Artist

GOBLIN
REALE IMPERO BRITANNICO

1974
Massimo Morante (guitar, vocals)
Claudio Simonetti (keyboards)
Fabio Pignatelli (bass)
Walter Martino (drums, percussion)

1975-1978
Martino replaced by:
Agostino Marangolo (drums)
Maurizio Guarini (keyboards)

1978
Guarini quits

Goblin represent a rare case of a band that's much more popular among foreign collectors than in Italy, where their name has always been strictly associated to the Dario Argento horror films' soundtracks they've played on, rather than as a real prog band.

The roots of Goblin lay in a band called Oliver, formed by Claudio Simonetti and Massimo Morante. 
Simonetti had previously played with drummer Walter Martino in Il Ritratto di Dorian Gray and the short-lived Seconda Generazione.

They recruited bass player Fabio Pignatelli and drummer Carlo Bordini. The group moved to England, and briefly had an English singer, Clive "Artman" Haynes on vocals. The band played in the UK in the university circuit and even had some sessions taped by Eddie Offord (long time ELP collaborator).
Coming back to Italy and with new singer Tony Tartarini (formerly known as Toni Gionta, from L'Uovo di Colombo), they had the chance of recording an album in April 1974, after a name change to Goblin.

Helped by the past experience of Claudio Simonetti by Cinevox as soundtrack sessionman, the band had a recording deal with that company and was offered to compose the soundtrack to the director Dario Argento's debut horror film, Profondo rosso. 
The original drummer Bordini was sacked, having refused to sign the contract, and replaced by Walter Martino, formerly with Simonetti in Il Ritratto di Dorian Gray, and this line-up recorded the official first album, while the previous LP was released under the name of Cherry Five in 1976.

The film was highly successful, like the dark, hypnotic title track that became an instant hit. Totally instrumental, mainly based on keyboards, Goblin's music was richly crafted in comparison to the rather anonymous soundtracks of the time. The album also included on second side a couple of orchestral themes by composer Giorgio Gaslini. The picture on the back cover shows the original five-piece line-up with Tartarini.

Second album was Roller, featuring new members Marangolo (from Flea) and Guarini. Not intended to be a soundtrack, this album was a good one, very similar to the previous one and developing the band's style.

The band also composed in 1976 as Reale Impero Britannico another soundtrack to a film called Perche si uccidono an album with some similarities with Cherry Five and Goblin's works. Cherry Five's Tony Tartarini sung on the only vocal track. A short album (around 31 minutes), disjointed as most soundtracks, and also including some orchestrated themes by composer Willy Brezza, Perché si uccidono is by far the rarest item of the Goblin discography along with Cherry Five.

Third album Suspiria came again with the collaboration with Dario Argento. This time it seems that the band composed the music before the film was ready, so the director could make some changes to it to have the music perfectly suited.

Another non-soundtrack album Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark, from 1978, was the only Goblin album entirely sung, the others being instrumental only; a concept album about a flying bug, it's a good prog album with some pop leanings. The band also played some live dates to promote the LP, a rather strange thing for a group who didn't had a strong live activity.

From now on a long series of soundtracks, with the sound gradually becoming more commercial and less inspired. Noteworthy additions are the entrance of guitarist Carlo Pennisi (also from Flea and the last line-up of Libra along with keyboardist Guarini) in 1979 and Simonetti creating the disco-oriented Easy Going and abandoning his main group in 1980 for a solo career (to join again his former colleagues for 1982 soundtrack to Tenebre).

After any kind of CD reissues (also with bonus tracks), year 2000 has seen the release of the first part of a multiple CD compilation series, The fantastic journey of Goblin (The best of Goblin) vol.I, that along with tracks from their Dario Argento's films soundtracks, includes a very nice (and unique!) live CD taken from a 1979 concert.
The latest work from Goblin is called Back to Goblin 2005, self produced by the band that now includes Maurizio Guarini, Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli and Agostino Marangolo.

Much collected by fans from all over the world, the original Goblin albums were pressed in large quantities and are rather common in Italy and not expensive. The only exceptions are the side releases, such as Cherry Five and Reale Impero Britannico albums.

Original Profondo rosso came in a gatefold laminated cover with black/silver label. It has been reissued in the Orizzonte low-price series (with single cover).
Roller originally came with gatefold cover and custom label.
Suspiria had a single cover including a foldout inner with the pop-up letters DA (film director Dario Argento's initials).
Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark came in a fantasy gatefold cover with a lyric inner and custom labels.

All the Goblin albums have had many reissues in lots of countries, as follows:

Profondo rosso in Japan (EMI/Odeon), Germany (Ariola), Holland (CNR) and there's also been a bootleg with different track sequence called Deep red (probably from USA); a second Japanese pressing was issued with the title Suspiria 2 after that successful film came out. It also came out in Brasil with the title Preludio para matar on RCA Victor (204 4401, year 1976);
Also a single with Profondo rosso and Death dies was released in Germany by Ariola (no.16860) in 1976 with a different cover.

Roller was released in Japan (King/Seven Seas) and Canada (Attic, with two different labels);
Suspiria in Japan (EMI/Odeon), Canada (Attic), France (Barclay), England (EMI);
Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark in Japan (Nexus/King);
Zombi in Japan (Seven seas), France (Polydor), Germany (Polydor), USA (Varese) with the title Dawn of the dead.

A recent CD reissue of Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark has been released in Korea by M2U (limited 2000 copies, no. M2U 1001) with a mini-gatefold cover.
Also with mini-LP covers are the 2007 reissues on the Japanese Arcangelo label of Profondo rosso (ARC 7217/18 - 2CD with bonus tracks), Roller (ARC 7219), Suspiria (ARC 7220 - with bonus tracks), Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark (ARC 7221), Zombi (ARC 7222 - with bonus tracks)., which, along with Tenebre and Cherry Five are also included in a box set entitled Suspiria Box (Arcangelo ARC 173).

Another soundtrack performed by Goblin is for the film Solamente nero by Antonio Bido (1978, English title The bloodstained shadow), credited to Stelvio Cipriani as composer.

The latest studio album by Goblin, Back to the Goblin 2005 has been issued on vinyl in 2009 by Giallo Music in a numbered pressing. It has a gatefold cover and is available on black (400 copies) or red vinyl (100 copies with a turntable slip-mat). The album contains the same tracks included in the CD version, but Magic thriller and Victor are in a different order.

Profondo rosso - LP

Roller - LP

Suspiria - LP

Il fantastico viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark - LP

Zombi - LP

Perché si uccidono (by Reale Impero Britannico) - LP

Profondo rosso - 7" single cover (German issue)

The official band website is at www.goblinhome.com, the latest CD Back to Goblin 2005 can be ordered through the site.
Keyboardist Claudio Simonetti has his own site at http://www.simonetti.org
Drummer Agostino Marangolo has his own website at http://www.baroneago.it

Thanks to Roberto Attanasio for some information on Goblin's discography