Would you like to try something new?
A (necessarily non-exhaustive) tour through the extraordinary Neapolitan musical heritage.
Bisca feat. Nino D'Angelo - Note scunusciute They even came up with a name for us: "Vesuwave." It was the '80s, and Naples felt like Manchester!
I was there too, young and enthusiastic, with my band; we were the second or third tier, but - damn! - it truly felt like "the thing" of the moment: concerts, interviews, meetings, contacts, hype.
The concerts were filmed to create a movie (that crap called "Blues Metropolitano") or documentaries (even RAI), photographs in more or less glossy magazines. Contacts with English and French bands (we also participated - but it was already coming to an end - in the "Red Wedge"). We even set up an organization called "WlaMusicaViva," and some wanted to write about us in a book…
In short, it was a real blast! And there was even some money flowing!
Of course, we had nothing to do with folk music; we almost always sang in English (and this, to be honest, was the main feature of our provincialism), but this little column is mine, and I can include whoever I want!
But there were some great bands: Little Italy, Anthra, Panoramics, Bisca, Whallalla.
In the end, very little remains: the Whallalla, winners of "Sanremo Rock" (Oh my God!) and the Bisca. The Bisca were probably the best in the scene, the only ones left; for them, it was never a Neapolitan thing, but here they collaborate with Nino D'Angelo, and - that way - it seems to connect with the rest of my column.
There was a "scene," and it was beautiful!
I'll leave you with a small personal memory. We had just returned from England, an indie label had made us record a track at Chapel Studios (important studios that have produced quite a few records you have at home) in Louth (and damn, I didn't even know Robert Wyatt was there!). In short, we were convinced that our career was taking off: we played frequently and everywhere, earning higher fees than a million lire. With that money, we bought professional equipment, but like real fools, we kept everything in the same old, run-down garage. Moral of the story: they stole everything from us! It was the beginning of the end.
However, when the news broke, the city decided to organize a concert to raise funds to help us buy new instruments, and everyone offered their support.
It was wonderful to be part of a "scene"!
