Goblin (also Back to the Goblin, New Goblin, Goblin Rebirth, the Goblin Keys, The Goblins and
Claudio Simonetti's Goblin) is an Italian progressive rock band known for their soundtrack work. They frequently collaborate with Dario Argento, most notably creating soundtracks for Profondo Rosso in 1975 and Suspiria in 1977. CD re-releases of their soundtracks have performed well, especially in Germany and Japan. Goblin returned with a series of live concerts in Europe in 2009 and in North America in 2013.
Initially recording as Cherry Five (they had done some live gigs as Oliver), their early work spawned
one eponymous progressive rock record, and they were then called in to compose the soundtrack for Profondo Rosso. The band changed their name to Goblin, rewriting most of the score, originally written by Giorgio Gaslini including the famous main theme. The 1975 soundtrack album was a huge hit. After a reshuffle in their line-up, they put out an instrumental progressive rock album Roller, before working with Argento again for 1977's Suspiria.
Other film soundtracks and a concept album (Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark) followed, then the score for the European version of George A. Romero's 1978 Dawn of the Dead. In both this and Suspiria's opening title sequences, they are credited as "The Goblins with Dario Argento". Tracks 1, 2 and 7 from the European version are also in the American version of the film.
Despite their success, membership continued to be a revolving door. The remaining members continued to work on further soundtracks, and there was a partial reunification of three of the four band-members for Argento's Tenebrae (1982), the album was credited to the three band-members, not as Goblin. The last collaboration with Argento took place in 2001, with the film Sleepless.
At the beginning of 1975, the band began a cooperation with Giorgio Gaslini on the Profondo rosso film project. The band replaced Martino (who went on to join the band Libra) with Agostino Marangolo (of the band Flea on the Honey/Flea/Etna) during this period. Martino recorded on all but two cuts of Profondo rosso.
By chance, after three or four days of recording, Gaslini left the film after a conflict with Dario Argento, so Argento decided to try the band's hand at composing, giving them one night to write a
score, and one day to record it. To distinguish this new release from their first LP which was just about to be marketed, the band changed their name again, this time to Goblin. Their success exceeded all expectations: more than one million copies sold, enjoying 52 weeks on the Italian hit charts and ranking first in both the singles and LP categories. It launched a highly successful period for the band, which came to an end in 1978 when the band split after the recording of Dario Argento's cut of George Romero's Zombi (also known as Dawn of the Dead). (On the score for the European version of the soundtrack, they were credited as "The Goblins.")
The soundtrack to the film Deep Red was mainly composed and performed by Goblin. Director Dario Argento had originally contacted jazz pianist and composer Giorgio Gaslini to score the film, but he
was unhappy with his output, deeming it "awful". After failing to get Pink Floyd to write music for the film, Argento turned back to Italy and found Goblin. In the final score, only three of Gaslini's original themes were retained; however, in the film's original theatrical release, Gaslini was given full composer credit for the entire score, while Goblin were wrongly credited only as performers [i.e. "Music by Giorgio Gaslini, performed by Goblin"].
[ AllMusic Review by Donald A. Guarisco [-]
This 1975 soundtrack made an impressive debut for Goblin, a legendary group of Italian soundtrack specialists. Originally known as "the Cherry Five," this quintet was commissioned by Italian director
Dario Argento to create a soundtrack for his terrifying thriller Profondo Rosso. The resulting album took the group to the top of the Italian charts and helped them build a worldwide cult reputation. Profondo Rosso is an ambitious affair that blends jazz, prog rock, and heavy metal into an effective and totally distinctive style. The title track is an impressive exercise in dynamics, building tension as it moves back and forth between a quiet, intricate riff doubled on acoustic guitar and keyboard, with a full-blooded variation of that theme led by surging, gothic-sounding organ.
Other highlights include "Death Dies," a frantic piece of jazz whose pounding piano riff was later
sampled by Beck, and "Mad Puppet," an atmospheric excursion that slowly adds layers of keyboard to a hypnotic, serpentine bass riff. However, the cut that prog buffs will probably like most is "Deep Shadows," a frenetic slice of King Crimson-style jazz-rock that slows down midway for a dazzling mid-tempo section where a mesmerizing rolling piano line duels it out with snaky solos from the bass and electric guitar. All in all, Profondo Rosso is a powerful album that will appeal to both soundtrack fans and prog rock addicts.]
Deep Red (Italian: Profondo rosso), also known as The Hatchet Murders, is a 1975 Italian giallo film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. It stars David Hemmings as a musician who investigates a series of murders performed by a mysterious figure wearing black leather gloves. The cast also stars Daria Nicolodi (Argento's then-wife), Gabriele Lavia, Macha Meril, and Clara Calamai.
