Artist

SPETTRI

Ugo Ponticiello (vocals)
Raffaele Ponticiello (guitar)
Stefano Melani (organ)
Vincenzo Ponticiello (bass)
Giorgio Di Ruvo (drums)

Formed in Florence in 1964 with a line-up which included brothers Ugo and Raffaele Ponticiello along with bassist Giuliano Giunti and drummer Ubaldo Palanti (later replaced by Mauro Sarti, who also played with Campo di Marte and Bella Band), Spettri releases some singles in 1966-67, evolving then from the intial beat style to a rock sound with hard influences. Drummer Giorgio Di Ruvo joined them in 1968 and the line-up was enriched by organist Stefano Meloni in 1970 and bass player Vincenzo Ponticiello in 1971.
The group's live repertoire was made of covers by the likes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Spirit, but they began composing original material in form of a suite, issued on record for the first time only in 2011 and often played at the time in their concerts held in Tuscany and Lazio.
Composed between 1970 and 1971 and recorded in 1972, the suite is made up by four movements and the lyrics are based on the search of a man for his true self through a seance. Dominated by dark atmospheres, the sound of this group is in hard prog style, with organ and lead guitar to the fore and, even if the recording quality is not professional and lacks production, it shows some very interesting aspects.
The group couldn't have this record released at the time, so they kept playing, slowly changing their musical style, until the lost record was discovered and finally published by Black Widow.

43 years after the recording of that album, Spettri were reformed with four members of the original group and the return of drummer Mauro Sarti, with help from sax player Matteo Biancalani, releasing a new album, 2973 La nemica dei ricordi, in 2015, a nice comeback still inspired to the heaviest sounds of the 70's.

The first album was issued by Black Widow both on vinyl, with single cover and insert, and on CD.
The LP was also released in two limited issues of 50 copies each on silver vinyl, one with the same cover as the standard version and the other containing a canvas reproduction of the cover painting and a postcard signed by the band members.

Spettri turned to commercial pop changing their name to La Spiaggia Libera for a single issued in 1976 (Tavola calda/Rossana - Radio Records RR 1976).
The Ponticiello brothers formed in the 80's the rockabilly group Dennis & the Jets.

Spettri - LP

2973 La nemica dei ricordi - LP

Thanks to Daniele Nuti for the information on the group.