Delirium: '71 - '75 (2005)

 

Delirium is an important band in the history of Italian progressive rock music, having been active

since 1970. They originally formed in Genoa during the late 1960s as I SAGITTARI and their line-up consisted of Ettore Vigo (keyboards), Peppino Di Santo (drums, vocals), Mimmo Di Martino (acoustic guitar) and Marcello Reale (bass). The later arrival of Ivano Fossati (vocals, keyboards, flute) completed the band, whose early musical style was a mix of the so-called Italian melodic tradition and UK progressive influences, in particular KING CRIMSON and COLOSSEUM.
                  

Their first album, the rough-hewn ''Dolce Acqua'' (1971), was one of the earliest Italian progressive albums and is a conceptual suite with each of its eight movements being based on different human

emotions. The album is mainly acoustic in nature and is dominated by Ivano Fossati, the prominence of whose flute has drawn comparisons with Ian Anderson. While ''Dolce Acqua'' undoubtedly has a strong folk atmosphere, Fossati's flute is really the only similarity with JETHRO TULL. It wasn't as successful as some of the other big Italian albums that were released in 1971, but the band enjoyed much better fortunes on the festival circuit.
                        

In 1972 they took part in the Sanremo song festival and had a massive hit single as a result of their

televised performance. Fossati subsequently left to embark on a solo career and was replaced by English musician Martin Frederick Grice (vocals, flute, saxophone) who joined from THE BO BO'S BAND, a beat band that also included future members of AREA. Delirium's growing reputation was enhanced by further competition victories, television appearances and hit singles, but this commercial approach wasn't typical of the music on their albums.
              

After Fossati's departure and the arrival of Grice, DELIRIUM moved in a more progressive direction. Their second album ''Lo Scemo E Il Villaggio'' (1972) is notable for its blending of

progressive and jazz music, and for Grice's liberal use of the saxophone. In spite of, or because of, this change of musical direction the album didn't enjoy the success it arguably deserved. Perhaps the public had expected another ''Dolce Acqua''. There was no such problem with their next release, ''Delirium III - Viaggio Negli Arcipelaghi del Tempo'' (1974). A work of great maturity that until recently was considered to be their masterpiece, it was also their most symphonic and progressive to date.
                  

Delirium made use of a string section on this album and it also featured Mimmo Di Martino playing electric guitar for the first time. Further personnel changes ensued when Di Martino and Grice quit in

1975, Grice being replaced by multi-instrumentalist Rino Dimopoli. The revised line-up released a single but they lacked the motivation to carry on, due to the disinterest of the public and critics, and the band split in 1975. Several former members (Dimopoli, Reale, Di Santo) attempted to revive the band in 1996 but the real reunion came about when Vigo, Di Santo and Grice got together and, through their new association with Black Widow Records, released the live album ''Vibrazioni Notturne'' in 2007.

                    

DISCOGRAPHY 1971 - 1975

1971 – Dolce acqua (Fonit Cetra LPX 11)
1972 – Lo scemo e il villaggio (Fonit Cetra LPX 18)
1974 – Delirium III - Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo (Fonit Cetra LPX 29)

                                 

Delirium – '71-'75
Label: Warner Strategic Marketing Italy – 5050467-7070-2-3
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered
Country: Europe
Released: 2005
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

CD1. Total Time: 1:18:08
I. DOLCE ACQUA  1971

                         

          
01. Preludio (Paura)   3:56
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta
02. Movimento I (Egoismo)   4:40
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta
03. Movimento II (Dubbio)   3:24
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta
04. To Satchmo, Bird And Other Unforgettable Friends  (Dolore)    5:41
Written-By – M. Magenta
05. Sequenza I E II (Ipocrisia E Verità)   3:35
Written-By – M. Magenta
06. Johnnie Sayre (Il Perdono)   4:57
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta
07. Favola O Storia Del Lago Di Kriss (Libertà)   4:22
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta
08. Dolce Acqua (Speranza)   5:51
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. Magenta

