Artist
PRENESTUM (PRAENESTUM) BLOCCO 452
Franco Rossi (vocals, bass)
Nello Sinisi (guitar)
Nando Lattanzi (keyboards)
Luciano De Angelis (drums, vocals)
Despite a very progressive-sounding name, this quartet from Rome
played in a melodic pop style with love-inspired lyrics, releasing an album and a handful
of singles in 1973-74.
Prenestum Blocco 452 were formed around 1972 and
weren't involved in the usual open air concert circuit as many other bands of
that era, being mostly a studio band.
Their production was concentrated in the years 1973-75, with their only album,
the 12-tracks Dolce tenera amica issued in 1974.
The band split around 1976 when members Rossi and Lattanzi formed Epoca, another
melodic pop band that had a big hit in some south American countries with their
first single Volerai volerņ, but another single, this time in disco
music style appeared in 1978 with the name Praenestum 452, Soul Dracula,
and it was also released abroad.
The difficult band's name was changed to Praenestum 452 on the album cover, while it was spelled as Prenestum (not Praenestum) on the first, second and fourth single.
| LP | |||
| Dolce tenera amica | Universal Sound (USA LP 2004) | 1974 | as Praenestum 452 |
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SINGLES (all with picture covers) |
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| E lui chi č Occhi chiari |
Universal Sound (USA 001) | 1973 | as Prenestum Blocco 452 |
| Tra le braccia di una
donna Diventi viola |
Universal Sound (USA 002) | 1973 | as Prenestum Blocco 452 |
| Dolce tenera amica Donna donna |
Universal Sound (USA 1023) | 1974 | as Praenestum 452 |
| Candy baby Silver clouds |
Euro International (EUR 1939) | 1975 | as Prenestum 452 |
| Soul Dracula Reggae like it used to be |
Universal International Music (6508 657) | 1978 | as Praenestum 452 |
A very rare album, Dolce tenera amica has never
received a reissue, on vinyl nor on CD.
No counterfeits exist, nor foreign issues. Only their
fifth and last single, the disco-styled Soul Dracula, was released
abroad, in Germany on Metronome for example.
A single under the name " Luciano e i Prenestum 455" was issued by singer-songwriter Luciano De Angelis on his own L.D.A. label (cat. no.HD001). Prenestum 455 sing on the A-side, Handicap, while Diverso da me, on the B-side, is sung by De Angelis. It's likely that these Prenestum 455 are the same mentioned in this page with a slightly altered name.
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Dolce tenera amica - LP |
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E lui chi č ? - 7" single cover |
Tra le braccia di una donna - 7" single cover |
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Dolce tenera amica - 7" single cover |
Candy baby - 7" single cover |
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| Soul Dracula - 7" single cover | |
Click on pictures to enlarge
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| Praenestum Blocco 452 in the 70's (left) and in 2013 (right) | |
Many thanks to Fabio Rossi for the precious information on the band and the pictures. Also thanks to Giacomo Beatrici and Pietro Falasca for information and scans.
