Champignon (musician)

Luiz Carlos Leão Duarte Júnior (June 16, 1978 – September 9, 2013), better known by his stage name Champignon and also referred to affectionately as Champ or Champs by fans, was a Brazilian singer-songwriter, lyricist, bassist, beatboxer, record label owner and drummer famous for his work with bands Charlie Brown Jr., Revolucionnários, Nove Mil Anjos and A Banca. Music critic Hagamenon Brito considered him one of the three greatest Brazilian pop rock bassists of all time alongside Paulo Roberto Diniz "PJ" Júnior of Jota Quest and Alexandre Dengue of Nação Zumbi,[1] and Emir Ruivo of webzine El Hombre compared him to Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea.[2] Shortly after his death in 2013, caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound following increasing bouts of anxiety and depression,[3] he was featured in entertainment website Punk Brega's list of the Top 10 Greatest Brazilian Rock Bassists of All Time, in 10th place.[4]

Champignon
Champignon (center) performing with Revolucionnários in 2006
Born
Luiz Carlos Leão Duarte Júnior

(1978-06-16)June 16, 1978
Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
DiedSeptember 9, 2013(2013-09-09) (aged 35)
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Cause of deathSuicide by firearm
Resting placeCemitério Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica, Santos, Brazil
OccupationSinger-songwriter, bassist, drummer, beatboxer
Years active1990–2013
Musical career
GenresAlternative rock, pop rock, rap rock, funk rock, skate punk, reggae rock
InstrumentsVocals, bass guitar, drum kit
Associated actsCharlie Brown Jr., Revolucionnários, Nove Mil Anjos, TH6, A Banca

Biography
Chorão and Champignon (on the background) performing in 2012

Luiz Carlos Leão Duarte Júnior was born in Santos, São Paulo on June 16, 1978; the son of Maria do Carmo Duarte and Luiz Carlos Duarte,[5][6] he also had two sisters.[7] In his childhood he learned how to play the bass guitar and the drum kit, but came to prefer the former later in life. His musical career began when he was only 12 years old, as the bassist of juvenile band What's Up, through which he met and befriended Chorão. It was Chorão who nicknamed him "Champignon", because he thought his hairstyle at the time resembled a mushroom.[8] In 1992, shortly after the end of What's Up, they formed Charlie Brown Jr. alongside guitarists Thiago Castanho and Marcão, and drummer Renato Pelado. Amid a series of creative divergences and clashes with Chorão, Champignon, Marcão and Pelado left Charlie Brown Jr. in 2005 (Castanho was already no longer a member since 2001), after which Chorão put the band on hold.[9][10]

Following his departure from Charlie Brown Jr., Champignon formed his own band, Revolucionnários, of which he was the vocalist.[11] Their only studio album, Retratos da Humanidade, came out in 2006 through Champignon's own record label, Champirado Records, awarding him his second Multishow Brazilian Music Award in 2007 in the "Best Instrumentalist" category[12] – he had previously won the award in 2004, while still with Charlie Brown Jr. During his tenure with Revolucionnários, Champignon also won the MTV Video Music Brazil Award, in the "Best Bassist" category, for three years in a row (2005–2007).[13][14] The band broke up in 2008,[15] after which he joined the short-lived Nove Mil Anjos invited by Junior Lima; his other bandmates also included vocalist Perí Carpigiani and guitarist Peu Sousa, a former member of singer Pitty's live band.[16] After releasing a single studio album the same year, Lima put the band on hold in 2009 following a series of creative divergences between the bandmembers.[17] Around the same time he was a guest musician on the only album by his former bandmate Marcão's band TH6, Contra Insetos Parasitas.[18]

In 2011 Champignon and Chorão settled their differences and he returned to Charlie Brown Jr. as bassist.[19][20] The truce was short-lived though, and after an altercation with Chorão during a gig in Apucarana, Paraná in 2012, he was expelled from the band on stage.[21] One day later though, Chorão changed his mind and allowed Champignon to stay. On March 6, 2013, Charlie Brown Jr. effectively ended its activities following the death of Chorão due to a cocaine overdose.[22]

Champignon's final project was A Banca, a tribute act/"spiritual successor" to Charlie Brown Jr. comprising former members Bruno Graveto, Thiago Castanho and Marcão, as well as new addition Helena "Lena" Papini. Their only release was the single "O Novo Passo", which came out in August 2013[23] and was chosen by Rolling Stone Brasil one of the best Brazilian songs of the year.[24] A Banca was, however, overshadowed by controversy; a parcel of Charlie Brown Jr. fans criticized Champignon for "not respecting Chorão's death" and "not mourning it properly", going to the point of dismissing him as a "cash-grabber", a "traitor" and a "Judas".[25] Champignon always vehemently denied such claims.[26] In one of his final posts to his social media account he stated that the band's first full-length album was slated for an early 2014 release, following the end of their Chorão Eterno Tour in late August, but this never came to be.[27]

Towards the end of his life Champignon began to experience bouts of anxiety and sunk into a profound depression, disgruntled by criticism, his insecurities and financial problems caused by his hastiness.[28][29][30][31] On the night of September 8, 2013, after an argument with his wife at a restaurant,[32] he returned home, locked himself in his studio at his apartment and, at 0:30 a.m. of September 9, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .380 ACP pistol.[33][34] Four months prior, his former Nove Mil Anjos bandmate Peu Sousa had also committed suicide, by hanging;[35] coincidentally, both he and Sousa died aged 35.

