Friday, 4 October 2013

AGNALDO TIMOTEO 1965 - 1970

AgnaldoTimoteo came out of thin air! 

One Sunday afternoon in late 1965, I was watching 'Jovem Guarda', Roberto Carlos' top-rating Sunday afternoon TV show when he introduced a Black fellow from Minas Gerais who gave a heart-rendering rendition of The Animals' 'The house of the rising sun' that left the audience and the TV watchers in awe!

Before 1965 was through EMI's Odeon had released an album called 'Surge um astro' (A star is born) with that guy who had belted out The Animals' hit in English at 'Jovem Guarda'.

EMI-Odeon did what others had been doing for years: got someone to 'translate' a foreign hit into Portuguese - 'adapt' would actually be a better word - got a musician to copy the original arrangements listening closely to the original singles, then got hold of a sound-engineer to record 12 tracks in a few days. Being a powerful multi-national, Odeon could get it all done in a couple of weeks and sooner than later they would have a Number One album.

Agnaldo Timoteo's album climbed up the charts and got rave reviews from radio DJs and fans alike. Copacabana Discos and its roster of similar acts like Moacyr Franco, Agnaldo Rayol etc. were the big losers.

As of 1966, we had two kinds of 'easy-listeningmarkets. Odeon's Altemar Dutra and CBS's Carlos Alberto were part of the 'bolero set'. Odeon's Agnaldo Timoteo and Copacabana's Agnaldo Rayol and Moacyr Franco were the 'balladeer set'; acts who sang translated songs that had been European hits.

Odeon was so sure of Timoteo's selling power that it didn't even bother to release singles off the first two albums which were like 'greatest hits-albums' with no particular song getting special air-play. 

From the 1st album 'Surge um astroone could pick 'A casa do sol nascente' (The house of the rising sun) as the most popular. From the 2nd album 'O astro do sucessoone could say 'Aline' was the most played. 

When it came to the 3rd album Odeon made sure that Timoteo would have an original song to open it: 'Quem será?' written by Evaldo Gouveia & Jair Amorim was an instant hit and was Timoteo's first #1 in the singles' chart.

On his 4th album Agnaldo Timoteo had an ace up his sleeve: Roberto Carlos gave him 'Meu grito' (My cry) a song he had written as an anthem to 'secret love' - Roberto's not being able to divulge the name of the woman he secretly loved.The reason for such a secret was that the lady (Nice) was married and Brazilians were not allowed to divorce due to Brazil's being a Catholic country. 'Meu grito' went straight to #1 and was the best selling single of 1967.  

In late 1968, Roberto Carlos was game enough to give Agnaldo Timoteo another of his songs: 'Deixe me outro dia, menos hoje' which was a big hit in 1969.

Before 1969 was over, Odeon released Timoteo's 6th album featuring 'Eu vou sair para buscar você' an original written by Nelson Ned & Claudio Fontana.

1965's 'Surge um astro' - MOFB-3442 (first) 

 Timoteo's 1st album 'Surge um astro' (A star is born) was released in November 1965.

1. Walk away (Siga em paz) - Udo Jurgens-Black; v.: Fred Jorge
2. A casa d'Irene (A casa de Irene) - Maresca-Pagani; v.: Julio Nagib
3. Ma vie (O princípio e o fim) - Alain Barrière; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
4. Que c'est triste Venice (É tão triste Veneza) - Charles Aznavour-F.Dorin; v.: Maria Isabel 
5. Se piangi, se ridi (Se choras, se ris) - Satti-Marchetti-Mogol; v.: Paulo Queiroz
6. Cominciamo ad amarci (Começamos a amar) - Pallavicini-Mescoli; v.: Maria Isabel 

1. La mamma (Mamãe) - Charles Aznavour-Robert Gall-Black; v.: Nazareno de Brito
2. The house of the rising sun (A casa do sol nascente) - Alan Price; v.: Fred Jorge
3. From Russia with love (Em busca do amor) - John Barry-Lionel Bart; v.: Nazareno de Brito
4. Io che non vivo senza te (Eu que não vivo sem você) - Donaggio-Pallavicini; v.: J.K.Filho
5. Non son degno di te (Não mereço você) - Zabrini-Migliacci; v.: Paulo Queiroz
6. Amore scusami (Amor, perdôa-me) - Pallavicini-Mescoli;  v.: Julio Nagib

artistic direction (producer): Milton Miranda
musical director: Lyrio Panicalli
orchestral conductors: Edmundo Peruzzi e Nelsinho
artistic coordination (co-producer): Jorge dos Santos
Even though Agnaldo Timoteo came to prominince on Sunday afternoon's 'Jovem Guarda' giving a heart-rendering rendition of The Animals's 'The house of the rising sun' sung in the English language EMI-Odeon was very conservative in its recording of the new talent. All 12 foreign hits were duly translated into Portuguese including 'A casa do sol nascente' (The house of the rising sun).

