EMISFERO BOREALE

Emisfero Boreale biography
Founded from the initiative of Banana Joker, Emisfero Boreale was formed in 1978 within the "Collettivo di Iniziativa Musicale" of Milan, a project of musical and cultural aggregation, active since 1977 and in which two other musical groups gravitated, including the group "Divieto di Sosta Expedition" of which Banana Joker himself was a part.

The first line-up of Emisfero Boreale included Banana Joker (12-string acoustic guitar and rhythm guitar), Paolo de Simone (electric guitar), Maurizio "Icio" Petrossi (electric guitar, bass and drums) and occasionally Diego Pasini (drums).

A few months later, the group brought together two other members of the "Collettivo di Iniziativa Musicale": Alberto "Pepè" Petrossi (bass guitar) and Mattia Giorgietti (electric guitar), who together with Banana Joker would form the nucleus of the group until it disbanded in 1993.

Between 1978 and 1981, the basic line-up consisting of Banana Joker (12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar and keyboards), Mattia Giorgietti (electric guitar, keyboards, Roland GR500 synth guitar) and Alberto "Pepè" Petrossi (electric bass). Different formations would alternate in the first period. These included: Marco Olgiati (percussions and drums), Maurizio Donà (drums), Fatima Ahmed (vocals), Pippo Asta (flute and sax), Stefano Castoldi (drums) and Maurizio "Icio" Petrossi (electric guitar).

The debut concert took place in the era of "sei politico" (a political initiative of the students movement), in a crowded auditorium of the IPS "Cesare Correnti"; the band performed using acoustic and electronic sounds and including "experiments" such as an "electronic" edition of a hypothetical TG2 (TV news) of the future.

Emisfero Boreale subsequently performed mainly at popular festivals or in high school halls, often with the participation of Chus Fernandez (electric bass), a Spanish bass player with recording experience in the progressive rock and jazz area, and Diego Pasini (drums).

At the same time the group undertook its first experiences in the recording studio with the musical consultancy of William Marino, guitarist and expert in electronic music who had already established himself through his involvement in various Italian record productions and who had also played lead guitar in a couple of songs.