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They are recognized for building an unprecedented and lasting cultural bridge between Brazilian and Latin American music, a feat that few artists have managed to replicate. This connection began to solidify at the end of the 80s and, according to João Barone in an exclusive interview with Metropoliseswas driven by a strong “emotional channel” and not by a cold commercial strategy.
The first trip to Argentina in 1986 was decisive. The band came across a vibrant local rock scene with rising big names like Charly García and Fito Páez, and groups like Soda Stereo and Sumo.
Barone says that the band “got really excited about it” and saw something that “influenced Herbert a lot”. The admiration was mutual: Charly García even played the piano on “Almost a Second” (from the album Bora-Bora, 1988).
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The band worked hard to convince the record company to invest in promoting the work in neighboring countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela. “The main objective was the desire to be there in that scene” and to “recognize the musical value of this whole group”, says the drummer, especially emphasizing Argentina.
This relationship deepened in the 90s. In 1994, the Severino album featured production from the legendary Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music) and guest appearances from Fito Páez and Jamaican poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, demonstrating the band’s ambition to experiment sonically on an international scale.
MTV Latina, at the end of the 90s, was also crucial in promoting Paralamas throughout the Latin American axis. The result is that, to this day, the trio is very recognized in Argentina, where they feel “very local”, maintaining a “very sentimental” connection with the Argentine public.
The impact of this connection is evident: songs like “Carro Velho” (from the album Os Grãos, 1991), which had a modest success in Brazil, became a megahit in countries like Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. For Barone, this emotional connection “refreshed Paralamas a lot”.
This connection with the brothers will be exposed this Friday, November 21st, at the Estilo Brasil festival, at the Ulysses Centro de Convenções.
The Estilo Brasil Festival is offered by Banco do Brasil Estilo, sponsored by BB Visa, Banco do Brasil and Federal Government cards and the Metropolisesproduced by Oh! Arts.
Schedule
Paralamas do Sucesso & Dado Villa Lobos
Tour: Celebrating 40 years of Classics
November 21st
Caetano Veloso
December 11th
Liniker
December 14th
Brazil Style Festival
Location: Ulysses Convention Center
