All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread

jimmy_row wrote: TGM: Orb wrote: micky wrote: hahahhahah...  classic...  A good place to start with Area?..hmmm..ahhhh..  one Ryan got... Are(A)zione A live album with great cuts from their first 3 albums. Cheers. They will be put onto my 'spree after this one' list... If I'm lucky, I might be able to make my grand and subversive order tomorrow. Rob, if it helps any...I took a listen to the first half of Are(A)zione and it really is a great live album.  Because Area are very much in the jazz vein, they know how to rearrange the compositions just enough in the live arena to add that extra flair while staying true to the feel of the composition.  "La Mela di Odessa" has a hilarious section where someone in the band eats a friggin' apple on mic!  Then they procude to break out one of the greatest grooves you'll hear, complete with Demetri's all-out "pseudo-rapping".  Good stuff.

TGM: Orb wrote: Mickster, the not-much-going-back list's posted in my vanity thread. RPI is mentioned. Broad and stupidly non-specific Question: What effect did the work of the Italian prog scene have on prog music outside Italy?

just saw and commented on your list   Great choices

HUGE infuence on South American prog.. .. and the Japanese for years kept Italian prog alive. For the longest time they were the only ones who you could get many of the albums from,  before a lot of them started to be re-issued by Italian distributors like btf and Mellow.


Edited by micky - May 17 2008 at 18:26

Greg Walker (Syn-phonic) has them both but there must be somewhere in the UK that would be cheaper due to the postage thing.

Finnforest wrote: Mick, Antonius Rex is jazz-fusion???   Must be the old stuff then, can't be based on the latest.  Not that I have a solid grasp on where they should be

  I've been wondering if anyone would ever notice that... they aren't remotely J-R... A.R. is  Jacula renamed in the mid 70's

the santitizied version is J-R and the Italian team got together to move some bands last year... and higher powers stopped in and overrode the 'experts' of two teams and had all groups moved back.  So Antonius Rex sits in J-R, not with Jacula.. a laughing stalk to anyone who really knows the music. 

that is the P.C. version of what happened...  a lesson when politics overrides common sense.


Edited by micky - May 17 2008 at 19:58

Just noticed in our MySpace comments that Senza Nome has an album out since May 12th. Weren't they considered and put on hold for inclusion a few months ago?

paolo.beenees wrote: I've always thought that Antoninus Rex and Jacula are famous only because they're obscure, mysterious and hard to find. They've gained a sort of "cult" status which, IMO,  corresponds more to their attitude than to their real music achievements (overtly self-indulgent and often boring). Going back to another issue, some months ago it seemed to me that the Italian Prog team had admitted Tito Schipa Jr. to PA. Is that true? Because I cannot find a way to submit a review of his "Orfeo 9".

boriing?!  pfff   I'd say it is has a lot to having a  pretty damn unique sound as well

oh yes.. Schipa Jr.

yes he is accepted...  but some help would be great...  both the other members of the team are on extended vacations from PA's called real life commitments hahahha. So until they come back.. and until I get some of the guys here ready to step up and join the team, it's just me.  This being only one of 3 teams I'm on.   If you can write me up a good bio ..and PM it to me that would speed the process along. I'll give you full credit of course for the addition.

quick on the draw.. or just saw that first ..  posted in that thread.

LinusW wrote: Yibbideyay, what a great album Zarathustra is! If all the other recs on that list is as good as this one micky, I might have to spend all my savings to just travel over to the States and kiss you.

hahhahahhahahhaha...  well it's been two weeks since I've been kissed...  just let me know the flight number

They are...  I do think I recommended you some great ones..

LinusW wrote: It's incredibly heavy, without ever losing detail and delicacy. Such a waste we didn't get more from them.

isn't that the truth..that is Italian prog for you..

that album is one of but a handful of albums out of Italy that should be the collection of any prog fan. In the same breath as the big ones from the big boys. Not just for fans of Italian prog.. but prog period.


Edited by micky - May 18 2008 at 17:06

micky wrote: paolo.beenees wrote: I've always thought that Antoninus Rex and Jacula are famous only because they're obscure, mysterious and hard to find. They've gained a sort of "cult" status which, IMO,  corresponds more to their attitude than to their real music achievements (overtly self-indulgent and often boring). Going back to another issue, some months ago it seemed to me that the Italian Prog team had admitted Tito Schipa Jr. to PA. Is that true? Because I cannot find a way to submit a review of his "Orfeo 9". boriing?!  pfff   I'd say it is has a lot to having a  pretty damn unique sound as well

Yeah, the new one could be described many ways, but boring is not the word that comes to mind.  I've never heard his old stuff though.  He seems like a real character, that's for sure.