Quarteto 1111
From Unearthing The Music
Quarteto 1111 (founded in 1967 in Estoril) was one of the most influential progressive rock and psychedelic rock bands in Portugal. The band was originally formed by Miguel Artur da Silveira (Drums), José Cid (Vocals and Keyboard), António Moniz Pereira (Guitar) and Jorge Moniz Pereira (Bass), with later members including Tozé Brito, Mike Sergeant and Mário Rui Terra.[1]
It was one of the many musical groups inspired by The Shadows. Originally called the Mystery Group (Conjunto Mistério), the name later changed to 1111 Quartet (Quarteto 1111). The name was inspired by phone number of the band's rehearsal place, at the drummer's house.
José Cid was the band leader, composer, keyboard player and lead singer. The rest of the band had a classic formation influenced by the usual Beatles line-up, but with a sound and song structure reminiscent of the early Moody Blues.
Biography
Quarteto 1111 was the first symphonic rock band in Portugal.
Since 1968-69 they got media attention through a hit single, "El Rei D. Sebastião", with lyrics about the lost Portuguese king, D. Sebastião who supposedly died in the fields of Morocco during the battle of Alcácer-Quibir (a loss that would eventually lead to Portugal losing its independence to Spain). The harpsichord made its first appearance in Portuguese rock music in this song, and an English version was later published in Great Britain.
The band's following works continued in the same vein, combining melodic songs with new instruments, namely the Mellotron. While the band had issues with censorship by the dictatorship due to the political content of some of their songs, they were able to release their first LP, simply titled Quarteto 1111. However, it was pulled from the shelves shortly after by the Portuguese authorities due to anti-racist and anti-regime songs such as Lenda de Nambuangongo and Pigmentação.
Later on the band moved towards a pop sound, with José Cid and Tozé Brito pursuing solo careers. At the same time the pop oriented parallel project "Green Windows" was also developed by Cid and other band members.
The band (with Michel, Tozé Brito and Mike Seargeant) briefly reunited on 24 November 2007, during a José Cid show, where the rest of the band joined him onstage and played four songs from their work.
Discography
EPs
- 1967 - A Lenda de El-Rei D.Sebastião
- 1967 - Balada para D. Inês
- 1968 - Dona Vitória
- 1970 - Domingo Em Bidonville
Singles
- 1968 - "Meu Irmão" / "Ababilah"
- 1969 - "Nas Terras do Fim do Mundo"
- 1969 - "Génese" / "Os Monstros Sagrados"
- 1970 - "Todo o Mundo e Ninguém" / "É Tempo de Pensar em Termos de Futuro"
- 1970 - "Back to the Country" / "Everybody Needs Love, Peace and Food"
- 1971 - "Ode to the Beatles" / "1111"
- 1972 - "Sabor a Povo" / "Uma Nova Maneira de Encarar o Mundo"
- 1976 - "Lisboa À Noite" / "Canção do Mar"
- 1977 - "O Que Custar"
- 1987 - "Memo" / "Os Rios Nasceram Nossos
LPs
- 1970 - Quarteto 1111
- 1973 - Bruma Azul do Desejado (com Frei Hermano da Câmara)
- 1974 - Onde, Quando, Como, Porquê, Cantamos Pessoas Vivas - Obra-Ensaio de José Cid
Compilations
- 1981 - Antologia da Música Popular Portuguesa
- 1993 - A Lenda Do Quarteto 1111
- 1996 - A Lenda De El-Rei D. Sebastião - Colecção Caravela
- 2005 - Singles and EP
- 2014 - Essencial
External links
- Quarteto 1111 - Retrospective (in Portuguese) (Retrieved 2011-09-06)
- Discography
References
- http://www.discogs.com/Quarteto-1111-Quarteto-1111/release/4301002
- http://www.discogs.com/artist/1012757-Quarteto-1111
Text partially adapted from Wikipedia.