Archive for the Band Intro Category
OS MUTANTES biography by Wikipedia
Posted in Band Intro, Brasil music, psycodelico south america on August 28, 2009 by Listen Recovery
History
Os Mutantes were formed in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1966 by 2 brothers Arnaldo Baptista (bass, keyboards and vocals) and Sérgio Dias Baptista (guitar and vocals) and lead singer Rita Lee, originally named Six Sided Rockers. The Baptistas’ father was a poet and mother a pianist, and the two had previously had a band called The Wooden Faces. Their current name was settled upon immediately before a performance on a Brazilian television program.
Through other TV performances, the band was able to meet Gilberto Gil, an influential musician in the Tropicália movement, who brought them into the movement’s circle. Os Mutantes released two albums heavily influenced by Tropicália, which blended psychedelic rock with other forms of art. They played with many artists of this period, including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, prior to their arrest and subsequent exile. During the 1960s, Os Mutantes was threatened by the military government of Brazil of that time. In 1971, bassist Arnolpho Lima Filho (“Liminha”) and drummer Ronaldo Leme (“Dinho”) officially joined the band. They released five albums together before Lee departed in 1972 to start a solo career. Subsequently the band moved in a progressive rock direction with the album O A e o Z, recorded in 1973 but released only in 1992 due to disagreement with the record company. Arnaldo left the band in that year to pursue a solo career due to differences with other band members and problems with the abuse of LSD, followed by Dinho and, a year later, Liminha. Arnaldo subsequently was institutionalized and jumped from the building’s window, causing a six-week coma. Sérgio Dias, the only remaining original member, led the band until its dissolution in 1978. During this time, they released three more albums. Two unreleased albums were released many years later, the aforementioned O A e o Z and Tecnicolor recorded in 1970 and released in 2000.
Influence
When Os Mutantes was formed, it combined influences from the English-speaking psychedelic acts like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix with the sounds of bands like Sly & the Family Stone. Although they met with limited success in their own time, Os Mutantes also influenced a great number of Brazilian bands such as Pato Fu, Júpiter Maçã and Sepultura, who recorded a cover of the song “A Hora E A Vez Do Cabelo Nascer”. In addition, many contemporary underground or independent bands in the United States and Europe cite Os Mutantes as a major influence. Kurt Cobain publicly requested a reunion tour from the trio in 1993, writing a letter to Arnaldo Baptista. Cobain was introduced to them by Pat Fear from White Flag (whose collaboration with Redd Kross and other friends under the name The Tater Totz was the first American band to cover or even cite Os Mutantes on their 1988 LP Alien Sleestaks from Brazil). Beck paid tribute to the group with his single “Tropicália” from the album Mutations. The Bees (UK band) covered “A Minha Menina” on their first album, Sunshine Hit Me. Kevin Barnes of of Montreal cites Os Mutantes as an important influence. Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has worked to publish and promote the group’s music through his Luaka Bop label.
2006 reunion
Os Mutantes (Arnaldo, Sérgio and Dinho, sans Rita Lee and Liminha—Lee was replaced with Zélia Duncan on vocals) played live for the first time since 1978 at the Tropicalia exhibition at London’s Barbican Arts Centre on May 22, 2006. This performance was followed by shows in New York City, Los Angeles (with the Flaming Lips), San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, and Miami.
They have also collaborated with British DJ JD Twitch, in a Britain/Brazil culture project in 2007, called Trocabrahma. In September 2007, both Arnaldo Baptista and Zélia Duncan left the band. Both expressed wishes to continue with their respective solo projects. Sérgio Dias, however, vowed to keep the reformed band alive, not wanting to let “the giant sleep again”, as he put it.
In November, it was reported that Liminha would return to the fold, while Karina Zeviani was said to replace Duncan as the band’s female vocalist. However, this formation never happened. Sérgio Dias announced in late 2007 the recording of a new studio album, with some collaboration by Tom Zé and Devendra Banhart. In April 2008, Os Mutantes released their first song in more than 30 years, called “Mutantes Depois”, with new female vocalist Bia Mendes and male vocalist Fabio Recco, available for digital download and online stream.
In June 2008, “A Minha Menina” was the featured audio track for the McDonald’s commercial “Victory.”
In 2009, the band announced their new release in 35 years, Haih, to be released on September 8, by ANTI- Records. They are to embark on a North American tour in support of the album.
LP’s
- 1968: Os Mutantes
- 1969: Mutantes
- 1970: A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado
- 1971: Tecnicolor (abandoned, released in 2000)
- 1971: Jardim Elétrico
- 1972: Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País do Baurets
- 1973: O A e o Z (released in 1992)
- 1974: Tudo Foi Feito Pelo Sol
- 2009: Haih
Live Lp’s
Compilations
- 1968: Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses
- 1999: Everything is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes
- 2006: De Volta Ao Planeta Dos Mutantes
EP’s
- 1968: A Voz do Morto/Baby/Marcianita/Saudosismo (with Caetano Veloso)
- 1969: Fuga n° II/Adeus, Maria Fulô/Dois Mil e Um/Bat Macumba
- 1970: Hey Boy/Desculpe Babe/Ando Meio Desligado/Preciso Urgentemente Encontrar Um Amigo
- 1976: Cavaleiros Negros/Tudo Bem/Balada do Amigo
Singles
- 1966: “Suicida”/”Apocalipse” (as “O’Seis”)
- 1968: “É Proibido Proibir”/”Ambiente de Festival” (with Caetano Veloso)
- 1968: “A Minha Menina”/”Adeus Maria Fulô”
- 1969: “Dois Mil e Um”/”Dom Quixote”
- 1969: “Ando Meio Desligado”/”Não Vá Se Perder Por Aí”
- 1971: “Top Top”/”It’s Very Nice Pra Xuxu”
- 1972: “Mande Um Abraço Pra Velha”
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