In fact, Mikel even payed homage to his idol by recording a Spanish version of the Morrissey song "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" (Translated into "Esta Luz Nunca Se Apagará"). About Morrissey, Mikel sums it all up by saying, "Morrissey is great, especially by the way he writes his lyrics and the way he sings them. Although I've never met him, I'd love to meet him and work with him." Listening to Mikel's latest release or any of his past albums, one will easily notice the many sad themes used in his music. When we asked Mikel about the sad themes and why it comes up so often in his music, Mikel replies, "I get more inspired when I feel sad than when I feel happy." With his new album, Mikel reveals it's the first time that it's being recorded in the U.S. He, furthermore, says recording an album in the U.S has definitely impacted the sound of the album. He explains, "Being here in the U.S., I was inspired to use a lot of American-based sounds. My previous albums were much more British, but this album has a more American sound to it, and I think it's a big step in my career. It's more mature, and there are a lot more fusions." One of the more interesting fusions on this rock en espanol album is the use of country music. Mikel reveals that it was not part of the original plan to use country. He explains, "The funny thing is that on the demo, originally, there was nothing recorded in a country style." But on the final product, country is quite noticeably fused into songs like "La Orilla De Carla," a song which sounds just like a regular American country song, but with Spanish lyrics. In this song, Mikel sings about a girl named Carla. When asked who she is, he smiles and replies, "It's actually a song inspired by my little girl who is 6 months old." Another song that includes elements of country is a track called, "En Silencio." It also features British singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole. Cole's part starts near the end of the track where he speaks in English the same words that Mikel has just sung in Spanish. Finally, on Mikel's album, there's a song that gay people will surely identify with. It's called "Que Nadie Me Detenga." Mikel explains, "The song is about the freedom of loving a boy, a girl, or other... (he smiles). There is a definite gay thing in the lyrics!" Mikel then talks about why his music appeals to many people. He adds, "I like using ambiguity in songs so that anyone can understand or interpret the lyrics the way they feel them, regardless of their sexual orientation." It is perhaps the ambiguity of his lyrics why Mikel's music has even appealed to gay people. In fact, many of his fans are gay and have written to Mikel to show their appreciation for his music. Mikel says, "When I get my fan mail, I always get letters from guys who are gay." So what plans does Mikel have for the future? He says, "I don't know what direction I'll be taking. I don't make plans about the future (laughs). I just let my heart and soul take control and lead me to the next album. I don't even know if the next album will be a solo album or a Duncan Dhu album. I love doing both, and I never get bored of doing either. I have many ideas for songs, and I want to do many things." He then adds, "I still have a long way to go."