Ten years after, the band Nenhum de Nós makes a comeback
Having enjoyed huge success with the hit track Camila, Camila in 1988, the southern band tries to gather new fans with the CD Histórias Reais Seres Imaginários
Silvio Essinger
17/05/2001
Some people thought that it was no more. But Nenhum de Nós, the southern rock band from the last '80s wave, owner of hits like Camila, Camila, Astronauta de Mármore (version of David Bowie's Starman), Sobre o Tempo and Ao Meu Redor, was never even close to ending its activities, started 15 years ago in Porto Alegre (capital of Rio Grande do Sul). What happened was that the members were living "the reality of a medium-size southern band", as put by vocalist Thedy Corrêa. While touring to promote the album Paz e Amor (1998) 
, for instance, Nenhum played over 200 concerts - but they all took place in the south of Brazil.
"One way or another, we thought it was a bit annoying to be restricted to one part of the country", the musician protests. The fact is that, at last, Nenhum de Nós is back on the scene with the CD Histórias Reais Seres Imaginários , coming out now on Sony Music. Riding the same roads they have ridden before, the band performs in São Paulo and Rio this month.
With the song Amanhã ou Depois starting to make its way on the radio, Nenhum de Nós is able evaluate how its audience has been renewed. "We managed to keep our standards, so we remain meaningful to teenagers. They like us, not because we wrote Camila, but because of our music", guitarist Carlos Stein believes. "Everything that we say is based on real life experiences, which brings truth to the lyrics", Thedy completes. Not by chance, the album is named Histórias Reais Seres Imaginários (or True Stories Imaginary Beings).
Creative freedom
The new album represents the band's overcoming the hard times, which began in 1993, when Nenhum de Nós recorded an album that sounded heavier, filled with noise guitars. The record company, Polygram, simply decided not to release it - it only came out last year, on the southern label Antídoto, and dubbed Onde Você Estava em 93? (or Where Were You in '93?) . "I like it", Thedy admits. "It sounds a bit outdated, now, but it did point out new paths for us. We were given creative freedom like never before."
In the midst of the mishaps with the record company, Nenhum managed to play an unplugged concert in Porto Alegre, which was turned into the album Acústico Ao Vivo (one of the first unplugged albums by Brazilian rock bands), released in 1994. "The record company tried to bury it, but the album sold quite well. We got a Golden Record for it (100 thousand copies)", Thedy reveals.
Dismissed by Polygram, the dark ages began to Nenhum de Nós. "We were being regarded as casualties", says Carlos Stein. "But time went by and we are still playing unplugged sets." According to Thedy, what was worth it was the lesson given by bands like Paralamas do Sucesso, which also suffered with the commercial cut downs in Brazilian rock in the early '90s. "The bands have to put a lot of pressure so as to make things happen", he teaches.
Following a more adequate schedule for a "medium-size southern band", Nenhum de Nós kept performing live and putting out albums like Mundo Diablo (1996, released on Velas) and Paz e Amor. "Our restlessness was all about having cool stuff to record", Thedy explains. Unpretentiously, the guys started recording last year with keyboardist Sacha Amback (who had produced Paz).
Then the flirt with Sony began. As they heard what the band had recorded so far, artistic directors Liminha and Ronaldo Vianna got all excited. "Liminha made a phone call to Herbert Vianna, asking him whether we were ok. We had never had a deal, before", says Carlos. They signed up to Sony and Herbert ended up playing the guitar on the track Nego.
The deal is being original
"As opposed to many bands from the '80s which are making comebacks", Carlos points out, Nenhum de Nós returns with new songs only. "When the band started out, the idea was not to follow any preset roles. We have always pursued our own sound. The deal is being original", he adds.
Nowadays, the new songs co-exist with the old ones, as observes drummer Sady Homrich: "From the top of our 15-year career, we have no regrets. It is an honor, having written Camila, Camila, which was recorded by Cazuza, shortly before his passing away." The side effect of the hits, though, is that the band has never escaped the compilation plague - the most recent one came out on the Focus series, on BMG, where the band released its first albums. "At least they called us to ask what we wanted to put in it", Thedy says.