The album is actually tread-of-the-mill-covers with sanitized arrangements - mostly inferior to their originals - of 6 Italian hits, 3 French and 3 English songs including a far-from-inspiring 'adaptation' of 'From Russia with love' which became 'Em busca do amor' (Searching for love).
Fred Jorge adapted a lot of foreign hits into the Portuguese language; Julio Nagib was Odeon's 'versionist' of the hour. 
5 September 1965 - on the 3rd Sunday programme Roberto Carlos 'Jovem Guarda' introduced a new act called Agnaldo Timoteo who belted out The Animals's 'The house of the rising sun' in English and made quite a good impression on the audience. Within 4 weeks Odeon-EMI would release 'Surge um astro' with 12 covers of European hits including 'The house of the rising sun' but this time sung in Portuguese. 
19 September 1965 - on the 5th Sunday 'Jovem Guarda' TV show Roberto Carlos introduced Conjunto Lancaster, a dancing group attached to s rock night-club on Rua Augusta. Agnaldo Timoteo was back by popular demand a few weeks before Odeon rushed his album on to the record shops. 

1966's 'O astro do sucesso' - MOFB 3462 (second)

1966's 'O astro do sucesso' Agnaldo Timóteo

1. L'ultima telefonata (Ultimo telefonema) - Pino Donaggio-Pallavicini; v.: N.Bourget 
2. Je ne t'aime plus (Não te amo mais) - Christophe; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
3. Yesterday (Ontem) - John Lennon-Paul McCartney; v.: Rossini Pinto 
4. Aria di neve (Frio de neve) - Sergio Endrigo; v.: Othon Russo  
5. Michelle - John Lennon-Paul McCartney; v.: Rossini Pinto 
6. La playa (A praia) - Jovan Wetter-Pierre Elie Barouth; v.: Bruno Silva 

1. Io ti darò di più (Eu te darei bem mais) - Memo Remigi-Alberto Testa; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
2. Aline - Christophe; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
3. Thunderball (Furacão) - John Barry-Don Black; v.: N. Bourget 
4. J'aime (Eu amo) - Adamo; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
5. Tombe la neige (Cai a neve) - Adamo; v.: Romeu Nunes 
6. Come sinfonia (Como sinfonia) - Pino Donaggio; v.: Romeu Nunes  

producer: Milton Miranda
musical director: Lyrio Panicalli
orchestration & conductor: Edmundo Peruzzi
co-producer: Jorge dos Santos

'O astro do sucesso' (Hits' star) was Timoteo's 2nd album... and it was more of the same. This time there were 4 Italian and 4 French hits (two by Belgium's Adamo); 3 British titles including 2 by Lennon & McCartney ('Yesterday' and 'Michelle') plus the James Bond's 'Thunderball' theme (Furacão); and a single Spanish song 'La playa' which had been the 'other' Agnaldo... Agnaldo Rayol's greatest hit to date. 

1967's 'Obrigado, querida' - MOFB-3488 (third) 

1. Meu grito (Roberto Carlos) 
2. Born free (Livre) - John Barry-Don Black; v.: N.Bourget 
3. Non pensare a me (Não pensa em mim) - Scicrilli-Testa; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
4. Se tu non fossi bella come sei (Se tu não fosses bela como és) - G.Locatelli-Mogol-Pallavicini; v.: Lilian Knapp
5. Non credo (Creio sim) - Pascal-Mauriat; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
6. Fais-la rire (Junto a ti eu terei paz) - Gérald-Bernet; v.: Bruno Silva 

