The Spanish rock scene is in mourning. No sooner had the public begun to recover from one loss than news arrived of the death of Roberto “Robe” Iniesta, the longstanding leader of the iconic band Extremoduro. It is a difficult time for all fans of the genre, who are also coming to terms with the retirement of Joaquín Sabina, who has chosen to embark on a new chapter in his life. Robe Iniesta was always a private person and rarely spoke about his personal matters, which have now come into focus after his passing. To his heirs, he leaves not only a vast creative legacy bringing income from copyright royalties but also a significant material fortune—though this will do little to ease their grief over such an irreparable loss.
At 60, Iniesta was married with two children and managed his finances through two companies. One channeled income from his music career, while the other focused on agricultural projects and agritourism in Extremadura. He was deeply connected to this region not only through business but also cultural development in the city of Plasencia. Many celebrities expressed their sorrow at his passing, with even Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posting a farewell message on social media. Among those offering condolences were Lolita Flores, Alejandro Sanz, Bunbury, and many others. These gestures of support have been a comfort to his widow and children, who stood by his side throughout his lengthy illness.
Private Life and Final Years
After Extremoduro disbanded in 2019, when the musician had already started his solo career, he was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. Unfortunately, he was never able to fully recover from it. In recent years, he spent much of his time in Lesama, a small town near Bilbao in the Basque Country, where he underwent treatment. The area became very special to him. He said that when he wrote about the sea, he needed to see it from his window, which was impossible in his native Extremadura.
The great love of his life was his widow, Bibi. She had been a longtime friend, and while their relationship experienced serious crises, they always managed to overcome them. As a trusted confidante in both of his companies, Bibi stayed by his side until the very end. Their two children were also there—neither ever sought public attention or media fame.
Family and Humble Origins
The son of a simple auto body tinsmith and a homemaker, Robe started earning a living by selling sweets from a van. But music called him very early on. It was in his father’s workshop that he first picked up a guitar and began writing the songs that would eventually make him a superstar. His son Naum followed in his footsteps and became the drummer for Kontrol-M. His daughter Karin was more drawn to her father’s agritourism business, but, like her mother, always stayed out of the spotlight and avoided media attention. Bibi herself played a key role in helping Roberto overcome his addictions, something he acknowledged in rare interviews.
Although he lived temporarily in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Granada, it was in Lesama that he found inner peace. The musician insisted that he had quit heroin even before forming Extremoduro, rejecting the excessive lifestyle often attributed to him. “My songs speak for me,” he would often say.
By the way, Extremoduro is a Spanish rock band founded by Roberto Iniesta in Plasencia in 1987. The group is considered one of the most influential in the history of Spanish rock. Their style, which Iniesta himself defined as “transgressive rock,” combined hard rock with poetic and often raw lyrics. The band released eleven studio albums, selling millions of copies. Their work has had a huge impact on several generations of musicians and listeners in Spain and Latin America. Despite commercial success, the band always maintained an independent spirit and rarely appeared in the media.
