Charlie Brown Jr.
Charlie Brown Jr. (sometimes referred to as Charlie Brown and abbreviated as CBJr.) was a Brazilian alternative rock band from Santos, São Paulo. They were well-known among disadvantaged youth due to their relatable commentary on social issues and skate punk/hip hop slang in their song lyrics. The group won two Latin Grammy Awards and was considered to be one of the more popular Brazilian acts of the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s. However, they were frequently overshadowed by conflicts surrounding vocalist Chorão (the only founding member to remain consistent in all of the group 's line-ups) and his bandmates, his disagreements with other musicians (particularly Marcelo Camelo of Los Hermanos), and his battle with drug addiction. In 2015, a survey conducted by streaming platform Deezer reported that Charlie Brown Jr. was the second most-listened-to Brazilian band outside Brazil, losing only to Sepultura. In another survey by Spotify, also from 2015, they were placed at 31st out of 47 bands and artists. Following Chorão's cocaine overdose on March 6, 2013, the band ceased its activities. Later, in April 2013, the remaining members regrouped as A Banca, intending to continue performing as  a "tribute act/spiritual successor" to Charlie Brown Jr. However, A Banca only lasted for five months as their frontman, Champignon, committed suicide on September 9, 2013. In 2019, Marcão, Heitor Gomes, and André Pinguim reunited Charlie Brown Jr. for a series of shows held throughout the year with guest vocalists, eliciting much controversy and negative reception from long-time fans and acquaintances of Chorão. They reunited once again in 2021 for the "Chorão 50 Tour", a special tour around Brazil commemorating Chorão's 50th birthday. History. Early years: What's Up, first demo tape and "Transpiração Contínua Prolongada" (1987–1997 ). Charlie Brown Jr. arose from the ashes of What's Up, a project launched by Chorão in 1987 shortly after his move from São Paulo to Santos. Following a line-up change in 1990, bassist Champignon (who was only 12 years old at the time) was invited to join the band. Soon, Marcão, Renato Pelado and Thiago Castanho joined. What's Up continued to play until 1992, when Chorão decided the band was going nowhere and decided to revamp it under a new name. He eventually settled on "Charlie Brown Jr.", explaining that "Charlie Brown" came to him after recalling  a time when he crashed his car into a coconut stand with a drawing of the eponymous character of Charles M. Schulz's comic strip "Peanuts" on it. The "Jr." alluded to the fact that he considered himself and the members of his band to be "the children of rock", following the lead of other famous groups at the time such as Raimundos, Nação Zumbi, Planet Hemp, and O Rappa. Around this time, the band produced their first-ever music video, but it was lost with time; excerpts of it would only resurface in 2017. In late 2020, Marcão uploaded  a rare demo tape by What's Up, originally recorded in 1992, to his official YouTube channel. Both What's Up and Charlie Brown Jr. developed a heavy style influenced by crossover thrash and hardcore punk, with lyrics in English. Some of Chorão's greatest inspirations were Blink-182, Sublime, Bad Brains, NOFX, Suicidal Tendencies, Biohazard, Faith No More, and 311. The band initially struggled to make a breakthrough as most of the members could not afford instruments, and had to rent or borrow them, often forcing the band to cancel performances when instruments were unavailable. Champignon, who was underage, needed  a permit signed by his parents to perform at any gig. In 1995, they recorded their first demo tape, the self-titled "Charlie Brown Jr." To finance the recording, Champignon had to pawn one of his bass guitars, and Chorão a television set. The tape had a positive reception in the underground scene of Santos, motivating Champignon to show it to his friend, record producer Tadeu Patolla. Patolla was impressed by it but advised Chorão to sing in Portuguese and experiment more with other genres, such as hip hop, reggae, and ska, taking Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against  the Machine as inspiration. Subsequently, Patolla introduced the group to fellow producer Rick Bonadio, and they secured the group a contract with