The film was released during the height of the "giallo craze" of Italian popular cinema, and was a critical and commercial success. Retrospective reviews have been equally positive, and the film is considered one of the genre's definitive entries, as well as one of Argento's best works.
The film was shot mainly on-location in Turin in sixteen weeks. Additional scenes were shot in Rome
and Perugia. Argento chose Turin because at the time there were more practising Satanists there than in any other European city, excluding Lyon. He had previously shot parts of The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971) in the city. Filming locations included Santa Costanza Church and Teatro Carignano.
Deep Red was released in Milan and Rome in Italy on 7 March 1975. In the United States, the film first premiered in New York City on 9 June 1976 and saw a wide theatrical release on 11 June 1976 by the defunct US independent film distributor Howard Mahler Films. The film was once again re-released and re-titled in the US on 18 January 1980, as The Hatchet Murders.
TRACKS
CD1. Original album release (1975)
01. Profondo Rosso – 4:56
02. Death Dies – 4:42
03. Mad Puppet – 5:50
04. Wild Session – 4:59
05. Deep Shadows – 5:46
06. School at Night – 2:05
07. Gianna – 1:52
Tracks 1–3 are composed and performed by Goblin (Simonetti, Morante, Pignatelli, Martino); tracks 4 & 5 are composed by Giorgio Gaslini and performed by Goblin; tracks 6 & 7 are composed, orchestrated and conducted by Giorgio Gaslini.
MP3 @ 320 Size: 72.3 MB
Flac Size: 165 MB
CD2.
In 2005, for the film's 30th anniversary, the complete film soundtrack was re-released on CD by Cinevox, under the supervision of Claudio Simonetti. This release includes all the music featured in the film, as well as a remix of the main theme and two sound effects tracks from the film itself. The track list for this CD is as follows. (Takes Alternativi E Versioni Films)
01. Mad Puppets Laughs (Opening Intro) 0:21
02. School At Night (Lullaby - Child Version) 2:15
03. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Source #1) 1:14
04. Profondo Rosso (Paura) 1:49
05. Profondo Rosso (Paura #2) 1:00
06. School At Night (Lullaby - Instrumental Version 2:16
07. Profondo Rosso (Paura #3) 1:27
08. School At Night 2:30
09. Profondo Rosso (Paura #4) 1:05
10. School At Night (#2) 0:53
11. School At Night (Lullaby - Celesta Version) 2:29
12. Profondo Rosso (Paura #5) 0:40
13. Gianna (#2) 2:14
14. Death Dies (Film Version) 2:43
15. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Flute) 0:45
16. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Source #2) 5:15
17. Deep Shadows (Film Version) 1:54
18. Profondo Rosso (Paura #6) 2:21
19. Death Dies (Film Version #2) 2:43
20. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Source #3) 0:36
21. Deep Shadows (Film Version #2) 1:48
22. School At Night (Lullaby - Music Box Version) 2:47
23. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Source #4) 0:28
24. Deep Shadows (Film Version #3) 0:33
25. Death Dies (Film Version #3) 2:19
26. Profondo Rosso (Jazz Flute #2) 0:37
27. School At Night (Lullaby - Echo Version) 2:26
28. Profondo Rosso (Remix Version) 5:13
29. Profondo Rosso (Original Sound Effect) 4:02
MP3 @ 320 Size: 136 MB
Flac Size: 316 MB
Personnel
Walter Martino – drums, percussion
Massimo Morante – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bouzouki, vocals
Fabio Pignatelli – Fender Precision Bass (fretless), Rickenbacker bass (fretted), tabla, acoustic guitar, vocals
Claudio Simonetti – Mellotron (presets: 3-violins, church organ and 8-choir), Elka organ, Logan violin, Celesta, Fender Rhodes electric piano, grand piano, harpsichord, Moog synthesizers (Minimoog and System 55)
Giorgio Gaslini – orchestra conductor/arranger
Giorgio Agazzi – recording engineer
Uncanny. DL from the Italian smooth jazz page and found all kinds of gems to open musical horizons.
ReplyDeleteThere is always something waiting to be heard that will make your day.
Putting FLAC on laptop HDD that was added to desktop machine with SATA adapter and they sound incredible!
For a fun lighthearted LOL! read look up Ass Goblins of Auschwitz by Cameron Pierce.
ReplyDelete"Mad Puppets" was sampled by a band called Psychonauts in a track called "Circles" from their first album "Songs for creatures" (2002 - reissued 2009)
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