Os Mutantes

This article is about Brazilian psychedelic rock band. For their debut album, see Os Mutantes (album). For their second album, see Mutantes (album). For the 1998 Portuguese film, see The Mutants (film).

Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes perform in 2010
Background information
Origin	São Paulo, Brazil
Genres	Psychedelic rock, progressive rock, tropicalismo, experimental
Years active	1966–1978 2006–present
Labels	Polydor/Universal, Som Livre, Sony BMG (Brazil) Omplatten, Luaka Bop, ANTI- (U.S.)
Website	mutantes.com
Members
Sérgio Dias Dinho Leme Bia Mendes Fabio Recco Vinicius Junqueira Henrique Peters Vitor Trida
Past members
Arnaldo Baptista Rita Lee Zélia Duncan Arnolpho Lima Filho Manito Rui Motta Túlio Mourão Antônio Pedro Luciano Alvez Paulo de Castro Fernando Gama Cláudio César Dias Baptista

Os Mutantes ("The Mutants"), Portuguese pronunciation: [uz muˈtɐ̃tʃis]) are an influential Brazilian psychedelic rock band that were linked with the Tropicália movement of the late 1960s. It was formed by two brothers and a vocalist, but has gone through numerous personnel changes throughout its existence. After a hiatus from the late 1970s to the early 2000s, the band reunited for a tour in 2006.

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. They were originally named Six Sided Rockers.^[1] The Baptistas' father was a poet and mother a pianist,^[2] and the two had previously had a band called The Wooden Faces. Sérgio Dias' guitar, the Golden Guitar (Guitarra de Ouro), was created by Arnaldo and Sérgio's brother, Cláudio César Dias Baptista, their sound engineer from 1968 until 1970.^{[citation needed]} Their current name was settled upon immediately before a performance on a Brazilian television program.^[3]

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.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[4] Rita Lee's 1972 album Hoje É o Primeiro Dia do Resto da Sua Vida was actually recorded with Os Mutantes but credited to Rita Lee due to record company disagreements. 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.^[2] Sérgio Dias, the only remaining original member, led the band until its dissolution in 1978. During this time, they released one more studio album, a live album and an EP. 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 psychedelic acts from the English-speaking world like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Sly & the Family Stone^[5] with bossa nova, tropicália, samba and the cultural legacy of the Brazilian art vanguards from the modernist movement.

Os Mutantes is one of the most well-known and influential rock bands in Brazil. 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.^[6] 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.^[7][8] Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has worked to publish and promote the group's music through his Luaka Bop label.^[1]

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.^[9] 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.^[10] Neither is part of the new band lineup. Sérgio Dias announced in late 2007 the recording of a new studio album, with some collaboration by Tom Zé and Devendra Banhart.^[11] 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.^[12]

In June 2008, "A Minha Menina" was the featured audio track for the McDonald's commercial "Victory."

In 2009, the band announced their first new release in 35 years, Haih Or Amortecedor, which was released on September 8, by ANTI- Records.^[13] They did an extensive North American tour in support of the album in the fall of 2009^[14] and played at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2010. The band also toured North America in the fall of 2010.

In 2011, they collaborated with Of Montreal on the song "Bat Macumba" for the Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.

Discography

Studio albums 1968: Os Mutantes 1969: Mutantes 1970: A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado 1970: Build Up (Rita Lee solo album, featuring all Mutantes) 1971: Tecnicolor (abandoned, released in 2000) 1971: Jardim Elétrico 1972: Mutantes e Seus Cometas no País do Baurets 1972: Hoje é o Primero Dia do Resto da Sua Vida (Rita Lee solo album, featuring all Mutantes) 1973: O A e o Z (released in 1992) 1974: Tudo Foi Feito Pelo Sol 2009: Haih Or Amortecedor Live albums 1976: Mutantes Ao Vivo 2006: Mutantes Ao Vivo - Barbican Theatre, Londres 2006 Compilations 1968: Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses 1999: Everything is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes 2006: De Volta Ao Planeta Dos Mutantes

EPs 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" 2008: "Mutantes Depois" DVD 2006: Mutantes Ao Vivo - Barbican Theatre, Londres 2006

