Artist
EQUIPE 84
1964-69
Maurizio Vandelli (vocals, guitar)
Franco Ceccarelli (guitar, vocals)
Victor Sogliani (bass, vocals)
Alfio Cantarella (drums, vocals)
1970
Ceccarelli and Cantarella replaced by:
Mario Totaro (keyboards)
Franz Di Cioccio (drums)
1971
Totaro replaced by:
Dario Baldan Bembo (keyboards)
1973-74
Maurizio Vandelli (vocals, guitar)
Thomas Gagliardone (keyboards)
Victor Sogliani (bass)
Alfio Cantarella (drums)
Probably the most famous Italian beat group from the
60's, and with a long career starting with a debut single in 1964, Equipe 84
lasted until mid 70's and also had a (slightly) prog influenced period.
This four piece from Modena was for the Italian teenagers the local answer to
the Beatles, and they had a long series of hit singles between 1966 and 1969
with such classics as Io ho in mente te, Auschwitz, Bang bang, 29 settembre
(that also had an English sung release in USA and UK), Un angelo blu, Tutta mia la
città.
The band had its first crisis in 1970 with original member Franco Ceccarelli leaving the group and drummer Alfio Cantarella arrested for drug possession, being replaced for a short time and a single by ex-Rokes drummer Mike Shepstone; later, with the help of another guest drummer, Franz Di Cioccio (from I Quelli, then Premiata Forneria Marconi), they released what is usually considered their most progressive album, Id.
This, their fourth album, was less song-based than their previous works, and contained ten tracks with dynamic arrangements and some orchestral passages. Not a real prog album, this has some good tracks like Il re dei re and the long Un brutto sogno, but for many Italian listeners the characteristic voice of Maurizio Vandelli is too tied to their beat period for this to be convincently considered a prog album.
With Casa mia, in 1971, Equipe 84 returned to a
typical song album, but their most creative time had clearly passed. Dr.Jekyll
& Mr.Hyde, from 1973 marks their passage to Ariston, and is another pop
album, with the single exception of the jazzy instrumental Dr.Jekyll.
Last album, Sacrificio in 1974 has again some good instrumental
passages, even if the basic influence is still melodic pop. They were helped here
by drummer Paolo Siani from Nuova Idea.
The group kept playing and recording until 1977, a late concert is included in
the live CD released in mid 90's.
After the end of Equipe 84 singer and leader Maurizio Vandelli has tried to reform them many times until the sad death in the 90's of bassist Sogliani; he's also released a couple of solo albums in 1970 and 1974 and also worked as producer for the likes of Reale Accademia di Musica and Gianni D'Errico.
| LP | |||
| Equipe 84 | Vedette (VPA 8051) | 1965 | gatefold laminated cover with glued mini poster |
| Vedette (VPA 8051) | 1966 | single laminated cover | |
| Suoni Rari (SR 4) | 1995 | picture disc with cutout
cover 1000 copies |
|
| Io ho in mente te | Ricordi (MRL 6053) | 1966 | single cover |
| Stereoequipe | Ricordi (SMRL 6060) | 1968 | gatefold cover |
| BMG (88697 34881 1) | 2008 | reissue with gatefold cover in numbered edition | |
| Id | Ricordi (SMRL 6072) | 1970 | gatefold cover |
| Casa mia | Ricordi (SMRL 6086) | 1971 | gatefold textured cover - as "Nuova Equipe 84" |
| Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde | Ariston (AR/LP 12107) | 1973 | single cover - lyric insert has a pull-out finger-shaped tab -two versions of the cover exist, with black or red writings |
| Ariston/Oxford (OX 3183) | 1980 | single cover | |
| Sacrificio | Ariston (AR/LP 12134) | 1974 | gatefold cover - insert |
| Sony Music (88691 98903 1) | 2012 | reissue with gatefold cover | |
| Albums reissued on CD, except for Stereoequipe and Sacrificio | |||
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATION ALBUMS |
|||
| Beat pop (with Vai amore vai, Signor playboy, Anguilla rock) |
Vinyl Magic (VM 058) | 1993 | CD compilation - also includes Stormy Six, Ragazzi del Sole, Corvi |
|
SINGLES (1970-77 only) |
|||
| Il sapone, la pistola, la
chitarra ed altre meraviglie Devo andare |
Ricordi (SRL 10586) | 1970 | |
| Casa mia Buffa |
Ricordi (SRL 10620) | 1971 | |
| 4/3/1943 Padre e figlio |
Ricordi (SRL 10635) | 1971 | |
| Una giornata al mare Quel giorno |
Ricordi (SRL 10655) | 1971 | |
| Pullman Non si può |
Ricordi (SRL 10667) | 1972 | |
| Senza senso Diario |
Ariston (AR-0591) | 1973 | |
| Clinica Fior di loto
S.p.A Meglio |
Ariston (AR-0616) | 1974 | |
| Mercante senza fiori Sigaretta e via |
Ariston (AR-0628) | 1975 | |
| Risvegliarsi al mattino Se c'è |
Ariston (AR-0643) | 1975 | |
| Sogni senza fine Meditazione |
Ariston (AR-0682) | 1975 | |
| Vai amore vai Signor playboy |
Ariston (AR-0719) | 1976 | |
| Opera d'amore Anguilla rock |
Ariston (AR-0785) | 1977 | |
|
PROMO-ONLY AND JUKEBOX SINGLES |
|||
| 15 giugno '75 |
PSI (SSP 6) | 1975 | picture cover promo single for PSI (Italian Socialist Party) - backed by Enrico Montesano: Felice Allegria, io la penso così |
|
CD's (relevant issues) |
|||
| Equipe 84 in concerto | DVMore (CDDV 5873) | 1995 | 1977 live recording in Modena |
A very popular band in Italy, Equipe 84 have many
rarities in their production.
Their first album was initially released with a heavy gatefold laminated cover
that had a foldout poster glued in the inside; it was shortly re-released by Vedette
in a
standard single cover.
Stereoequipe, Id and Sacrificio are also rare items, the last one having a 12"x12" drawing as insert. Stereoequipe has been reissued in 2008 by BMG in a numbered edition with the same gatefold cover as the original, Sacrificio has been reissued for the first time in 2012.
Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde came with a single cover containing a photographic insert. This had a finger shaped tab on a side that sticks out of the cover and therefore is usually torn or missing. Some copies had red writings on LPs, while most copies had them in black, but it's difficult to know which are the original ones.
The 60's albums and many of their singles have been issued in many european and south American countries. Among the foreign issues on CD are worth mentioning Id (in 1992, King KICP2391, and 2007, BMG BVCM 37957) and Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde (2007 - BMG BVCM 37958).
The albums have never been counterfeited.
 |
| Equipe 84 - LP |
 |
| Stereoequipe - LP |
 |
| Id - gatefold cover |
 |
| Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde - LP and "pointed finger" insert |
 |
| Sacrificio - LP and cassette covers |
 |
| Equipe 84 in concerto - CD cover |
Maurizio Vandelli has his own website with information on both his solo activity and Equipe 84, at http://www.vandelli.com
At last an Italian website totally dedicated to Equipe 84, at http://equipe84.too.it/. Thanks to webmaster Alessio for the live CD scan.
