...Tahira.
>To: "Jason Brancazio" <jbrancazio@mail.hamquist.com>
>From: Tahira <tahira@nw.com.br>
>Subject: Re: Open a record store in Bras
>
>At 22:09 25/02/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>I just had to add Jeroen's post about the completely untapped market for dance
>>music in Brasil.....
>>
>>The Brasilian radio stations play (or at least where I was) about 10 pop
>>songs, basically 10 macarenas that everyone seems to know, and a few of them
>>have pre-programmed dances to accompany them too. One in particular is
>>completely absurd, they put a bottle in the middle of the circle and everyone
>>wiggles their butt over it for some completely unknown reason!
>>
>>When I was down there (not to far from where Jeroen said he was, in fact) I
>>kept thinking about how completely unaware the Brasilians were of American
>>underground music. Not surprising, but here's the catch - people dance to
>>those stupid 10 pop songs with more enthusiasm and energy than I have ever
>>seen at the best raves in SF or clubs in London. They just know how to let
>>loose. They'd probably go beserk if they heard the fat beats.
>>
>>In particular, I went to this island called Florianopolis which seemed to have
>>a fair degree of development (in contrast to some of the other places I saw),
>>in fact they even have a university there - in addition to the paradise of 42
>>beaches and a beautiful inland lake. I spent a good few hours fantasizing
>>about pulling a Buddha and turning my back on the U.S. and seeking
>>enlightenment as a club owner on a beautiful brasilian island. I highly
>>reccomend this idea to someone with access to good U.S. records and who could
>>speak Portugese. You can literally start your own scene!
>>
>>One other great thing about the trip happened on the drive to that island - my
>>friend's cousin, a cool ass gym teacher/CD store owner in his 30s who was into
>>the good bits of American rock (read: Santana's Caravanserai and other
>>improvisatory early 70s stuff) drove us to the island, and as he had a tape
>>player in his car I suggested we listen to Nickodemus' mix tape. I was
>>worried, because everyone was silent for a while and it took a while for the
>>beat to kick in. I generally don't like to force music on people who are
>>driving so I was really hoping he'd take to the new stuff. Then the tape got
>>extremely incredible so I stopped caring and just enjoyed the beautiful
>>scenery and sounds.
>>
>>The moment the first side ended was the moment of truth. I was wondering if I
>>was going to have to beg my friend to translate "can you, uh, please turn the
>>tape over?" when he instantaneously stuck his thumb up and flipped the tape as
>>soon as it stopped. It was yet another moment that confirms the theory that
>>good music is universal, and it made me really happy.
>>
>>