Revista do Rock from 1964 until the end

 

I became a fan of Italian singer Rita Pavone when the teenage rocker toured Brazil in June 1964, and I saw her show on TV. It was a small revolution in my life, for since 1963, I had been more interested in movies than pop music which had been my passion since 1959. After Rita I reverted to pop music again. 

I bought everything ever printed about Rita and 'Revista do Rock' was quick in catching up with the trend. RR was the first to make a comparison between the Italian volcano and Brenda Lee. I thought the comparison was fair; after all, being compared with the best it is a compliment.

In January or February 1965, Revista do Rock managed to publish the lyrics of 9 of Rita's songs in English she had recorded in New York and became part of her first US album called 'The International Teen-Age Sensation', released in Brazil in late November 1964. I was ecstatic with joy for withouth them lyrics I would never be able to understand them. 

To this day I don't know how the magazine got hold of those lyrics. Only 3 lyrics were missing: 'Big deal', 'I can't hold back the tears' and 'Too many'! So I spent the next 20 years hunting down those 3 missing lyrics. Rita's English was atrocious and it was almost impossible to understand some of the words she mangled. In the slow songs, Rita did an competent  job, but in the uptempo numbers she was a disaster.

After listening to 'I can't hold back the tears' for 2 decades I finally realised that 'I'm gonna cry till I bring him back to me' which Rita pronounced 'braing' really meant 'bring'. 

In 'Big deal', Rita butchered the lyrics in such a way that it was impossible to get the meaning. But, even so, I managed to understand it, perhaps by inference, for after all, pop music is generally predictable, except when it uses a lot of proper names like in 'Kissin' Time'; but I managed to get that one through Bobby Rydell's recording.

You see, 'Revista do Rock' offered a highly specialized product for the teens who idolized Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka, Brenda Lee, Bobby Rydell and others.

I'd like to thank journalist Jeanette Adib from the bottom of my heart for having provided us teenagers with stuff that made our dreams come true. How happy was I reading, re-reading, cutting and pasting material published by 'Revista do Rock'.

Paul Anka (old) & Rita Pavone (new) on the cover in its 4th year of existence.

Composite made by Revista do Rock's art department in 1964, showing a Rita Pavone cut out from the cover of her 1st album released in 1963, and Paul Anka in a photo from 1962. As improbable as it may seem, Anka & Pavone ended up recording two duets at the RCA studios in Berlin in 1964. 'Revista do Rock' was not only a magazine for teens, but it also predicted the future.

Bobby Darin, Brenda Lee & Roberto Carlos # 41, January 1964;  Johnny Restivo on # 41 back-cover. 

Ricky Nelson, Doris Day & Ronnie Cord # 42, 1964.

Jeanette Adib, the editor of Revista do Rock welcomes Connie Francis, who had flown from Rome to Rio de Janeiro in early February 1965. Miss Francis had performed 'Ho bisogno di vederti' at the competition Festival di San Remo 1965; Brazilian impresario Abraão Medina. is seen on the right of Miss Francis. 

Revista do Rock # 48, June, with Connie Francis in Rio at the cover; 1965.

Revista do Rock # 56 with Trio Esperança, Sergio Murilo & Shawn Elliott in 1966. 

 Revista do Rock # 57, with Meire Pavão & Jerry Adriani in 1966.

teenage heart-throb Wanderley Cardoso at RR # 58, 1966. 

Wanderlea # 59, 1966; Jerry Adriani at # 59 back-cover. 

Roberto Carlos at his peak # 60, 1966.

Wanderley Cardoso on the cover again; # 62, 1966; Leno & Lilian on # 62 back-cover.

Wanderley Cardoso at the cover for the 3rd time, # 64, 1967.

Brazilian rock had many phases. First came older acts like Nora Ney, Cauby Peixoto, Agostinho dos Santos who usually sang fox-trots. When Bill Haley & His Comets went to #1 in Brazil, RCA Victor, Columbia, Odeon (EMI) drummed up their older staff to sing anything related to the new craze so Nora Ney was told to cover 'Rock around the clock' in English. It could not compete with the original product. Agostinho dos Santos went a step further and covered Bill Haley's 'See you later alligator' as 'Até lógo, jacaré'... then Cauby Peixoto recorded 'Rock em Copacabana' written by publicity man Miguel Gustavo which is considered to be the very first Brazilian rock'n'roll.

In 1958, guarania-singer Carlos Gonzaga covered Paul Anka's 'Diana', which went to # 1 all over the country. By March 1959, Celly Campello, an unknown teenager singer from Taubaté-SP covered Neil Sedaka's 'Stupid cupid' which became the best selling single of the year. 

In 1962, an instrumental guitar-band called the Jet Blacks took a cover of The Shadows' 'Apache' to #1 and changed the landscape. Every young man & his dog wanted to buy a guitar and become a rock'n'roller.

Elton John on the cover of a Revista do Rock # 6, 1975.  After a long period of being out of circulation, RR was suddenly resurrected. The back cover was still blue and featured old-time Bill Halley, who at that time was no longer in good health, dying of a heart attack on 9 February 1981 at his home in Harlingen, Texas.

The articles inside are about a whole new cup of tea: Black Sabbath; song lyrics by George Harrison (Ding dong), 'Forbidden Fruit' (Rita Lee), 'Soldier Boy' (Elvis) etc. There are 4 pages of Janis Joplin alone. In the center-fold a great photo of Elton John with 2 more pages with him too.

On the inside cover there is a photo of a special issue with The Beatles, all in blue, like in the old days.

Revista do Rock - no. 6 - Rio, 1975

edited by Jeanette Adib

colaboradores: Luiz Pôrto, Márcia Santos, Fernando Mota, M.S. Mussa, Roberto Gouveia, Heraldo Costa.

correspondência geral: Caixa Postal 15014 - Lapa ZC-06

Rio de Janeiro-RJ 20.000.