Virgin Records. Their debut album, "Transpiração Contínua Prolongada", was released by the label in 1997, amidst positive reception. Section::::"Preço Curto... Prazo Longo", "Nadando com os Tubarões", Thiago Castanho's departure, "Abalando a Sua Fábrica" and first DVD (1999–2002). In early 1999, the band released a promotional extended play entitled "Aquele Luxo!", intended to serve as a teaser for a forthcoming album. "Preço Curto... Prazo Longo" came out on March 6, 1999 and was the band's longest album  with a total of 25 tracks. Chorão later elaborated that it was recorded out of necessity, as the band did not have much original repertoire for the set list of their shows. "Zoio D Lula", the album's first single, which came out on April 1, 1999, was their first song to reach first place in Brazilian radios. A music video was made for the song, featuring a then-19-year-old Luize Altenhofen. "Nadando com os Tubarões", Charlie Brown Jr.'s third album, was released in November 2000, and included guest appearances by rap group RZO (still fronted by Sabotage  at the time) and up-and-coming singer Negra Li, who co-wrote the album's greatest hit, "Não É Sério". The album awarded the band its first nomination for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album in 2001. Shortly after its release, guitarist Thiago Castanho parted ways with Charlie Brown Jr., citing dissatisfaction with their extensive touring schedule. Their fourth album, "Abalando a Sua Fábrica", came out on April 30, 2001. It was their first release as a quartet, and through new label EMI. "Abalando a Sua Fábrica" sees the band shifting away from  their previous rap rock-inflected sonority, advancing towards a "rawer" style that was influenced by punk and garage rock. It was also recorded with all instrumental parts simultaneous instead of one at a time, as if they were recording live. The following year saw the release of their first live DVD, "Charlie Brown Jr. ao Vivo", recorded at a gig at the DirecTV Music Hall in São Paulo, later to be broadcast by direct broadcast satellite service provider DirecTV. Section::::"Bocas Ordinárias", "Acústico MTV", "Tamo Aí na Atividade" and hiatus (2002–2005). By 2002, Charlie Brown Jr. gained sufficient fame to tour  internationally, with a leg in Portugal. After reading a negative critic calling them "bocas ordinárias" (a Portuguese popular expression designating a "foul-mouthed" person) in a Portuguese newspaper, Chorão decided this would be the name of their next album. "Bocas Ordinárias" was considered one of the band's finest albums by fans and critics alike, awarding them a second nomination for the Latin Grammy Award in 2003. Chorão dedicated it in memory of his friend, fellow singer Cássia Eller, who died the year prior. In 2003, they were invited by now-defunct MTV Brasil to take part in their "Acústico  MTV" series, the Brazilian equivalent of "MTV Unplugged". , released both in CD and DVD formats on September 20, 2003, was critically acclaimed and counted with guest appearances by Marcelo D2 and Marcelo Nova, seeing the return of RZO and Negra Li. Their sixth studio album, "Tamo Aí na Atividade", which came out in December 2004, was their first release to win the Latin Grammy Award in 2005. However, its recording sessions were plagued by creative divergences and clashes between Chorão and his bandmates. By early 2005, Champignon, Marcão, and Renato Pelado announced that they would be leaving the group. Chorão  then announced Charlie Brown Jr. would be on hiatus for an indeterminate time, leading many to speculate that the band was splitting up. Following his departure from Charlie Brown Jr., Champignon formed his own band, Revolucionnários, which later on split up. He then joined the supergroup, Nove Mil Anjos, alongside Junior Lima of Sandy & Junior fame and Pitty guitarist Peu Sousa. Marcão also formed his project, TH6, while Renato Pelado became a DJ. Line-up changes, "Imunidade Musical", "Ritmo, Ritual e Responsa" and André Pinguim's departure (2005–2008). Charlie Brown Jr. returned from their hiatus with a new line-up , comprising bassist Heitor Gomes, drummer/beatboxer André Pinguim and original founding member Thiago Castanho returning as guitarist. With this new formation, their first album, "Imunidade Musical", counted with a guest appearance by rapper Rappin' Hood and awarded them their third nomination for a Latin Grammy Award in 2006. Around the same time, they released a new DVD, "Skate Vibration", that was recorded at the inauguration of Chorão's skatepark. The venue, aptly named Chorão Skate Park, later closed down in 2013. 