BRAZIL: Brazilian Minister of Culture and pop legend Gilberto Gil releases his latest album

Brazil's renowned musician and present minister of culture Gilberto Gil launched his new album, "Gil Luminoso" (Luminous Gil), on Thursday (August 31), as Brazil marches towards elections. With over 40 years of career in music and nearly four in politics, Gil's new CD, originally recorded in 1999, reflects his philosophical and spiritual traits. The musician has spread his popularity throughout Europe and has won a Grammy for his diverse music that ranges from Brazilian samba to rock and roll. The composer, who had a lively conversation with journalists during a news conference, said he feels partially exonerated from his duties as a musician, since he is completing his fourth year as a minister in President Lula's term. "I am relatively exonerated of this obligation. I don't give myself any longer this obligation of supplying the market. I don't want this type of prison," he said. Gil also complained that the public is addicted to buying CDs and therefore the market is constantly demanding new musical products. "Many people complain that I don't make albums, (speaking as those who complain) he's a minister, so he doesn't produce music...because people...it's a consumerist vice... (speaking as his public) We need a Gil album for us to buy," he argued. When asked about musical rights and piracy, the minister criticised artists who only think about the financial aspect and said he is in favour of a democratic distribution of art, and that remuneration should come last in this case. "There are many artists that say: "Where's my remuneration?" The idea that the non-remunerated usage of a work is a possible practice among others, doesn't fit the mind of many people," he said. The minister, who launched his previous CD in 2004, said he is old and no longer wants to argue with life. He claims silence will be taking over from now on. "I'm becoming old, I'm already 64 years old and I no longer want to argue with life. I'm entering a phase of the acceptance of silence," he commented. After the conference Gil handed out autographs to journalists and admirers.

ITN Source | September 4, 2006

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