1. Mamma (Mamãe, estou tão feliz) - C.A. Bixio-B. Cherubini; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
2. Não me deixe mais (Evaldo Gouveia-Jair Amorim)
3. Green green grass of home (Os verdes campos da minha terra) - Putman; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
4. L'amour toujours l'amour, eterno amor - Guy Mardel-Fauré; v.: Romeu Nunes
5. Merci cherie (Obrigado, querida) - Udo Jurgens-Thomas Horbiger; v.: Nazareno de Brito
6. Quando vedrò (Quando não me quiseres mais) - Terzi-Rossi; v.: Nazareno de Brito 

Even though 'Obrigado querida' (Merci cherie) was Austria's Udo Jürgens' 1966 Eurovision winner, the real winner in Timoteo's fourth album was undoubtedly Roberto Carlos's 'Meu grito' which opened the LP and went to #1 almost instantly becoming the biggest selling single of 1967. Agnaldo had reached the top of the heap in barely 2 years. 

Apart from 'Não me deixes mais' penned by Evaldo Gouveia & Jair Amorim, the other 10 tracks are covers of European hits: 5 Italian covers including the old Cherubini & Bixio's 'Mamma' plus 'Se tu non fossi bella come sei' from 'Un dollaro buccato' (Um dolar furado) the most popular of all 'spaghetti-westerns' translated by Jovem Guarda-singer Lilian Knapp. 

2 British hits including 'Born free' and Tom Jones's 'Green green grass of home' that played a lot on radio too for it had been the flip side of 'Quem será?'.

2 French covers and a single Austrian hit written by Udo Jürgens that gave the title to the album: 'Obrigado, querida' (Merci chérie). 
'Meu grito' b/w 'Se não estivesse aqui' (Se tu non fossi qui) penned by Carlo Alberto Rossi & Marisa Terzi, translated by Angarano Filho - that for some mysterious reason never made it to the album. It went to Number One straight away and ended up being the best-selling single of 1967.

1967's 'O sucesso é o astro' - MOFB-3505 (fourth) 

1. Yo soy aquel (Eu sou aquele) - Manuel Alejandro; v.: Romeu Nunes
2. No (Não) - Armando Manzanero-Canché; v.: Clovis Mello
3. Per una donna (Por uma mulher) - Martino-Perretta-Mantoni; v.: Romeu Nunes  
4. Love letters (Cartas de amor) - Victor Young-Edward Heyman; v.: Oswaldo Santiago
5. This is my song (Meu amor é uma canção) - Charles Chaplin; v.: Nazareno de Brito 
6. C'est ne pas mervellieux? (Não é maravilhoso?) - Adamo; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo

1. Quem será? (Evaldo Gouveia-Jair Amorim)
2. En bandouliere (Longe de você) - Adamo; v.: Rossini Pinto 
3. Foi Deus (Alberto Janes) 
4. I love you, you love me (Eu te amo, tu me amas) - Haroldo Spina; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
5. L'amore se ne va (Na noite que se vai) - Melfa-Atmo-Morina-D'Ercole; v.: Hamilton Di Giorgio
6. A whiter shade of pale (Êsse amor que eu não queria) - Reid-Brooker; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo 

producer: Milton Miranda
musical director: Lyrio Panicalli 
orchestra conductors: Carlos Monteiro de Souza, Orlando Silveira & Peruzzi. 

'O sucesso é o astro' (The hits are the star) was Timoteo's 4th album. It was his 3rd album containing the word 'star' in its title. This time EMI-Odeon really meant business having commissioned successful song-writers Evaldo Gouveia & Jair Amorim to write 'Quem será?' (Who could it be?) that became Timoteo's first single and immediately went up to Number One at the singles' chart. Portuguese ever-green 'Foi Deus' first recorded by Amalia Rodrigues in 1952 made a difference too. 

The rest of the tracks were the same mish-mash as usual: 3 English-language titles, being 2 from movie sound-tracks like Charles Chaplin's 1966's 'This is my song' and Victor Young's 1945's 'Love letters'; 3 Spanish-language hits, including a Mexican hit by Armando Manzanero; 2 Italian hits and 2 French hits. 

