Roque Trio

Roque Trio formed in 1961 with brothers Roberto and Erasmo Carlos and drummer Arlênio Silva. They came up in Rio de Janeiro when rock and roll was still something of a novelty in Brazil, and they drew from American sources like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry while working up their own material. Their song 'Estrada da Fúria' became a kind of generational touchstone, though its lyrics about rebellion and liberation didn't sit well with everyone.

The band kept playing it anyway, and their shows took on a certain edge. They performed in nightclubs and festivals around that time, building a following despite the political climate. Roberto Carlos would later become a massive solo star, and Erasmo Carlos had a solid career as a singer and producer. Arlênio Silva died in 1992.

They put out records through the 1960s and into the early '70s, including 'Parei na Contra-mão' in 1965 and 'Tempos Difíceis' in 1972. The trio's sound was basically rock and roll with a Brazilian accent, not exactly a fusion, but their own take on the form. They didn't last as a group into the late '70s, but 'Estrada da Fúria' stuck around.