Champignon was buried at the Cemitério Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica at his hometown of Santos, where Chorão was also buried six months prior.[36] His wife, fellow musician Claudia Bossle Campos, with whom he had a daughter, Maria Amélia,[37][38] later stated that "everything would have been different if he and Chorão had truly forgiven each other".[39] Two years after his death, she released a song in tribute to him, entitled "Bright Light", accompanied by a music video;[40] the song was later included in her 2018 extended play Bosslechamp, released on what would have been his 40th birthday on June 16, which also contains songs they wrote together.[41] Both he and his wife were Spiritists.[42] From a previous relationship with Nicole Mecatti the musician had another daughter, Luiza, aged 8 at the time of his death.[43]

Planned film

In 2017, filmmaker Gabriel Mellin announced he was working on a biopic about Champignon, entitled Champ, which focuses on his relationship with Chorão. The script was being written by him alongside the musician's widow, Claudia Bossle.[44][45][46] Since then, however, no further announcements were made.

Discography
Charlie Brown Jr.
Revolucionnários
Nove Mil Anjos
A Banca

As guest musician
TH6

References
  1. "Fundador do Charlie Brown Jr., Champignon era um dos três melhores baixistas do pop rock brasileiro". Correio (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  2. "Os 8 melhores baixos de Champignon". El Hombre (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  3. "'Ele estava no limite', diz irmã de Champignon". G1 (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  4. "10 melhores baixistas de rock do Brasil". Punk Brega (in Portuguese). September 16, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  5. "'A pessoa mais carinhosa que eu conheci', diz mãe de Champignon". Ego (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  6. "'Todo mundo tem problema', diz pai de Champignon". G1 (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  7. "Após morte de Champignon, irmãs do músico desabafam: 'Vivia depressivo, sozinho'". Purepeople (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  8. "Champignon". Vírgula (in Portuguese). July 28, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  11. "Ex-baixista do Charlie Brown acusa a banda: 'Me copiaram'". Terra Networks (in Portuguese). December 13, 2006. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  12. "Prêmio Multishow teve mancadas e mal-entendidos". O Globo (in Portuguese). July 4, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  13. "Conheça os vencedores do VMB 2006". Omelete (in Portuguese). September 29, 2006. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  14. "UOL Entretenimento: Novidades e guia sobre arte, eventos e lazer". Archived from the original on March 11, 2016.
  15. "Champignon teria feito música após brigar com Chorão". Portal O Dia (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  16. "Junior Lima, irmão de Sandy, forma nova banda chamada Nove Mil Anjos". G1 (in Portuguese). September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  17. "Junior nega fim da Nove Mil Anjos, mas admite 'pausa' da banda". Ego (in Portuguese). September 4, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  18. Pablo Miyazawa (July 8, 2008). "Começar de novo". Rolling Stone Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  19. "Champignon resolve briga com Chorão e volta ao Charlie Brown Jr". O Globo (in Portuguese). July 12, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  20. "Baixista Champignon volta para o Charlie Brown Jr". Terra Networks (in Portuguese). July 12, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  21. "Após briga, Chorão expulsa baixista do palco; veja". R7.com (in Portuguese). September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  22. "Chorão, do Charlie Brown Jr., é encontrado morto em São Paulo". Terra Networks (in Portuguese). March 6, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  23. "A Banca disponibiliza 'O Novo Passo', primeiro single, para audição". Blog n' Roll (in Portuguese). September 2013. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. "Champignon foi chamado de Judas na véspera de morrer". O Globo (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  26. "Ex-Charlie Brown Jr. nega estar se aproveitando da morte de Chorão: 'Banda não era só dele'". Veja (in Portuguese). April 11, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  27. "Em último post, Champignon disse que A Banca preparava primeiro CD". D24am (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  28. "Champignon estava com depressão e incomodado com críticas, diz delegada". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  29. "Ex-parceiro do 9 Mil Anjos diz que Champignon tinha 'jogado a toalha'". G1 (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  30. "Champignon passava por dificuldades financeiras". Veja (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  31. "Champignon se precipitou ao criar outra banda, diz amigo". Veja (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  32. "Champignon e mulher teriam brigado em restaurante, diz delegada". Terra Networks (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  33. "Champignon, do Charlie Brown Jr., morre em São Paulo". Veja (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  34. "A Banca divulga comunicado sobre a morte de Champignon". G1 (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  35. "Peu Sousa, ex-guitarrista de Pitty, é encontrado morto em casa na BA". G1 (in Portuguese). May 6, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  36. "Família vai enterrar Champignon no mesmo cemitério de Chorão". G1 (in Portuguese). September 9, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  37. "Esposa de Champignon usa o chapéu do marido durante o enterro". O Fuxico (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  38. "Nasce Maria Amélia, filha de Champignon". R7.com (in Portuguese). February 10, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  39. "Se Chorão e Champignon tivessem se perdoado para valer, tudo seria diferente, acredita viúva de baixista". Marie Claire Brasil (in Portuguese). December 22, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  40. "Claudia Bossle, esposa de Champignon, lança música com ele e clipe em homenagem". Os Garotos de Liverpool (in Portuguese). September 9, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  41. "Viúva de Champignon faz tributo ao marido ao preparar EP de canções escritas pelos dois". F5 (in Portuguese). June 16, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  42. "Viúva de Champignon fala sobre a morte do músico: 'Ele jamais faria isso em sã consciência espiritual'". R7.com (in Portuguese). September 10, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  43. "Ex-mulher de Champignon fala sobre dor da filha: 'Ela diz que não acredita'". Ego (in Portuguese). September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  44. "Filme vai mostrar relação de amor e ódio entre Chorão e Champignon". R7.com (in Portuguese). October 4, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  45. "Champ: filme abordará amizade e tretas de Chorão e Champignon". Submundo do Som (in Portuguese). October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  46. "Filme irá mostrar amizade entre Chorão e Champignon do Charlie Brown Jr". Cineset (in Portuguese). September 29, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.