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Rating: 1969, Woodstock; 1970, Wight; 1972… Villa Pamphili
Well, it won't be quite the same thing, but the fifty thousand who peacefully invaded the Roman park on May 25, 26, and 27 have every right to go down in history, or maybe even History, as eyewitnesses of the most important "event" organized in those years in our country.
Three hundred lire for the ticket, eight hours of music a day - from 4 PM to midnight - live broadcasts with "Per voi giovani," the radio program remembered with affection and nostalgia by every respectable old-time enthusiast, for a musical gathering like none before and none after, much to the dismay of the various "Be in" in Naples and "Parco Lambro" in Milan, also known by the devastating label "Apocalypse of pop".
This double CD, unfortunately, does not bring back that endless concert featuring international guests like Van Der Graaf Generator, Hawkwind, and let's also include Hookfoot of Caleb Quaye, future evangelical pastor and first guitarist of Elton John. However, it has the merit of presenting studio tracks from some of the bands that participated in the three days - Banco del mutuo soccorso and The Trip (where the future Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore made a brief appearance), Osanna and New Trolls, Semiramis and Alluminogeni, Capitolo 6 (with whom a certain Francesco De Gregori collaborated) and Fholks (produced by Maurizio Vandelli and Victor Sogliani of Equipe 84), Quella vecchia locanda and Raccomandata con ricevuta di ritorno -, along with tracks (always strictly non-live) from bands barely known or entirely unknown that, rightly or wrongly, have become over time true objects of cult, the bane and blessing of vinyl collectors.
The underlying idea, which takes Villa Pamphili as a mere pretext, is to offer as comprehensive an overview as possible of Italian prog from the seventies and its origins: thus we can listen to Premiata Forneria Marconi (with "Impressioni di settembre" in the version released as a single) along with Krel, meaning PFM without Pagani ("Fin che le braccia diventino ali," side A of the only 45 released by the ex-Quelli), and Acqua fragile by Bernardo Lanzetti with "Morning comes"; the Fiori di campo of the future guitarist of Banco Marcello Todaro ("Fuori città," cover of "The thoughts of Emerlist Davejack" by Nice); the Orme of "Sguardo verso il cielo"; the Delirium of Ivano Fossati (with the all too obvious "Canto di osanna," but let he who is without sin cast the first stone).
Also represented are the contaminations with jazz - "Fata Morgana" by Perigeo, "Campagna" by Napoli Centrale, "Eh eh ah ah" by Balletto di bronzo and the Stratos-pheric "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (nero)" by Area - and with classical music, with Rovescio della medaglia ("La mia musica", precisely from "Contaminazione," one of the many little siblings given by Bacalov to "Concerto grosso" by New Trolls, here present with the not so memorable "Autostrada") and the Pierrot Lunaire of Arturo Stalteri and the late Gaio Chiocchio ("Ouverture XV"). In addition, a handful of gems (sorry for the term) and curiosities: "Fino a non poterne più" by Hunka Munka, pseudonym of Roberto Carlotto, keyboardist of Ivan Graziani's Anonima sound, a track in pure Aphrodite's Child style that sees Our Guy (famous for the toilet seat on the cover of his album "Dedicato a Giovanna G.") bravely mimicking Demis Roussos; "Il prete e il peccatore," eleven minutes and 45 seconds of J. E. T. by Piero Cassano, the late Aldo Stellita, and Carlo Marrale, future Matia Bazar (where they would be joined by Giancarlo Golzi, drummer of Museo Rosenbach of "L’ultimo uomo"); "Luna Park" by the aforementioned Semiramis, with the not yet Sanremo-famous Michele Zarrillo (guitar and vocals) and Giampiero Artegiani (guitar and keyboards).
And - referring to the tracklist for all others - let's also add "Il calore umano" by Volo, with Radius and Lorenzi ex-Formula 3, Mario Lavezzi ex-Camaleonti, Gianni Dall’Aglio ex-Rebelli, plus Bob Callero and "the maestro" Vince Tempera.
In conclusion, a nice gift for those who were eighteen in '72, but also a useful tool (I hope!) for today's eighteen-year-olds to discover the roots of progressive made in Italy.
And realizing that things were better when they were worse.
TRACKLIST
CD 1
Banco del mutuo soccorso - "R. I. P. (Requiescant in pace)"
Balletto di bronzo - "Eh eh ah ah"
The Trip - "Una pietra colorata"
New Trolls - "Autostrada"
Festa mobile - "La corte di Hon"
Acqua fragile - "Morning comes"
Cervello - "Melos"
Perigeo - "Fata Morgana"
Quella vecchia locanda - "Villa Doria Pamphili"
Capitolo 6 - "Grande spirito"
Hunka Munka - "Fino a non poterne più"
I Krel - "Fin che le braccia diventino ali"
Osanna - "L'uomo"
Museo Rosenbach - "L'ultimo uomo"
J. E. T. - "Il prete e il peccatore"
PFM - "Impressioni di settembre"
CD 2
Il volo - "Il calore umano"
Biglietto per l'inferno - "Confessione"
Reale accademia di musica - "Il mattino"
Fholks - "Mi scorri nelle vene (Soldier in our town)"
Napoli Centrale - "Campagna"
Rovescio della medaglia - "La mia musica"
Area - "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (nero)"
Fiori di campo - "Fuori città"
Alluminogeni - "La stella di Atades"
Nuova idea - "Svegliati Edgar"
Pierrot lunaire - "Ouverture XV"
Delirium - "Canto di osanna"
Raccomandata con ricevuta di ritorno - "Su una rupe"
Semiramis - "Luna park"
Jumbo - "Suite per il signor K: Dio è"
Le Orme - "Sguardo verso il cielo"
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