Da Weasel

noreply@blogspirit.com (Da Weasel) — Tue, 25 Jan 2000 04:20:00 +0100

The name was inspired by the song "Pop Goes the Weasel", by American hip-hop band 3rd Bass. It was the appropriate name for a band that wanted to speak/sing about issues which were somewhat disturbing and controversial. This was 1993...

More than a decade after, Da Weasel are the most successful band in Portugal. A success that was built during this last 12 years, in which they have always been one of the most respected and influent bands in Portuguese music and have inclusively collaborated with international stars as Orishas and the Brazilian Gabriel O Pensador. Their current album - Re-Definições - is one of the other main reasons for this amazing success:

The album released in 2004 has conquered 4 Platinums and was in the Portuguese albums chart for 70 weeks, becoming the most sold Portuguese album of the year, in spite of the recession in the music industry;
In August 2005, a second edition of Re-Definições was released, which included an extra DVD with videos and 1 remix song. It went straight up the charts as well;
In November 2004, in Rome, the group won Best Portuguese Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards and was nominated again in 2005;
The first single taken from the new album - Re-Tratamento - was a massive radio hit and it was one of the most played videos on MTV Portugal;
The other two singles from the album - Força and Casa - have followed on Re-Tratamento footsteps, conquering the national airwaves;
Since the release of the album Re-Definições, the band has won all music prizes there is to win in Portugal: Best Group, Best Album, and Best Single.

But let's go back in time, to Da Weasel's first steps in music. They were born in 1993, first as a 100% project that sang in English and wanted to experiment. Led by charismatic rapper Pacman and programmer Armando Teixeira, helped by singer/DJ Yen Sung and bassist Jay Jay Neige (Pacman's brother). A year later their first record adventure is created through the EP "More Than 30 Mother F****s". And the song "God Bless Johnny" becomes the group's anthem in every concert, until today.

1994 - Da Weasel release their first album, through BMG offshoot Dínamo - "Dou-lhe Com A Alma" - which becomes the first hip-hop recording of a Portuguese band and the English language gives way to their native one. By this time Da Weasel are Pac, Jay Jay Neige, Armando, Yen Sung, Pedro Quaresma (guitar) and Guilherme Silva (drums).

1997 - Da Weasel sign with EMI and release the album "3º Capítulo", in which Pac (singer/author) is considered the best and brightest lyricists in Portuguese hip-hop music. This is also the year in which the band suffers some changes: Yen Sung leaves and a new singer enters the band - Vírgul - adding another dimension to the band's sound. Soul and reggae become a strong part of Da Weasel's music. The band starts their successful life on the road...Live, the twin attack of sharp lyricists Pacman and Virgul and the interlocking grooves of the four-strong band, gained them a reputation as possibly the best live act in Portugal.

1999 - Release of "Iniciação A Uma Vida Banal", one of their albums most acclaimed by the critics. Some of the band's most famous songs are taken from this album, especially the amazing "Outro Nível", with one of the most brilliant videos ever made in Portugal. This is also the year in which Da Weasel open for Red Hot Chilly Peppers in Lisbon.

2001 - The band starts recording a new studio album, now without band member Armando Teixeira. This was a very hot summer, with Da Weasel performing at Portugal's major Festivals, in front of thousands of people. Later on this year, the new album is ready - "Podes Fugir mas Não Te Podes Esconder" - acclaimed as one of their best albums to date and conquering their first Gold Album. Pac and Virgul's lyrics remain vivid snapshots of reality - testimonials and cautionary tales, real-life stories passed by word of mouth.
It's also around this time that Da Weasel meets Cuban stars Orishas and is invited to collaborate with them in the track - "Sigue, Sigue! - a collaboration that ended up in friendship until nowadays.

2004 - This is definitely the year of Da Weasel! Their most successful album is released - Re-Definições. The band has a sixth member now - DJ Glue enters Da Weasel's family. Another chapter is written and by now, you all know how the story goes...

2005 - Da Weasel is officially the most successful band in Portugal and after winning all music prizes there is to win, it was time to hit the road, with around 100 live shows scheduled, including Summer Festivals. The year couldn't finish better, with a Sold-Out show, on November 11th, at the prestigious Olympia, in Paris and the release of their first live album - Ao Vivo Coliseus - a double cd that offers the great moments lived during the sold-out shows at Lisbon and Porto Coliseums in 2005. This is the celebration of a fantastic year for Da Weasel, since the release of the studio album - Re-Definições - in May 2004 - for which they achieved 4 Platinums, and was one of the Top 30 albums in the charts, for more than 1 year!

2006 - This is the year in which Da Weasel cross the Portuguese borders with their studio album - Re-Definições - being released in some European countries, as Spain, Switzerland and Greece.
In June, the band will be co-headliners on the biggest festival in the world - Rock in Rio - in Lisbon.

And in a year of such an important event as the World Cup, in Germany, Da Weasel couldn't stay out of the game and have made an exclusive track in English for an official compilation of the World Cup - "Play Up" - which includes also artists as Patrice, Ghetto Blaster, Arto Lindsay, among other world music acts.

Summer looks promising with a sold-out tour in Portugal and possibly some international concerts in the band's agenda!

Stay tuned because the story is just beginning!

in DaWeaselOnLine

Belos Dias na Descontra - english

Da Weasel