The full list
An ensemble of musicians from Milan area that never had anything released despite concerts in northern Italy. In the line-up there were at various times Eugenio Finardi, Paolo Donnarumma, Ezio Malgrati, Alberto Camerini, Walter Calloni, Pepè Gagliardi, Lucio Fabbri, Donatella Bardi, Ricky Belloni.
Discography:
LP - Paciana story (Fu.Re.Ca 01 - 1975)
CD - Paciana story (BTF/AMS AMS105 - 2006)
Nothing in common with Dalton on the musical side, though two musicians from that band, Temi Reduzzi and Aronne Cereda, were involved in this 1975 pop opera project based on the life of a 19th century brigand and mixing traditional folk and soft prog songs. The album had a private pressing and it's still easy to find at low prices.
Discography:
LP - A Rosa, a Giovanna e alle altre (Mizar MZPP 01 - 1972)
A singer-songwriter from Naples, whose only album was released on a small label in 1972. This is only notable for the presence of some members of Buon Vecchio Charlie in two tracks.
Line-up:
Gian Francesco Calabrese (vocals, guitar, violin, piano)
Piero Goria (vocals, percussion)
Riccardo Grigolo (flute, mouth harp, vocals)
Mauro Minucci (bass, guitar, vocals)
Sergio Sacchi (vocals, guitar)
Enrico Sala (vocals, guitar, mandolin)
Discography:
LP - I padroni della città (L'Orchestra OLP 10007 - 1976)
A folk group from Milan, formed around 1971, whose only LP is similar to Un biglietto del tram by Stormy Six, with political-inspired lyrics and a very good use of the instruments, mostly acoustic.
Discography:
LP - Mario Panseri (RCA PSL 10453 - 1970)
LP - Adolescenza (RCA PSL 10585 - 1973)
LP - Sulla spiaggia d'inverno (Polydor 2448 067 -
1978)
A singer-songwriter born in Rome but living in Liguria, Panseri made his first album in 1970. His most progressive work was the Adolescenza album, based on Alberto Moravia's novel Agostino. After a third song-oriented album, Panseri kept composing and playing until his death in 1995.
Discography:
LP - Noi belli, noi brutti (Durium SAI 77399 - 1978)
LP - Per lasciare una traccia (Durium SAI 77411 - 1980)
+ singles
Worth mentioning for his past experience as singer with De De Lind and a short collaboration as lyricist with Dik Dik, Vito Paradiso tried an unsuccessful solo career that produced two mediocre albums and a few singles.
Discography:
45 - Paradiso di robots/Non si torna indietro (City C 6267 - 1972)
Only a single for this unknown group, with two good progressive style tracks.
Discography:
LP - Naufrago in città (Picci GLA 2001 - 1972)
Naufrago in città was in fact a solo album by the guitarist from
Viterbo Paride De Carli before his experience
with Seconda Genesi.
The ultrarare album, recorded in 1971, is all instrumental and acoustic, based
on classical guitar, flute, keyboards, and has been included in the recent CD reissue
of the Seconda Genesi album by Akarma.
The name Paride e gli Stereo 4 (sometimes Paride e gli Stereo 8) has also been
used by De Carli and the musicians of Seconda Genesi
when they backed other artists on record (among these Pierluigi
Terri, Fathia, Fiammetta).
Discography:
LP - Azimut I (CGD FGS 5091 - 1970)
45 - Per amore/Oggi domani (CGD 131 - 1970)
A big group, composed of 11 singers and musicians, Le Particelle released a
single with a cover version of the Moody Blues' Watching and waiting and
soon after a concept album called Azimut I.
A typical product of the time, the album is a sort of pop opera, with multivocal
and choral parts on a rock background with some orchestral arrangements, and
lyrics dealing with the decline of mankind.
Discography:
LP - Naifunk (Mirto 6323 578 - 1978)
Well-known session sax player, Pascoli, from Trieste, released this funky-tinged jazz-rock album in 1978 with help with some of the big names of the italian rock.
Discography:
45 - The telegraph is calling/My shade (RRC RN-024 - 1971)
45 - Carol/Laura what you do (RRC RN-036 - 1972)
A mysterious group, whose two singles for the RRC label are particularly
expensive and sought after by DJ's and "lounge music" lovers.
It seems almost sure that behind the name Pawnshop hid some popular film music
composers as Piero Umiliani (who also released two LP's credited to The
Braen's Machine) and Giuliano Sorgini (both composed the singles tracks
under their nicknames Braen Kema and Raskovich), along with Alessandro
Alessandroni, who, according to some sources, plays sitar in the first single.
