Graforreia Xilarmônica
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Porto Alegre , Brazil |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, extended plays, demos |
Graforreia Xilarmônica is a rock ensemble from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, distinguished by their receipt of the Prêmio Açorianos. Their music is characterized by witty lyrics and a sound shaped by influences ranging from 1960s bands and the Jovem Guarda movement to traditional gaúcho rhythms. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, they cultivated a devoted cult audience that remains active today.
History
The band was established in 1987 by Carlo Pianta, siblings Alexandre and Marcelo Birck, alongside Frank Jorge, all possessing prior musical backgrounds. Pianta had previously co-founded the experimental rock group DeFalla, while the Birck brothers and Jorge—who was also an original member of Os Cascavelletes—collaborated with future TNT guitarist Tchê Gomes in the early 1980s project Prisão de Ventre. One year after Graforreia Xilarmônica's inception, the Birck brothers initiated a side endeavor named Aristóteles de Ananias Jr.. Their unusual band name, which loosely means "Xylophone-style Graphorrhea", was created by randomly selecting words from a dictionary.
In 1988, they issued the demo tape Com Amor, Muito Carinho, which gained underground popularity with standout songs such as "Empregada", "Amigo Punk", and "Colégio Interno"—the latter featured in the soundtrack of the film O Mentiroso. Subsequently, they secured a contract with Carlos Eduardo Miranda's Banguela Records to release their first full-length album, Coisa de Louco II, in 1995. This debut received widespread critical praise and rapidly sold out. Their next album, Chapinhas de Ouro (1998), released through Zoon Records, won them the Prêmio Açorianos for Best Album in 1999. The group entered a hiatus at the start of the 2000s as members explored individual projects.
Graforreia Xilarmônica reunited in 2005 and resumed touring nationwide across Brazil. In 2006, they launched their inaugural live album, Graforreia Xilarmônica ao Vivo, produced by Alexandre Kassin and Berna Ceppas and distributed via the webzine Senhor F. The band appeared at the Morrostock festival in Sapiranga in 2011 and celebrated their 25th anniversary with a performance at São Paulo's Lollapalooza festival in 2012, subsequently releasing a commemorative EP on their Bandcamp platform as a token of appreciation for their fans.
Alternative rock group Pato Fu recorded covers of Graforreia Xilarmônica’s tracks "Nunca Diga" and "Eu", while former Os Replicantes frontman Wander Wildner interpreted "Empregada" and "Amigo Punk".
Members
- Frank Jorge – bass guitar, lead vocals (1987–present)
- Carlo Pianta – electric guitar, backing vocals (1987–1989, 1992–present)
- Alexandre Birck – drums (1987–present)
- Marcelo Birck – electric guitar, backing vocals (1987–1990, 2001, 2011–2015)
Session musicians
- Tasso Ferreira – electric guitar (1987)
- Eduardo Christ – electric guitar, backing vocals (1996–2000)
Studio albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Coisa de Louco IITemplate:Smalldiv |
| 1998 | Chapinhas de OuroTemplate:Smalldiv |
Extended plays
| Year | Release |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Graforreia Xilarmônica: 25 AnosTemplate:Smalldiv |
Demos
| Year | Release |
|---|---|
| 1988 | Com Amor, Muito CarinhoTemplate:Smalldiv |
| 1994 | The Best of Graforreia XilarmônicaTemplate:Smalldiv |
Live albums
| Year | Release |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Graforreia Xilarmônica ao VivoTemplate:Smalldiv |