Squallor
Cambiamento

"Albachiava, and you don't know what it is...

There's a bean just waiting for you..."

Change, both in name and in fact.

Before Latte e i Suoi Derivati, before Elio e le Storie Tese, even before Skiantos, there was a band, originating from Naples, that sparked a certain kind of comedic rock which still has its fans today. Behind this project were initially five young men united by the desire to have fun: Alfredo Cerruti, Daniele Pace, Totò Savio, Giancarlo Bigazzi, and Elio Gariboldi (the latter present only on the first album, "Troia").

From there, a series of interesting works followed (the various "Palle", "Scoraggiando", "Pompa", etc.), along with a few films ("Arrapaho" and "Uccelli D'Italia", which became staples of 1980s trash), and a career that continued even after Pace’s passing from a heart attack (1985). Luckily, this did not prevent the band from producing more notable pieces (our local "We Are The World" dubbed "USA For Italy", "Kaptain Of The Katz", or the various episodes of the Pierpaolo saga).

But I'd like to focus on an album that perhaps wasn't understood as it should have been.

"Cambia Mento", released in 1994, whose title is almost a double entendre. On one hand, it's due to the sounds present in the album, on the other, perhaps due to Savio’s health problems at the time, resulting from throat cancer, rendering him without vocal cords so only Cerruti could handle the vocal parts.

In short, things aren't looking too great on the personal side for Squallor. However, this album, like those before it, features two masterpieces of note: the first is "Albachiava", a true jibe at Vasco Rossi (with sounds reminiscent of the aforementioned's evergreen) sung by the never-forgotten Gigi Sabani (!), characterized by a finale that can have you rolling with laughter ("Ciao pubblico!", "There's no one, you're all alone!"), the second is "Pierpaolo Sabato Sera", yet another chapter in the Pierpaolo saga, this time focused on the nightclub scene (the dance-worthy groove is proof).

Nonetheless, there are other very worthwhile moments in their typical style, such as the romantic "Filumena" (also sung by Sabani), "Berta 2: Il Cambiamento" (17 years after the first act), "Preservame Atù" (a play on love and condoms), and the classic humorous narratives typical of Cerruti ("Acqua Marcia", "Mafia").

The album, unfortunately, would be a flop, and it's no coincidence that today it is almost impossible to find.

But those who have a copy should rejoice.

Today, Squallor are still alive, even though they have also lost Savio, who passed away in 2004 due to liver problems. A return is not ruled out, and if it ever happens, well... we'll be ready to welcome Bigazzi and Cerruti with open arms!

"Berta, come down, my pants are about to burst!"