Cansei de Ser Sexy
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Cansei de Ser Sexy (lit. "[I] tired of being sexy" in Portuguese), also known as CSS, is a Brazilian band from São Paulo. Their main musical influence is electro-rock, and their songs are sung both in English and Portuguese, with lyrics concerning mainly pop culture.
History
Formed in September 2003, the band started as mostly a way for friends to hang out together, the band's drummer was the only one with substantial musical experience and professional affiliations at the time[1]. Their name was taken from a quote by Beyoncé, who allegedly declared that she was "tired of being sexy"[2].
The band became known initially through the internet. The band's fotolog gained some notoriety and their songs started being downloaded massively from Trama Virtual's website (a Brazilian website similar to MySpace Music). Trama Virtual invested heavily in the overnight sensation inviting a series of Brazilian and British journalists to pound their pens on the phenomena. Articles were printed in several Brazilian magazines and even British newspapers such as The Guardian [3]. The writer of the latter, Peter Culshaw, was invited to see the band playing just before their signing for the debut, at a club in São Paulo. At that point he predicted that they "could be the biggest band ever to come out of South America" [4]. Songs by CSS found their way into the Latin American broadcasting of The Simple Life (with the song "Meeting Paris Hilton"), the Brazilian Big Brother reality show (with the song "Superafim") and the South American version of the game The Sims 2: Nightlife ("Computer Heat", including a version in simlish). Still without a record deal, they released two independent EPs in 2004, and played that year at TIM Festival, on the same night and at the same stage as Soulwax and Kraftwerk.
In 2005, they signed with the Trama Virtual label (the first, and to this day the second only band to), and in October of the same year their first album was released in Brazil, along with an 7-track EP that was sold in their concerts. A limited edition version of the album had a CD-R included, so that the buyer could burn a copy of the album onto the CD-R to give to someone else as a gift[5]. In Brazil the album has reportedly sold 5,000 copies to date, but neither the album nor the singles have reached charts. In addition, two music videos were released: "Off The Hook" and "Alala". "Off the Hook" was directed by guitar player Ana Rezende, and filmed at the home of band members Carolina Parra and Adriano Cintra, where CSS recorded most of their songs.
At the beginning of 2006, CSS signed with Sub Pop to release their international debut album. The first single, released in June 6, was "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above", with an accompanying video directed by Cat Solen. In July, along with DJ Diplo and funk group Bonde do Rolê, they began their first international tour. This took CSS through the U.S. and Canada where they performed at the Pitchfork Media festival, then across to U.K., France and Netherlands. While in Europe, they performed at the NME festival, sharing stages with the 1990s and opening for Ladytron and Primal Scream. They also played the first ever Indian Summer Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, alongside acts such as Antony and the Johnsons, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Gang of Four. There was also a small UK tour in November, undertaken with Basement Jaxx[6].
CSS sold as much as 60,000 copies in the US and Europe up to February 2007 (according to journalist Lucio Ribeiro in Folha de São Paulo)[7].
They played on the NME Indie Rave Tour, along with The Sunshine Underground, New Young Pony Club and headliners Klaxons, and in the Coachella Festival in 2007.
CSS played various Festivals across Europe in the summer of 2007, including Hovefestivalen in Norway, Summer Sonic in Makuhari Messe, Japan and a packed-out high-profile slot on the Radio One/NME Stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals in England. They will also be supporting Gwen Stefani on her European tour later in 2007, and playing at the Trinity Ball in Dublin, 2007.
CSS were rumoured to support Muse at Wembley Stadium on June 16, 2007[citation needed], however the band were playing at the O2 Wireless Festival on the same day
CSS played their hit single 'Lets make love and listen to death from above' on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross[8] on Friday 15 June, 02007.
CSS were due to play Lollapalooza on Saturday 4 August 2007 but they were held behind by United Airlines at New York Airport and missed it. CSS posted a few angry bulletins to show their disdain for the company on MySpace.[9]
Luckily, the next day, Sunday, August 5th, they did manage to make in time for their performance at Virgin Festival in Baltimore.
Trivia
The song "Alala" and video for "Let's Make Love and Listen Death From Above" have been included preloaded on the Zune multimedia player, released in November 2006.
The songs "Alala" and "Off The Hook" are featured in Forza Motorsport 2, a videogame for the XBOX 360.[10]
"Superafim" is, as of June 2007, the only song not to have Lovefoxxx on lead vocals. Instead, former vocalist Clara Ribeiro is on lead vocals.
Discography
Albums
EPs
Singles
Tracklist:
- Alala [Album Version]
- Ódio Ódio Sorry c.
- Alala Bonde do Rolê Remix
- Alala Princess Superstar Remix
- Alala Acapella
Tracklist:
- Off The Hook
- Art Bitch Live
- Meeting Paris Hilton [Css Suxxx Version]
- Off The Hook Live.
- "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" (reissue) - 2007 UK #39
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Interviews and Live Reviews
- CSS first UK cover feature - Plan B Magazine, October 2006
- The Guardian, "Brazil nuts!"
- Interview with CSS on www.krugermagazine.com 21st Jan 2007
- Prefixmag.com, Interview with CSS, published Jan. 29, 2007, retrieved 03 March 2007.
- Jeff Baum interviews CSS on New York Noise
- Live performance on BBC
- The Times, "I predict a riot"
- The Times, "Brazil Nutters"
- The Independent, "CSS: Too sexy for Sao Paulo", published 13 April 2007, retrieved 12 June 2007.
- Lyrics
Categories:
Cleanup from August 2007 |
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