It’s impossible to analyse the emergence of Portuguese rock without associating it to the 25th of April 1974: before that date there were bands, yes, but they were sporadic cases. Only in the period after April 25th did the first experiences with rock sounds appear. Not with the expected intensity, but in a relevant way, two projects appeared at that time, Faíscas and Aqui d’El Rock, very committed to the ideology of the punk movement. Aqui d’El Rock – a group of young people from Bairro do Relógio – emerged in 1978, in Lisbon. They recorded two singles – “Há que violentar o sistema” and “Dedicada (a quem nos rouba)” – and their first concert, at Pavilhão CACO, in Clube Atlético de Campo de Ourique, became famous in the history of national rock, for the disagreements and the vain attempt to invade the stage by another group, the Faíscas. Faíscas were formed in 1977. The group had a very punk aesthetic and a sound marked by speed and urgency. They played in places like Brown’s nightclub and Alunos de Apolo in Lisbon, but never released. Their concerts were known for their disagreements and misadventures.
Two years later they gave rise to Corpo Diplomático and in the 80s Heróis do Mar. Following these movements Xutos & Pontapés, Minas & Armadilhas and UHF were born. Also in 1980 the aforementioned Corpo Diplomático appeared, followers of a new wave very much in the image of English trends. Rock as a culture and experience was taking root in Portugal, although initially restricted to the experiences of a certain segment of young people, possibly more educated and urban, mainly living in Lisbon. For the expansion and densification of rock music in Portugal contributed, namely, the sensibility of the recording industry, a greater movement on the part of the media and the implantation of logistic and support structures for bands and concerts.
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