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REI LAGARTO, O RETORNO

Foi ali por volta de 1997 que travei contato com a banda. O Rei Lagarto já existia há uns bons seis anos, mas estava entrando na fase mais profissional de sua carreira. Do início, em 1991, por obra do baixista e único membro original remanescente Yon Berry, até aquele momento, foram muitos shows e quase incontáveis mudanças na formação. No ano seguinte viria o primeiro disco, “Overdrive”, repleto de boas idéias embaladas por um hard rock setentista.

Mas foi logo em seguida que o Rei Lagarto entrou na, digamos assim, fase de ouro de sua trajetória. Com Yon, Fabiano Negri (vocalista já estava na banda quando “Overdrive” foi gravado), James Twin (guitarra) e Roger Moonward (bateria), o grupo se tornou um verdadeiro ícone do hard rock na região de Campinas, fazendo shows memoráveis em diversas casas e bares. Influências que iam na maior sem-cerimônia de Guns N’Roses a Black Sabbath, passando evidentemente por The Doors, eram claramente notadas no repertório próprio do quarteto, que completava suas apresentações com alguns covers que viravam quase tributos pela personalidade própria que o quarteto imprimia a eles.

O passo seguinte seria a gravação de um novo disco. E aí acabei entrando de cabeça na história, já que fui chamado para produzir “Free Fall”. Sim, foi tenso. Algumas inevitáveis desavenças vindo à superfície e o perfeccionismo aflorando de todos os lados resultaram num disco que até hoje – modéstia às favas... – se deixa ouvir com facilidade.

Quem estava lá percebe muito da tensão que existiu naqueles dias, mas quem quiser ouvi-lo apenas pra se divertir vai ter farto material à disposição... O lançamento do álbum foi marcado por um memorável show no Delta Blues Bar, em Campinas, em outubro de 2001.

Os shows se sucediam até que começaram as primeiras mudanças na formação da banda: saiu Roger, entrou Victor Marcellus, que logo daria seu lugar para Ric Mattos. Ao mesmo tempo, o Rei Lagarto resolveu incluir um guitarrista-base e o escolhido foi Abel “Jungle” Mattos, irmão de Ric. Porém, quis o destino que, no início de 2003, Gustavo fosse tocar sua guitarra para aqueles que habitam um plano superior ao nosso. No mesmo ano, Fabiano resolve também sair da banda, sendo substituído por Ricardo Bocci, hoje vocalista da banda de heavy metal Viper – a essa altura, Daniel Brita já ocupava o posto de Jungle. Porém, a química já não era mais a mesma e a banda resolveu encerrar atividades. No final de 2005 ainda foram realizados em Campinas aqueles que seriam os derradeiros shows do grupo, com Fabiano, Ric, Yon e James nos palcos do Teatro de Arte e Ofício e do extinto Hangover Rock Bar.

Porém, as diferenças, já disse alguém, existem para que possamos aprender e amadurecer com elas. Assim, Fabiano, Yon, James e Ric resolveram deixar as insignificâncias de lado e voltar à ativa – agora com outro guitarrista-base, Brolezi. Os shows já estão sendo marcados em profusão: Campinas, Indaiatuba, Vinhedo, Sorocaba, Americana e Itatiba, algumas das cidades que tiveram oportunidade de ver o Rei em sua fase áurea, já correram para agendar shows com a banda. E muitas outras datas vêm aí, assim como o primeiro EP, que está quase pronto – e os planos indicam um CD de inéditas até o final do ano.

A boa música agradece que as diferenças tenham sido acertadas.

Antonio Carlos Monteiro

Jornalista e crítico musical

REI LAGARTO - THE RETURN

It was around 1997 when I first met with the band. Rei Lagarto already existed for about six years, but at the time the band was entering the most professional phase of its long career. From the band’s inception, by the effort of Yon Berry, bass player and only remaining member of the original crew, to that very moment, the band had already played many gigs in many stages, and had seen almost countless changes to its setup. In the following year, the first album would come out, “Overdrive”, plenty of good ideas wrapped up in a hard rock with a foot on the seventies.

But it was a little later that Rei Lagarto began the - let’s say it - golden years of its career. With Yon, Fabiano Negri (lead singer, already in the band when “Overdrive” was recorded), James Twin (guitar) and Roger Moonward (drums), the group became a veritable icon of the hard rock scene in their home town and several other cities nearby, performing memorable gigs on several venues and rock bars. Influences that went recklessly from Guns’n’Roses to Black Sabbath, passing of course through The Doors, were clear in the songs composed by the quartet, that added to their gigs covers of some songs that became almost tributes, since the group imprinted so much of its own personality in the songs they covered.

The following step taken would be the recording of a new album. And it was then that I plunged headfirst into this story, because I was invited by the band to produce their next album, “Free Fall”. Yes, it was stressful. Some inevitable conflicts came up, and perfectionism resulted in an album that up to this date – to hell with modesty – it’s very easy going on the ears. People that were there would perceive in the album how much tension we went through those days, but who wants to hear it just for fun, well, there’s plenty of that to be sure… Launching of this album was marked by a most memorable show on a place called Delta Blues Bar, on October, 2001.

The live performances by the band happened practically back to back until the band started to change its members again: out went Roger, in came Victor Marcellus, soon replaced by Ric Mattos. At the same time, Rei Lagarto decided to add a second guitar player to its setup, and for this Abel “Jungle” Matos, Ric’s brother, was chosen. But destiny made it so that, in the beginning of 2003, Jungle would play his guitar to those who dwell in a plane above our own. Later that year, Fabiano would leave the band, being then replaced by Ricardo Bocci, currently the lead singer of Brazilian heavy metal outfit “Viper” – this time around, Daniel Brita was already assuming the place that was Jungle’s. But chemistry between band mates wasn’t the same anymore, and the band decided to call it quits. By the end of 2005 the last shows were performed by Fabiano, Ric, Yon and James on the stages of the “Arte e Ofício Theater”, and the now defunct “Hangover Rock Bar”.

But it was said once that differences are there so we can learn from them, and grow with them. Thus it was that Fabiano, Yon, James and Ric decided to let matters of small importance aside and go back to the frontline – now with another guitar player, Brolezi. Live performances are being scheduled all around: Campinas, Indaiatuba, Vinhedo, Sorocaba, Americana and Itatiba, and some other towns that witnessed the Rei in its golden years, already jumped ahead to schedule gigs with the band. And many other gigs will come, as well as the new EP, now almost finished – and the band’s plans include a new album within this year.

Good music is grateful that differences have been put to a good use.

Antonio Carlos Monteiro

Journalist and music critic