Italian Prog Superpost- Balletto Di Bronzo Discography

"Il Balletto Di Bronzo" was formed in Naples (and not in Rome as i said in the last post dedicated to this group) in late 60's, with initial name of "I Battitori Selvaggi". They changed name in "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" with the entry of great guitarist Lino Ajello. The inspiration for the name came from a picture of a 40's painter, if i remember correctly same William Warthwords (please excuse if the name is incorrect, if someone knows this artist, please comment).

The title of this picture was just "The Bronze Ballet".

The band made two or three good beat's singles in 1968/1970 (See the "Il Re Del Castello" abum, that contains too some spanish versions of first songs). After this, the band works to the first masterpiece of his discography: the "Sirio 2222" album. Even if the beat footprint is evident (we are in 1970), the music is just hard rock, the songs are all good. The title song is a very beautiful song, long and particular, with space atmospheres and a great vocal work, the only real prog song of this album. Very good the vocal work of Mr. Cecioni, who badly after this album leaves the band, with the entry of the Genius in person, Mr. Gianni Leone. So, the line up of "Il Re Del Castello" and "Sirio 2222" was: Marco Cecioni (Lead vocals), Michele Cupaiolo (Bass guitar), Lino Ajello (Lead guitar) and Giancarlo Stinga (Drums).

In 1971 Gianni Leone, who listened to "Sirio 2222" and was very excited by the musical potential of the band, enters the group along with bassist Vito Manzanari (Cecioni and Cupaiolo, in the same time, were out for personal reasons). With this line up, Mr. Leone made real the project that was in his mind by same times: it was YS, the second masterpiece of BDB, the subject of my third "Italian prog masterworks" post. After one other year spent in live concerts (we are in 1973) "Il Balletto Di Bronzo" sadly desbanded (In that time the band lived all togheter with other freaks in one hippy farm, that was not an ideal and distensive situation after the concerts to relax and to have no stress).

In the late 90's, Gianni Leone reforms the band, with Marco Capozi at bass and Adolfo Ramundo at drums (the guitar parts are played at keyboards by the same Leone). With this new line-up, in 1999, the band registers the live album "Trys", who includes a complete live version of "YS" album, plus others BDB songs and some "Leo Nero" songs (Gianni Leone's alter ego in solo production).

And this is too the subject of the fourth album of this superpost: the Leone's solo album "Leo Nero- 1977- Vero", that i enclose as special bonus for lovers of this fantastic band (this is a very hard to find album, badly only at 128kbs.).

I miss in BDB discography only the english version of some or all songs of "YS" album, because i haven't them, but i am sure that it exist (as bonus tracks in some past edition of YS in cd, or as singular cd, i don't remember). It would be great, Colin, if you would enclude the "YS" english version in your wishlist... Thank you in advance...

So, people, we are going to begin:

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1969/70- Il Re Del Castello (Compilation of rare singles)

Tracklist:

1- Accidenti

2- Il re del castello

3- Neve calda

4- Accidenti II

5- Eternità

6- Nieve calda (Spanish version)

7- Si mama ma (Spanish version)

Link

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1970- Sirio 2222

Tracklist:

1- Un posto

2- Eh eh ah ah

3- Neve calda

4- Ma ti aspetterò

5- Meditazione

6- Girotondo

7- Incantesimo

8- Ti risveglierai con me

9- Missione Sirio 2222

Link

Il Balletto Di Bronzo- 1999- Trys (Live)

Tracklist:

01- La discesa nel cervello

02- Tastiere isteriche

03- Marcia in sol minore

04- Donna Vittoria

05- Optical surf beat

06- Introduzione

07- Primo incontro

08- Secondo incontro

09- Terzo incontro/epilogo

10- Technoage

11- Love in the kitchen

Link

Bonus album: Leo Nero- 1977- Vero (Gianni Leone Solo)

Tracklist:

01- Scarpette di raso blu

02- Sono stanco anche io

03- La luce

04- Tu ti ricorderai di me

05- La bambola rotta

06- Tastiere isteriche

07- Il castello

08- La discesa nel cervello

09- Rock'n'roll cat

10- Una gabbia per me

Link

Cheers.

