Athletic Bihotzez

In order to give an account of the latest developments in the ‘Athletic Bihotzez’ project, President Fernando Lamikiz, Kepa Junkera, the assistant to the presidency Pedro Campo, and board member Pello Salaburu, have offered a press conference on Tuesday, 19 October, at 11:00 hours, in Ibaigane’s press room. Among other affairs, we have been informed of the possibilities that members have to reserve the product and both a single and a DVD with images has been offered to the media.

This week Athletic Club members will be able to reserve the exclusive ‘Athletic Bihotzez’ pack under advantageous conditions. Almost 600 people have participated in the project of the Athletic Club Fundazioa Foundation and artist Kepa Junkera.

In addition to a CD with 13 themes, ‘Athletic Bihotzez’, which will be released this coming 25 November, will also include a DVD with unpublished images of the recording sessions and an ‘artist’ book on how the project has been conceived. Members will enjoy a 5% discount off the regular price of 12 euros, as is the case of the CD, and 52 euros for the complete pack.

After many months of travelling, recording sessions, and all the excitement … the Athletic Club Fundazioa Foundation and Kepa Junkera, creators of the ‘Athletic Bihotzez’ project, have wanted for members of the red-and-white club to be the first to take advantage of this exclusive memory, whose aim is to serve as a tribute to their dedication to the club. Before the anticipated demand, all club members and members of the Athletic Club Fundazioa Foundation will be able to acquire it under advantageous conditions by phoning 902 540 900 or from the website: www.athleticbihotzez.com.

Exclusive discount for members

In addition, on top of the ‘Athletic Bihotzez’ sale price, which has already been reduced to the max to facilitate its diffusion: 12 euros Compact Disc and 52 euros for the Pack, which is composed of a CD, DVD and a book, we will apply an exclusive 5% discount to all club members and members of the Athletic Club Fundazioa Foundation. Almost 600 people have participated in recording this ambitious and pioneering project that has as its main purpose to transmit to all of society the distinctive spirit of the red-and-white club, by means of 13 themes composed by Junkera himself and other Basque artists; themes which are a chant to diversity, to the conjunction of cultures and integration.

Red-and-white footballers and from other teams, former-football players, coaches, goalkeepers, Managers, young promises, Athletic and other club’s supporters. Recognized representatives from all these categories have passed by the recording studios of Balea Musika Ideiak yielding their voices and their images to ‘Athletic Bihotzez’, which will be released on 25 November.

Mario Kempes, Pep Guardiola, the historical blue-white goalkeeper Tommy N’Kono, the former red-white Cuco Ciganda, former Madrid player Emilio Butragueño, the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Angel Maria Villar, and the Spanish Under-21 Manager, Iñaki Saez, are just some of the important international figures that ‘Athletic Bihotzez’ has been able to count on.

Mountaineer Juanito Oiarzabal, former Jai-Alai player Txikito de Bolivar, referees such as Iturralde and Losantos Omar, Urdaibai’s row boat crew and Sailor Jose Luis de Ugarte, as well as the handicapped sportsmen from ONCE, have all wanted to do their bit for this project, which is meant to spread to music lovers the values which the red-and-white club has been taking glory in since its creation over a century ago. Nevertheless, the integrating spirit of this project, conceived with great excitement by ‘trikitilari’ Kepa Junkera – an artist whose work was recently recognized with a Grammy award – has also made a deep impression in spheres other than in the world of sport. Actors like Alex Angulo, singers from the most excellent Basque groups of the musical panorama such as Jose Antonio Nielfa, ‘La Otxoa’, the journalists who cover Athletic and other reporters such as Yolanda Alzola, Iñaki Lopez, Klaudio Landa, Julio Ibarra, Javi Calle and Josu Loroño have also participated in the Bilbao artist’s most mature and assorted album, whose 13 themes are not conceived as football chants, but will definitely serve to stimulate and improve the atmosphere in San Mamés.

There have been many kilometres, many hours on the road, interviews, expectations, and, mainly, the outright effort during many months by a great human team towards a great dream: ‘Athletic Bihotzez’, a project created with the heart and from the heart of our Athletic, that we hope makes an impression in Biscayan society as well as throughout the State.