Mike Francis
I Grandi Successi Originali

THE REVIEW

Hello guys, for our usual breath of fresh air dedicated to lesser-known Italian music, I would like to start today, with you and for you, as I usually do, a discussion about an artist forgotten by the general public, although capable of interesting artistic performances: Mike Francis, born Francesco Puccioni, originally from Florence.

Our hero had relative glory around the mid-'80s - thanks to songs reminiscent of British electropop and mainly played on the radio like "Survivor" and "Friends" - before gradually slipping into anonymity in the following years, despite a good compositional ability and a certain musical culture (harmony, execution, arrangement) that hinted at emerging Elton John or Cocciante-like talents, albeit with less aesthetic and emotional emphasis.

Perhaps Mike's limitation, I mention it immediately to clear up any misconceptions, lies essentially in his apparent coldness and shyness, which certainly limited his fame with the general public, as well as his inclusion in mainstream circuits; all this compounded by notable events in our musical history, which in the early '90s saw the resurgence of Italian rock, riding the wave of the Seattle effect, as well as other derivative genres like hip hop or rap.

It's curious that in this context, Francis himself, originally also derivative in relation to British models, went against the tide by shifting the emphasis of his music towards Italian singer-songwriter styles, essentially arriving at a classical reconsideration of his pop roots. The effect was to ultimately alienate the interest of the general public, while nonetheless consolidating the support of his loyal fans, as various online forums testify.

In this anthology, you find the best of Francis, not coincidentally featuring songs sung in English, almost as a renunciation of the approach towards Italian singer-songwriter styles begun in the early '90s, allowing you to reconnect with an artist who, despite the noted contradictions in his career, demonstrated abilities perhaps poorly exploited by our record labels.

I shall say no more, hoping that your listening to Francis, even if late, will not be burdensome, as a good poet with a somewhat odd face, like that of the good Mike, might have said.

Poetically Yours

Il_Paolo