1968's 'O sucesso é Agnaldo Timóteo' - MOFB-3556 (fifth) 

1. Deixe-me outro dia, menos hoje - Roberto Carlos-Erasmo Carlos  
2. Adoração (Evaldo Gouveia-Jair Amorim)
3. La voce del silenzio (A voz do silêncio) - Paolo Limiti-Mogol-Elio Isola; v.: Nazareno de Brito
4. Quando m'innamoro (Quando me enamoro) - Pace-Panzeri-Livraghi; v.: Nazareno de Brito
5. Seul sur son étoile (Tem que ser ela) - Gilbert Becaud-Maurice Vidalin; v.: Nazareno de Brito
6. Theme from The Valley of the Dolls (O vale dos sonhos) - Dori Previ-Andre Pevin; v.: Nazareno de Brito

1. Piedade, amor (Jair Amorim-Evaldo Gouveia) 
2. Homburg (L'ora dell'amore) (A hora do amor) - Keith Reed-Gary Brooker; v.: Pace; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
3. Il posto mio (O meu lugar) - Tony Renis-Alberto Testa; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
4. Cent fois ma vie (Cem vezes mais) - J.Broussolie-H.Giraud; v.: Silvino Neto
5. La musica è finita (A musica chega ao fim) - Umberto Bindi-Franco Califano; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo 
6. Canzone (Canção) - Don Backy-Detto; v.: Fred Jorge

producer: Milton Miranda
musical director: Lyrio Panicalli
arrangers and conductors: Orlando Silveira & Edmundo Peruzzi
co-producer: Jorge Santos

After such a smash hit as 'Meu grito', Roberto Carlos and his partner Erasmo Carlos offered Timoteo 'Deixe-me outro dia, menos hoje' (Leave me any other time but today) another powerful ballad that had a lot of air-play. 

Evaldo Gouveia & Jair Amorim came up with two original songs but the rest of the album was the same concoction of European-hits covers: 5 Italian songs including Umberto Bindi's 'La musica è finita' (A musica chega ao fim) and Don Backy's 'Canzone' his San Remo entry for 1968. 

2 French hits including Gilbert Becaud's 'Seul sur son étoile' (Tem que ser ela) that Vikki Carr took to #3 in November 1967 in the USA as 'It must be him'. 

2 Anglo hits: the 'Theme from 'Valley of the dolls' from the sound-track of the 1967 movie based on the 1966 best seller by Jacqueline Susan; finally Procol Harum's cryptic 'Homburg' became 'A hora do amor' (Love's hour) through a sleight-of-hand of Geraldo Figueiredo who went first to Italy and translated 'L'ora dell'amore', Daniele Pace's translation of Gary Brooker & Keith Reed's original English words. As one can see Brazilian cover-translators sometimes took mysterious and winding ways to get to their point.  


1969's 'Agnaldo Timóteo comanda o sucesso' - MOFB-3603 (sixth) 

1. The world I threw away (O mundo me esqueceu) - Sedaka-Greenfield; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
2. Comme d'habitudine (My way) Eu já me habituei - Claude François-Jacques Revaux-Thibault; v.: Pedro Lopes
3. Love is all (O amor é tudo) - Les Reed-Barry Mason; v.: Romeu Nunes
4. Un jour, un enfant (Um dia, uma criança) - E. Stern-Ed Manay; v.: B. Filho
5. Escuta, meu amor (Evaldo Gouveia-Jair Amorim)
6. Words (Palavras) - Robin, Barry & Maurice Gibb; v.: Eduardo Luiz 

1. Eu vou sair para buscar você (Nelson Ned-Claudio Fontana)
2. As emoções (Santos Dumont)
3. A time for us (Um momento para nós) - Nino Rota-Larry Kusiky-Ed Snyder: v.: Alf Soares
4. Quem sabe (Antonio Carlos Gomes)
5. First of May (O dia que eu chegar) - Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb; v.: Tom Gomes
6. A caravana (Evaldo Gouveia-Jair Amorim)


Times were changing and the 1960s were coming to a close. December 1969's 'Comanda o sucesso' was Timoteo's last album produced in the same format as the previous 5 releases. Copacabana Record's singer-song-writers Nelson Ned and Claudio Fontana came up with 'Eu vou sair para buscar você' (I'm going out and search for you) a compelling ballad that hit the air-waves good and proper. 

This time there were 5 Brazilian-made songs: 2 by Evaldo Gouveia & Jair Amorim, 1 - 'Quem sabe' written in 1953 by classical composer Antonio Carlos Gomes and 'As emoçoes' written by someone called Santos Dumont who is not, mind you, Alberto Santos-Dumond the famous Brazilian aviation pioneer who flew a heavier-than-air aircraft in Paris in 1906.  