2007 saw the release of "Ritmo, Ritual e Responsa", described as the first part of the soundtrack of the  film "", which was written and co-produced by Chorão and counted with cameos by him and his other Charlie Brown Jr. bandmates. Bands and artists such as MV Bill, João Gordo, Paranormal Attack and Forfun served as guest musicians. "Ritmo, Ritual e Responsa" awarded Charlie Brown Jr. its fourth nomination to a Latin Grammy Award in 2008. Despite being a moderate box office success, "O Magnata" received mostly mixed to negative reviews. A DVD showing a band performance promoted the album's release, "Ritmo, Ritual e Responsa ao Vivo", which came out in 2008. However, Pinguim was no longer a  member of the group by the time it was released – his contract had expired and both parties were uninterested in renewing it. He was subsequently replaced by Bruno Graveto. Section::::"Camisa 10 Joga Bola Até na Chuva", Heitor Gomes' departure, return of Champignon and Marcão, and "Música Popular Caiçara" (2009–2012). "Camisa 10 Joga Bola Até na Chuva", Charlie Brown Jr.'s ninth album and second one to win the Latin Grammy Award in 2010, was their final release with Heitor Gomes, who left in 2011 to join CPM 22. ""Só os Loucos Sabem"" became one of the band's highest-charting  hits, and ""O Dom, a Inteligência e a Voz"", originally written by Chorão for Cássia Eller in 2001, was intended to be recorded by Eller for her album "Dez de Dezembro", but she died before she could do so. In 2010 the band composed the opening theme of the variety show "Legendários", hosted by Marcos Mion on RecordTV. In 2011 Chorão announced that Marcão and Champignon would be returning to the band after being six years apart. In the following year, their first recording under this new line-up, "Música Popular Caiçara", was released in CD, DVD, and Blu-ray  formats. Recorded during two gigs in 2011 (one in Curitiba and the other in Santos), it was produced by Liminha and directed by KondZilla. The DVD and Blu-ray versions came out first; the CD version was split into two volumes – the first was released concomitantly with the DVD and Blu-ray versions, and the second was only released four years later, in 2016. By 2011, Chorão's drug abuse issues began to take their toll on his life and health, causing his divorce with his long-time companion, Graziela "Grazon" Gonçalves. The song ""Céu Azul"", presented in "Música Popular  Caiçara", was written for her following the event. Deaths of Chorão and Champignon, A Banca, "La Familia 013" and subsequent events (since 2013). In 2012, the band announced the beginning work on a new studio album, entitled "La Familia 013". Its first single, ""Meu Novo Mundo"", premiered in February 2013. On March 6, Chorão was found dead in his apartment following a cocaine overdose. As such, the album was left unfinished, despite him completing the full records of his vocal parts prior to his death. After a brief hiatus, the band resumed work on the instrumental parts that had yet  to be finished, and the album's cover art was officially unveiled on July 7, 2013. Following the death of Chorão, the remaining band members decided to form A Banca, a new musical project that would serve as a tribute act to both the founder and Charlie Brown Jr. In August, they released the single ""O Novo Passo"", which was selected by "Rolling Stone Brasil" as one of the best Brazilian songs of the year. Nevertheless, a parcel of Charlie Brown Jr. fans criticized Champignon for "not respecting Chorão's death" and "not mourning it properly", dismissing him as a  cash-grabber, a "traitor" and a "Judas". Even though Champignon vehemently denied such claims, constant criticism eventually led him into a major depression. On September 9, 2013, he shot himself in the head with a .380 ACP pistol. "La Familia 013" was released posthumously, on October 8, 2013, awarding the band its fifth and final nomination for a Latin Grammy Award in 2014. With the exception of Thiago Castanho, the existing members of A Banca later regrouped as Bula, and went on