More precisely on November 8th, 1933, in the north of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Augusto Bustamante was born. In childhood, a Russian friend took to calling him Serguei because he had trouble pronouncing his name correctly, and the nickname stuck.

It´s impossible to tell the story of Brazilian rock without mentioning Serguei for it was at a 1968 festival in Long Island that he met Janis Joplin. Later seeing Jim Morrison ingesting coloured Sunshine pills sunken in a sofa in some motel on La Cienega Boulevard; and meeting Jimi Hendrix in Las Vegas.But best was meeting Janis again in 1970 who jammed with Sergei at one of his shows at the New Holiday, a nightclub in Rio de Janeiro.
From then on he released some sporadic singles on small labels in limited quantities and almost nonexistent distribution. His work was thus restricted to record shops and seasoned collectors of unconventional sounds; today, insufficient for affecionados of the new underground music scene.Serguei is like a luminous point in the sky lost in time and space not knowing exactly where he came from and for what reason he is here. Constantly in battle with with life and art. Paulo Coelho, author of The Alquimist, has said that this “Damned Angel” damned the gods for their not revealing to him his mission on this planet. But we know that he delights in seeing generations come and go, without noticing that he has already entered the hall of the eternal as a pop star. Due to circumstantial forces, few have had the opportunity to confirm his talent up close. Just shy of 70 this rock´n´roll dinosaur radiates energy without resorting to any drugs or energy drinks; always with a bizarre, extravagant, hippie, psychedelic and authentic look and always in good spirits. He still believes that the world is a flower without thorns and pain. Maybe that´s why he continues to please, jump up and down, yell and dance the whole time.Serguei is a lighthouse beam. Serguei is rock´n´roll culture, adored by motorcyclists and biker gangs of Brasil, such as the Falcões Raça Liberta. He also paid tribute to The Hells Angels of Rio in Hell´s Angels do Rio backed by Banda Cerebelo. At the headquarters of biker gang Abutres (The Vultures) he launched the biography “Serguei, o Anjo Maldito”, (Serguei, The Damned Angel) by João Henrique Schiller.It was only after singing to 50,000 people at the second Rock in Rio festival in January 1991 that he finally got to record his first LP, for BMG, which has yet to be released on CD.Serguei was one of the first Brazilian artists to sync into psychedelia with the pre psychedelic Eu Não Volto Mais and As Alucinações de Serguei, both released in 1966. He used and abused Tropicalia´s colours long before flirting with it on Alfa Centauro, and later, on O Burro Cor de Rosa and Eu Sou Psicodélico. All of which, and more, are rescued and presented here on this compilation CD to new generations, via Baratos Afins which, we believe, is preserving a part of our cultural values.

Luiz Calanca