Acqua Fragile

Bernardo Lanzetti (vocals, guitar)
Gino Campanini (guitar, vocals)
Maurizio Mori (keyboards, vocals)
Franz Dondi (bass)
Pier Emilio Canavera (drums, acoustic guitar, vocals)

This five-piece from Parma was formed in 1971 from the ashes of Gli Immortali, a group that included singer Bernardo Lanzetti, just returned back to Italy after a long living in the USA, guitarist Gino Campanini and drummer Piero Canavera. These musicians were joined by keyboardist Maurizio Mori and bass player Franz Dondi (who had played with I Moschettieri, that were among the young bands supporting The Rolling Stones during their italian tour, but just released a single in 1967, Quando il tempo dell'amore).
In one of the last concerts with the old name, the five musicians were spotted by Premiata Forneria Marconi, that introduced them to their manager Franco Mamone.

With the new name Acqua Fragile and the professional management of Mamone, the group was able to play with important foreign names such as Soft Machine, Alexis Korner & Snape, Tempest, Curved Air, Audience, Uriah Heep, and above all, Gentle Giant.

Their first album was released in 1973 on the independent Numero Uno label, one of the very few italian prog albums entirely sung in english. A good album with nice west-coast multivocal influences mixed with an english prog sound, especially inspired by the likes of Genesis and Gentle Giant.
The LP included seven long tracks, with good instrumental parts and the nice original harsh voice of Lanzetti, not far from Family's singer Roger Chapman distinctive tremolo technique.

The choice of singing in english didn't probably help the group in achieving a good popularity in Italy, and the album wasn't released abroad as it was probably planned. Oddly the english lyrics weren't included in the album cover, that only contained the italian translation.

Second album Mass media stars was from 1974 and also gained an US release, thanks to the english lyrics. Not dissimilar from their first but with a slightly better production, this contained six long cuts.

At the end of 1974 keyboardist Joe Vescovi replaced Maurizio Mori after The Trip's split. He stayed in for some months and his presence is documented in the bootleg-quality Live in Emilia CD.
But the strongest hit to the group's stability came when Bernardo Lanzetti joined PFM, replaced for a while by Roby Facini, previously with I Top 4 and Dik Dik.
Acqua Fragile split in 1975.

After his experience with PFM, Lanzetti embarked in a long successful solo career. He currently plays with Mangala Vallis.
Bass player Franz Dondi and drummer Pier Emilio Canavera have played with Rocky's Filj, and in the Beatles-inspired band, Shout!, that released 2 CD's in the 90's.
Dondi has recently formed Acqua Fragile Project, with a new line up in which he's the only original member, playing the old group's songs.

LP
Acqua Fragile	Numero Uno (DZSLN 55656)	1973	poster cover - lyric inner
Mass media stars	Ricordi (SMRL 6150)	1974	single cover with lyric inner
	Contempo (CONTE 003)	1991	same as above with inner
CD
Acqua Fragile	BMG (ND 74853)	1991	reissue of 1973 album - now deleted
	BMG (74321-98055-2)	2003	as above with mini-LP gatefold cover - now deleted
Mass media stars	Contempo (CONTECD 003)	1991	reissue of 1974 album - now deleted
	BMG (74321-98059-2)	2003	as above - mini LP cover - now deleted
Live in Emilia	Prehistoric (PR 03)	1994	live recording from 1975
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATION ALBUMS
Quelli della Numero Uno (with Song from a picture)	Numero Uno (CFD 01080-10)	1999	10 CD - box set with tracks from singles and albums
SINGLES (with picture sleeve)
Bar gazing Opening act	Ricordi (SRL 10746)	1974	both tracks from Mass media stars

Acqua Fragile has never been reissued on vinyl in Italy, neither counterfeited.
The album has been reissued on CD in March 2003 by BMG with mini-LP gatefold cover and obi, as part of their "Dei di un perduto rock" series, and later repressed in October of the same year when a second batch of those CD's came out.
The CD was announced by BMG as being also available with standard jewel case (cat.no. 74321-98054-2) but was probably never issued in this form.

A japanese vinyl edition exists on King/Seven Seas label (no.K22P113), with the same poster cover design as the original.

Mass media stars has been also issued in the USA on Import label (IMP 1005), in Venezuela and in Japan on King (GXF2055) with the original single cover.

Acqua Fragile - front cover

Acqua Fragile - poster cover

Mass media stars - front cover

Bar gazing - 7" single cover

Live in Emilia - CD cover

Bernardo Lanzetti fronting Mangala Vallis with Rodolfo Maltese on guitar
at Stazione Birra, Morena (Roma), 11-nov-2005

Bernardo Lanzetti fronting Mangala Vallis
at Stazione Birra, Morena (Roma), 11-nov-2005
The right photo has Bernardo singing with a "synthesized glove" on the throat

The Acqua Fragile Project site is at http://acquafragile.altervista.org/
Bass player Franz Dondi, currently with Acqua Fragile Project, has a personal site at www.franzdondi.com, dedicated to his artistic activity.

Bernardo Lanzetti collaborated with Mangala Vallis on their two CD's and in many concerts. The site of the group is www.mangalavallis.it