Tokyo

Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō, "Eastern Capital") (Japanese: [toːkjoː], English /ˈtoʊki.oʊ/), officially Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to), is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, and is both the capital and largest city of Japan. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Formerly known as Edo, it has been the de facto seat of government since 1603 when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters. It officially became the capital after Emperor Meiji moved his seat to the city from the old capital of Kyoto in 1868; at that time Edo was renamed Tokyo. Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, Tōkyō-fu) and the city of Tokyo (東京市, Tōkyō-shi).

Kid Abelha

Kid Abelha is a rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, formed by Paula Toller (lead vocals), George Israel (sax, guitar and vocals) and Bruno Fortunato (acoustic and electric guitar). The group has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 live albums and 2 live DVDs. They have created many songs which have entered into Brazilian pop-rock history. The group sold more than 8 million albums worldwide.

History

The group was formed in late 1981 by drummer Carlos Beni, George Israel and Leoni, with Paula Toller joining the band during a rehearsal. In 1982, with guitarist Beto Martins and American keyboardist Richard Owens they recorded a demo tape "Distração" ("Distraction") and "Vida de cão é chato pra cachorro" ("Living like a dog is boring like hell"). Drummer Beni took the tape to radio station Fluminense FM; when asked the band's name, he took a piece of paper from his pocket that had the list of names considered by the group without reaching a consensus and read out the first one: Kid Abelha & os Abóboras Selvagens ("Kid Bee and the Wild Pumpkins"). Achieving success in the Rio underground scene, the two songs were released on the compilation album Rock Voador, with other new Brazilian rock bands. The band then recorded the single "Pintura Íntima"/"Por que não eu?", with more than 100,000 copies sold.

Legião Urbana

Legião Urbana (Portuguese for Urban Legion) were a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo (vocals), Dado Villa-Lobos (guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá (drums). In its earlier days, Legião Urbana also had a bassist, Renato Rocha, but he would leave the band due to creative divergences.

While Legião Urbana disbanded officially in 1997, after frontman Renato Russo's death, it is to this day one of the most famous Brazilian rock bands, alongside Os Paralamas do Sucesso, Titãs and Barão Vermelho.

History

1980s

Renato Russo (born Renato Manfredini, Jr.) created Legião Urbana in 1982, in Brasília, after his short presence in an earlier band named Aborto Elétrico ("Electric Abortion"). Aborto Elétrico ceased to exist due to repeated disagreements between Russo and brothers Flavio and Fê Lemos. After Aborto Elétrico split and Russo created Legião Urbana, the two brothers would also go on to form another very popular Brazilian rock band, Capital Inicial.

Ultraje a Rigor

Ultraje a Rigor is a Brazilian rock band, which formed in 1980 and experienced great success along with other famous Brazilian rock bands from that time, like Titãs, Os Paralamas do Sucesso, Legião Urbana, and many others, mostly during the 1980s.

History

Early years

Ultraje a Rigor began its performances as a cover band - mostly playing songs of The Beatles, punk rock and new wave songs. The final and official line-up of Roger, Leôspa, Sílvio and Edgard began doing shows at parties and small bars. In 1982, still without an official name, they decided on Ultraje a Rigor. The name referred to the band's irreverence toward the songs they covered, frequently satirizing or distorting them.

Soon, Silvio left the band and was replaced by Maurício. In April 1983, the new formation took part in the Theater Lira Paulistana's Boca no Trombone project, the band's first show featuring their own compositions exclusively. After one of these shows they were signed to a recording contract by producer Pena Schmidt who, at the time, was hiring groups such as Titãs for WEA. They recorded their first single, Inútil/Mim quer tocar, which, because of censorship problems, was not released until October of that year. After the single's release, which led to many more gigs for the band, Edgard, already a member of the band Ira!, found himself unable to continue splitting his time between the two bands and left Ultraje. Carlinhos was recruited to replace him. In 1984, with the new line-up, they recorded their second single, Eu me amo/Rebelde sem causa. Eu me amo did well on the radio.

Os Paralamas do Sucesso

Os Paralamas do Sucesso (also known simply as Paralamas) is a Brazilian rock band, formed in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1970s. Its members since 1982 are Herbert Vianna (guitar and lead vocals), Bi Ribeiro (bass), and João Barone (drums). In its beginning, the band combined reggae and ska with rock, but later added horn arrangements and Latin rhythms. The Paralamas are considered one of the original "Big Four" bands of 1980s Brazilian rock, along with Barão Vermelho, Legião Urbana, and Titãs.

History

1977-1983: Beginnings

Although considered part of the "Brasília gang", because they lived there and were friends with local bands, Paralamas' proper birthplace was Rio de Janeiro. Herbert Vianna and Felipe "Bi" Ribeiro were childhood friends and neighbors in that city. Herbert's father was in the military, while Bi's was a diplomat. In 1977, Herbert went to Rio to attend military school, and met Bi once again. They decided to form a band, Herbert with his Gibson guitar and Bi, which had no musical training whatsoever, with a bass guitar bought during a trip to England. The drummer Vital Dias would later join them. They parted ways in 1979, around the time all of them were busy studying for their vestibular tests, but resumed their musical activity in 1981.