Skank (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Skank

---

Img_capt = Samuel Rosa
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin =
Genre = Brazilian rock, Reggae, Pop
Years_active = 1991–present
Label = Epic, Sony BMG
Associated_acts =
URL = http://skank.uol.com.br/skank/
Current_members = Samuel Rosa (lead vocals, guitar)
Henrique Portugal (keyboards, backing vocals)
Lelo Zaneti (bass guitar)
Haroldo Ferretti (drums)
Past_members =

Skank is a Brazilian britpop/reggae band, begun in 1991, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. As of 2004, they had sold approximately 5,200,000 copies of their albumscite web| last =Bin| first =Marcos Paulo| authorlink =
coauthors =|title =Skank faz sucesso com Vamos Fugir 20 anos depois da gravação original | work =| publisher =Gilbertogil.com.br (Universo Musical)| date =2005-01-11| url=http://www.gilbertogil.com.br/sec_news.php?page=13&id=58&language_id=1| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] . Initially intending to mix dancehall with traditional Brazilian styles, later the band changed its sonority to music closer to Britpop and local movement Clube da Esquina.

Members

*Samuel Rosa - vocals and guitar
*Lelo Zaneti - bass
*Henrique Portugal - keyboard, backing vocals
*Haroldo Ferretti - drums

Biography

In 1983, Samuel Rosa (guitars, vocals) and Henrique Portugal (keyboards) started to play in a reggae band called "Pouso Alto", along with Dinho Mourão (drums) and his brother Alexandre (bass). In 1991, Pouso Alto arranged for a performance in São Paulo, but due to the Mourão brothers not being in Belo Horizonte, bassist Lelo Zaneti and drummer Haroldo Ferretti were called for the gig. [Citation
last = Peixoto
first = Mariana
title = Quase Famosos
newspaper = Estado de Minas
pages =
year =2006
date = June 4
url = ] The band premiered on June 5, 1991, and due to the performance competing with the Campeonato Paulista final match, the audience was comprised of 37 people. [cite video
people =
title = MTV ao Vivo em Ouro Preto
medium = DVD
publisher = Sony Music
location =
date = 2001 ] After the show, the group changed its name to Skank, inspired by Bob Marley's song "Easy skanking", and began to perform regularly at "Mister Beef" churrascaria in Belo Horizontecite news| last =Padilla| first =Ivan| coauthors =| title =Garotos nacionais
work =|pages =| language =Portuguese| publisher =Istoé| date =1996-08-28
url = http://www.terra.com.br/istoe/cultura/140407.htm| accessdate =2007-04-26] .

"Skank" (1992/1993)

After playing for some time in churrascarias, bars and clubhouses, the band spent US$10,000 in their first album, "Skank", released as an independent CD in late 1992 with 3,000 copies, fully paid by the band members themselves. In 45 days, 1,200 were sold [Revista Bizz, 1993 [http://bizz.abril.com.br/tunel/tunel_150360.shtml O Brasil vai dançar] ] , and Sony Music signed the band as the first Brazilian act in its Chaos label. "Skank" was re-released in April 1993. The singles "O Homem Que Sabia Demais", "Tanto" (version of Bob Dylan's "I Want You") e "In(Dig)Nação" took the group on a 120 concerts tour around Brazil, and the album sold 250 thousand copies [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =
coauthors =|title =Skank é atração nacional do aniversário de Gravataí| work =| publisher =Prefeitura de Gravataí| date =2007-03-29| url =http://www.gravatai.rs.gov.br/noticias/noticias.php?id=7948| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] .

"Calango" (1994)

"Calango" (1994) was the first record produced by Dudu Marote. "É Proibido Fumar", "Te Ver", "Pacato Cidadão", "Esmola" and "Jackie Tequila" were hits, and "Calango" sold around 1,200,000 copies [http://www.revistaoi.com.br/nova/skank.asp Revista Oi] ] .

"O Samba Poconé" (1996)

"O Samba Poconé" was released in 1996. The album had three big hits, "Tão Seu", "É Uma Partida de Futebol", included by FIFA in the official soundtrack for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and "Garota Nacional" which topped the Spanish charts for three months [ [http://ofuxico.uol.com.br/Materias/Noticias/2006/10/33787.htm O Fuxico] ] [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =
coauthors =|title =Skank, pop con sabor tropical| work =| publisher =Terra España| date =| url =http://musica.terra.es/articulo/html/mus2015.htm| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] , was the only Portuguese language song in the Sony Music compilation "Soundtrack For a Century", released in 1997 to celebrate the company's centennial, and took the group on tour in Argentina, Chile, United States, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =
coauthors =|title =Skank| work =| publisher =TV Cultura| date =2003-03-09| url =http://www.tvcultura.com.br/bembrasil/programacao.asp?progid=31| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] . Although "Garota Nacional" literally translates to "national girl", the song is not about the women of Brazil: it celebrates the "girls of Bar Nacional", a bar and nightclub in Belo Horizonte famous in the early 1990s for the beauty of its female patrons [cite news| last =Padilla| first =Ivan| coauthors =| title =A capital dos botecos
work =|pages =| language =| publisher =| date =1996-09-25
url =http://www.terra.com.br/istoe/comport/140804.htm| accessdate =2007-04-27] . Manu Chao featured in "Sem Terra", "Los Pretos" e "Zé Trindade". "O Samba Poconé" sold 1,800,000 cópias - 800,000 of those in two months.