Personnel

Years	Members
1968–1970	Cláudio César Dias Baptista - audio generator Arnaldo Baptista – bass, keyboards, vocals Rita Lee – vocals, percussion, recorder, autoharp, theremin Sérgio Dias – guitars, vocals, bass
1971–1972	Arnaldo Baptista – keyboards, vocals Rita Lee – vocals, percussion, keyboards Sérgio Dias – guitars, vocals, sitar Liminha – bass, vocals Dinho Leme – drums, percussion
1973	Arnaldo Baptista – keyboards, vocals, cello Sérgio Dias – guitars, vocals, sitar Liminha – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Dinho Leme – drums, percussion, tabla
1973	Sérgio Dias – guitar, vocals, sitar Liminha – bass, vocals Dinho Leme – drums, percussion Manito – keyboards, saxophone, flute
1973–1974	Sérgio Dias – guitar, vocals, sitar Liminha – bass, vocals Rui Motta – drums, percussion Túlio Mourão – keyboards, vocals
1974–1976	Sérgio Dias – guitar, vocals, sitar Rui Motta – drums, percussion Túlio Mourão – keyboards, vocals Antônio Pedro – bass, vocals
1976–1978	Sérgio Dias – guitar, vocals Rui Motta – drums, percussion Luciano Alves – keyboards, vocals Paulo de Castro – bass, vocals
1978	Sérgio Dias – guitar, vocals Rui Motta – drums, percussion Luciano Alves – keyboards, vocals Fernando Gama – bass, vocals
1978–2006	Band split
2006–2007	Sérgio Dias – vocals & guitars Arnaldo Baptista – vocals & keyboards Dinho Leme – drums, percussion Zélia Duncan – vocals
2008–present	Sérgio Dias – vocals, guitars, organ, cello, oud, percussion & harmonica Dinho Leme – drums, percussion & vocals Bia Mendes - vocals & percussion Fábio Recco - vocals & piano Vinícius Junqueira - bass & piano bass Henrique Peters - vocals, keyboards, piano & organ Vitor Trida - vocals, keyboards, guitars, viola caipira, flute, cello & violin

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Bush, John. "Biography". Allmusic. All Media Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p312117/biography. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Hodgkinson, Will (2006-05-18). "'Why be normal?'". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1777371,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Mutantes". AllBrazilianMusic. CliqueMusic Editora. http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/en/Artists/Artists.asp?Status=ARTISTA&Nu_Artista=414. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Rohter, Larry (2007-07-15). "Brazil’s Musical Mutants Resume Their Strange Trip". The New York Times (São Paulo, Brazil: The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/arts/music/15roht.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
5. ^ Cross, Dave (April 2000). "Os Mutantes - Dois Mil e Um". Perfect Sound Forever. http://www.furious.com/Perfect/osmutantes.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
6. ^ Rohter, Larry (2001-04-15). "Ignored for Decades, They're Suddenly a Hot Band". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E4DF1631F936A25757C0A9679C8B63. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
7. ^ Brown, Shane (2000-03-10). "Of Montreal Interview". Excellent Online. http://classic.excellentonline.com/article.php3?story_id=509. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
8. ^ Akers, Sarah (2004-09-03). "Interview : Of Montreal". CrownDozen.com. http://www.crowndozen.com/main/archives/001391.shtml. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
9. ^ G1. "Arnaldo Baptista e Zélia Duncan saem dos Mutantes" (in Portuguese). G1 (São Paulo, Brazil). http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Musica/0,,MUL107798-7085-4470,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29. 
10. ^ iG (2007-11-13). "Baixista Liminha volta a integrar os Mutantes" (in Portuguese). iG. http://igpop.ig.com.br/principal/2007/11/13/baixista_liminha_volta_a_integrar_os_mutantes_1078993.html. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
11. ^ Ayers, Michael (2007-10-25). "Os Mutantes Busy With Live Album, Studio Work". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003663571. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
12. ^ Richardson, Mark (2008-04-24). "Premiere: Os Mutantes: "Mutantes Depois" (New Song)". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/forkcast/50169-os-mutantes-mutantes-depois-new-song-mp3stream. Retrieved 2008-04-28. 
13. ^ http://pitchfork.com/news/35642-os-mutantes-sign-to-anti-ready-new-album/
14. ^ http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Os-Mutantes-Announce-North

External links

• (Portuguese) Os Mutantes official site
• (Portuguese) Arnaldo Baptista official site
• (Portuguese) Sérgio Dias official site
• (Portuguese) Rita Lee official site
• (English) Os Mutantes: Album Guide
• (Portuguese) (English) Cláudio César Dias Baptista - CCDB official site