Not even the producers of the Monkees TV show could have predicted what sort of trend they would unleash and how long it would spread not only for years, but also around the globe. Portuguese punk-pop band 4Taste is one such example. Originally conceived as a fictional band for the extremely popular Portuguese teen soap opera Morangos com Açúcar, the foursome was itself the replacement for another act, D'ZRT, which had also come out of the same teen soap and had gone platinum several times over. Formed by lead singer and second guitarist Luke D'Eça, lead guitarist Nélson Patrão, bassist David Gama, and drummer Francisco Borges, 4Taste came together while acting for the aforementioned soap. The producers of the TV show decided to take advantage of the popularity of the band in that context -- and the extreme popularity of the show itself -- and turned 4Taste into a real proposition. Issued in late November of 2006, their self-titled debut album went double platinum the very same day of release, entering at number three on the national chart, buoyed by the smash success of the lead single, the power ballad "Só Tu Podes Alcançar." Displaying a punk-pop sound in the vein of bands like Simple Plan, McFly, and the All-American Rejects, the album conquered the hearts of the Portuguese teen and tween audiences, eventually reaching the top spot on the national chart and going platinum four times in less than five months. A very successful tour followed. ~ Ricardo Raínho, Rovi
