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All Spain Madrid The Rocker Grandma

The Rocker Grandma

This amazing abuela became a diehard metal fan late in life and an icon of Madrid's '80s rock scene.

Madrid, Spain

Added By
Luis Morato
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Detail of the bust.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the bust.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
View of the sculpture.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the sculpture by Carme Jorba.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Side view of the bronze bust.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
“Goodbye, good friend rocker grandma. Only time separates us.”   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Rear view   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Rocker Grandma from Vallecas   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
The Rocker Grandma   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This is the story of a conventional granny who one day decided to accompany her grandson to a rock concert. That event changed her life forever.

Ángeles Rodríguez Hidalgo was a humble woman who, when widowed at 41, worked two jobs to raise her five children. She lived in the working-class Madrid neighborhood of Vallecas, where heavy metal music was popular with young people in the 1980s.

But Rodríguez Hidalgo was not exactly a young lady when she decided to go to a rock concert with her grandson at age 70. She did, though, like it so much that after that she never missed a chance to attend a metal show and became a beloved figure of the '80s rock scene in Madrid.

Over time "la abuela rockera" ("the rocker grandma") came to collaborate with radio and TV shows and even had her own column in Heavy Rock magazine. Her image was featured on the cover of the album "Toca Madera" by the heavy band Panzer, showing her clad in leather and giving the metal horns sign.

In 1999, six years after Rodríguez Hidalgo's death, artist Carmen Jorba created a bronze sculpture of the rocker grandma, hand held high, recreating the image from the Panzer album. At one point, some vandals broke off the statue's devil horn fingers and for several years grandma's hand seemed to depict the communist symbol. It's since been repaired, and now stands in all its metal splendor, a rare tribute to an unexpected pop culture personality.

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Music Women Statues

Know Before You Go

The sculpture is situated in the neighborhood of Vallecas. Easily accessible by tube in Puente Vallecas station.

Community Contributors

Added By

Luis Morato

Edited By

nickelcurry, 4dgarcia6, Xavixavir

  • nickelcurry
  • 4dgarcia6
  • Xavixavir

Published

March 7, 2018

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Sources
  • http://www.abc.es/madrid/20141116/abci-estatuas-personajes-ilustres-201411151929.html
  • https://www.timeout.com/madrid/things-to-do/secret-madrid
  • http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/madrid/20170924/431466730338/la-abuela-rockera-de-vallecas.html
The Rocker Grandma
22 Calle Peña Gorbea
Madrid, 28053
Spain
40.395236, -3.6664
Get Directions

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