Quarteto 1111 is a Portuguese band, formed in 1967, in Estoril.
One of the many Shadows-inspired groups was the Mystery Set, later called Quartet 1111. This name was inspired by the telephone number where rehearsals took place. The group was formed by Miguel Artur da Silveira, José Cid, António Moniz Pereira and Jorge Moniz Pereira.
First EP
The first EP is A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião, which managed to be the first Portuguese album to be played on the Em Órbita program of Rádio Clube Português. The following works by Quarteto 1111 follow the path started with A Lenda de El-Rei D. Sebastião. In 1968, they competed for the RTP da Canção festival, interpreting Ballad for D. Inês, which is classified in 3rd place.
First singles
In 1968, with Mário Rui Terra replacing Jorge Moniz Pereira, the single Meu Irmão / Ababilah was published, and the following year two other works were released in the same format (Nas Terras do Fim do Mundo and Génese/Monstros Sagrados).
First album and censorship
The group had a lot of problems with the Censorship, because of songs that had a strong political and contestation charge. In 1970, the first LP was published, simply titled Quarteto 1111. This album was ordered withdrawn from the market by the Censorship Commission, due to themes such as Legend of Nambuangongo and Pigmentation.
Still in 1970, Tozé Brito, from Pop Five Music Incorporated, takes the place of Mário Rui Terra. Soon after, the group also begins to sing in English.
Evolution
In 1971, the group performed at the Vilar de Mouros Festival. A year later, the opportunity arises to go to England to record the songs they had performed live at the Festival dos Dois Mundos, in Lisbon. This is how Green Windows appears, a group that is lighter in nature than Quarteto 1111 and which co-exists with it.
In 1973, Quarteto 1111 recorded with Frei Hermano da Câmara the LP Bruma Azul do Desired. A year later, the LP Onde, Quero, Como, Porquê, Cantamos Pessoa Vivas – Obra-Ensaio by José Cid is published, a work clearly influenced by the progressive rock of groups such as King Crimson or Renaissance.
End of group
After the abandonment of José Cid, in 1975, Quarteto 1111 continues, even participating again in the Festival RTP da Canção, in 1977, with the theme O Que Custar. However, the formation at that time no longer had any members from the original, dissolving shortly afterwards. José Cid, Mike Sergeant, Tózé Brito and Michel would get back together in 1987, to record the single Memo / Os Rios Nasceram Nosso, which marks the end of the group’s record career.
