Click here to find some photos of their first gig in JP Rock Cafe
The year was 79, and the remnants of an unfinished revolution were still alive, when Xico Soares (voice), António Soares (guitar), Aurélio Santos (bass) and Joaquim Fernandes (drums) got together to form XEQUE-MATE. The so-called “Portuguese Rock boom” – with the emergence of a cascade of bands singing in Portuguese and recording albums – was yet to happen (80-81).
The 1st model is recorded at the Rangel studio (Porto) – this enables a contract with the label Metro-Som, which already had in its portfolio bands with some national renown, such as UHF (band), Jafumega or Aqui d’el- Rock. This is how the band’s first album came about – a single with the themes “Vampiro da Uva” and “Entornei o Molho…”, released on the record market in May 81.
Despite the poor recording, production, editing and promotion conditions, the album achieved reasonable success, appearing in the top spots of several radio programs (especially the famous “Rock em Stock”). As a result, several live concerts appeared and appearances on radio programs (they are repeated in “A Febre de Sábado de Manhã”) and television (“Passeio dos Alegres” and a few others).
The theme “Grape Vampire” sets the tone. As a result of their fusion between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, they are labeled by the media as “Fathers of Portuguese Heavy” – a somewhat summary title, in the band’s opinion. In 83 they changed bassist, with José Queirós taking his place. It is with this formation that they go down to Lisbon to enter the studio again. It is at Angel Studio that, on their own, with the precious help of Álvaro Azevedo (renowned musician from Porto) in production, they record, produce and master in just one week the material that would give rise, in 1985, to their first and only album: “In the Name of the Father, the Son and Rock ‘n’ Roll”.[3]
It was at that time that Paulo Barros, future founder of Tarantula, joined the band as second guitarist. The aim was to reinforce the live sound, giving the band more weight.
The album has the honor of being banned by the blessed Rádio Renascença, but “Às do Volante” is a mandatory theme for all heavy music radio programs. Some great concerts are appearing, opening for big international names such as Wilko Johnson and Diamond Head.
In 1985 they recorded their first and only LP, although it was not very successful due to poor publicity.
In 1997, Metro-Som released a compilation that included the single “Vampiro da Uva” and the previously unreleased theme “A Música Vai Issorar”.
In 2016 the band returned to the studio with some new members, to record a new album where, in addition to new songs, there was also the re-recording of old songs.
In 2019, the single “Não Consigo Maintain a Fé” was released.
In 2020, the historic album Em Nome do Pai, do Filho e do Rock’N’Roll turned 35 years old and was reissued on CD (digipack), remastered, also including Vampiro da Uva’s 1981 single in its entirety and a previously unreleased song. released in 1985, in its original version recorded at the time, Eles Rondam Isto, which was part of the 2016 album with a new look. This reissue was possible and achieved through Larvae Records. On September 27th, despite the ongoing pandemic, it was possible to successfully hold the album’s 35th anniversary concert at Forum Maia, following all instructions from the DGS, in which the album was played in full, including the themes of the 1981 single and Eles Rondam Isto.
