Before the festival conceived by Roberto Medina, Brazil did not have the tradition of holding large international concerts.
Before the first edition of Rock in Rio, in 1985, Brazil was not part of the international concert market. The few experiences that took place here, with artists and bands like alice cooper, Peter Frampton, kiss It is Van Halenwere marked by a series of problems that, in general, caused distrust.
Due to this, Roberto Medina faced a series of obstacles to close the lineup of Rock in Rio 1985. In an interview with the journalist Roberto D’Avilagranted to GloboNews and made available on the festival’s YouTube channel, the businessman revealed that he needed the singer’s help Frank Sinatraon an incredible balcony of one of its employees, to be able to close with attractions the size of Queen, AC DC, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Rod Stewart, yesbetween others.
Medina initially admitted that he did not plan the first Rock in Rio ideally — it was an idea he had “out of the blue”, to justify his stay in Rio de Janeiro, since he could be living abroad at that point. Excited about the end of the military dictatorship in the country, the founder of the event thought about the concept and noticed that he had the necessary money to invest in the project. The problem was that no one thought it would work. He explains:
“There was no previous music event culture. I had nothing. It was an intuition, a vision of a project… I think the Rock in Rio sought me, it was not I who sought him. I arrived at the agency, nobody believed me. A $50 million project. Brazil had no light, no sound… the biggest show here had been 40,000 people.”
Negative 70s and Frank Sinatra
Even so, Roberto Medina went after his goal. He traveled to the United States, set up a show at a hotel, and got in touch with various artists and bands’ managers. Even though she had the money to pay the fees, she received 70 negative responses in 60 days.
They thought: ‘of course it wouldn’t happen in Brazil… Brazil had a history of stealing equipment in the few shows that happened, and you don’t pay’. In those 60 days, I received 70 ‘no’s’.”
Enter the scene, then, the friend Frank Sinatraasked by Medina. The singer offered his PR professional, Lee Soltersto attract journalists’ attention to the festival.
singles thought of a press conference that would announce the Rock in Rio as the biggest rock concert in the world — and in Brazil, a place considered “exotic” at the time. A masterstroke, as artists and bands “lined up” to sign with the Rock in Rio. Roberto account:
“I held a press conference at the very hotel I was staying at, Beverly Hilton. Crowded with journalists. The next day, all American newspapers were saying: ‘the biggest rock concert in the world will take place in Brazil’. Then the bands lined up outside the hotel. All those who refused lined up in Los Angeles. The first to sign a contract was Ozzy Osbourne. He was in England, the oscar (Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, executive producer) went there. Then the Queenthat the Jim Beach, their manager, helped me a lot. But in two days, everything was closed.”
The full interview can be watched below:
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