5 British hits: 2 songs by the Gibb Brothers - Bee Gees: 'Words' (Palavras) and 'First of May' (O dia que eu chegar); Les Reed & Barry Mason's 'Love is all' that had been England's entry to the Brazilian International Song Festival held in September 1969 at Rio de Janeiro's sports-arena Maracanãzinho in which British tenor Malcolm Roberts held 40,000 people spell-bound by his vigorous rendition that's become here 'O amor é tudo' in a translation by Romeu Nunes. 'The world I threw away' (O mundo me esqueceu) is a Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield later composition; 'A time for us' (Um momento para nós) a tune Nino Rota wrote to be the main theme of Franco Zeffirelli's 'Romeo & Juliet'. 

And finally, 2 French hits: 'Un jour, un enfant' (Um dia, uma criança) which won the 1969 Eurovision contest sung by Frida Boccara and Claude François's 'Comme d'habitudine' (Eu já me habituei) that became world famous by Frank Sinatra as 'My way' with English lyrics done by Paul Anka.

1970's 'O intérprete' - MOFB-3652 (seventh) 

1. Chega (Paulo Diniz-Odibar)
2. Minha casa (Joubert de Carvalho)
3. Once there was a love (Era uma vez) (José Feliciano-R.Jarrard; v.: Nazareno de Brito)
4. Que bom seria (Antonio Marcos-Mario Marcos)
5. Onde andará você? (Luiz Ayrão)
6. Bianca (Ângelo Antonio)

1. Eu te amo cada vez mais (adapt.: 'Sonata ao Luar' de Beethoven) - Edmundo Peruzzi; letra: Ernani Campos 
2. La lontananza (Simplesmente adeus) - Modugno-Bonaccorti; v.: Geraldo Figueiredo
3. Adieu jolie Candy (Adeus meu grande amor) - N.Hursel-F.Herval-R.Jeannot; v.: Sebastião Ferreira da Silva
4. Manhã de primavera - José Thimoteo
5. El dia que me quieras (O dia que me queiras) - Carlos Gardel-Alfredo Le Pera; v.: Haroldo Lobo.


Timoteo's 7th album is an anti-climax. There was no hit coming out of it. It seemed like as the 1960s faded away so were Timoteo's chances of keeping himself on top of the heap. He may have had other hits in the future but his successful string of hits had been broken. 

Half the album was made up of Brazilian original songs; none of them really outstanding. One adaptation of Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' done by conductor Edmundo Peruzzi; Argentina's Carlos Gardel's own 'El dia que me quieras'; Italy's Domenico Modugno's 'La lontananza' (Simplesmente adeus); José Feliciano's 'Once there was a love' (Era uma vez) and finally 'Adieu jolie Candy' (Adeus meu grande amor) a French hit by Jean François Michael.
Timoteo showing off his sturdy legs.
Timóteo saunters through São Paulo with football star Jairzinho; Manchete, 29 June 1974.
Agnaldo Timóteo had a major health scare in May 2019. He was touring the Northeast of Brazil when he had a stroke and went into hospital where he stayed between life and death. He came out of it in the end... here's a little note former President Lula wrote him on 28 May 2019
Timóteo is honoured at Caratinga in 2010

Monday, 16 September 2013

DAVE GORDON

June 1970 - Dave Gordon's album accompanied by Sao Paulo rock outfit The  Rebels.

O artista principal dessa gravação - Dave Gordon ou 'King Dave' - esconde sob essa nomenclatura artística aquela que recebeu na pia batismal, de Neville Gordon. Nascido na Guiana Britânica (British Guiana) no dia 13 de agosto de 1932, é tão grande de tamanho quanto em altura artística - 1 metro e 92 centímetros.

Fez seus primeiros estudos na Freeburg Church da England School em Georgetown e com apenas 10 anos de idade participou do Coral da Igreja Anglicana local. Com 19 anos ganhou um concurso de calouros, recebendo uma medalha de ouro e um contrato de 1 ano com a Radio de Georgetown, além de viajar pelo Caribe, recebendo o título de Mr. Caribe, como melhor cantor do Caribe. 

