Ira!

by Alvaro NederIra was formed in São Paulo city in 1981 by guitarist Edgard Scandurra, his friend, bassist Dino, vocalist Nasi (Marcos Valadão), and drummer Charles Gavin. The name was a reference to the Irish Republican Army, and also means "anger" in Portuguese. After some bar and university shows, they were taken to Warner in 1983, recording their first single, "Gritos na Multidão" b/w "Pobre Paulista." In March, 1985, the band gained a "!" and put Gaspa (Ricardo Gasparini) in the place of Dino, exchanging Gavin (who departed for the Titãs) for André Jung (who came from the same band). They recorded their first LP, Mudança de Comportamento through Warner, which sold 50,000 copies. The second LP, Vivendo e Não Aprendendo, launched the band with its 165,000 copies sold and the inclusion of "Flores em Você" in the major TV Globo soap opera O Outro's soundtrack. The band enjoyed a period of high visibility in the media. On January 6, 1988, Ira! opened the first Hollywood Rock festival (Rio). That day, some problems with the sound system provoked the unstable nerves of the bandmembers, who destroyed the dressing room. Four months later, the band recorded Psicoacústica, which had different concepts and details, embracing hard rock and rap. The album sold about 60,000 copies though considered a noncommercial work. In 1989, Scandurra recorded a solo album, (Amigos Invisíveis) playing all instruments, and soon followed the fourth Ira! LP, Clandestino, which sold 30,000 copies with softer lyrics. In the '90s, the band came close to separation, but recorded Meninos da Rua Paulo (1991) and Música Calma Para Pessoas Nervosas (1993), which reinforced their work. Moving to Paradoxx, they also recorded 7 (1996). That year, Scandurra recorded another solo album, Benzina (BMG).