to form D'Chapas. On April 13, 2014, Chorão's son Alexandre organized the "Tamo Aí na Atividade Festival  in São Bernardo do Campo, to celebrate the legacy of Charlie Brown Jr. and the deaths of his father and Champignon. The date coincides with the 22nd anniversary of the band's first-ever live performance in 1992. Although a DVD of the festival was initially planned, Alexandre stated that, in the end, the performances were not able to be filmed due to bureaucratic reasons". On March 29, 2015, a biographical musical about Chorão, entitled "Dias de Luta, Dias de Glória", premiered. It was written by Well Rianc and directed by sibling duo Bruno and Luiz Sorrentino. Rapper DZ6 starred  as Chorão. Despite good critical reception, Chorão's brother, Ricardo Abrão, lambasted it as being "disrespectful" and "inaccurate". In 2017, Alexandre published the book "Eu Estava Lá Também", a compilation of photographs and memoirs from his father, dating from 2005 to 2012. In 2020, he revealed that, shortly after Chorão's death, he had ordered a diamond made of a lock of his father's hair. Chorão's widow, Graziela Gonçalves, also published her memoirs, "Se Não Eu, Quem Vai Fazer Você Feliz?", in 2018. On April 9, 2019, to celebrate what would have been Chorão's 49th birthday and  the 20th anniversary of the release of Charlie Brown Jr.'s single "Zóio de Lula", Universal Music Group re-issued it in a special edition containing both its original version and a new cover featuring singers Marcelo D2 and Hungria Hip Hop, and bands Nação Zumbi and Maneva. Two years prior, UMG also re-released the band's debut, "Transpiração Contínua Prolongada," in a special 20th-anniversary deluxe edition. On July 28, 2020, it was confirmed that the band's song ""Confisco"", from their 1999 album "Preço Curto... Prazo Longo", would be included in the soundtrack of the video game  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. On March 15, 2021, Alexandre struck a deal with Sony Music, intending to release posthumous compilations of outtakes and other rarities by Charlie Brown Jr. The live album/DVD "Chegou Quem Faltava" (originally recorded during a show in São Paulo in 2011) was announced on June 8, 2021, and later came out on July 13. Reunions (2019, 2021). In January 2019, Marcão, André Pinguim and Heitor Gomes reunited Charlie Brown Jr. for a series of shows held throughout the year, with guest vocalists such as of Capital Inicial, of NX Zero, of  Raimundos, and Supla. Even though the reunion had the approval of Chorão's son, many controversies ensued and it was heavily criticized by Chorão's widow Graziela Gonçalves, former guitarist Thiago Castanho and music critic Mauro Ferreira of G1. On February 1, 2021, Alexandre announced that the band would reunite once more for a special tour around Brazil, the Chorão 50 Tour, celebrating what would have been his father's 50th birthday in 2020. Thiago Castanho, who had criticized their previous 2019 reunion, stated that he would return as guitarist. Fronted by former Tihuana vocalist Egypcio, their line-up comprised  all former Charlie Brown Jr. bandmembers with the exception of first drummer Renato Pelado. On October 25, 2021, Marcão and Castanho departed the tour, citing creative divergences with Alexandre. Films: "Marginal Alado" and "Champ" (2021). Shortly after Chorão's death in 2013, film producers Felipe Elias, Victor Santini Stockler, and Roberta Franco launched a crowdfunding campaign on the website Catarse to finance a documentary about his story with Charlie Brown Jr., entitled "Marginal Alado". The film reached R$41,513.00, surpassing its original goal of R$35,000.00. Directed by Felipe Novaes, the film initially premiered across festivals in Brazil in 2019 and was  later scheduled to receive a wide theatrical release somewhere in 2020. Nonetheless, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release date was eventually postponed to April 8, 2021. In 2017, filmmaker Gabriel Mellin announced that he was working on a biopic about Champignon, entitled "Champ", which focused on his relationship with Chorão. The script was written by him alongside the musician's widow, Claudia Bossle. Since then, however, no further announcements were made. On September 4, 2020, actor José Loreto expressed his desire to portray Chorão in a potential biopic about him.