PICHILIANI METAL ROOM: AVENGER

Genre(s): Heavy Metal

Formed in São Paulo, São Paulo - 1983. Reunited almost 20 years after their first official recording, Avenger currently plan on recording a live album. The Brazilian band Avenger from São Paulo started back in 1983. Together with many other native bands Avenger was a traditional Heavy Metal band following in the foot steps of England's heavy rock revival, better known as "The New Wave of Heavy Metal". Avenger did not survive long but for the short time they lived, they managed to release two songs on a compilation album called "SP Metal". Luis Carlos Calanca, owner of the legendary Brazilian label "Baratos Afins", produced this compilation. Unfortunately at the beginning of the 80's rock production was just starting. Brazilian sound technicians did not have much experience and these two tracks suffered as a result, showing very poor mixing and not really bringing out the best the band had to offer. Nevertheless, Avenger's live performance was unforgettable. Their raw power was a real treat for rock lovers. The band would bring on to the stage a lot of tricks and strategies to make the audience jump non stop. Every concert would include covers from Judas Priest and Metallica and the show would invariably end with a Champagne bath with the punters. The crowd, of course, loved it and always returned for more. At that time the band was managed by Antonio Celso Barbieri (yes! me) who kept them very busy playing everywhere in São Paulo and nearby cities. In those days Heavy Metal was not the only rock style in vogue. Punk Rock was raging on and Avenger had more than one problem with radical punks and skinheads. Barbieri left the band shortly before the SP Metal's recording sessions began. Barbieri too was not happy with the outcome of this compilation. Since Barbieri was also producing a compilation for another label called "Devil Discos", he took this opportunity to include a live take from Avenger called "Usinas Nucleares". This song had been an instant hit for the band and loved by their fans. Barbieri's compilation was called "São Power" and this again lacked quality (sorry guys!). But quality was not really the main issue here, Barbieri wanted to capture the power and energy of the bands playing live. The general idea was to release a tribute album showing some of the good bands that he had worked with but who unfortunately did not survive the hard life on the road. "Usinas Nucleares" showed Avenger at their best, powerful and shouting against of the construction of Nuclear Plants in Brazil. The construction of several Nuclear Plants in Brazil was a total waist of money. The only real purpose, was to try and create Atomic Bombs by the military. Avenger's demise was typical. They ended for the same reason bands normally end: lack of experience, deterioration in relationships between band members and destructive remarks and comments from the public about their performance on the SP Metal compilation. Many years have passed since then and the band members are all older and wiser as I think, indeed, am I. Old disagreements are things of the past. It is better to look back and remember the good old times on the road. he main reason I have created this web site is to pay my lasting respects and keep alive the good memories of that period of our lives. Source: http://www.2bstar.com/avenger/home.html, april 2011. Biography by Manager Celso Barbieri: The band led by vocalist Paul Avenger Egydio Rossi came in 1983 in the district of Guarulhos in Sao Paulo. Besides Paul, the band had with Robert (Bob) on guitar, bass and Luiz Teixeira Gilson on drums. Like many other bands from São Paulo, the group was a Heavy Metal in the style of British bands from the same period that became known as "The New Wave of Heavy Metal." This band, unfortunately, following the general rule could not survive for long. However, in the short time he was active, managed to release two songs on the famous SP Metal compilation produced by Luis Carlos Calanca and released on his label Cheap trades. Unfortunately in the early 80's rock production in Brazil was still in its infancy. With the recording studio more used to mix religious music, country music and Brazilian music, recordings and mixes rock always left much to be desired. Lacked the weight, the voice was always more forward and the general idea was that rock was very noisy and had to be "luscious" for radio play. The rock bands were more like lab rats in the hands of inexperienced technicians. As the bands had no experience with recording studios and, most, or the money to fund their own recordings, it got even in the hands of producer that was not always a great fan of this style. Having said that, my surprise at the quality and quantity of the artistic legacy of Os Mutantes, a band of the previous generation that had excellent albums released in the 70s. Os Mutantes should be judged not only by the artistic quality but also for innovation and pioneering spirit of his work. But back to the Avenger, these two songs recorded for the anthology SP Metal, the reasons given above, suffered in the recording and mixing failing to capture the best the band had to offer. Live, the thing was very different. The Avenger pleased with a very energetic show full of surprises. Normally all concert included covers of bands like Judas Priest and Metallica and always ended, as in Formula 1 racing, with a Champagne bath in the audience. The Barbieri here, was the band's manager. During the time I walked in controls kept the band busy promoting shows in the capital of Sao Paulo and neighboring cities. The lack of theaters for concerts forced me to invade areas previously unexplored by the heavy metal such as a show we played at a club called Wal Improvisation that existed there in the street near the Frederick Steidel Arouche Square. How Wal Improvisation began work only after 1 am just going to close up around 7 or 8 o'clock in the morning, convinced the owner to give us space on a Saturday afternoon. The show was a success. As payment, the band played a show up early for the home crowd who unfortunately was lethargic and not responsive. I learned an important lesson. Think twice before putting my artists in front of an ignorant public to the musical style that will be presented. Speaking of style, this time heavy metal was not the only style in vogue. Punk was released in the periphery and eating, we had more than a problem with the radicalism of the punks and skinheads. Conchita Mitchell Theatre in the city of Santo André, at the entrance of the theater, I was literally paralyzed for a split second look at this punk mohawk with a hatchet raised less than a meter from my head. I was only saved because the noise of several glass doors of the theater before coming down to the boots for their partner turned her attention, giving me time to run, climb on stage, grab the microphone from the hands of Paul and the