SINGLE 1971        

                       

  
09. Canto Di Osanna   4:46
Written-By – I. Fossati, N. Di Palo
10. Deliriana   3:33
Written-By – N. Di Palo

A SIDE OF SINGLE 1972        

                         

11.Jesahel   4:08
Written-By – I. Fossati, O. Prudente

II. LO SCEMO E IL VILLAGGIO  1972         

                        

  
12. Villaggio   5:13
Written-By – Mag Meg
13. Tremori Antichi   2:21
Written-By – Mag Meg, M. La Luce
14. Gioia, Disordine, Risentimento   7:17
Written-By – Mag Meg, M. La Luce
15. La Mia Pazzia   3:26
Written-By – Mag Meg, M. La Luce
16. Sogno   5:46
Written-By – Mag Meg
17. Dimensione Uomo   4:37
Written-By – Mag Meg, M. La Luce

Flac Size: 453 MB

CD2. LO SCEMO E IL VILLAGGIO 1972 (Total Time: 1:13:09)

            
01. Culto Disarmonico   3:44
Written-By – Mag Meg
02. Pensiero Per Un Abbandono   4:37
Written-By – Mag Meg, M. La Luce

B SIDE OF SINGLE 1972        

03. King's Road (Strumentale)   4:37
Written-By – M. Magenta

A SIDE OF SINGLE 1972

                    

          
04. Haum!   3:19
Written-By – I. Fossati, O. Prudente

SINGLE 1972        

    
05. E' L'ora   3:57
Written-By – M. Lavezzi, Mogol
06. Treno   2:53
Written-By – I. Fossati, M. De Martino

III. VIAGGIO NEGLI ARCIPELAGHI DEL TEMPO  1974        

                     

  
07. Il Dono   4:16
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. La Luce
08. Viaggio Negli Arcipelaghi Del Tempo   4:38
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. La Luce
09. Fuga N. 1   6:42
Written-By – E. Vigo
10. Dio Del Silenzio   2:56
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. La Luce
11. La Battaglia Degli Eterni Piani   6:42
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. La Luce
12. Un Uomo   2:06
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. La Luce
13. Viaggio N. 2   4:25
Written-By – E. Vigo
14. Ancora Un'alba   2:47
Written-By – E. Vigo

SINGLE 1975        

                

  
15. Buana, The Rainbow   4:04
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. Reale, P. Di Santo, R. Dimopoli
16. Signore   3:58
Written By – Salvari/Written-By – E. Vigo, M. Reale, P. Di Santo, R. Dimopoli

SINGLE 1975        

    
17. Cow Boy   3:59
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. Reale, P. Di Santo, R. Dimopoli
18. Corri Bambino   2:48
Written-By – E. Vigo, M. Reale, P. Di Santo, R. Dimopoli

Flac Size: 452 MB

LINE - UP

                    

Acoustic Guitar – Ivano Fossati (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11)
Bass – Marcello Reale
Conductor [Orchestra] – Giancarlo Chiaramello (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8)
Drums – Peppino Di Santo
Flute – Ivano Fossati (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11), Martin Grice (tracks: 1-12 to 2-14)
Guitar – Mimmo Di Martino (tracks: 1-1 to 2-14), Rino Dimopoli (tracks: 2-15 to 2-18)
Keyboards – Ettore Vigo, Martin Grice (tracks: 1-12 to 2-14), Rino Dimopoli (tracks: 2-15 to 2-18)
Saxophone – Martin Grice (tracks: 1-12 to 2-14)
Vocals – Ettore Vigo, Ivano Fossati (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11), Marcello Reale, Martin Grice (tracks: 1-12 to 2-14), Mimmo Di Martino (tracks: 1-1 to 2-14), Peppino Di Santo, Rino Dimopoli (tracks: 2-15 to 2-18)

NOTES

CD reissue of the entire discography of Delirium in the seventies with the exception of 2 singles released by an independent label in the period 74-75.