Profile - Renato Manfredini Jr. (Renato Russo)

Renato Manfredini Jr. was born in Rio de Janeiro on March 27, 1960, son of the economist Renato Manfredini an official of “Banco do Brasil” and Dona Maria do Carmo an English teacher. He learned English since childhood, when he lived, from 7 to 10 years, in New York. New transfer the father took the boy, now aged 13, who both scored in Brasilia your music. Renato had a childhood and adolescence of the middle class. Between 15 and 17 years faced several operations, where three pins placed in the body and lived between bed and wheelchair, fighting a rare bone disease called epifisiolise.

At 78, inspired by Sex Pistols, Joy Division, The Smiths, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and other bands, Renato formed “Aborto Elétrico”, that the coming and going of members, featured appearances by Flavio has done and Lemos (after the Capital Inicial), Ico Ouro Preto and Andre Pretorius. In 82 abandoned by "Aborto Elétrico" fights with Fê Lemos became solo works. This period became known as "The Lone Troubadour." When the legendary "scene of Brasilia" was already a recognized underground force, Renato Russo created “Legião Urbana” with Marcelo Bonfa, Eduardo Paraná and Eduardo Paulista. A year later, Paraná and Paulista left the band and went Dado Villa-Lobos.

When Renato Rocha joined the band in 84, “Legião Urbana” had already presented several times in Brasilia, notably in the famous Flying Circus shows in Rio de Janeiro and Napalm in Sao Paulo. The success of his shows quickly led to a contract with EMI-Odeon. On the first day of the following year came the first album, “Legião Urbana”, which spawned the hits "Geração Coca-cola", "Ainda é cedo” and "Será".

With its powerful choruses and lyrics that spoke of emotional insecurities and nihilism generation grown during the military regime, “Legião Urbana” hit bottom in the aspirations of young Brazilians. The recipe was perfected in the next album, “Dois”, played better, better written and more elaborate. Successes like "Eduardo e Mônica" and "Quase sem querer" spoke a language that any young urban Brazilian 80s could understand and identify with.

Two consolidated Renato Russo as one of the biggest pop stars in the country. Already on tour this second album began appearing Renato Russo star: his shows included speeches preachers and a high consumption of drugs and alcohol.

In 1987 comes the third album, “Que país é esse”, generating hits like "Faroeste Cabloclo," a national tour and more crowded. In 89 out “Quatro Estações” that opens the band's more mature phase, both in sound and in lyrics, addressing issues such as AIDS and homosexuality. In “Meninos e Meninas", Renato suggests bisexuality. Soon after, a story Bizz magazine interview, Renato confirmed the fact.

"V", album released in 91, came loaded with a sadness that reflected the emotional and psychological instability experienced by Renato. The tour that followed had to be stopped due to his poor health.

“O Descobrimento do Brasil”, 93. After the album, Renato gave vent to his solo projects and released “The Stonewall Celebration Concert”, “Equilibrio distante”.

The first, sung in English. Renato then makes her hard to the more militant proud to be gay, to the sound of Broadway and Madonna covers. Stonewall is the name of a New York bar where a famous event in 69, gays rebelled against political action. Balance brings distant songs by Renato Italian music, one of the latest crazes singer.

Renato was HIV positive since 1989, but never publicly took the disease. Since the time of "Descobrimento do Brasil," Renato walked reclusive and aloof and avoided the press. The suspicions were confirmed on October 11, 1996 to her death from complications of AIDS, weighing only 45 pounds.

Adapted from http://www.casadobruxo.com.br/renato/biografia.htm
 Acessado em: 01/10/2012

Maria Eduarda Santos
Pedro Lavalle