ZEM
Encyclopedia
The ZEM were a pop-rock group from Loures
, Portugal
, formed in 1982. Pioneers of psychedelic rock
in Portugal
, they were known as innovative and for their elaborate live shows.
António José, joined the group. When Paulo Santos and To Gonçalves, both guitarist
s, then joined the band, the music began a more complex sonority.
In 1984, they changed the name to ZEM. In March 1987, the band recorded their first single
, "Louca Paixão" (Crazy Passion), and they became the first Portuguese group to have music in the record chart
of the Lisbon
-based radio station
, Radio Cidade.
In 1987, they participated in the fourth contest of Rock Rendez-Vous
, using the original name again, Os Senhores (The Sirs). They had to change the name back again, because they already had a record released, and the regulation of the contest only allowed the participation of groups without records.
In an interview to the music newspaper Blitz
, after the participation in Rock Rendez-Vous, Francis Riba confessed he foresaw a dark future for the band, since his musical dreams were taking him to obscure places.
Their debut album
, ZEM, was issued in November 1987. After that, the band was dissolved, due to internal problems.
Loures
Loures Municipality is a municipality to the north of Lisbon. Created on 26 July 1886 by a royal decree, the municipality currently occupies an area of 169 km² and has about 200,000 inhabitants . It borders the municipalities of Odivelas, Sintra, Mafra, Arruda dos Vinhos, Vila Franca de Xira...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, formed in 1982. Pioneers of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, they were known as innovative and for their elaborate live shows.
History
In 1982, Francis Riba, Joao Sanguinheira and Victor Bagoim formed the musical group Os Senhores (The Sirs). A few days later, Sanguinheira's friend, the drummerDrummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
António José, joined the group. When Paulo Santos and To Gonçalves, both guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
s, then joined the band, the music began a more complex sonority.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Louca Paixão" (Crazy Passion), and they became the first Portuguese group to have music in the record chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
of the Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
-based radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, Radio Cidade.
In 1987, they participated in the fourth contest of Rock Rendez-Vous
Rock Rendez-Vous
Rock Rendez-Vous was one of the best known nightclubs in Lisbon, Portugal during the 1980s and early 1990s. It's regarded as one of the most important music venues for rock music in Portugal during the 80s. It was located at the ancient Universal cinema place, at the Rua de Beneficência ao Rego...
, using the original name again, Os Senhores (The Sirs). They had to change the name back again, because they already had a record released, and the regulation of the contest only allowed the participation of groups without records.
In an interview to the music newspaper Blitz
Blitz (newspaper)
Blitz is a Portuguese music newspaper. It was founded in November 1984.In July 2002, the newspaper was acquired by Impresa, which gave the newspaper access to more advanced technology, like color treatment, starting a new phase in the life of the newspaper....
, after the participation in Rock Rendez-Vous, Francis Riba confessed he foresaw a dark future for the band, since his musical dreams were taking him to obscure places.
Their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, ZEM, was issued in November 1987. After that, the band was dissolved, due to internal problems.
Members
- Francis Riba - (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - João Sanguinheira - (lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - Victor Bagoim - (keyboardistKeyboardistA keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - Antonio José - (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) - To Gonçalves - (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) - Paulo Santos - (rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
)
Discography
- March 1987 - "Louca Paixão" (SingleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
) - November 1987 – ZEM (Studio albumStudio albumA studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
)