About RPM
Hometown
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Formed
1981
Genre
Hip-Hop/Rap
RPM was one of the most important groups in Brazilian pop/rock of the '80s. In 1983, bassist/vocalist/composer Paulo Ricardo joined Luiz Schiavon, a friend since 1977 and bandmate of the stillborn Aura. The two teamed up to form a duo in the Eurythmics style. They recorded a demo tape with future hits like "Olhar 43," "Revoluções por Minuto," and "A Cruz e a Espada," but they were turned down by CBS. They decided to include other members and to perform live. Guitarist Fernando Deluqui and drummer Moreno Júnior, who was only 15, were chosen. The quartet opened in May of 1984, and signed with CBS in November. The young drummer was replaced by Charles Gavin, who departed only one month before the recording of the single featuring "Louras Geladas" and "Revoluções por Minuto," and the single was finally recorded with the help of a drum machine. Released in January 1985 along with a compilation of several rock bands, Rock Wave, the single "Louras Geladas" was an enormous success from the start. Their first LP followed soon after. Titled Revoluções por Minuto, it was released in June 1985 and included drummer P. A. Pagni; it was also a huge success, selling 600,000 copies. The tour was heavily promoted, gathering 2,000,000 people for 270 shows. The second album, Rádio Pirata: Ao Vivo, was recorded live on May 26 and 27, 1986. The LP was released with 250,000 copies presold. The album went platinum, reaching the impressive figure of over2,200,000 copies sold. The group appeared in the film Rock Estrela, by Lael Rodrigues, playing "Olhar 43." In 1987, RPM recorded a single with Milton Nascimento, and compositions by Nascimento/Paulo Ricardo. In August, a memo signed by Paulo Ricardo and Schiavon and addressed to CBS announced the dissolution of RPM. The reason was the distribution of rights among them. Pressed by CBS, which had them under contract, they recorded a third album, RPM, also known as Quatro Coiotes. It sold 170,000 copies. In February 1989, the group dissolved definitively, even though they met again to record lesser albums like Pérola and É Natal in 1993. Co-founder Luiz Schiavon died on June 15, 2023 at the age of 64. ~ Alvaro Neder
Members of RPM include, or have included, Paulo Ricardo, Luiz Schiavon, Charles Gavin, and Fernando Deluqui.
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