"Siderado" (1998)

"Siderado", produced by John Shaw (UB 40) and Paul Ralphes, begins the band's movement towards a more rock and roll sound. The Clube da Esquina-influenced "Resposta" (re-recorded in 1999 by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges, the latter the song's co-atuhor with Samuel Rosa and Nando Reis), "Mandrake e Os Cubanos" and "Saideira" were hits. Released in 1998, "Siderado" sold 750 thousand copies [http://www.revistaoi.com.br/nova/skank_2.asp Revista Oi] ] . Daúde and Uakti participated as guest artists.

In 1999 Skank recorded an Spanish language version for "Wrapped Around Your Finger" in a tribute album for The Police entitled "Outlandos d'America".

"Maquinarama" (2000)

With "Maquinarama", the band begins in earnest its move away from the ska and reggae sound towards a more rock oriented one influence by The Beatles, Clube da Esquina, Britpop and contemporary alternative rock [cite news| last =Tavares| first =Tatiana| coauthors =Marco Antônio Barbosa| title =Skank anda para frente - olhando para trás
work =|pages =| language =Portuguese| publisher =Cliquemusic| date =2003-07-14
url =http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/br/Acontecendo/Acontecendo.asp?Nu_Materia=4047| accessdate =2007-04-26] . "Maquinarama", produced by Chico Neves and Tom Capone and released in July 2000, sold 275 thousand copies. Some of the hit singles were "Três Lados", "Balada do Amor Inabalável" and "Canção Noturna". The original cover shows a Cadillac with graffiti by Californian artist Kenny Scharf. The international version has a different cover.

"MTV ao vivo" (2001)

In 2001, Skank recorded the first live album in Ouro Preto as part of the MTV Brasil's series "MTV Ao Vivo". "MTV Ao Vivo" sold 600 thousand copies. Besides a list of hits chosen by fans through Skank's website, the album had the new song "Acima do Sol", a national hit. In 2002 Samuel Rosa played acoustic guitar in "É Proibido Fumar", from the "Acústico MTV" (MTV Unplugged) by Roberto Carlos.

"Cosmotron" (2003)

"Cosmotron", produced by Skank and Tom Capone, was released in July 2003 and sold 250 thousand copies - a disappointment next to their vigorous previous sales figures. Nevertheless the album had many radio and ringtone hits. "Supernova", "Dois Rios", "Vou Deixar" and "Amores Imperfeitos" were the main tracks. "Cosmotron" won the Latin Grammy - best Brazilian rock album award in 2004 [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =
coauthors =|title =Latin Grammy| work =| publisher =Terra| date =| url =http://www.terra.com/musica/especiales/latingrammy/ganadores_lista.html| format =| doi =| accessdate =] [cite news | last = Barbosa | first = Marco Antônio | coauthors = | title = Vitória e tragédia brasileiras em Los Angeles | work = | pages = | language = Portuguese | publisher = Cliquemusic UOL | date = 2004-09-02 | url = http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/br/Acontecendo/Acontecendo.asp?Nu_materia=4199 | accessdate = 2007-04-22 ] .

"Radiola" (2004)

Released in October 2004, "Radiola" was the first compilation album by Skank. It included four new songs, including the Gilberto Gil cover "Vamos Fugir". The cover reproduces a painting by the hyped Los Angeles artists The Clayton Brothers. "Radiola" sold 200 thousand copies.

"Carrossel" (2006)

In March 2006 Skank began recording the new album "Carrossel" in their studio in Belo Horizonte, with producers Chico Neves, who also worked in "Maquinarama", and Carlos Eduardo Miranda, producer the Acústico MTV album by O Rappa. Released in August, the album (a commercial disaster) had the semi-hits "Uma Canção É Pra Isso" and "Mil Acasos". Arnaldo Antunes ("Trancoso"), César Mauricio ("Lugar") and Humberto Effe ("Cara Nua" and "Notícia") were the songwriting partners.

International career

Skank had some success with "Garota Nacional", that lead the Spanish charts, and "É Uma Partida de Futebol" was shown before some games of the 1998 World Cup due to being in the championship's soundtrack. By the time of "O Samba Poconé", the group toured through Latin America and Europe, and appeared in big festivals such as Super Bock/Super Rock 1997 in Portugal , Páleo Festival 97 in Suíça, St. Gallen 98 in Switzerland, Montreux Jazz Festival 2001, and SummerStage 2002 in New York City. The group was also called for Rock in Rio III in 2001, but went out along with other Brazilian bands in protest against O Rappa's exclusion.

