Brazilian Rock - The Early Years of The 2000s

The Early Years of The 2000s

The boundary between MPB - "Música Popular Brasileira" - and international electric pop and rock was largely broken since the TV Record Festival (1967), a milestone (as seen in the documentary Uma Noite em 67, and the beginning of a great revolution in the contemporary pop music: Tropicalismo. The shaping of Brazilian popular music can be considered a result from a gradual union between the wealth of the regional folk music and the contemporary urban references, which means that music is also receptive to the world, and for this reason, creative. But if in that time (1967) was evident a dichotomy ("MPB" versus electric music), on the other hand, in this moment is visible the beginning of the electric fusion inside the acoustic Brazilian music.

Musicians and bands of the 90s absorbed definitely the rock aesthetic in the "MPB" or vice versa: Chico César, Fernanda Abreu, Paula Morelenbaum, Adriana Calcanhoto, Lenine (musician), Paulinho Moska, Ed Motta, Badi Assad, Marisa Monte, Carlinhos Brown, Arnaldo Antunes, Nando Reis, Zeca Baleiro, Lula Queiroga, Jair Oliveira, Wilson Simoninha, Léo Minax, Chico Amaral, Marina Machado, Bebel Gilberto, Zélia Duncan, Tony Platão (or Toni Platão), Pedro Mariano and Max de Castro.

In the first decade of the millennium, many musicians had already incorporated the new rock as an alternative aesthetic to this generation. This new fusion is encountered in Fernando Catatau, Vanessa da Mata who has done backing vocals for Black Uhuru, Tatá Aeroplano, CéU, Curumin, Orquestra Imperial, The +2's, Mariana Aydar, Karina Buhr (see also Comadre Florzinha), Seu Jorge, Ana Cañas, Nina Becker, Rômulo Fróes, Márcia Castro, 3 na Massa, Bruno Morais, Cérebro Eletrônico, Fino Coletivo, Tulipa Ruiz, Thiago Pethit, Tiê, Marcelo Jeneci, Dante Ozzetti, Moisés Santana, Miriam Maria, Jonas Sá, Sergio Molina, Cicero, M. Takara, Leo Cavalcanti, Sobrado 112, Banda Sincrônica, Pedro Osmar, Gutti Mendes, Marcelo Pretto, Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda, Kristoff Silva, Lu Horta, and Mandrágora. The Vanessa da Mata songs "Ai, Ai, Ai" and "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" (with guest vocals by Ben Harper) became number-one hits in Brazil.

The real independent attitude raises also a growing audience at the beginning of the twenty-first century. There is a lot of opportunities with the festivals such as Bananada (Goiânia), Porão do Rock (Brasília), Camping Rock (Itabirito), Humaitá Pra Peixe (Rio de Janeiro), Grito Rock (itinerant), Fora do Eixo (itinerant), Abril Pro Rock (Recife), Goiânia Noise (Goiânia), Mada (festival) (Natal, Rio Grande do Norte), Calango (festival)(Cuiabá), Festival Garimpo (Belo Horizonte), Varadouro (Rio Branco), Rec-Beat (Recife), Jambolada (Uberlândia), Vaca Amarela (Goiânia) and independent labels (like Monstro Discos, Senhor F, Mondo 77, Trama, Travolta Discos, Deckdisc, Urban Jungle, Fora do Eixo Discos, Escárnio e Osso). It's a moment of intense creativity. The Brazilian indie scene with the support of the internet, MTV and the festivals gain a captive audience. Part is influenced by the Hard rock, Hardcore, Metal, part is influenced by the 1990s rock, after the Strokes and Radiohead boom. There are references of the 1970s Brazilian music and Glam rock, Folk music (Brazilian or not), from the 1980s B-rock, from the 1980s São Paulo Vanguard, Jovem Guarda (the garage side of this genre), Tropicália, the Samba rock and the Black music revisited, Electro, Rap, Ska, Jazz, Dub music, Funk Carioca and part is influenced by almost everyone of these genres. A large number of bands were created. Among pioneers from this period are Cachorro Grande, Tetine, Cordel do Fogo Encantado, Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS), Autoramas, Cibelle, Udora, Pedro Luís e a Parede, Bnegão, Cascadura, Mombojó, Forgotten Boys, Gram, Ludov, Cidadão Instigado, Canto dos Malditos na Terra do Nunca, Bidê ou Balde, Lampirônicos, Leela (banda), Fernando Chuí, Hurtmold (instrumental), Zumbi do Mato, Mopho, Os Pistoleiros, Polara, Declinium, Pullovers, Mamelo Sound System, MQN, Vulgue Tolstoi, Flu, Doiseu Mimdoisema, Hipnóticos, Monokini, Sleepwalker, Astromato, The Butcher's Orquestra, Grenade, Wado, The Charts, Astronautas, Módulo, China and O Grito. The term Post-rock is already well used in Brazil.

Some magazines in the English language in the beginning of 2000s deemed some worldwide genres like Electro-rock (using this term on the 2000s music) and New rave having some Brazilian bands not only as the exponents but builders of these movements.

A sparkle of new musicians and bands appear: Simples Mente Livre, Móveis Coloniais de Acaju, Maquinado (Lúcio Maia), Monjolo, Lulina, Jupiter Maçã, Matanza (band), Violins, Superguidis, Lucy and the Popsonics, Retrigger, Eron Falbo, Terminal Guadalupe, Do amor, Nevilton, Pélico, Poléxia, Vanguart, Copacabana Club, Borderlinerz, Zemaria, Samambaia Sound Club, Banda Eddie, Guizado, Gardenais, Jumbo Elektro, Urban ToTem, Moptop, Porcas Borboletas, Cinedisco, Sabonetes, Threat, Montage, Daniel Belleza e os Corações em Fúria, Madame Saatan, Pública, Lucas Santtana, Visitantes, Firefriend, Seminal, Zefirina Bomba, Rockassetes, Charme Chulo, Rock Rocket, Mão de Oito, Érika Machado, Ecos Falsos, Envydust, Os Telepatas, Carolina Diz, Monaural, Mahalab, Supercordas, Canastra, SomoS, Chimpanzé Clube Trio, Wandula, Cartolas, Screams of Hate, Margot, Luxúria, Valentina, Volver, U.D.R., Faichecleres, Volpina, Aerocirco, Vincebuz, Mallu Magalhães, Banzé, Filomedusa, Ari Borger Quartet (instrumental), Radiare, Minnuit, Elma, Telepathique, Eu Serei a Hiena, Velhos e Usados, Julia Says, Pata de Elefante, Orquestra Abstrata, MoMo, Rodrigo Bittencourt, Garotas Suecas, Banda Pedra, Lafusa, Monno, Banda Rozen, Los Pirata, Vandaluz, Nancy, Venus Volts, Bad Folks, Rafael Agra, Marcelo Camelo, Lirinha, Stop Play Moon, Watson, Transmissor, Ultrafônica, Cabaret, Black Drawing Chalks, Macaco Bong, Rockz, Bazar Pamplona, Rodrigo Amarante, Little Joy, Drosóphila, Capitão Iguana, Mula Mansa & a Fabulosa Figura, Diego de Moraes e O Sindicato, Os Azuis, Plato Divorak, Los Porongas, Seychelles, Clorofones, Sweet Cherry Fury, Comunidade Nin-Jitsu, Bonde do Rolê, Um porem dois, Transmissor, Jair Naves, Apanhador Só, and Live Wire.