Em 1958, Dave formou The Four Lords, um conjunto vocal com Cy Manifold (* 27 April 1929 + 23 December 2008), Billy Moore and Johnny Bradford, partindo de Georgetown para o Brasil em excursão fazendo apresentações em Boa Vista, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro onde eles abriram o show de Sarah Vaughn na boite Fred's na Avenida Princesa Izabel em Copcabana. Em São Paulo se apresentaram na TV Record e restaurante Fasano. Voltando ao Rio ainda cantaram no Plaza, antes que cada membro seguisse seu próprio caminho, no entanto permanecendo a amizade.  

Passando a cantar solo, Dave viajou pela America Latina acompanhado por músicos brasileiros como Luiz Chaves, Sabá, Rubinho, Edson Machado e Fred Feld, um pianista yankee, que morava em um apartamento na rua Martins Fontes, perto do Djalma's na Praça Roosevelt, onde mantinha pinturas originais de Toulouse Lautrec e Van Gogh na parede.  

Dave participou até de um filme na Alemanha chamado 'The girl with the red hair'.

Dave casou-se com Denise Duran, irmã da famosa Dolores Duran e tiveram um casal de filhos, Izzy & Tony Gordon. Dave & Duran cantavam na boite Djalma's de Djalma Ferreira, sendo que Dave era acompanhado de Sabá (baixo), Milton (bateria) e Fred Feld ao piano, ao passo que Duran era acompanhada por Luiz Melo ao piano. Ambos excursionaram pelo Chile em 1961. 

Dave Gordon agradece a todos que participaram desse album: maestro Laércio, José Marino (Zelão) e Hermeto, além, é claro de The Rebels, famosos por suas temporadas no My-Love e Michel, além de aparecerem em filmes como 'Conceição' e 'Noites vazias'. 

1970 - Dave Gordon records 'The wonder of you' (made popular by Elvis Presley) and 'I want to go back to Bahia', Paulo Diniz's greatest hit.

P.S.: Dave Gordon has passsed away on 26 December 2016, in a Nursing Home in Sao Paulo where he'd been for some time after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Dave left a daughter (Izzy Gordon) & son (Tony Gordon) plus many granddaughters, grandsons and at least one great-grand-son.  


Cy Manifold formerly from The Four Lords, like Dave Gordon lived in Brazil. 

Thursday, 12 September 2013

ANTONIO MARCOS from Os Iguais 1967 to 1968 - 1973

Antonio Marcos was part of the 3rd wave of Brazilian rock - if we may divide it in phases. 

Brazilian Rock's 1st wave (1958-1961) was made up of pioneers like The Avalons, Tony & Celly Campello, Carlos Gonzaga, Sergio Murilo. 

The 2nd wave (1962-1965) was made up of São Paulo instrumental bands like the Jet Blacks, the Jordans, the Clevers and Rio de Janeiro's acts like Roberto CarlosRenato & seus Blue Caps, Erasmo Carlos, Wanderléa, the Angels, the Golden Boys. 

Brazilian rock's 3rd wave (1966-1969) were those young acts who came of age after TV Record's 'Jovem Guarda' was launched on 22nd August 1965, like Antonio Marcos, Os Caçulas, Vanusa, Claudio Fontana etc.

Antonio Marcos Pensamento da Silva was born in 8 November 1945, in São Miguel Paulista, a working-class suburb in the northern section of São Paulo. He was one among 8 children. Being very musical he always wanted to be a singer. He would sing at any possible gong-show. São Paulo being a big city with 15 radio stations and 4 different TV stations Toninho (his nickname) could sing at a different venue every weekend.

In 1960, at 15, Marcos sang The Platters' 'Only you' at TV Record's Grande Ginkana Kibon, a top-ratings amateur children's hour broadcast every Sunday at 6:00 pm. Antonio Marcos was a rock balladeer at an early age. 

He went to school at Colégio Estadual Dom Pedro I, in São Miguel Paulista and worked as a shop assistant at Sapataria do seu Neném, a shoe-repair shop. 

By the time TV Record's 'Jovem Guarda' started on 22nd August 1965, Antonio Marcos was part of a 4-men-vocal-rock-combo called Os Iguais (The equals) no relation to Eddy Grant's band of same name. Os Iguais were signed by RCA Victor in 1967; 'A partida', their first single had enough air-play for them to have a follow up. 

The A&R man at RCA Victor, Ramalho Neto thought better and decided to launch Antonio Marcos as a solo artist at the same time they released Os Iguais' 3rd single. 