audience to call the fight. While the band's opening occurred at the gate, I tried to control myself a gang of at least about 30 punks who wanted to enter without paying. The problem was not paid because it was clear that what they really wanted to cause disarray and break everything inside the theater. It was during the show's Avenger that the violence erupted. In the middle of the Avenger concerts as part of the performance, at the hour of solo guitar music during the presentation of "999", a hooded monk usually entered the stage with a Picates with blood appearing red tips. After challenging the audience to pick the monk used as a simulated guitar and guitar duel with the guitarist (Bob). It was a theatrical trick that always worked. When he invaded the stage, grabbing the microphone and calling the public to the "war" took the pick and ran behind the punks followed by the audience. In the square in front of the theater with the punks running distance I discovered that I was alone. I looked back only to find that the public was all still inside the entrance of the theater watching with frightened faces of the damage. But you cowards! To be honest, the staff of the metal was never a good personal fight. The punks were mostly fueled by booze and amphetamines, while the public's mostly heavy rock came to the shows "straight", powered up a beer or smoke cannabis. All peaceful people! Throughout my career I never had a problem with violence in my personal metal concerts. Indeed, in terms of social class thing was more or less divided as follows: Poor (Punk • Pinga • Amphetamines). Middle Class (Rock • Beer • Smoking) and Rico (Bossa Nova & Jazz • Whiskey • Cocaine). OK! Rambled again! But back to the theater, until at last the police came and took all the punks in a train station nearby. It was good because if I did not find the culprits would have to be responsible, to pay for all harm. Unfortunately the show's second day had to be canceled and we lost money on the rental of sound equipment. Imagine the scene: The Barbieri running with a pick with the points "bloody" after punk with a Mohican hair cut type and holding a hatchet. I wanted to laugh but the truth is that at the time the thing was serious. What I would pick the punk stopped and faced me? Beats me! It's good to even think. The song "Beverly Hills" of Eduardo Dusek was a hit on radio and as a result came out in the local newspaper carried the headline: "Punks admitted to the party break everything". Let me make clear that despite having such problems with certain radical elements, where I enjoyed the respect of musicians of the major punk bands of that period such as João Gordo (Ratos de Porão), Fabio (Olho Seco), Retson (Colera), Clemente (Inocentes). Moreover, the gang punks were the main enemies of their own movement. The number of hard rock bands and realize that it has increased considerably, as the saying goes "one swallow does not make a summer." The idea was to give a strength to the movement and see if I could just wake up the press, radio, TV broadcasters and record companies. I left just before the Avenger of his musicians began recording for the collection and SP Metal I continued my career as a producer of shows going, as a result, produce two seasons of SP Metal Project at Teatro Lira Paulistana where they played dozens and dozens of bands. Many other projects followed, often involving a large number of musical groups. I confess that, knowing so well the sound of the Avenger, I was also disappointed with the end result of their participation in collection SP Metal. If Paul was never a virtuoso on vocals, instead, his professionalism and attitude of the stage has always been excellent. Paul was charismatic and held the show with mastery. With a repertoire in Portuguese and music in the style of the band Judas Priest, the audience always came back for more. I mean, with the growing audience for each show, the band was certainly doing something right. I believe that a competent sound technician's voice would have mixed in another way and given more support for Paul in the recording. In the same period started the production of a collection for the label "Devil Drives" belonging to Francisco Domingos de Souza (Chicao). I took then to include a track recorded live at Teatro Lira Paulistana called "Nuclear Power Plants." Nuclear power plants was one of the favorite tunes from the public and was a good opportunity to show the firepower of the group. I gave the name of "Are Power" for the album which was composed only of live tracks from bands that had already ended. The quality of recordings was poor, but the idea was to document somehow the sound of these bands live. Despite all the limitations, Nuclear Plants in the album shows a powerful Avenger and breaking everything. The album was Power are the first launch of the Seal Devil Drives. The second release was the album Korzus Live. The Korzus Live was the first of several albums released by this label Korzus. It was with this album Korzus Live I won some money for the first time with rock. It was enough for me to buy my ticket to Europe and get out. (Click here to learn more about Barbieri's collaboration with the Devil Discos). The band Avenger just the same reasons that many groups end. It was for lack of experience, deterioration of interpersonal relations between the band members and mainly a result of destructive comments made by the public to respect the singer's performance at colectionn SP Metal. The rest of the band ended up breaking with the Paulo and forming a new group called the Destroyer who had a life lightning and just as fast as it started. The truth is that anyone who had the financial power was without Paul and Paul's band had no economic conditions to continue. Interestingly, many years have passed and it seems the band was rediscovered by a new audience. Music magazines have recently made good reviews of albums SP SP Metal I and Metal Avenger II where, surprisingly, was always welcomed by the quality of their work. It is the world's many turns. It is a pity that the "master tape" of these recordings has not been saved because with today's technology a new remix would be the final solution. The only band member who remains active, following his dream, is the bassist Luiz Teixeira. He is part of Tarkus band, perhaps the progressive rock group most important in Brazil. Just to conclude, I would say that the band's logo and design were created by Robert Monk, guitarist. The animation and adaptation to the Internet were taken by me. Be sure to listen (or download) here on this site, this band made the show at Teatro Lira Paulistana in 1985.

Source: http://www.celsobarbieri.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:avenger&catid=21:musica-brasileira&Itemid=66, april 2011.

http://www.2bstar.com/avenger/home.html

Discography:

S.P. Metal [Split album, 1984 – Baratos Afins]:

1.Missão Metálica 04:39

7.Cidadão do Mundo 03:57