Jorge Martínez, vocalist, guitarist and soul of Ilegales, died on Tuesday at the age of 70, leaving behind a career marked by his defiant attitude, his corrosive irony and his unmistakable artistic stamp.
His death puts an end to more than four decades of uninterrupted activity on stage, where he built one of the most influential rock discographies in Spain.
An origin marked by music and rebelliousness
Martínez was born in Avilés, Asturias, in 1955, into a family with an aristocratic past that had lost much of its status, as the artist told in interviews. This contrast, together with his early fascination for radio and rock music coming from abroad, shaped his artistic personality.
As a teenager he frequented both British and American rock as well as the Spanish bands that were beginning to make their way in the sixties.
His obsession for music led him to work in local orchestras during his youth, and in 1976 he obtained a professional musician’s license, an essential requirement at that time to be able to perform regularly. Although he began studying law at the University of Oviedo, he soon abandoned his studies to devote himself entirely to music.
The beginnings as an artist and the creation of Ilegales
Before becoming an icon of Spanish rock, Martínez was part of the trio Madison, where he played with his brother Juan Carlos; that project was the first firm step in a career that, two years later, would take a decisive turn.
His artistic ambition, his indomitable character and his taste for raw sound pushed him to create a band with its own identity, far from fashions and any complacency.
In 1982 Ilegales was born, the group that would turn him into an essential figure: his first album, Ilegales, burst like an electric shock into the country’s music scene. With sharp lyrics, urgent guitars and a defiant spirit, the band established itself as one of the most personal and recognizable proposals of Spanish rock.
Throughout his career, Martínez released thirteen studio albums, several live albums and compilations, as well as touring Spain and other countries. He also inspired a documentary that reviewed his career and his way of understanding music as an act of absolute freedom.
The disease and its farewell
In September 2025, Martínez announced that he was suspending all his performances to undergo treatment after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The evolution of the disease was rapid and forced him to remain hospitalized in Oviedo during the last weeks of his life.
His death closes one of the most intense, irreverent and solid chapters of Spanish rock. Jorge Martínez leaves a legacy difficult to match: songs that cross generations, an attitude that marked dozens of musicians and a work that will continue to resonate in halls, festivals and radios long after his departure.
