Raul Seixas

Who was Raul Seixas?

Raul Santos Seixas, was a Brazilian rock composer, singer, songwriter and producer. He is sometimes called the "Father of Brazilian Rock" and "Maluco Beleza", the last one roughly translated as "Crazy Cool". He was born in Salvador, Brazil, and died of pancreatitis in São Paulo. Every year on Seixas' birthday, legions of fans, including hundreds of impersonators, throw a parade in his honor in downtown São Paulo.

His body of work consists of 21 albums released along his 26-year career. His musical style is mostly rock and ballad, although he wrote songs in many different styles, including variations of styles typical of his native Northeastern Brazil like Forró and Baião, and in fact often used more than one style in the same song, as in "Let Me Sing, Let Me Sing". His debut album, Raulzito e Os Panteras, was produced when he was part of a band of the same name. However, he only gained prominence and critical audience with songs from the album Krig-Há, Bandolo!, such as "Ouro de Tolo", "Mosca na Sopa", and "Metamorfose Ambulante". Raul Seixas developed a unique musical style that emphasized the maverick and the mystic. His album Gita, influenced by figures such as Aleister Crowley, expresses his views very directly.