Discography:
LP - La stagione per morire (Polydor 2448 010 - 1972)
LP - Al mercato degli uomini piccoli (Polydor 2448 017 - 1973)
LP - Mauro Pelosi (Polydor 2448 056 - 1977)
LP - Il signore dei gatti (Polydor 2448 092 - 1979)
+ singles
Singer-songwriter from Rome, Mauro Pelosi released four albums among which
the first two are particularly desired by prog collectors for unknown reasons,
as they contain gloomy songs, often with dismal lyrics.
Despite the presence of Gianni Leone and Gianchi Stinga from Il
Balletto di Bronzo among the others his albums are mostly based on acoustic
guitar and with some orchestral arrangements here and there.
Pelosi has started a new phase in his musical career at the end of the 90's,
with the release of some new works on CD.
Discography:
LP - Solare (Ciao CIA 1003 - 1980)
+ others
After the end of Celeste, the former band drummer
Ciro Perrino switched to keyboards, playing with different groups such as St.Tropez, Compagnia Digitale and
SNC.
His first solo album came in 1980, is all based on keyboards, not far from what
Jean Michel Jarre was doing at the time. Subsequently Perrino moved towards new
age, with other solo releases in that style, and was co-founder of the
independent Mellow label, specialised in CD reissues of mostly italian prog
rarities, and new releases by younger prog artists.
Line-up:
Marco Grasso (keyboards)
Mirko Sannazzaro (keyboards, vibes)
Roberto Gasparini (guitar)
Marco Cipollina (guitar, bass)
Alessandro Castaldi (drums, percussion)
Discography:
LP - Quinta dimensione (Eleven ELC-25145 - 1978)
CD - Quinta dimensione (Giallo SAF 043 - 2000)
45 - E.S.P. Extra sensory perception/Quinta dimensione (Eleven EL-82 -1978)
A group formed in Genova in 1978 by some music students, taking its name from
a russian symphony orchestra with no conductor formed in the 1920's, Persimfans mixed together classical and
avantgarde music with electronic and traditional instruments.
Their only record release was an odd LP (and a single taken from it) inspired
from a
popular TV show of the early 80's, Con un colpo di bacchetta, and
contained the group's instrumental music mixed with the spoken voice of presenter/wizard Tony
Binarelli. The original album also included five tarot cards!
They also had a collaboration with drummer/percussionist Tullio
De Piscopo.
The CD reissue includes the instrumental tracks played by the group without
Binarelli's voice, along with some unreleased recordings, and deserves a listen.
Discography:
45 - Inganno/Musicista (Bazar B-0785 -1981)
45 - In the night/I'm free (Bazar B-0790 -1981)
Included because, not having a release date on label, it's often sold as an
early 70's single, Inganno, from 1981, contains two songs of good level.
The A-side is a hard rock track, similar to Ibis though
not at the same level, despite a very nice guitar solo. Musicista, on the
B-side, is better, a nice ballad in progressive style with an acoustic guitar
intro and vocal harmonies in Pink Floyd style; the song is rather long and
becomes heavier in the final part, with a good guitar solo.
A second single by Phantoms, again from 1981 contains two
english-sung tracks, In the night and a
remake of The Who's I'm free.
Discography:
LP - Mi chiamo Piero (Rare 55103 -1972)
A very rare record, often described with the crucial word "progressive", this album from 1972 contains in fact 12 songs with some flute and keyboards arrangements that may remind of the typical prog sounds. The three members of this group, all originating from Voghera, were Piero Cairo (keyboards and vocals), Ezio Cristiani (guitar) and Tino Negri (bass), helped by other musicians, but the album was totally composed by Cairo, who had a later career in the disco-music field.
Discography:
45 - Ballad of Easy Rider/The pleasure machine (Durium LdA 7685 - 1970 -
credited to "Vince Tempera e la Macchina del Piacere")
45 - The long and winding road/A song (EMI/Columbia
3C006-17635 - 1970)
45 - Fuoco di paglia/?Express 9.15 (EMI/Columbia 3C006-17723 - 1971)
45 - Asia/Amici (EMI/Columbia 3C006-17773 - 1971)
45 - Ultimo tango a Parigi/Song for Rosemary (EMI/Columbia 3C006-17876 - 1972)
A trio that included keyboardist Vince Tempera, later a long standing collaborator and arranger with many italian groups and artists, other than being a member of Il Volo. Their singles included both originals and covers, with a very good level of musicianship. Tempera also released some solo albums, one of which in 1970 was entitled The pleasure machine (Durium LP S 40089).