Vinyl Trail

Off on a Vinyl hunt (holiday) for a couple of weeks So there wont be much going on on the blog front (From me anyway). I do have a couple of posts ready to go so if I get the chance I will post them while I am away (dependent on getting access to a pc).The first week I am away I am spending in my home town of Edinburgh with my family and friends (I dont get there as often as I would like). The last time I was there I found a couple of tremendous second hand record shops but I just didn't have the time or money to give them my full attention( I hope they are still there!!!) . This time however( if I can keep myself sober long enough) I plan to spend as much time as possible trawling through the endless racks of vinyl on offer who knows what little gems I might find

OH and here is something to keep you going just in case I dont get anywhere near a pc

Clive Burrs Escape BBC Session 3 tracks not the best audio in the world but it does showcase what a great band they could have been

The Tracks

1 - Top of The Mountain  4:03

2 - Romancer  3:18

3 - Don't Take No Prisoner  3:36

The Link

See you in two to three weeks time

Abominogjnr

Notorious- 1990- Notorious

Tracklist:

01- The Swalk

02- This Night

03- You Need More

04- Arianne

05- Losing You

06- Radio Silence

07- Eyes Of The World

08- Touch

09- Love Fades

10- I Believe In You

This album is a creature of two men: Robin George (David Byron and Magnum guitarist) and Sean Harris (Former "Diamond Head" lead vocalist). At drums Mr Jim Simpson (Magnum, Ufo, Budgie) and at backing vocals, with other singers, Mr Glenn Hughes.

This album was released in America for only three weeks before being delected (killed by a change of staff at the record company- Geffen Records?)

For me, this is a good rock album, even if in some momentsa little too pop.
Album like this are, in my opinion, the ideal listen when you drive your car, the sound is a little fm, a little pop with a strong rock (some time hard) influence, but this mix results an easy listening when you are in the city's traffic.

Album Link




Just As an add on to this post here is the Single from the album
"The Swalk"
2 of the tracks are identical to the album release but it also gives you an extended version of "The Swalk"
Interestingly my copy includes the Bronze Lable Logo I seem to remember reading somewhere that this was an ill fated attempt to revive the label by Robin and Sean or perhaps they were just hoping that by using the image it might open a few more doors

1 The Swalk 4:26
2 Eyes of the world 4:06
3 The Swalk (Electric Mix) 5:36

Single Link

The Sweet - Live At The Marquee

Recorded live at the Marquee club, London, 1986 With 4 bonus Studio Tracks

The Sweet 1985 L-R

Mal McNulty
Phil Lanzon
Andy Scott
Mick Tucker
Paul Mario Day   

 SWEET'S ORIGINS
Sweet's origins go back to 1965, with UK soul  band Wainwright's Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Ian Gillan. The group were limited to small UK clubs playing a mixture of rhythm and blues and psychedelia. Gillan quit in May 1965 to join Episode Six, and, later, Deep Purple. Gillan's eventual replacement was vocalist Brian Connolly. Tucker and Connolly remained with Wainwright's Gentlemen until early 1968.


In January 1968, Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker left Wainwright's Gentlemen to form another band, calling themselves The Sweetshop. They recruited the bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Priest of a local band called The Army, who had previously played with another local band The Countdowns. Frank Torpey, a friend of Tucker's, was recruited to play guitar. It did not take long for Sweetshop to develop a following on the pub circuit and they were signed to the Fontana record label. At the time, another UK band released a single under the same name Sweetshop, so the band changed the name to The Sweet. Their debut single "Slow Motion" (July 1968) failed to chart. Sweet was released from the recording contract and Frank Torpey left. Steve Priest in his autobiography says Gordon Fairminer was approached to play for them when Torpey decided to leave but turned the job down as he wanted to concentrate on other interests.

Fox on the Run - Live at the Marquee

SWEET 1978 - 1991
Between March and May 1978 Sweet extensively toured the USA. On this occasion, however, they had been reduced in status to a support act for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. The tour included a disastrous date in Birmingham, Alabama at which visiting Capitol Records executives in the audience were to see Brian Connolly give a drunken and incoherent performance that terminated early in the set with his collapse on stage leaving the rest of the group to play on without him. The band regrouped in England before resuming the US tour in late May supporting Seger and other acts, including Foghat and Alice Cooper, until they returned to the UK in early July. The band began work on their next album in mid-August with writing sessions at Clearwell Castle. Unfortunately, Brian's alcoholism  was steadily becoming a greater issue. Although all the Sweet members lived the extreme rock lifestyle during the 70s - with alcohol, drugs, and women, among other things - the others were not as severely affected as Connolly. Andy Scott told Mojo magazine in 2008: "I think we'd known there was a problem [with Brian] as far back as the first U.S. tour in 1975. We'd say: 'Let's try having a non-drinking day' but it was hard." However, the band left Clearwell in late September with some promising material.