However, the band never invested much in its international career. Some songs received versions in Spanish, such as "Chica Nacional" ("Garota Nacional"), and "Respuesta" ("Resposta"), but foreign shows are usually in places with many Brazilians, such as Miami and New York City.cite web|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2002-08-08/music/home-bodies/full|title=Home Bodies|publisher=Miami New Times|date=2002-08-22|accessdate=2007-09-17]

Discography

*"Skank" (1993, 250,000 copies sold)
*"Calango" (1994, 1,250,000 copies sold
*"O Samba Poconé" (1996, 1,800,000 copies sold
*"Siderado" (1998, 750,000 copies sold)
*"Maquinarama" (2000, 275,000 copies sold)
*"Skank MTV ao vivo" (2001, 600,000 copies sold)
*"Cosmotron" (2003, 400,000 copies sold)
*"Radiola" (2004, 240,000 copies sold)
*"Carrossel" (2006, 200,000 copies sold)
*"Estandarte" (2008), TBA

Year-End Brazilian Charts

* "Tanto (I want you)", from "Skank", (Hot100Brasil #63, 1993) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1993.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "O Homem Que Sabia Demais", from "Skank", (Hot100Brasil #85, 1993)
* "Esmola", from "Calango", (Hot100Brasil #56, 1994) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1994.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "É Proibido Fumar", from "Calango", (Hot100Brasil #75, 1994)
* "In(dig)nação", from "Skank", (Hot100Brasil #84, 1994)
* "Pacato Cidadão", from "Calango", (Hot100Brasil #16, 1995) [ [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1995.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Garota Nacional", from "O Samba Poconé", (Hot100Brasil #1, 1996) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1996.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Tão Seu", from "O Samba Poconé", (Hot100Brasil #62, 1996)
* "É Uma Partida de Futebol", from "O Samba Poconé", (Hot100Brasil #65, 1996)
* "Resposta", from "Siderado", (Hot100Brasil #34, 1998) [ [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1998.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Mandrake e os Cubanos", from "Siderado", (Hot100Brasil #43, 1999) [ [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine1999.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Três lados", from "Maquinarama", (Hot100Brasil #39, 2000) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachine2000.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Balada do Amor Inabalável", from "Maquinarama", (Hot100Brasil #45, 2000)
* "Estare prendido en tus dedos", from "Outlandos d'Americas", (Hot100Brasil #79, 2000)
* "Acima do Sol", from "Skank MTV ao vivo", (Hot100Brasil #5, 2001) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpageb.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Canção Noturna (ao vivo)", from "Skank MTV ao vivo", (Hot100Brasil #60, 2002) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpage2002.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Fica", from "Maquinarama", (Hot100Brasil #97, 2001, 2002)
* "Tanto (ao vivo)", from "Skank MTV ao vivo", (Hot100Brasil #98, 2002)
* "Dois Rios", from "Cosmotron", (Hot100Brasil #4, 2003) [ [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpage2003.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Vou Deixar", from "Cosmotron", (Hot100Brasil #1, 2004) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpage2004.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Vamos Fugir", from "Radiola", (Hot100Brasil #31, 2004); Hot100Brasil #18, 2005) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpage2005.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Amores Imperfeitos", from "Cosmotron", (Hot100Brasil #84, 2004)
* "Um mais Um", from "Radiola", (Hot100Brasil #16, 2005)
* "Uma Canção é Para Isso", from "Carrossel", (Hot100Brasil #55, 2006) [http://www.hot100brasil.com/yearendpage2006.html Hot100Brasil] ]
* "Mil Acasos", from "Carrossel", (Hot100Brasil: highest position as of April 2007 #10, 2007) [ [http://www.hot100brasil.com/chtsinglesb.html Hot100Brasil] ]

Awards

*Cosmotron won the Latin Grammy Award - Best Brazilian rock album in 2004.
*Skank received the Premio Ondas in Spain as New Latin Group in 1997 [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =|coauthors =|title =PREMIOS ONDAS DE MÚSICA| work =| publisher =Premios Ondas| date =| url =http://www.premiosondas.com/historia/cont_musica.html| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] .
*MTV Video Music Brasil: Viewer's Choice in 1996 ("Garota Nacional") and 1997 ("É Uma Partida de Futebol"); Video of the Year in 1999 ("Mandrake e os Cubanos"); Pop Video in 1996("Garota Nacional"), 1997("É Uma Partida de Futebol"), 1999("Mandrake e os Cubanos"), 2000 ("Três Lados"), 2003 ("Dois Rios") [cite web| last =| first =| authorlink =|coauthors =|title =VMB03| work =| publisher =MTV Brasil| date =|url =http://mtv.uol.com.br/vmb2003/hotsite/| format =| doi =| accessdate =2007-04-26] and 2004 ("Vou Deixar").

ee also

*Pato Fu
*Jota Quest

References

External links

* [http://www.skank.com.br Official site]
* [http://www.dicionariocravoalbin.com.br/verbete.asp?nome=Skank&tabela=T_FORM_E Dicionário Cravo Albin de Música Popular Brasileira - Skank] (in Portuguese)