Stadio
La Faccia delle Donne

Days ago I was reflecting. Reflecting on certain people who believed (and still believe), without ifs and buts, that the 80s were "cursed," in a negative sense. Honestly, for those with a modicum of rationality, such an outburst can only be false and absolutely far from what that decade offered. I belong to that category of people who see the 80s as a period not sufficiently understood. A period that brought many good things, even in terms of pop.

And precisely pop is what I'm going to talk about. It was a time when the charts had an almost perfect balance between quality and quantity of records sold. I think of "La Voce Del Padrone" by Franco Battiato, maybe even "So" by Peter Gabriel (even if it's not strictly pop)... and I also think of Stadio.

Yes, Stadio, one of the most significant bands of that era. The majestic voice of Gaetano Curreri, the guitar of Ricky Portera, the arrangements of Fabio Liberatori, and the skill behind the drums of Giovanni Pezzoli (today the only remaining member of the band along with Curreri), are surely factors that make a band like this unique in its genre.

And, after a good self-titled album in 1982, it was in 1984 that they received their definitive "consecration" with this "La Faccia Delle Donne".

An album characterized by skillful collaborations with artists such as Luca Carboni, Lucio Dalla, Ron, and even the still valid (at the time) Vasco Rossi. The latter contributed twice: first by signing what is perhaps one of their best songs: "Acqua e Sapone". A portrait of that Natasha Hovey whom our Carlo Verdone was in love with in the eponymous film, the second gift to that character after "Chi Te L'Ha Detto?" previously featured in "Borotalco"; and then dueting with Curreri himself in the very amusing title track, which offers a panorama of all the kinds of faces women can have.

It doesn't lack melancholy ("Dentro Le Scarpe", "C'è", "Non Sai Cos'è"), anger ("Ti Senti Sola"), eroticism seen from its most comic side ("Porno In TV", also featuring a Liberatori at his best) and a successful foray into Sanremo ("Allo Stadio").

"La Faccia Delle Donne" certainly represents the highest point of Stadio's career, even though it doesn't mean they haven't made other great albums ("Canzoni Alla Radio", "Siamo Tutti Elefanti Inventati", "Stabiliamo Un Contatto").

Today they are skilled craftsmen, and Curreri, when he wants, still writes beautiful songs, but an album like this should never be forgotten.

And if someone wanted to consign it to oblivion, one should run to recover it as soon as possible, dust off the cover of the CD (or the surface of the vinyl) and keep that work as a memory of that beautiful pop, never boring, catchy, and real at the same time.

And while I think about this, I look at today's mass media, which have the audacity to define the almost terrible "Safari" by Jovanotti as the album of 2008, and I look at our top 3 in the charts, including Pausini, Ferreri, and Grandi. I can only feel ashamed and tell myself that 80s pop like that of Stadio was and will remain part of music history, not disposable stuff.

And this is an objective fact, for a timeless album like this.