Discography:
45 - È già passato un anno/Colori rubati (Basf Fare 06 13314Q - 1974)
An artist (or a group?) that only released a single for Basf. The record contains two tracks of good brass-rock not far from Showmen 2.
Discography:
LP - Peace on you (RiFi RDZ ST 14213 - 1972)
45 - Mary Grace/Yellow high (RiFi RFN NP 16420 - 1971)
45 - Freedom (All men should
be free)/Sunday in neon lights (RiFi RFN NP 16491 - 1972)
+ others
A black african artist, born in Ghana
during the english colonial occupation, Mack Porter moved
to Netherlands and then to Italy in the late 60's, releasing here four pop and soul-oriented singles
for the small Naples label Fans. In 1969 he won the Un disco per l'Europa
song contest in Lugano, Switzerland.
Signed to RiFi he made a concept album in 1972,
under the name of Mack Sigis Porter, called Peace on you, strongly inspired by psych and slightly
progressive atmospheres, with wild guitar solos (and some Hendrix-like vocals)
but even some orchestral arrangements.
Among the guest musicians there was keyboardist Vince Tempera from Il
Volo.
The rare and expensive album was housed in a nice gatefold centre-opening cover
that had the small cutout of a bird shape in the central part. It's totally untrue that it only came out in a handful of promo copies as some
insist. The album was a standard release that had no promotion at all and sold
in minimal quantities.
The first reissue ever produced for this
album has been issued by the german label Shadoks Music in 2006, a wonderful
limited pressing of 400 copies with thick cover (centre-foldout as the original)
and heavy vinyl, absolutely recommended!
After his musical career Porter became a
stylist, and he's currently still working in this field under the name Mack
Squire.
Line-up:
Riccardo Caruso (keyboards, vocals)
Giorgio Dolce (guitar)
Giovanni Baldini (bass)
Daniele Cannone (drums)
A quartet of teenagers from Viareggio, that used to play very much at Piper
2000 in their home town, with a style close to british hard rock, often
supporting popular bands in concert.
They were once noticed by the singer Mia
Martini during the rehearsals for a concert in that venue, and she chose
them as her backing band, renaming the group La Macchina.
Despite a very good live act and Mia's
recording deal with RCA, she was asked to leave the
group due to the sound, that was considered too heavy by the record
company.
After their winning appearance at Viareggio Pop Festival in 1971 the band left Mia
Martini and broke up before taking part in the Festivalbar contest, as one
of the members didn't want to leave home to embark in a national tour.
Of the band members, only Dolce and Cannone kept playing at Piper 2000, and they
also took part in the closing jam of the venue in 1972.
The group sadly didn't leave any recorded trace of their activity, apart from
some demo tracks appeared on recent Mia
Martini compilation CD's. They also recorded an album with tracks by an
english composer, but the tapes have apparently disappeared.
Line-up:
Raimondo Fantuzzi (guitar, vocals)
Roberto Zazzi (flute)
Giancarlo Di Bella (keyboards)
Franco Coruzzi (bass)
Vittorio Savi (drums)
Discography:
45 - E la musica va.../Lascia che ancora (Bazar 0788 - 1981)
Formed in 1971 in Collecchio, near Parma, with the initial name Collettivo
Musicale Collecchiese, this group lasted for many years with a concert activity
for the most part in Emilia, and also participating in the Pescara Rock Festival
in 1979.
Initially inspired by PFM, they updated their sound with the influence of
american groups like Kansas and Styx.
At the beginning of the 80's, the group recorded an album for the Bazar label,
but only two tracks were released on a single. Gradually going towards a more
commercial sound, the band broke up in 1983.
Since 2005 Posto Blocco 19 has been reformed, playing in various Progressive
Rock Festivals in the Parma area. Four of the original members (Fantuzzi, Zazzi,
Di Bella, Savi) are now back in the band, assisted by bassist Massimo Casaro and
percussionist Stefano Savi.
Websites:
Posto Blocco 19 -
www.postoblocco19.it
Line-up:
Roberto Laneri (voice)
Susan Hendricks (voice)
Claudio Ricciardi (voice)
Gianni Nebbiosi (voice)
Discography:
LP - La coda della tigre (Ananda 2 - 1977)
CD - Prima materia (Die Schachtel DS 10 - 2005 - reissue of 1977 album on deluxe
CD with unreleased tracks)
A quartet formed by Roberto Laneri in California in 1973, and based in Rome after their return to Italy, working in the avantgarde field. Their only album contains two long tracks, for over 46 minutes, just made with wordless vocal sounds.
