Home / News / Beatles inspired Barcelona band, Pablo and The Appleheads, collide vintage aesthetic with modern sound


Barcelona native, Pablo Villavecchia, and his band of ‘Appleheads’ are back with their sophomore album, Alessandra, which the talented young singer-songwriter has named after his girlfriend. The new record continues to display the vintage aesthetic, inspired primarily by The Beatles, which the band have morphed into their increasingly modern sound. Now, Pablo and The Appleheads are releasing the new infectiously catchy, guitar led single ‘Zaida’ in the run up to the album.

Watch the music video here:


Encapsulating a style that falls somewhere in between indie and pop, Pablo and The Appleheads look back through the history books for their primary inspiration, taking influence from the likes of classic acts such as Oasis, David Bowie, The Police, Radiohead, and The Beatles, who they are often compared to.

However, Pablo has had music running through his veins even before he was born, with his mother being a singer and songwriter for jingles and adverts, whilst his father was the saxophonist in famed Spanish rock band, Loquillo y los Trogloditas. Ever since he could walk, Pablo was dancing to VHS tapes of his favourite bands, but it wasn’t until he was 19 that he began to take music more seriously, writing his own songs and learning the guitar. With his mother as his teacher, Pablo transformed into a prolific songwriter, covering topics as diverse as love, politics and even drugs.

Pablo was keen to admit that before meeting the love of his life, Alessandra, his life lacked direction as a human being and was lacking in terms of real love.  But now, after the formation of Pablo and The Appleheads and constructing their second record, Pablo notes that ‘meeting her meant the culmination of the album, as well as my unsatisfied love story, which was finally satisfied in a fantastic and unexpected way’.

Alessandra is a collection of the tumultuous feelings of being a young songwriter, often reflecting the Pablo’s inner-self in a highly introspective manner. Pablo notes that the album presents something that is both creative, fun and destructive at the same time, with songs such as ‘Rock’n’Roller’ and ‘Zaida’, whilst tracks like ‘Alessandra’ and ‘Revolution II’ display a totally different, more poetic, love-fuelled side of Pablo and his song writing.

During the mixing of the album, famed Spanish producer, Roger Rodés (Brett Dennan, Seu Jorge) came onto the scene and became what Pablo describes as ‘the producer of my dreams’.  Pablo explains that ‘He made the record sound better than I ever imagined a record of mine could sound. He brought to life a vintage touch, reminiscent of the classics, but at the same time it used modern techniques. He gets what is in the artist’s mind and makes it even better, capturing it and turning it into reality, and that for me is what makes a producer great.’

As many listeners may wonder, the name Pablo and The Appleheads was actually inspired by René Magritte’s iconic painting, The Son of Man, which portrays a suited man with an apple for a face. Not only this, but although Pablo’s musical background is rooted in classic bands that he grew up listening to, he is inspired deeply by more contemporary artists too, such as Elliot Smith, Death Cab For Cutie and Arcade Fire. As a result, this collision of modern sounds with vintage influences culminates in a highly-crafted mix of old and new that borrows elements from the best in the business.

You can stream ‘Zaida’ here:








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