Carlos Leoni (1981-1986) Carlos Beni (1981-1984) Beto Martins (1981-1984) Richard Owens (1981-1984)
Kid Abelha was a pop rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, formed by Paula Toller (lead vocals), George Israel (sax, guitar and vocals) and Bruno Fortunato (acoustic and electric guitar). The group has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 live albums and 2 live DVDs. They have created many songs which have entered into Brazilian pop-rock history. The group sold more than 8 million albums worldwide.
History
A precursor group was formed by drummer Carlos Beni, Pedro Farah and Leoni, called "Chrisma". In 1981, Paula Toller meets Leoni in college, PUC-Rio, they start dating and then she used to visit the band rehearsals. The boys always asked her to join the band, but she denied a lot of times, saying she was too shy, but her constant visits to the rehearsals motivated her to sing. George Israel, otherwise, was seen playing saxophone in Búzios and invited by a friend of Leoni to meet the band. In 1982, with guitarist Beto Martins and American keyboardist Richard Owens they recorded a demo tape "Fixação" ("Fixation") and "Vida de cão é chato pra cachorro" ("Living like a dog is boring like hell"). Drummer Beni took the tape to radio station Fluminense FM; when asked the band's name, he took a piece of paper from his pocket that had the list of names considered by the group without reaching a consensus and read out the first one: Kid Abelha & os Abóboras Selvagens ("Kid Bee and the Wild Pumpkins"). Achieving success in the Rio underground scene, the two songs were released on the compilation album Rock Voador, with other new Brazilian rock bands. The band then recorded the single "Pintura Íntima"/"Por que não eu?", with more than 100,000 copies sold.[1]
In 1984 the band released their first album, "Seu Espião" ("Your Spy"), which included, among others, the classic "Pintura Íntima" ("Private Painting"), "Fixação" ("Fixation") and "Como Eu Quero" ("How I Want"). With this LP, they received the first gold record of the new generation of Brazilian artists.
In 1985, the band performed at the first Rock in Rio, an experience described by the band as their "entrance exam" into the business.
In 1986 Leoni had an altercation with Léo Jaime that also involved Paula Toller, Leoni's wife Fabiana Kherlakian and Herbert Vianna. After being hit by Paula with a pandeiro, Leoni left the band.[1]