But it took another year - August 1968 - for Antonio Marcos to hit the charts with 'Tenho um amor melhor que o seu' (I've got a better love than yours) a song written by Roberto Carlos himself who obviously had a bias towards Toninho. 

Roberto Carlos liked Antonio Marcos enough to have listened to some of his new songs, having chosen 'E nunca mais eu vou deixar você tão só' (I will never leave you alone) to include in his 'O inimitável' album released in December 1968. It was track no. 1 on side A, which meant a lot when vynil was king.
Antonio Marcos in his high school graduation photo. 

Os Iguais - The Equals - no relation to the British/Jamaican band of same name that was successful at the same time - were 4 young hopeful singers from São Miguel Paulista, a suburb of sprawling São Paulo, who got together as a vocal group circa 1966-1967 and were given the supreme joy of recording a single for a multinational record label: RCA Victor.

Mário Lúcio was the one who played the guitar sometimes, but Antonio Marcos, a moody handsome colt was the one who got most of the attention - soon detaching himself from the group and pursuing a solo career that took him to the pinacles of pop glory.  
Os Iguais in 1965: Marcelo Gastaldi, Mário Lúcio de Freitas, Apolo Mori & Antonio Marcos.
Apolo, Mário Lúcio, Marcelo & Antonio Marcos.
Os Iguais in 1966: Apolo, Marcelo, Antonio Marcos & Mário Lúcio.
Os Iguais: Apolo, Marcelo, Antonio Marcos & Mário Lúcio sing at TV Excelsior in 1966.
1967 

LC-6261 - RCA - Os Iguais
A- A partida (Marcelo Gastaldi-Mario Lucio)
B- Quero te dar meu coração (I'll follow the sun) (Lennon-McCartney; v.: Antonio Marcos)  


LC-6314 - RCA - Os Iguais 
A- Romance das caveiras (Alvarenga-Ranchinho-Chiquinho Salles) 
B- Volte (Marcelo Gastaldi-Mario Lucio)

LC-6338 - RCA - Antonio Marcos 

A- Perdi você (Antonio Marcos-Mario Lucio)
B- A história de alguém que amou uma flor (Antonio Marcos-Mario Marcos)

LC-6339 - RCA - Os Iguais 
A- Quando o amor bater na porta (When love comes knocking at your door) (Sedaka-Bayer; v.: Tom Gomes)  
B- Estranho olhar (If I needed someone) (G.Harrison; v.: Mario Lucio)

1968


LC-6365 - RCA - Antonio Marcos 

A- Tenho um amor melhor que o seu (Roberto Carlos)
B- P'ra que fingir (Antonio Marcos) 

LC-6368 - RCA - Antonio Marcos 

A- Meu brinquedinho (Marcos Roberto-Dori Edson)
B- Cara de pau (Mario Marcos) 

LC-6478 - RCA  - Antonio Marcos 

A- Não fico mais sem teu carinho (Roberto Correa-Sylvio Son)
B- Vou fugir do mundo dos seus braços (Antonio Marcos-Mario Marcos) 

1969


LC-no number (promotional) - Antonio Marcos 
A- Você pediu e eu já vou daqui (in Spanish) (Zairo Marinoso-Antonio Marcos) 
B- Sou eu (in Spanish) (Martinha)


LC-6570 - RCA - Antonio Marcos 

A- Se eu pudesse conversar com Deus (Nelson Ned)
B- Eu sou o mesmo de ontem (Antonio Marcos-Mario Marcos) 

1970

LC-ESP-062 (promotional) - Antonio Marcos 

A- Menina de tranças (Antonio Marcos)
B- Marcas no caminho (Antonio Marcos-Mario Marcos)

Melodias trumpets: Antônio Marcos, a new idol
Antonio Marcos, Melodias, August 1969.
Antonio Marcos just after the release of his 1st album. Seen right below with Claudio Fontana and manager Genival Mello.

Antonio Marcos trabalhou como office-boy, vendedor de varejo e balconista de loja de calçados. Participou do programa de calouros no Clube de Regatas da Nitro Química, que era comandado pelo Albertino Nobre. 

Atuou como ator nas peças 'Amor e curtição', 'Hair', 'Pé coxinho' e 'Samba contra 00dólar', de Moracy do Val, no Teatro de Arena. Antonio Marcos morreu em 5 Abril 1992.

