fusillo

Cpt: Well, as far as I know, Afterhours and Subsonica have contracts with some major label. Anyway, MTV really helped these two groups, along with Linea77 and Marlene Kuntz, to break through. The only MTV show I used to watch and that I regret is Brand New by Massimino Coppola. Their videos definitely got airplay there, and then they participated in various MTV Days... If they posed for the XL feature just to help the less fortunate, well, I can’t know for sure... Betty Moore doesn’t talk about the quality of the music, simply because that wasn’t the topic, but if you want, I can share a bit: it seems to me that the average is rather low. I mean, among Italian Indies, you can’t even find, not to mention a Master, but a prominent figure, someone who stands out from the general mediocrity. They all seem the same to me despite the different approaches and styles, especially regarding the lyrics... Well, I think the photo game made by Betty Moore is spot on. By changing the faces, you don’t notice the difference... @Carlo Cimmino: thanks, no one had told me I have a cool nickname, and I guess you’re the only one who thinks so. :-) Speaking of spectacular gestures: you surely remember Vasco leaving before the end of "Vita Spericolata." Well, in an interview with Mollica a few years ago, he talked about it as something agreed upon beforehand. Yes, I agree, it could have been assumed, but how sad... At this point, a hurrah for Peter Gabriel, who is definitely not a parasite and really risked breaking his back at Sanremo. :-) Bye!

But then why come up with excuses? I mean, why say: "I'm going to Sanremo, but...". Sanremo is a singing competition, these are singers, why should they be embarrassed? We've already seen Agnelli and that idiot from Subsonica. I would say: "I'm going to Sanremo and, damn it, I want to win!" Like Elio, who, talking about the '96 edition, still today, somewhat seriously and somewhat jokingly, says: "We had won but someone cheated us." That's how it's done, damn it! :-)

@cptgaio: just a few words about the author of the article: I discovered Betty Moore's blog thanks to a very critical piece she wrote about that "phenomenon" Giovanni Allevi; in responding to various comments, she showed she has a great knowledge of music (not just pop or rock) and, therefore, when she talks about it, she doesn't do it just for the sake of creating conspiracy theories. :-) That said, I'm sorry, but it seems to me that you haven't grasped the essence of the article: no one is saying that so-and-so, such-and-such, and what's-his-name shouldn't go to Sanremo or pose for XL, because otherwise they’ll be ruined or whatever... They can go to Sanremo, the festivalbar, and so on... What is being criticized (and rightly so) is this entirely fake attitude of being marginalized from the system... Many of these people have contracts with the Majors, many of these people have been thoroughly supported by MTV. And many of these people go or have gone to Sanremo. So what are they babbling about, then? Take Manuel Agnelli: before the festival, if I'm not mistaken, he said: "We're going to Sanremo, to break free from the self-ghettoization we've imposed on ourselves all these years...". However, I clearly remember that on May 1, 2008, Agnelli was at the concert in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome; immediately after the performance, he found himself in the studios of "Anno Zero". The attractive woman who was talking to the kids in that edition introduced him like this: "Singer of an important band, but not known to the general public because they don't go on television." Agnelli pointed out: "Yeah, we don't go on television, but not because we're snobbish... it's just that they don't call us...". So, were they self-ghettoizing or were they simply not being called? This is the problem. :-) Not to mention that complaining about the lack of interest from mainstream media towards serious music immediately after performing in a live televised concert is the stuff of winning the 2008-2009 sympathy award. :-)

Of course, you need to remove a bunch of spaces from the link if you want to read it... Anyway, since we talked about Vasco Brondi (boredom) here, I recently listened to the album of another young hope (who might already be well-known and I just don't know it...): Samuel Katarro. Yeah, he has a stupid name but he's good...

Given the topic of this discussion (the Italian underground becoming overground), I suggest reading a delightful article (http://www.malvestite.net/2009/03/09/la-riunione-di-condominio-dei-troppo-insomma-le-povere-vittimelle-tutte-uguali-con-le-teste-intercambiabili-che-reclamano-giustamente-un-pubblico-piu-nutrito-di-bimbominkia-perche-se-lo-meritano-c/) from which I quote a wonderful phrase from a guy from Subsonica: "We didn't go to Sanremo for notoriety, but just to increase the audience that came to see us live." A true intellectual...

:-)

I listened to this piece (not all of it) drawn in by the dedication but, my God, I found it deathly boring... Your description is spot on... apart from, of course, the "non-negative connotation," and the "...not boring for that reason." Anyway, degustibus...

Good job!

@alia76: Damn, I have to remember that when I comment, there are people on deb with nerves on edge... The point of my intervention, dear Alia, is this: You are absolutely right when you say that Tricarico is off-key and should take some lessons. And his diploma (in flute, piano, or perhaps in ukulele) is an AGGRAVATING factor. And look, singing and playing an instrument are definitely different but complementary things. When you play a piece, you have to think about it. If you can think about a piece, you can also reproduce it with your voice (at least the melody line). With this, I don't mean that a musician has to be a Pavarotti, I mean that a musician must at least be in tune, otherwise they become as miserable as Tricarico... I hope I have been clear. Best regards.

@alia76: "Damn, do you want to be a singer? At least take 3 lessons!" ---> Just so you know, Tricarico graduated in flute (I think) from some conservatory. :-)