In late October Sweet arrived at The Town House studio in Shepherds Bush, London to write and record new material for their next album. A number of tracks featuring Connolly were recorded but were deemed unsatisfactory and his contributions were erased from the ensuing album Cut Above The Rest. Two tracks featuring Brian on lead vocals, "That Girl" and "Stay With Me", remain from the sessions.

On February 23, 1979, Brian Connolly's departure from Sweet was announced. Publicly, Connolly was said to be pursuing a solo career with an interest in recording country rock. Sweet continued as a trio with Scott and Priest now both handling lead vocals (Scott says that Ronnie James Dio, who'd just departed from Rainbow, was approached in January 1979 to join as the group's new singer. But Priest disputes this. At any rate, Dio ended up joining Black Sabbath shortly thereafter). Keyboard player Gary Moberley continued to augment the group on stage and on record and guitarist Ray McRiner also joined their touring lineup in 1979 as well as contributing songs to their next album, Waters Edge, which was released in Europe under that title and as Sweet VI in the U.S. One more studio album, Identity Crisis, was recorded in 1980-81 and Sweet performed their last live show at Glasgow University on March 20th, 1981. They disbanded in 1982.

Ballromm Blitz - Live at the Marquee

In 1985, Scott and Tucker re-formed Sweet with new players, singer Paul Mario Day (ex-Iron Maiden, More, Wildfire), keyboardist Phil Lanzon (ex-Grand Prix, Lionheart; now with Uriah Heep), and bass player Malcolm McNulty (who is now lead singer for fellow glam rockers Slade). Priest was asked to join Tucker and Scott for a 1986 Australian tour, but he declined. Singer Day ended up marrying the band's Australian tour guide and relocating down under. He continued with Sweet for a bit, commuting back & forth to Europe for the group's tours until this proved to be too cumbersome. He departed in late 1988. As McNulty moved into the front man spot, Jeff Brown came in to take over bass early in 1989. Lanzon too went back and forth between Sweet and Uriah Heep during 1986-1988 before Heep's schedule grew too busy. Ian Gibbons (who had played with The Kinks and The Records) and then Malcolm Pearson both filled in for Lanzon until Steve Mann (ex-Liar, Lionheart, McAuley Schenker Group) arrived in December 1989 for a five and a half year term. In 1991, Tucker departed due to ill health.

With former More lead singer Paul Mario Day taking over the vocal duties from Brian Connoly, Sweet's Live at the Marquee actually stands up quite sufficiently throughout the 11 live tracks, peaking the energy levels and carrying out their hits with surprising intensity. Rockers like "Sweet F.A.," "No You Don't," "Ballroom Blitz," and "Fox on the Run" are performed with genuine enthusiasm, as both Tucker and Scott sound like they want to be there. While Brian Connoly (who passed away in 1997) is obviously missed behind the microphone, Day holds his own, especially on "Love Is Like Oxygen," which is reinforced by stone-heavy guitar riffs and dominating keyboards from Phil Lanzon(Uriah Heep). The four studio tracks, on the other hand, fail to keep the power rush alive, and the rendition of "Reach Out (I'll Be There )" is too far out of context to even be considered as novel. With drum solos and guitar segues adding to Live at the Marquee's tireless pace, the album ends up being a fine example of some well-built, on-stage rock & roll

 The Tracks

1.    Action  
2.    Sweet FA  
3.    Love Is Like Oxygen
4.    Restless  
5.    No You Don't
6.    Guitar Segue
7.    Someone Else Will  
8.    Drum Solo  
9.    Set Me Free
10.    Ballroom Blitz
11.    Fox On The Run

Studio Tracks
12.    Shot Down In Flames (Day,Lanzon,Scott)
13.    Over My Head (Day,Lanzon,Scott)
14.    Jump The Fence (Day,Lanzon,Scott)

15.    Reach Out ... (I'll Be There)

Link

Life- 1974- Life After Death

Tracklist:

01- Riding Around

02- Opus

03- I don't Want To...

