Detonautas Band comes out with music to protest against conservative rockers
The novelty was released this Friday on social media and criticizes the prejudice of some artists
Victor Drummond, London
“You stopped in time and became a jerk (…) When you open your mouth, it’s just disappointment. It spreads prejudice and misinformation. It gives voice to authorism and denial (…) it repeats the same phrases of these dumb people. Sorry but no I won’tl join your illusion ” (free translation of the original lyrics)
The drums and guitar mark the DNA of the new music of the band Detonautas, “Roqueiro Reaça” [“Reationary rocker”} genuine Rock & Roll for rockers who stopped in time. With lyrics and music signed by the band itself, the creation is a criticism of rockers who have moved from a reality in which it discusses diversity, inclusion and questions many prejudices reproduced by a misogynist and patriarchal society. Although it makes us think that Rock is a place of modern, progressive and provocative of the status quo, “Rock has gone through many phases in its history and just like society, it’s also very sexist. Some artists have transgressed this, like Kurt Cobain for example or David Bowie. Rock has always been on the side of Freedom and transgression. The Hippie Movement, Punk, Grunge – all had a stance to confront authoritarianism. However, at this moment we are seeing Rockers identifying with authoritarian, prejudiced policies that are totally contradictory to what Rock preaches. “, explains Tico Santa Cruz, lead singer of the band Detonautas. Besides being a singer, he is also a writer and a great social activist.
Tico adds that “in Brazil and in the world, unfortunately, Rock has disconnected from reality. This week we saw Eric Clapton complaining about the vaccine. Here in our country [Brazil] Rockers known as Roger Moreira, from Ultraje a Rigor and Digão do Raimundos take denialist speeches, but the music is not directed to them specifically. Unfortunately in the Rock there are many boring and grimace people.”
It is noteworthy that the concept of being straight and boring that the artist refers includes people who do not advocate agendas that include minorities. Those who position themselves in a macho, lgbtqphobic way and who do not bring the diversity and inclusion debate to their professional projects and to their personal positions.
I ask Tico Santa Cruz if there is a lot of homophobic rockers as well. “We have in history Rockers like Freddie Mercury who had to hide his sexual orientation for years, due to the homophobic view of the industry. Renato Russo in Brazil also had to hide for a long time! Cazuza in turn suffered a lot of prejudice for not having been afraid so we can say that unfortunately it does; like society, Rock reproduces these postures in some aspects. ” explains the singer.
And the music strategy also follows a disruptive model: before being launched on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, as is usually the launch roadmap, the song “Roqueiro Reaça” will be launched first on social media, such as Instagram, Facebook and the band’s Twitter (and vocalist on Tico Santa Cruz’s social medias). The clip that is also already on the air comes with a cult and vintage feel, is a looping take of a worn out cassette tape (search google if you don’t know what this media was for playing music), a probable reference to the golden era of Rock, but with people who were stuck in time and did not update.
Asked what would be the counterpoint to the rocker “Reaça” [reactionary one] mentioned in the lyrics, maybe someone who fights for social causes and becomes an ally of minorities, and if there is a name that comes to his mind, Tico replies that “today we have chains in Rock who understood that this prejudiced posture does not match the style. In Brazil we have names that range like João Gordo – Ratos de Porão Band, Lucas from Fresno Band or Thedy from Nenhum de Nós band. Detonautas and CPM22 – there are many artists who have become aware of this. “
Great! For less reactive or reactionary rockers and more artists questioning dominant and oppressive structures. As Madonna said on her last tour, performancing at the Palladium Theater in London, “the artists came to break the peace.” Detonautas and Tico Santa Cruz are well aware of this important and arduous mission. Long live to transgressors!
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