João Luiz Woerdenbag Filho (born October 11, 1957), popularly known as Lobão ("Big Wolf", in reference to the Disney depiction of the Big Bad Wolf character), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, writer, publisher, television host and media personality. He is perhaps best known for his hit songs "Me Chama" ("Call Me") and "Vida Louca Vida" ("Life, Crazy Life") as well as seminal works Vida Bandida and A Vida É Doce.
Aside from his musical works, Lobão acquired a reputation for having little inhibition in expressing his opinions, as well as bluntly and publicly criticising fellow musicians, which led to a notable number of controversies and enmities. His most recent controversy was a break-up with the record industry; claiming that all major labels are conspiring to deceive their own artists (by underreporting sales and using piracy as a scapegoat), he set an independent distribution plan to sell music CDs on newsstands and through the internet. This endeavor was very successful: his independent albums sold well and were critically acclaimed.
Lobão also created a magazine, Outracoisa[1] (literally somethingelse or anotherthing), which came bundled with a music CD of independent artists.
Life and career
He was born João Luiz Woerdenbag Filho on October 11, 1957, in Rio de Janeiro to João Luiz Woerdenbag, an auto mechanic working for Rede Globo, and Ruth Araújo de Mattos, an English teacher. Lobão is of distant Dutch descent. His career had beginnings at 17 years old, when he left his home to become a professional musician, first participating in a theater play featuring Marília Pêra then joining progressive rock band Vímana as a drummer in 1975, with yet-to-be-known figures such as Lulu Santos and Ritchie. Vímana would dissolve three years later, having a fruitless try as Patrick Moraz's backing band. Lobão, still as a drummer, resumed his career playing with Luiz Melodia, Walter Franco and Marina Lima before forming new wave-inspired band Blitz in 1980. Blitz would be disappointing for him, and he left the band for alleged ideological reasons before its eventual commercial success. The early 1980s also saw Lobão briefly join Júlio Barroso's innovative ensemble Gang 90 & As Absurdettes.
