Às Próprias Custas S.A
Itamar Assumpção
1983
Why This Album Matters
Às Próprias Custas S.A., released in 1983, is a pivotal live album in the discography of Itamar Assumpção and his legendary Banda Isca de Polícia. Representing the effervescence of the Vanguarda Paulista, this work consolidates the "maldita" and experimentalist aesthetic that Itamar helped to shape. The album captures the essence of his energetic and theatrical performance, combining funk, rock, samba, and reggae with lyrics laden with social criticism, satire, and singular lyricism. This work is a testament to Itamar Assumpção's independent and innovative stance, who, against the tide of the phonographic industry at the time, produced and funded his own albums, exercising complete creative control. The "impure" sound, as the artist himself described it, is a hallmark of his musical approach, which seeks to break with patterns and stereotypes, especially for Black artists in the Brazilian music scene. The album is not just a musical record, but a cultural document that expresses the complexity and unrest of the São Paulo scene in the early 80s.
Context
The album emerges during a period of intense social and political upheaval in Brazil, marking the transition from military dictatorship to re-democratisation. The show that led to the recording, on 15th November 1982, took place on the day of the first direct elections for governors since the 1964 Civil-Military Coup, a fact alluded to in one of the tracks. This context of political and cultural opening resonated with the Vanguarda Paulista, a movement of which Itamar was one of the most emblematic figures, which proposed independent production and the exploration of new aesthetic paths, distant from the impositions of major record labels. Itamar Assumpção, who had moved to São Paulo in 1973, had already released his debut album, Beleléu Leléu Eu, in 1980, also with Banda Isca de Polícia. With his multifaceted musicality and influences ranging from Adoniran Barbosa and Cartola to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, Itamar represented the "urban middle-class Black man" who was socially ascending and used his art to express racism, metropolitan loneliness, and the country's contradictions.
Recording
Às Próprias Custas S.A. was recorded live at Sala Guiomar Novaes, in São Paulo, in August 1982. Although Wikipedia mentions it was recorded in 1981, the date of the main show, which originated the recording, is clearly 15th November 1982, reinforcing the political context of its creation. The album, the second result of the partnership with Banda Isca de Polícia, was released in 1983. Banda Isca de Polícia, formed by Itamar in 1979 to accompany him in his work, featured renowned musicians such as Paulo Lepetit (bass), Gigante Brasil (drums/percussion), and Luiz Chagas and Luiz Rondó (guitars). The album's recording process, carried out independently, reflects the philosophy of the Vanguarda Paulista, which prioritised artistic autonomy over the moulds of the phonographic industry. The original record was pressed on red vinyl and came with a booklet containing the lyrics and a confessional statement from the artist about the "live capture" of the performance, demonstrating Itamar's care with every detail of his work.
Songs
The repertoire of Às Próprias Custas S.A. is a display of Itamar Assumpção's versatility, blending his own compositions with impactful reinterpretations. Among the tracks, highlights include covers such as the dense "Negra Melodia" by Jards Macalé and Waly Salomão, the classic "Você Está Sumindo" by Geraldo Pereira and Jorge de Castro, and "Vide Verso Meu Endereço" by Adoniran Barbosa. The latter takes on a special meaning in the context of the show, with Itamar making references to the direct elections of 1982. Itamar's original songs, such as "Fico Louco", "Noite de Terror", "Amanticida", and "Batuque", demonstrate his unique language, which transitions between spoken singing, expressive melody, and arrangements that explore rhythmic and discursive superposition. The inclusion of "Não Vou Ficar" as a bonus track in later re-editions, present in a 2010 box set, adds another layer to the album's legacy, revealing more of the vigour of that period.
Legacy
Às Próprias Custas S.A. solidified Itamar Assumpção's position as one of the most innovative and radical names of the Vanguarda Paulista. The album, like much of his work, was crucial for inaugurating and boosting the independent market in Brazilian music, proving the viability of breaking away from major record labels and maintaining full creative control. This pioneering spirit in independent production is a lasting legacy of Itamar, which continues to influence artists seeking autonomy in their careers. The structural complexity and richness of meaning present in Itamar's songs, evidenced in this live album, ensured him continuous recognition in music criticism, despite the difficulty of gaining mainstream acceptance at the time. His work, marked by a mixture of rhythms, acidic humour, and social criticism, is considered timeless and inspiring, being revisited and studied by new generations of musicians and academics. The re-release of his first three LPs, including Às Próprias Custas S.A., on CD in the 90s and in special box sets, attests to the perennial relevance of his output.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Suzana Salles, Virginia Rosa, Vânia Bastos
Denise Assunção
Itamar Assumpção
Banda Isca De Polícia
Paulo Lepetit
Gigante Brasil
Luiz Chagas, Luiz Rondó
Films
Books
Analyses
Às Próprias Custas S.A – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Cliquemusic : Disco : ÀS PRÓPRIAS CUSTAS S.A
cliquemusic.com.br
1 Negra melodia (Jards Macalé, Waly Salomão) 2 Você está sumindo (Jorge de Castro, Geraldo Pereira) 3 Vide verso meu endereço (Adoniran Barbosa) 4 Fico louco (Itamar Assumpção) 5 Noite de terror (Getúlio Côrtes)
Itamar Assumpção & Isca de Polícia - Às próprias custas S.A.
cenaindie.com
Uma obra que mistura elementos de MPB, samba e experimentação, representando o melhor da produção musical alternativa brasileira da época. Para quem busca uma experiência musical inovadora e autêntica, este álbum é imperdível. Conheça a obra de um dos grandes nomes da música brasileira!
LP Itamar Assumpção - Às Próprias Custas - Abdusons
abdusons.com.br
Artista/Álbum: Itamar Assumpção - Às Próprias Custas Selo: Isca Formato: Vinil, LP, Album, Vermelho País: Brasil Edição/Reedição: 1983 Gênero: Rock...
Discogs
Às Próprias Custas S.A – Discogs
discogs.com