"I must admit that we are getting old...", Carlos sighs. But he seems glad with the new bands that are coming out from Porto Alegre, such as Bidê ou Balde and Video Hits (read article). "These things are happening because the rock bands forced a market to be installed in the south. Bands that did not just turn out the lights and leave", points out the guitarist. "I have a lot of respect for the new scene. There is not clash, we are all the same."
, for instance, Nenhum played over 200 concerts - but they all took place in the south of Brazil. "One way or another, we thought it was a bit annoying to be restricted to one part of the country", the musician protests. The fact is that, at last, Nenhum de Nós is back on the scene with the CD Histórias Reais Seres Imaginários
, coming out now on Sony Music. Riding the same roads they have ridden before, the band performs in São Paulo and Rio this month. With the song Amanhã ou Depois starting to make its way on the radio, Nenhum de Nós is able evaluate how its audience has been renewed. "We managed to keep our standards, so we remain meaningful to teenagers. They like us, not because we wrote Camila, but because of our music", guitarist Carlos Stein believes. "Everything that we say is based on real life experiences, which brings truth to the lyrics", Thedy completes. Not by chance, the album is named Histórias Reais Seres Imaginários (or True Stories Imaginary Beings).
Creative freedom
The new album represents the band's overcoming the hard times, which began in 1993, when Nenhum de Nós recorded an album that sounded heavier, filled with noise guitars. The record company, Polygram, simply decided not to release it - it only came out last year, on the southern label Antídoto, and dubbed Onde Você Estava em 93? (or Where Were You in '93?)
. "I like it", Thedy admits. "It sounds a bit outdated, now, but it did point out new paths for us. We were given creative freedom like never before." In the midst of the mishaps with the record company, Nenhum managed to play an unplugged concert in Porto Alegre, which was turned into the album Acústico Ao Vivo (one of the first unplugged albums by Brazilian rock bands), released in 1994. "The record company tried to bury it, but the album sold quite well. We got a Golden Record for it (100 thousand copies)", Thedy reveals.
Dismissed by Polygram, the dark ages began to Nenhum de Nós. "We were being regarded as casualties", says Carlos Stein. "But time went by and we are still playing unplugged sets." According to Thedy, what was worth it was the lesson given by bands like Paralamas do Sucesso, which also suffered with the commercial cut downs in Brazilian rock in the early '90s. "The bands have to put a lot of pressure so as to make things happen", he teaches.
Following a more adequate schedule for a "medium-size southern band", Nenhum de Nós kept performing live and putting out albums like Mundo Diablo (1996, released on Velas) and Paz e Amor. "Our restlessness was all about having cool stuff to record", Thedy explains. Unpretentiously, the guys started recording last year with keyboardist Sacha Amback (who had produced Paz).
Then the flirt with Sony began. As they heard what the band had recorded so far, artistic directors Liminha and Ronaldo Vianna got all excited. "Liminha made a phone call to Herbert Vianna, asking him whether we were ok. We had never had a deal, before", says Carlos. They signed up to Sony and Herbert ended up playing the guitar on the track Nego.
The deal is being original
"As opposed to many bands from the '80s which are making comebacks", Carlos points out, Nenhum de Nós returns with new songs only. "When the band started out, the idea was not to follow any preset roles. We have always pursued our own sound. The deal is being original", he adds.
Nowadays, the new songs co-exist with the old ones, as observes drummer Sady Homrich: "From the top of our 15-year career, we have no regrets. It is an honor, having written Camila, Camila, which was recorded by Cazuza, shortly before his passing away." The side effect of the hits, though, is that the band has never escaped the compilation plague - the most recent one came out on the Focus series
, on BMG, where the band released its first albums. "At least they called us to ask what we wanted to put in it", Thedy says."I must admit that we are getting old...", Carlos sighs. But he seems glad with the new bands that are coming out from Porto Alegre, such as Bidê ou Balde and Video Hits (read article). "These things are happening because the rock bands forced a market to be installed in the south. Bands that did not just turn out the lights and leave", points out the guitarist. "I have a lot of respect for the new scene. There is not clash, we are all the same."