Leo Nero

Singer and keyboard player Gianni Leone tried a solo career with the new name of Leo Nero after the demise of his band Il Balletto di Bronzo, and the result was a very good album, Vero, released by Harvest in 1977 and recorded a year before in New York.
The album is totally played and sung by Leo himself, and despite some commercial pop songs, it has some good moments reminding of his old band's sound, like in La discesa nel cervello, Il castello and the intense closing track Una gabbia per me. Obviously the sound is mainly keyboard based, but Leone played drums, minimoog bass lines and even guitar on some tracks.
An album track, Sono stanco anch'io appeared on the B-side of a single from 1978, Fremo.

Second album in 1980, Monitor, was recorded in California and in a more commercial style: the first side, with Leone backed by the american four-piece Optical Band, had a new-wave inspired sound similar to such bands as early XTC or Devo. Second side is Gianni alone, with a rhythm machine and a more synthetic and less rock-infuenced sound.

Gianni Leone left the musical scene in the 80's, coming back with a revised version of Il Balletto di Bronzo and a new CD in late 90's.

LP
Vero	Harvest (3C064-18272)	1977	single cover with lyric inner
Monitor	EMI/CBO (CBL 1004)	1980	single cover with lyric inner
CD
Vero	Mellow (MMP 212)	1994	reissue of 1977 album
	Vinyl Magic (VM 077)	2001	as above
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATION ALBUMS
Progressivamente 1973-2003 (with Frammenti di Ys and Il castello)	Progressivamente (GMP 002)	2004	CD compilation of unreleased recordings, also includes Osanna, Alberomotore, Metamorfosi, Semiramis and others
SINGLES (with picture sleeve)
Fremo Sono stanco anch'io	EMI (3C006-18364)	1978	side B taken from Vero
Strada Piangi con me	EMI/CBO (CBN 102)	1980	both tracks from Monitor
Indossa il mio colore Stanchiamoci insieme	EMI/CBO (CBN 109)	1982	both unreleased tracks
PROMOTIONAL AND JUKEBOX SINGLES (with blank sleeve)
Strada	EMI (3C040-79141)	1980	promo 12" EP with various EMI artists - white label and cover

A very rare and collectible album, Vero only had a limited vinyl reissue in Japan, on Crime/Edison (NAS 1423/ERS28031). Monitor is more common.
Both albums originally came with single covers and inners.

Vero - LP

Monitor - LP

Fremo - 7" single

Strada - 7" single

Indossa il mio colore - 7" single