Antonio Marcos sings one of his songs to Roberto Carlos in 1968. Actually, Antonio Marcos showed two of his best songs to Roberto who chose 'E não vou deixar você tão só' that he included as track 1 of his 1968 album 'O inimitável'. The other song Antonio Marcos showed was 'Você pediu e eu já vou daqui'. 

Claudio Fontana writes: Esta foto foi no dia em que Roberto Carlos foi almoçar no apartamento do nosso empresário Genival Melo, onde morávamos juntos Antonio Marcos, Claudio Fontana e Nelson Ned na Avenida Higienópolis, em São Paulo. Roberto Carlos ouviu 3 musicas, uma de Nelson Ned, uma minha (Claudio Fontana) e gostou da do Antônio Marcos. Foi um almoço maravilhoso e virou reportagem da revista 'Intervalo' - 14 September 2013. Claudio Fontana.
from left to right: Antonio Marcos, Genival Melo, Roberto Carlos, Nelson Ned, Dedé, drummer with RC-7 and Moacyr Franco. 
Claudio Fontana, Antonio Marcos, Genival Melo (standing), Roberto Carlos, Nelson Ned, Moacyr Franco (playing the guitar), Dedé and (probably) Carlos Manga.

Começou pouco depois do meio-dia e só terminou lá pelas 5 da tarde, quando o último convidado se despediu. Êsse foi um almôço excepcional: teve Roberto Carlos e Nice, Moacyr Franco, Antônio Marcos, Cláudio Fontana, Nélson Ned, Dedé (ex-bateirista de Roberto) e Carlos Manga, diretor e produtor de TV. Como anfitrião, o empresário Genival Melo estava eufórico. Sorrindo sempre, procurava dar um toque de perfeição a cada pormenor do encontro. Muita música se cantou, mil piadas foram contadas (faltaram as do Chacrinha, que, convidado, não pôde comparecer). Alegria geral na reunião de amigos, longe do burburinho dos palcos e do corre-corre nas gravadoras. Um sossêgo. 

Cada um mostrou o que de mais nôvo havia gravado. Nelson Ned cantou 'Camarim'. Ouvido e aplaudido. Claudio Fontana ia começar sua música quando chegaram Roberto, Nice e Dedé, baterista do RC-7.

Antonio Marcos visits Recife in March 1969, soon after RCA released 'Não fico mais sem seu carinho' - Melodias 1969.
Antonio Marcos was one of the top acts of 1969.

Antonio Marcos in 1970, maybe the peak of his popularity.
corduroy galore and sultry looks...
1970.
1970.
'Pais quadrados, filhos avançados' - 1970.
revista Melodias 1970.
'Menina de trança', 1970.
'Melodias', 1970, claims Antonio Marcos, who had been married to Vanusa, was actually having an affair with actress Debora Duarte. who played a romantic part in 'Toninho on the rocks', a telenovela made by TV Tupi. Vanusa plays it cool not believing in the gossip, saying she and Debora were friends since they met at another show beamed by TV Tupi called 'Bonzinhos até certo ponto'. Vanusa says Debora is engaged to someone called Wladimir and she couldn't believe she would jeopardize their relationship. 
magazine 'Ilusão', 1975.
In the mid to late 1970s Antonio Marcos got heavier due no doubt to his high intake of liquor. His taste in fashion wasn't exactly what one would consider 'stylish'... even considering the 1970s the worst decade ever concerning mode. 
reportagem da 'Sétimo Céu', 1972, mostrando Antonio Marcos e seu pai sr. Vicente, distribuindo presentes para os pobres de São Miguel Paulista.
sr. Vicente e seu filho Antonio Marcos.
Antonio Marcos & brother Mario Marcos.
Antonio Marcos, Wanderley Cardoso & Paulo Sergio...



'Ele... Antonio Marcos' is perhaps his last good recording. One can clearly see his bloated face on the cover of the album. Marcos was drinking heavily then and it showed in his voice which was not exactly wobbly but lacked that firmness that one must have to really belt out a tune. Claudio Fontana's 'Ele' and Clayton's 'Pelos caminhos' tried to cash in on 'O homem de Nazaré' sort of Jesus-was-a-common-fellow... but times were changing quickly... those early 1970s 'Jesus Christ Superstar' gold mine had dried up.