Rádio Táxi

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Genres

pop rock, rock

Biography

Rádio Táxi is a Brazilian pop rock band formed in the early 1980s in São Paulo, bringing together former members of the group Tutti Frutti, which served as backing band for singer Rita Lee. The original lineup featured Wander Taffo, Lee Marcucci, Gel Fernandes, and Willie de Oliveira, with the latter being replaced by Maurício Gasperini after the release of the group's debut album. Named by producer and journalist Nelson Motta, the band quickly achieved widespread national recognition with hits featured on the soundtracks of highly popular soap operas and films of the era.

Among the group's biggest commercial successes are tracks such as "Garota Dourada" — the theme song for the movie Menino do Rio —, "Coisas de Casal", "Sanduiche de coração", and the striking Portuguese-language version of the Italian hit "Eva", which would later gain a high-impact rendition by Banda Eva and singer Ivete Sangalo. The band's journey was also marked by lineup changes, stints with different record labels, and the release of commemorative live recordings, such as the project released by Sony Music in 2006.

The group's history suffered a heavy blow with the passing of guitarist Wander Taffo in 2008, which led to further lineup changes over the years, including vocalists like Fábio Nestares and Betto Luck. Remaining active in the Brazilian music scene through nostalgic tours and new releases, the band solidified its name as one of the great exponents of 1980s national rock, dialoguing with contemporary artists like Pepeu Gomes and sharing stages in special projects with groups like Placa Luminosa.

Discography

• Rádio Taxi (1982)
• Com o Radio Ligado (1983)
• Rádio Taxi (1983)
• Um Amor de Verão (1984)
• 6:56 (1984)
• Ping-Pong (1984)
• Matriz (1986)
• Rádio Taxi (1989)
• Horóscopo do Amor Perfeito (1991)
• VII (1997)
• Vol. 7 (1997)
• Ao Vivo (2006)
• Rádio Taxi no Estúdio Showlivre (Ao Vivo) (2016)
• Rock Nacional 15+ (2026)