Along its 10 years of live, a good number of musician have been part of Mascarada. Here is some information about the present members of the band; here you will find some information about all the past members of Mascarada.

Daniel Mares (bass, stick, guitars, percussion, rhythm programming, vocals, effects): Daniel was born in Madrid. He got training in classical guitar and flute, and soon later began to play the electric guitar. As guitar player he played in several amateur and semi-professional progressive bands in the early 80s. In 1984 Daniel joined his brother Juan and founded Llewellyn; as there were already two guitar players in the band, Daniel changed guitar for bass, and soon found himself much more identified with this instrument than with the guitar. Also in Llewellyn he began to double as lead voice. After the end of Llewellyn, Daniel and Juan funded Mascarada in 1988, and Daniel took the place of the lead voice, but also doubled as additional guitar player, and also played percussion and occasionally bass. His strong personality on stage, and his teatrical performances using all kind of disguises, masks and puppets were the most significative and stunning feature of the band's live image.

After the band splitting in 1991, Daniel continued working with Juan as Mascarada, playing Bass, Chapman Stick, Guitars, Percussion and Vocals.

Other than musician, Daniel is also a SF writer, having published one book (a second one is well on the way) and a good number of short stories in several fanzines and magazines, and is considered one of the most promising new Spanish SF writers. He has received a number of prizes.

Juan "Spiderman" Mares (keyboards, flute, saxophone, clarinet, whistles, percussion, rhythm programming, loops. sequencing, backing vocals, effects): Juan was born in Madrid, and he received classical training in piano, flute and spanish guitar, but soon he fell in love with the electronic keyboards, specially synthesizers. In 1975, being 14, he brought his first synthesizer (a monophonic Korg MS-20 which is still part of his keyboard rig), and not much later, in 1978 he founded his first progressive band, Secta, a short lived ELP-like trio who made some gigs at schools and colleges. In 1984 Juan and Daniel founded Llewellyn, a group that let Juan to make his first experiments with both flute, and rhythm boxes, and which also let him play some guitar. Llewellyn had a very short live, and gave way to Mascarada. Along the first years of the band, Juan concentrated on the keyboards and flute, being responsible for the most part of the group's sound and creative work. He also contributed to the strong image of the band appearing masked on stage at the group's concerts.

After the band's splitting in 1991, Juan and Daniel continued as a two-man-band with the name of Mascarada. Soon later Juan dropped the guitar, which is now the sole responsability of Daniel (but you can still hear Juan playing some guitar parts in the second tape from Mascarada: "The Tower (and other strange places)", that is, if you are one of the few choosen ones who owna a copy of this tape). Now Juan plays keyboards, flute, saxophone, clarinet, whistles, percussion, and makes some backing vocals. But he considers himself most and above all a keyboard player. Juan is a fanatic of the old analog sounds (analog synths, mellotrons, organs, etc.), but he also loves to mix them with the subtle and colourful tones of the digital sinthesizers.

Juan also works as graphic designer, through the Hyeron Graphic Studio. You can see his work in this web pages, and also in the artwork in the tapes from Mascarada, and of course on the artwork of the brand new "Urban Names" CD. Also Hyeron will have its own webpage very soon. Stay atunned.

You can also find here additional information about the past members of Mascarada.