Pato Fu

Pato Fu
Pato Fu, August 2008.
Background information
Origin	Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Genres	Alternative rock, experimental, indie pop, art rock, brazilian rock
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Rotomusic, Sony BMG, Cogumelo
Website	www.patofu.com.br
Members
Fernanda Takai John Ulhoa Ricardo Koctus Xande Tamietti Lulu Camargo
Past members
Dudu Tsuda

Pato Fu is a Brazilian rock band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The band was formed by lead singer Fernanda Takai, guitarist John Ulhoa and bassist Ricardo Koctus, in 1992. Their drummer, Xande Tamietti, joined the band in 1996, as did keyboardist Lulu Camargo in 2005. The band is also famous for their 2010 album Música de Brinquedo, which was written using only toy instruments.

History

Their first album, Rotomusic de Liquidificapum, was released in 1993, followed, since then, by other eight releases: Gol de Quem? (1995), Tem Mas Acabou (1996), Televisão de Cachorro (1998), Isopor (1999), Ruído Rosa (2000), MTV ao Vivo: No Museu de Arte da Pampulha (2002), Toda Cura para Todo Mal (2005), and Daqui Pro Futuro (2007), and with launch scheduled for 2010, Música de Brinquedo. The band's popularity began to increase simultaneously with two other groups from Belo Horizonte, Jota Quest and Skank. The band plays in alternative rock style, but resorting frequently to experimental music elements. Pato Fu is frequently said as being influenced by Os Mutantes, a famous Brazilian tropicalist group from the 1960s, probably because of the experimentalism found in both bands' songs. Their music is influenced by Devo, The Cure, Radiohead, Pizzicato Five, Super Furry Animals and also Brazilian Popular Music, among various others. Takai once said her singing is influenced by Suzanne Vega, of whom she is a fan.

Takai and Ulhoa are married and had a daughter, Nina, in 2003.

The band name is from a Garfield comic strip. Garfield attacked the mailman with his "Cat Fu" techniques. The band liked the wordplay, but decided to change Gato (cat) to Pato (duck). Coincidentally or not, the expression had also previously appeared in the Brazilian translation of the Howard the Duck movie; in it, Howard says he knows "Pato Fu" (Quak Fu in the original).

The band celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003 with the release of MTV ao Vivo: No Museu de Arte da Pampulha, a live performance with some of their most famous songs.

In 2010, Pato Fu recorded an album of rock classics played only national and international instruments called Música de Brinquedo, which generated a great response from the public. Classics such as Live And Let Die and Rock And Roll Lullaby bands were present. On the tour, besides the songs on the album were also played live a few hits, such a Simplicidade and Perdendo Dentes. The record in the DVD project was recorded in 2011 and is called Música de Brinquedo Ao Vivo.

Band members

Current members

• Fernanda Takai - lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1992–present)
• John Ulhoa - lead guitar, vocals (1992–present)
• Ricardo Koctus - bass guitar, vocals (1992–present)
• Xande Tamietti - drums (1996–present)
• Lulu Camargo - keyboards, piano (2005–present)

Former members

• Dudu Tsuda - keyboards, piano (2008–2009)

Discography

Studio albums

• Rotomusic de Liquidificapum (1993)
• Gol de Quem? (1995)
• Tem Mas Acabou (1996)
• Televisão de Cachorro (1998)
• Isopor (1999)
• Ruído Rosa (2001)
• Toda Cura para Todo Mal (2005)
• Daqui Pro Futuro (2007)
• Música de Brinquedo (2010)

Live albums

• MTV ao Vivo - Pato Fu no Museu de Arte da Pampulha (2002)
• Música de Brinquedo Ao Vivo (2011)

DVDs

• MTV ao Vivo - Pato Fu no Museu de Arte da Pampulha (2002)
• Video Clipes (2004)
• Toda Cura para Todo Mal (2007)
• Extra! Extra! (2009)
• Música de Brinquedo Ao Vivo (2011)

Singles

Hits

Fernanda Takai, lead singer of the band.

• "Sobre o Tempo" (from Gol de Quem?)
• "Pinga" (from Tem Mas Acabou; the song's name refers to a Brazilian drink, cachaça)
• "Canção pra Você Viver Mais" (from Televisão de Cachorro; a tribute to Takai's father)
• "Antes Que Seja Tarde" (from Televisão de Cachorro)
• "Made in Japan" (from Isopor; sung almost entirely in Japanese. It was written in Portuguese by John and translated by a Japanese teacher. Its video clip is a tribute to old Japanese Sci-Fi movies and a satire against Americanization, winning a Brazilian VMA award). The chorus comes from the song Mah Nà Mah Nà (see the article's "external links" section).
• "Depois" (from Isopor)
• "Perdendo Dentes" (from Isopor)
• "Eu" (from Ruído Rosa; a tribute to theremin)
• "Ando Meio Desligado" (from Ruído Rosa; Os Mutantes cover)
• "Por Perto" (from MTV ao Vivo)
• "Uh Uh Uh, Lá Lá Lá, Ié Ié!" (from Toda Cura para Todo Mal)
• "Sorte e Azar" (from Toda Cura para Todo Mal)
• "Anormal" (from Toda Cura para Todo Mal)
• "Rock And Roll Lullaby" (cover, toy instruments)

External links

• Official site (in Portuguese)