Reporters on the Job

• Poetry With Tico: It wasn't Tico Santa Cruz's music that caught correspondent Andrew Downie's attention. It was his incongruous appearances in mainstream Brazilian media. "Here was a hard-core rock-'n'-roller, covered in tattoos and piercings, showing up on "Mais Voce," a morning talk show for housewives hosted by Anna Maria Braga. He was talking about stopping violence in the city," says Andrew. "That caught my eye."

Mr. Santa Cruz agreed to meet for an interview (see story), and the proposed venue also got Andrew's attention. "He goes to a poetry reading at a local bookstore every Tuesday night. We met there an hour before," he says. "I like the guy."

The next time they met, Andrew brought him a song. "I've been trying to get a neighbor, who's in a rock band, to record an old Bob Marley song: "Johnny Was." It's a song about someone getting hit by a stray bullet. I think it would resonate with Brazilians, because this is one of their fears. I played it for Tico on my iPod. He liked it."

Who knows, Andrew may be responsible for the next hit recorded by Tico Santa Cruz.

– David Clark Scott
World editor