The Brazilian music scene from the 70s was not very favorable to Rock, much seen with reservations by the Generals of the time; Brazil was still a country devoted entirely to the MPB (phonographically speaking), even with names like Rita Lee and Raul Seixas, rock did not have a dedicated ground for the public, marginalized, without many projections in the mass-media and also without a show-business structure that favored them. But with the turn of the decade, it began to assert itself and during 1981/82, the beginning of a new generation no longer restricted to the MPB arose. More open to the world musical context, as the ideal of the punk movement (do-it-yourself) and the colorful entertaining bands from the New Wave.

Youngsters who were born under the years of lead, dreamed of a freer style of music, by the time psychedelia and progressive rock with their remote themes and 15 minutes trips, little or nothing dialogue with the backdrop of beach, sun and Rio’s sea. Note that in São Paulo (concrete jungle) those same longings became the Vanguarda Paulista and the birth of the punk movement, not as accessible as their brothers in Rio (these and other developments will be addressed in future posts).

The precursors of so-called BRock were the cariocas from Gang 90, and his debut at the MPB-Shell festival in August 1981 with the song Perdidos na Selva. From there, three factors contributed for the formation and dissemination of a new musical explosion with its apex culminating in the realization of the first Rock in Rio in January 1985.

They are: the foundation of Circo Voador (a playhouse) in January 82 in Ipanema, the premiere of Fluminense FM (Maldita), first radio to play (solely) rock in national territory, and the organization of the first punk festival, Começo do Fim do Mundo on November 82, at the newly inaugurated SESC Pompeia.

Some BRock bands: Gang 90, Blitz, Paralamas do Sucesso, Barão Vermelho, Kid Abelha, Lobão, Lulu Santos, Legião Urbana, Ira!…

Let’s go to our history:

The political opening exhaustively repeated by the militaries as slow, gradual and safe, began in the end of the 70s, under strong repression of the right sectors that were contrary to the process initiated by the Amnesty Law in 1979. Numerous bombings throughout 1980 and 1981 attempted to cause a climate of political and social instability, culminating with the Rio Centro case: a bomb exploded in a parking lot inside a Puma car, killing the sergeant Guilherme Ferreira do Rosario and seriously injuring the captain Wilson Luís Chaves Machado, both linked to DOI-CODI (sic).

The bomb exploded while being handled, and prepared to be detonated near the Rio Centro light box in order to cut power and generate panic among the regulars of the show which was held in celebration of Labor Day, more than 20,000 people participating along with numerous music artists!

On occasion the government blamed the radical left for the attacks. This hypothesis had no support at the time and has been debunked, including a confession, proved that the attack was an attempt of more radical sectors of government (the CIE and SNI) to convince more moderate sectors that was required a new wave of repression in order to paralyze the slow political openness that was in progress. (!)

Let’s go to our album:

After a trip to U.S. in the early 80s, Kodiak Bachine decides to start a band inspired by punk and new waves groups that had watched and heard. With a new look, Kodiak has teamed up with guitarists Miguel Barella (Voluntários da Pátria) and Eduardo Amarante (Zero). Beyond them were part Lyses Pupo (bass) and drummer Elias Glik. The quintet had a strong line with the Talking Heads, B-52’s, Kraftwerk, Blondie, Devo, Gary Numan and Brian Eno. The seminal group pioneer in Brazil’s new-wave movement incorporated elements of electronic music and minimalist, making extensive use of icons and scenery that aided in the spread of brand new musical ideas and concepts in the emerging Electro-Pop of the 80s.

Kodiak sang, he said, in eletrotranzlyric, a dialect of his own invention that mixed Portuguese, English, German, and extraterrestrial languages​​. (!) After the release of the first single, the band performed three shows in 1982, the first on 25 September at Ilhas do Sul theater. Soon it became a cult among youngsters in São Paulo, taking a loyal following of admirers who filled the places where the band performed. With only five shows in one year, they left a lasting impression on the scene. With no label support or sponsorship the band was hampered and cannot make more shows.

The Agentss recorded only two compacts being the first, in 1981, an independent production, released in 1982. The second, was released by WEA label with musical production by Pena Schmidt in 1983. The group broke up amicably at the end of 1983 for philosophical reasons, Miguel Barella formed Voluntários da Pátria, Eduardo Amarante and Thomas Susemihl formed Azul 29 (also a pioneer in Electro-Pop). Later, Eduardo joined Guilherme Isnard and formed Zero, while Kodiak went solo.

This is one of those bands where you wonder why you haven’t known them before (?!), their leader Kodiak Bachine, is one of the most underrated keyboardists, a specialist in short bands but with great importance in the Brazilian context. With its futuristic synths and a vanguard proposal for the time, the band unfortunately did not achieved much publicity, being limited to São Paulo. A curious fact from the second compact is its cover, the first produced entirely on a computer, being photographed and reproduced because there was no way to print the same!

As it is only 4 songs, let’s give a chance to all of them, but let me advance you something, the title track Agentss is something beyond the expectations, being modern and exciting even to this day. With satyrical and humorous lyrics about radiation, robots and computers this domestically unknown band goes way off our traditional psychedelia so far, get ready for AGENTSS. நல்லபயணம்!

Some more BRock bands: Inocentes, Capital Inicial, Titãs, RPM, Violeta de Outono, Plebe Rube, Camisa de Vênus, Ultraje A Rigor, Cólera…

Tracks Include:

1982

A Angra (Orion)

B Agentss (Duo, Kodiak)

Scorpius 22.101.003

Guitar – Orion Mike (Miguel Barella)

Guitar – Duo Enkanativa (Eduardo Amarante)

Voice, Synths & Keyboards – Kodiak Bachine

Drums – Roberto L. Antônio

Bass – Luiz F. Portela

Drums on Angra – Armando Tibério Júnior

Credits

Engineered by – Pedro Franck Nemeth

Assisted by – Dom Elder

Mixed by – Pedro Franck Nemeth + Duo + Kodiak

Photo – Fritz Nagib

Recorded in São Paulo, August, 1981

1983

A Professor Digital

B Cidade Industrial

Elektra ‎BR.12.123

• Bass, Backing Vocals – Thomas Susemihl
• Drums – Elias Glik
• Guitar – Miguel Barella
• Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer – Eduardo Amarante
• Voice, Synthesizers – Kodiak Bachine

• Engineer – Ivo Barreto
• Art Direction – Guti
• Producer – Pena Schmidt

Recorded At – Estúdio Áudio Patrulha

Computer Vax 11/700