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Grupo Novo Rock (GNR)

About:

Grupo Novo Rock is officially founded in September 1980 in Porto. The group members were Toli César Machado (drums), Alexandre Soares (guitar) and Vítor Rua (guitar). The first single "Portugal na EEC" sells over 15,000 copies with the second ‘Sê um GNR’ one even passing that number. Recording their debut album the band is completed with vocalist Rui Veloso. The first LP, "Independança," is published in 1982. The album was a success in terms of criticism, but it is a failure in terms of sales. This maybe due to the fact that the B-side is a 27 minute long experimental track. Tensions grow in the band and in 1982 they even announce their last show.  And indeed a two year period of turmoil and on/off projects start before the band finally hits the studio again. Allthough they keep getting good reviews it is their fourth album ‘Psicopátria’ that finally lifts GNR back to chart success with hits like "Efectivamente", "Pós Modernos" and "Bellevue".  But the band keeps having line up changes throughout the Eighties.  This does not conflict with their popularity with Eight thousand people attending their shows in May 1990 at the Lisbon Coliseum. Two years later they rock the Alvalade stadium for 40.000 spectators with duets with Javier Andreu ("Sangue Oculto") and Isabel Silvestre ("Pronúncia do Norte"). The show is recorded for the live album ‘Rock in Rio Douro’. In 1996 the release of a compilation (with unreleased tracks "Julieta Su&Sida" and "Pena de Morte ) gave way to the rumour that Vitor Rua and Alexandre Soares were planning to disban the band due to artistic differences. It is unclear of this is true because they both appear on stage a few months later. In 2000 they contribute the theme song "Asas (Eléctricas)" for the TV film “Amo-te Teresa". The song is also the first single for the album “Popless”. The clip of the titlesong causes controversy at some level that local TV refuses to air it. This only adding to the popularity of the band. A second compilation in 2002 is not a good sign however and indeed the hasty recorded album ‘Do Lado dos Cisnes’ announces a lengthy period of silence. Singer Rui Reininho even releases a solo album in 2008 called ‘India Company’. A year before he releases the book "Líricas Com & Onianas" with lyrics and photo’s. In 2010, to everyone’s surprise, he restarts GNR as a trio with Jorge Romão - Baixo and Toli César Machado. The album gets mixed reviews.

On the web:

- GNR is on Facebook

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

The Scene ( Netherlands)

Európa Kiadó (Hungary)

What do we think:

DB: One of the most popular rockbands in Portugal they changed musical styles as much as they changed band members. All within the segment of alternative poprock they sway from new wave punk in the 80's to sophisticated pop in the 00's. It says something of the craftsmanship in the band that it actually does not matter which era you chose. They seem to soak up what's in vogue at the time and give it an alternative Portuguese make over.

Recommendations:

♪♪♪ - Independança - 1982

- Defeitos Especiais - 1984

- Os Homens Não Se Querem Bonitos - 1985

♪♪♪ - Psicopátria - 1986

- Valsa dos Detectives - 1989

- Rock in Rio Douro - 1992

- Sob Escuta - 1994

- Mosquito - 1998

♪♪♪ - Popless - 2000

- Do Lado dos Cisnes - 2002

♪♪♪ - Retropolitana - 2010

- Voos Domésticos - 2011