Libra

1975
Federico D'Andrea (vocals, guitar)
Nicola Di Staso (guitar, vocals)
Sandro Centofanti (keyboards)
Dino Cappa (bass, vocals)
David Walter (drums, percussion)

1976-77
Sandro Centofanti (keyboards)
Maurizio Guarini (keyboards)
Carlo Pennisi (guitar)
Dino Cappa (bass)
Walter Martino (drums, percussion)

A unique case of an italian band signed with Motown, Libra were formed in Rome in 1974, and in the same year they recorded their first album for Ricordi, after a successful tour with Banco del Mutuo Soccorso; some of the group members came from significant past experiences, like keyboardist Centofanti from Buon Vecchio Charlie and singer/guitarist D'Andrea from Myosotis and Logan Dwight.

Mainly a rock album with large use of acoustic parts and some jazz-rock and funky influences, Musica e parole has some PFM similarities and a few interesting prog moments, like in the 13 min. long closing track Inquinamento (originally sung in roman dialect and renamed Pollution in the US version), and gave the band the chance to be signed in the States with Motown, that issued it in a revised english-sung version (simply called Libra) in USA. One of the album tracks, the funky Beyond the fence, was sung in english even in the original LP version, and was recorded live or with fake audience overdubs.

A year later, with D'Andrea leaving and ex-Goblin drummer Walter Martino joining the band, Libra released an US-only second album, Winter days nightmare, much more commercial than the previous one and with strong (obvious considering the label) funky influences. This was not successful and the band returned to Italy.

A final Libra line-up, including keyboardist Maurizio Guarini from Goblin and guitarist Carlo Pennisi from Flea, released a third album in 1977 as a soundtrack to the film Shock (but the LP was misspelt as Schock), by director Mario Bava, much in Goblin style, before disbanding.
Federico D'Andrea died in 1978, run over by a car.

LP
Musica e parole	Ricordi (SMRL 6156)	1975	laminated gatefold cover
Libra	Motown (M6 847) - USA	1975	US issue of the above - single cover
Winter day's nightmare	Motown (M6 864) - USA	1976	US-only release - single cover
Schock (Transfert-Suspence-Hypnos)	Cinevox (MDF 113)	1977
CD
Schock (Transfert-Suspence-Hypnos)	Cinevox (MDF 350)	2001	reissue of 1977 album with 4 bonus tracks
Musica e parole	BMG (74321-98068-2)	2003	reissue of 1975 album with mini gatefold cover - now deleted

Musica e parole is not easy to find though not particularly sought after in Italy.
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. 74321-98067-2) but was probably never issued in this form.

The US albums on Motown are much more common, the first, Libra (Music and words) was also issued in France on Rare Earth (no. 2C066-96915).

Schock has been issued in Japan by Seven Seas on vinyl and by SLC on CD, with its title corrected to The Shock.
Also in Japan, a single, coupling The Shock and L'incubo from the Schock LP, was released by Seven Seas in 1979.

Musica e parole - LP

Libra (US issue) - LP

Winter day's nightmare (US-only issue) - LP

Schock - LP