Go Back is the first live album by Brazilian rock band Titãs. It was recorded on 8 July 1988 at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland[2] and released on 14 October of the same year.[3]

Go Back
Live album by
Released1988
Recorded8 July 1988[1]
GenreRock
Length50:41
LabelWEA
ProducerLiminha
Titãs chronology
Jesus não Tem Dentes no País dos Banguelas
(1987)
Go Back
(1988)
Õ Blésq Blom
(1989)
Singles from Go Back
  1. "Go Back"
    Released: 1988
  2. "Marvin"
    Released: 1988

The album was seen by the band as the end of a cycle.[4] It generated two singles: "Go Back" and "Marvin".[5]

The show in Montreux

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The band's show was their first on foreign soil.[6] The rehearsals were carried out at a studio in London, where guitarist Tony Bellotto met Jimmy Page and asked him to autograph his Gibson Les Paul with a screwdriver so the letters would never wear off.[7]

The preparation for the concert was marked by difficulties; members claimed they received no help from their label nor from the festival's production team for things like carrying their equipment, moving across Europe, renting studios and rehearse. They soundchecked late and only had 15 minutes to do it. Liminha, hired by the band as a third guitarist, had a problem in his amplifier and wasn't audible for most of the show; he later re-recorded his parts in studio for the album.[2][4][8] According to then bassist and vocalist Nando Reis, the album features some additional overdubbing.[5]

About the public, the band stated they were received with a certain strangeness, but the audience (estimated at 2,000 people[4]) grew in quantity and enthusiasm as the concert progressed.[2]

The band's trip to Switzerland generated expectation for a supposed attempt to project the band internationally; members dismissed this idea claiming that in order to try a career outside of Brazil, they would have to make long-term planning.[4][8][9][10]

The setlist involved tracks then lesser known from their first two albums, such as "Marvin" (Titãs) and "Pavimentação" (Televisão), and more famous songs from their two subsequent albums, such as "Polícia" (Cabeça Dinossauro) and "Diversão" (Jesus não Tem Dentes no País dos Banguelas).[4]

Album production

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From the 15 tracks played in the show, 13 were selected, since the album would not fit them all.[2]

Go Back was mixed at Swanyard studios in London, with the members present[2] and also at the Recording Plant in Los Angeles and at the Nas Nuvens in Rio de Janeiro.[8] Mixing was finished on 12 July 1988.[4] The recording was done digitally in 24 channels.[8]

Following the mixing, they wend to Lisbon for a local tour, opening up for Xutos & Pontapés.[2][4]

Release and impact

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In order to promote the album to the press, a special book with pictures and interviews done by then president of WEA, André Midani, was prepared.[8] The cover and back cover of the album feature pictures of the eight members as children.[8] On the front cover, starting left and going clockwise, Reis, keyboardist and vocalist Sérgio Britto, then vocalist and saxophonist Paulo Miklos and Bellotto can be seen. On the back cover, following the same directions, guitarist Marcelo Fromer, vocalists Branco Mello and Arnaldo Antunes and drummer Charles Gavin can be seen.[5] The booklet has then recent pictures of the members touringaround Europe.[8]

Despite the album having come out after the promulgation of the current Constitution of Brazil, which abolished censorship, copies were still pressed with a sticker warning against radio airplay of "Bichos Escrotos".[8][9]

Between October and November 1988, they did a promotional tour and planned to go to Los Angeles to record their then next album.[9] According to the Dicionário Cravo Albin da Música Popular Brasileira, the album has sold 320,000 copies.[11]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [12]
Jornal do Brasil   [13]

Writing on allmusic, Eduardo Rivadavia called their performance "triumphant" but said the album, although sampling "the band's many talents" was "still something of a grab bag that is bound to omit certain personal favorites for every fan".[12]

Arthur Dapieve, from Jornal do Brasil, congratulated the "courage" of the band to face an unknown audience and the new arrangements. He concluded his review by saying, in allusion to the lyrics of "Não Vou Me Adaptar", that "Titãs have always spoken what no one's said; they have always listened to what no one's heard; and will never adapt themselves — to the mediocrity of the cowards".[13]

Track listing

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Go Back tracklisting
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Jesus Não Tem Dentes no País dos Banguelas"Marcelo Fromer, Nando ReisReis2:32
2."Nome aos Bois"Arnaldo Antunes, Fromer, Reis, Tony BellottoNando1:47
3."Bichos Escrotos"Antunes, Reis, Sérgio BrittoPaulo Miklos3:18
4."Pavimentação"Antunes, Paulo MiklosPaulo3:33
5."Diversão"Reis, BrittoMiklos5:03
6."Marvin"R. Dunbar, G. N. Johnson / version by Reis and BrittoNando4:21
7."AA UU"Fromer, BrittoBritto2:36
8."Go Back"Britto, Torquato NetoSérgio3:40
9."Polícia"BellottoBritto2:17
10."Cabeça Dinossauro"Antunes, Mello, MiklosMello2:25
11."Massacre"Fromer, BrittoMello1:58
12."Não Vou Me Adaptar"AntunesAntunes3:20
13."Lugar Nenhum"Antunes, Charles Gavin, Fromer, Britto, BellottoAntunes4:14
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
14."Marvin (Patches) (remix)"R. Dunbar, G. N. Johnson / version by Reis e BrittoReis4:14
15."Go Back (remix)"Britto, NettoBritto5:23

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ "LP/CD Go Back". IMMuB. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gonçalves, Marcos Augusto (13 July 1988). "Titãs mixam em Londres LP do show em Montreux". Folha de S.Paulo. 21.651. Grupo Folha: A35. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ Paolozzi, Vitor (13 July 1988). "Titãs mixam em Londres LP do show em Montreux". Folha de S.Paulo. 21.651. Grupo Folha: A35. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Rodrigues, Sergio (13 July 1988). "Jesus tem dentes no país do chocolate" (PDF). Jornal do Brasil (Ano XCVIII, Nº 96). Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Nando Reis - 51 fatos sobre os Titãs (Parte III): Go Back e Õ Blésq Blom. YouTube. 10 March 2021. Event occurs at 12:58-13:13 (overdubs), 16:43-17:08 (members on cover), 17:13-17:40 (singles), 19:24-19:34 (guitar). Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  6. ^ Bonvicino, Régis (13 June 1988). "Titãs vão cantar "Polícia" em Montreux". Folha de S.Paulo. 20.591. Grupo Folha: A31. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  7. ^ Bellotto, Tony (6 August 2010). "Les Paul". Blog da Companhia das Letras. Retrieved 10 July 2020.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Paolozzi, Vitor (28 September 1988). "Titãs lançam disco com show de Montreux". Folha de S.Paulo. 21.728. Grupo Folha: E12. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Anderáos, Ricardo (2 October 1988). "Titãs tocam nos EUA no fim do ano". Folha de S.Paulo. 21.732. Grupo Folha: E12. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. ^ Adário, Paulo (14 November 1988). "Chumbo grosso em véspera de eleição" (PDF). Jornal do Brasil (Ano XCVIII, Nº 220). Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Titãs - Dados Artísticos". Dicionário Cravo Albin da Música Popular Brasileira. Instituto Cultural Cravo Albin. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b Go Back at AllMusic
  13. ^ a b Dapieve, Arthur (12 October 1988). "A coragem dos Titãs na hora do pênalti" (PDF). Jornal do Brasil (Ano XCVIII, Nº 187). Retrieved 21 July 2021.