04- Black Eye

05- Highway

06- Sleepless Night

07- Woman

08- Looking Out

09- Everibody's Queuing

10- The Plank

11- Devil In The River

In the Uriah Heep inspired bands, this group has a special place: the UH reminescence begin in the cover, where the band is web covered like David Byron in "Very Eavy Very Umble".

But the reminds to UH are in music too: distinct shades of UH persist through all the songs of this fantastic album.

For some reason that i don't know this is a misterious album: i look in the web to find some information about this album or about the components of the band Life, but i can't find nothing.

The only thing that i can say is that this is the only album of Life, released by Polydor Records in 1974 and, strangely, never reissued.

So this is a vinyl rip (not mine, downloaded from peer to peer some months ago) and probably this is the only chance that you have to listen to this good hard prog act (because collectors drop heavy money for this album's original).

If someone has some information about this curious and misterious record, please post in the comments.

Finally one curiosity that i note: in some of the songs, you can hear birds singing (like in "The Park" from UH's Salisbury). If you hear with attention (but without too...) the final notes of the last song, you'll know how the birds end.

Life, cruel but Life.

Link

The Enid

 This was a two record set that THE ENID recorded and distributed themselves I bought these at a gig in Edinburgh back in the dim and distant past. If I remeber correctly I.Q were the support (remember them?)
I was sufficiantly impressed with the music to buy these at the end of the gig although I do remember that it was not much of an entertaining show visually.Basically five guys stood there for a couple of hours and played music, there was little or no audience interaction as this double live set will show

 FROM THE BACKSIDE OF VOL 1

...........................................................................................

This recording was made on the 3rd of march 1979 in a packed house at the hammersmith odeon.

the sound is live.which means nothing has been subtracted from the original sound.Some additions have been made to enhance the overall effect of the heavier passages - ie extra percussion on Fand and extra brass on Judgement.

Judgement and In the Region of the Summer Stars are actually one piece of music consisting of two movements with a bridge passage linking the two.The first part describes the very last hours of life on planet Earth as prophisised in the revelation of St John. The second part is a vision of  eternity

From North,South,East and West the Four horsemen of the Apocalypse make the final ride.Gradually the music gathers up the drama untill all four horsemen converge on Bethlehem.The great Trumpets of the angels are now heard against the thundering drums.The Archangel Michael majestically appears with a sword in one hand and a firebrand in the other.As he strikes the five great hammer blows, the light of the World stands above all the clamour shining with the radiance of a thousand suns.Suddenly, all is calm - a lone Trumpet calls in the wind.....

The Region of the Summer Stars is a place of paradice where all souls live forever as members one of another, and in a state of such peace as passes all understanding.

The Song Fand is the same story but from a personal point of view. It is a message of hope for each one of us who can make friends with grief and despair,Disease and old age, and above all with love and death.

Anyone who will go down this road will surely find that personal peace of mind and spirit which is utterly unassailable

With Love

THE ENID

FROM THE BACKSIDE OF VOL's 1 & 11

.......................................................................................

This album will never
be available in a shop
and has been produced
specially for sale directly
to you from The Enid.

(As was printed on both albums)

I feel quite safe offering this on the blog as obviouslly a 30 year old vinyl album that had a private pressing and the promise it would never be available anywhere else could surley never be found on CD !!!

Or could it

Links Will Follow
Two Days After Yesterday

Having spent the best part of 4 hours recording a cleaning these albums i found the official ENID website and they are offering their entire back catalouge in either mp3 or flac, for nothing all they ask for is a donation 

So if you have come onto this post looking for a download you can have it but you will have to go here first

Recommended albums

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY (1983) 

Touch Me

Live At Hammersmith

Uriah Heep - Croyden 1971

The show was apparently recorded at The Greyhound in Croydon on 21st of November 1971During  the Look At Yourself tour (which subsequently turned into a punk club and now no longer exists) . At just over 30 minutes long, it includes only two songs but these are among the longest in Heeps back catalogue namely :- Salisbury and July Morning.

The Greyhound(Renamed the Blue Orchid) as it looks now

I believe this is the earliest known recording of July Morning and conversly this tour must have been the last time Salisbury was played

Not a bad quality recording for it's time

On a personal note I absolutley love hearing Salisbury live (as this was the Song that got me into Heep in the first place) and its great to note that it does not lose any of it's energy without the orchestra 

Tracks

01  Salisbury  - 17:31

02  July Morning - 11:29

Enjoy

Link