Discography:
LP - Poco prima dell'aurora (Cetra/Numero Uno LPX 24 - 1973 - credited to
"Ivano Alberto
Fossati & Oscar Prudente")
LP - Un essere umano (Numero Uno DZSLN 55154 - 1973)
LP - Infinite fortune (Numero Uno ZSLN 55673 - 1974)
LP - Donna che vai (CGD 82073 - 1977)
+ singles
Along with a successful career as songwriter for many important artists, Oscar Prudente also had a solo career playing his own songs. His first album was released as a joint work with former Delirium singer Ivano Fossati, later albums were mostly song-based. The best one is usually considered Infinite fortune, a concept album on the emigration from southern Italy to the north, that again featured the help of Fossati on flute.
Discography:
LP - Psycheground (Lupus LUS 207 - 1971)
A mysterious studio group that only released an ultrarare album for the small Lupus
label. Behind the name The Psycheground Group hid the musicians of Nuova
Idea, in their first line-up.
The album is all instrumental, composed of five long tracks, in the same style as
Blue Phantom or The
Underground Set, and had in common with the latter group the name of Ninety
(producer Giampiero Reverberi) behind them. Reverberi composed the whole album,
which was recorded in his own studio.
Two tracks from this album, Ray and Psycheground were included in
a compilation of instrumental tracks called Double Dacron (Leo LRS21),
issued in the early 70's and also featuring compositions by Giuliano Sorgini,
Rino De Filippi and Juan Falenito.
Line-up:
Fabio Spruzzola (vocals, guitar)
Massimo Meazza (vocals, guitar)
Claudio Bazzarri (vocals, guitar)
Discography:
LP - Pueblo (Polydor 2448 041 - 1975)
CD - The big thunder (Solid Air/I.R.D. SA5299 - 2000)
45 - Mariposa/Pasadena (Polydor 2060 095 - 1975)
45 - Song girl/Rio Hondo (Polydor 2060 110 - 1975)
45 - Long knife Jackson/Cheyenne woman (Polydor 2060 138 - 1977)
Formed in Milan around 1974, Pueblo were another of many italian groups
playing a West Coast-styled rock, this time sung in english.
Early recordings were made at Apple studios in London, then a contract with Polydor, which gave a
good promotion to the group, that also played as support band for Le
Orme, but split after a more commercial second single in 1977.
Guitarist Max Meazza has had a long career as solo artist and has reformed Pueblo
in 1999 for a new album with old cohort Claudio Bazzarri.
Websites:
Max Meazza - www.maxmeazza.com
Discography:
45 - A man on the road/Dream (Phono Sound TSP0028 - 1979)
A quintet from Milan that only issued this single sung in english, their style is
a good hard rock with progressive influences, but not particularly original. The
group's singer was Pino Scotto, later with the popular hard rock group Vanadium.
There is another group called Pulsar, which made the I Pulsar n.1 LP in
1976 (CEM Cometa Edizioni Musicali), but it's composed by studio musicians led
by jazz composers Enrico Pieranunzi and Silvano Chimenti for an instrumental
album containing the soundtrack to the film Milano violenta..
Line-up:
Mirko Setaro (vocals, acoustic guitar)
Peppe Vessicchio (vocals, guitar, electric piano)
Discography:
LP - Odore di capra (Ghibli CD 3304 - 1977)
Not to be confused with Il Punto, this was a duo from Naples, with help from many guest musicians, that released a little known melodic pop album in 1977, of no interest for prog fans. Both the Punto 2 members had a successful career in later years, Setaro in the cabaret group I Trettré and Vessicchio as producer, arranger and orchestra conductor in many TV shows.
Line-up:
Lino Vilardo (vocals)
Corrado Slemer (guitar, vocals)
Giorgio Zuanazzi (keyboards, vocals)
Ivano Rigo (bass, vocals)
Erminio "Nero" Maimeri (drums, vocals)
Discography:
45 - Verso il cielo/Sogno (PMS 01 - 1978)
45 - Tra poco lei/Domani cambierà (Unifunk AR/4580/4 - 1980)
Apparently only two singles were released by this group from Verona; the
first one was self produced, side A is a ballad built on
acoustic guitar with multivocal parts and good synth solo, side B is more
elaborate and based on keyboards.
A second single came out later on the
Unifunk label, with a lightweight A-side and a better track in Domani
cambierà.
Thanks to Alessandro Vanni, Gustavo Castagna Machado, Fabio Marchignoli, Fabio Locatelli, for information and scans on some artists and records in this page.
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