Os Cascavelletes

Os Cascavelletes were a Brazilian rock group from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. One of the first rock bands from Rio Grande do Sul to acquire mainstream success nationwide alongside its "sister project" TNT, they were characterized by their irreverent style inspired by 1950s-era rockabilly culture and acts such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and by their comical, profanity- and sex-laden lyrics (in a musical style self-described as "porno rock").[1] Some of their most famous compositions are "Sob um Céu de Blues", "Menstruada", "Estou Amando uma Mulher", "Eu Quis Comer Você" and the 1989 hit "Nêga Bombom".

This article is about the Brazilian rock band. For their self-titled debut EP, see Os Cascavelletes (EP).

Os Cascavelletes
Origin	Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Genres	Rock, rockabilly, blues rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, folk rock
Years active	1987–1992 2007
Labels	Odeon Records
Associated acts	TNT, Graforreia Xilarmônica, Rosa Tattooada, Tenente Cascavel
Past members	Flávio Basso Nei Van Soria Frank Jorge Luciano Albo Alexandre Barea Humberto Petinelli

According to founding members Flávio Basso and Nei Van Soria, the band's name is a portmanteau of the words "cascavel" ("rattlesnake" in Portuguese) and "Marvelettes", in a reference to the eponymous American girl group popular in the mid-1960s.[2]

History

In 1986, Flávio Basso and Nei Van Soria parted ways with their former project TNT, citing creative divergences with their label RCA. They formed Os Cascavelletes the following year after being joined by Frank Jorge and Alexandre Barea (a future founding member of heavy metal group Rosa Tattooada), and recorded a nameless demo tape (popularly known as Vórtex Demo because of the studio in which it was recorded[3]) that gave them notoriety in the underground scene.[4]

In 1988, the band released a 6-track self-titled EP; three of the tracks were re-recorded from the demo, while the remaining were previously unreleased.[5] The track "Estou Amando uma Mulher" became a major hit after airplay in radio stations of the time and its inclusion in SBK Records' compilation Rio Grande do Rock.[6] Frank Jorge left the band soon after the EP's release to focus on another project of his, Graforreia Xilarmônica, of which he was one of its founding members.[7]

Jorge was replaced by Luciano Albo and Humberto Petinelli joined them as keyboardist for their debut full-length album, Rock'a'ula, released by Odeon Records in 1989. Produced by former Barão Vermelho bassist Dé Palmeira, it was responsible for catapulting the band into nationwide fame. The album spawned the hit single "Nêga Bombom", which was included in the soundtrack of the telenovela Top Model, broadcast by Rede Globo from 1989 to 1990.[8]

The band's final release before their break-up in 1992 was the 7" single "Homossexual/Sob um Céu de Blues", which came out the year before. All the members of Os Cascavelletes began successful solo careers, particularly Flávio Basso, who after a brief reunion with TNT began to perform as Júpiter Maçã (later Jupiter Apple) and released his critically acclaimed debut, A Sétima Efervescência, in 1997.

The band's classic line-up reunited for a one-time performance in 2007 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of now-defunct radio station Pop Rock FM.[7] The following year, former members of Os Cascavelletes and TNT formed the supergroup Tenente Cascavel, to celebrate the legacy of both bands.[9]

Former vocalist Flávio Basso died on December 21, 2015 at the age of 47.[10]

Members

Last line-up

• Flávio Basso – vocals, electric guitar (1987–1992, 2007; died 2015)
• Nei Van Soria – vocals, electric guitar (1987–1992, 2007)
• Frank Jorge – bass guitar (1987–1988, 2007)
• Alexandre Barea – drums (1987–1992, 2007)

Former members

• Luciano Albo – bass guitar (1988–1992)
• Humberto Petinelli – keyboards (1989–1992)

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album
1989	Rock'a'ula Label: Odeon Records Format: Vinyl

Extended plays

Year	Album
1988	Os Cascavelletes Label: Self-released Format: Vinyl

Compilations

Year	Album
1988	Rio Grande do Rock Label: SBK Records Format: Vinyl Contributed with the songs "Morte por Tesão" and "Estou Amando uma Mulher"

Singles

Year	Single	Album
1989	"Nêga Bombom"	Rock'a'ula
1991	"Homossexual/Sob um Céu de Blues"	Non-album song

Demos

Year	Album
1987	Vórtex Demo Label: Self-released Format: Cassette tape

References

1. Douglas Freitas, Gabriel Hoewell and Gilberto Sena (August 2011). "Revista Bastião #1: Com Quantos Paus se Faz Rock 'n' Roll" (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 7, 2017.
2. Bizz magazine (in Portuguese)
3. Alexandre Matias (July 3, 2015). "A história do Estúdio Vórtex e da cena de Porto Alegre nos anos 80" (in Portuguese). Retrieved January 27, 2018.
4. Eduardo Guimarães da Silveira (April 6, 2006). "Cascavelletes" (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 7, 2017.
5. "Os Cascavelletes (EP) (Independente, 1988)" (in Portuguese). April 19, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
6. "Rio Grande do Rock (SBK, 1988)" (in Portuguese). June 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
7. Cleison Ferreira (January 13, 2014). "OS CASCAVELLETES - DISCOGRAFIA" (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
8. Rômulo Metal (April 17, 2013). "Lendas do Rock Gaúcho: Os Cascavelletes" (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 7, 2017.
9. Vicente Reckziegel (December 14, 2012). "Tenente Cascavel: o puro rock n' roll gaúcho" (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 7, 2017.
10. "Morre em Porto Alegre o músico Júpiter Maçã". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 7, 2017.

External links

• Os Cascavelletes on Myspace