Punk rock and hardcore punk in Brazil originated in the late 1970s, influenced by bands such as Sex Pistols, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers and The Ramones. The first known Brazilian punk rock band was Restos de Nada ("remains of nothing"), which appeared in mid-1978 and set the stage for the emergence of many other bands that formed the Brazilian punk scene.
From 1980 to 1985, São Paulo became a notable hub of Brazilian punk music, featuring bands like Cólera, Olho Seco, Garotos Podres, Lobotomia, Mercenárias (an all-female band) and Ratos de Porão. While in São Paulo the scene leaned toward raw punk and hardcore, Brasília's punk rock bands were closer to new wave: Aborto Elétrico, Legião Urbana, Capital Inicial and Plebe Rude were some well-known bands from the capital. Punk gang violence during these years influenced sonic changes later in the decade. For example, Inocentes and Mercenárias took a more post punk direction, while Ratos de Porão and Lobotomia incorporated influences from thrash metal.
In the 1990s, the revival of straight edge and riot grrrl cultures rejuvenated Brazil's punk and hardcore scene, especially in the state of São Paulo. Influential underground names like No Violence, Safari Hamburguers, Abuso Sonoro, Point of No Return, Dominatrix, Calibre 12 and Nitrominds pushed the scene forward. In other parts of Brazil, bands including DFC and Raimundos from Brasília, Devotos do Ódio from Recife, Pastel De Miolos, Bosta Rala from Bahia and Mukeka di Rato, Deltree and Dead Fish from Espirito Santo gained recognition. In contrast to bands of the 1980s, most of these new bands were singing in English.
Late 1970s
The origins of punk rock in Brazil date back to the late 1970s. As in most other countries, the influence of the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Ramones sparked the movement. Nonetheless, São Paulo was heavily influenced by lesser-known bands such as Speedtwins from the Netherlands, as well as by earlier protopunk artists such as The MC5, Iggy & The Stooges and The New York Dolls. Punk was initially adopted and fostered by musician Douglas Viscaino. With his band Restos de Nada which began playing in 1978, Viscaino promoted revolutionary ideas and brought young people together against the Brazilian military regime. The late 70s witnessed the fast-growing interest of punk nationwide: pioneer bands AI-5 and N.A.I. (later known as Condutores de Cadáver) sprouted in São Paulo, Carne Podre in Curitiba and Aborto Elétrico in Brasília.
Before Brazil's contemporary punk groups came along, two relatively famous glam/hard rock bands, Joelho de Porco and Made in Brazil, helped promote elements of the punk aesthetic around 1977. Both bands were important to the early days of Brazilian punk, offering a new alternative to the MPB and progressive rock artists that dominated the country's music scene at the time. Joelho de Porco, whose lyrics bore a strong influence from São Paulo's urban environment, became highly influential.
Early 1980s
In 1979, Fábio Sampaio, who would become the singer in Olho Seco, started a record shop in downtown São Paulo named Punk Rock Discos. This shop would become the main focus and meeting spot for the city's punk scene in the years to come, helping unite otherwise isolated gangs, bands and individuals from different parts of the city and therefore creating a proper movement.
Punk Rock Discos also gave the São Paulo scene a distinctively hardcore musical identity through the records and tapes distributed at the shop. By 1980 or 1981, Sampaio had found international connections and had established unorthodox methods to import records from England and have them available shortly after they were released abroad.
However, since most punks could not afford imported vinyl, the shop would make mixtapes with what Sampaio considered to be the best material and sell the cassettes for a lower cost. Partially due to Sampaio's personal taste, British bands like Discharge and Disorder as well as Swedish and Finnish hardcore soon became the main reference for São Paulo punks, being listened to almost immediately after the records came out in their countries of origin.
Around 1981, punk gigs were already happening often around São Paulo where there were already dozens of active bands, mostly playing hardcore punk and similar styles. Most important among these bands were Cólera, Olho Seco and Inocentes. These three bands appeared on the Grito Suburbano compilation LP released in early 1982.