Rock John
Siamo qui

Perhaps not everyone knows this Italian rocker (and that's not necessarily a bad thing!). I stumbled upon one of his concerts (where a few dozen people were listening to him distractedly and bewilderedly), at the end of which he was selling CDs for a few euros. I was too intrigued by the pizza cover and bought it (I doubt you can find a CD like this in a store: the booklet is printed at home, and the CDs are blatantly computer-burned). At home, listening to it, I laughed a thousand times; the genuineness and, above all, the naivety of the songs is absolute. It seems like an artist designed by Elio E Le Storie Tese!

TRACK LIST:
1) We Are Here
2) No Euro!
3) Black and White
4) Girl I Stole Your Heart
5) Gifted CD Never Listened To
6) American Rock
7) Born on Top of Mount Vesuvius
8) Wrong Day
9) Fried Green Squids

In "We Are Here" Rock John tells a story of an evening spent waiting for a delayed train at the station... A ballad with sad and pathetic tones.
"No Euro" has a rhythm that dangerously resembles "No Vasco.." by Jovanotti, in my opinion skirting the edge of plagiarism. The lyrics are simple bar politics and protest slogans. Rock John complains here about everything possible to complain about: the euro has made us poorer, the high cost of living, the rise in gasoline prices. In the middle of a verse, he even shouts: "Let's pardon Sofri!"
"Black or White" is a rap with poorly mixed background music, it talks about racism in an extremely superficial and almost childish way (I laughed so much with this piece).
"Wrong Day" is a ballad with choruses sung by some child, also bordering on plagiarism as it eerily reminds me of "We Are The World". Its difference may be the poor quality of the arrangements.
"Fried Green Squids" is a psychedelic, intricate, and nauseating instrumental. The electric guitar of Rock John here has a distorted sound, it's really hard to follow... a failed attempt to imitate Hendrix?
Anyone who happens to come across one of his concerts in some small town square this summer (as he claims to be touring all over Italy) should lend an ear to listen for a few minutes... LAUGHTER GUARANTEED!