In Italy, around the end of the 60's, the success of a singer or a vocal-instrumental band started normally with light songs. Every band, (with a variable number of members), had two main characteristics: a handsome leading singer to please female public and a repertory of catchy songs. Generally songs were cover of American or English successes and lyrics were very far from the original meaning; until Battisti coming, the choice of these songs was the most creative moment in a band's whole production.

I Quelli (Them), that is to say Franz Di Cioccio, Franco Mussida, Flavio Premoli and Giorgio Piazza, were different than any other band. All the members used to sing in turn and they were all obsessed by care every time they had to face musical parts and live performance. They were discovered and employed by the most important arrangers of the time, such as: Reverberi, Massara and Mariano; they started to go often to the recording studios and to co-operate with the most important Italian artists such as: Lucio Battisti, Mina, Adriano Celentano and Fabrizio De André. They were even invited to record the musical basis for other successful bands. I Quelli's records had a fairly good success, but they were well known in music business because in a short time they become the most wanted and appreciated band in the session men's circle.

TOP

The beginning of their fortune started at the end of the sixties, because the fading of the most successful bands, except some rare case of artistic longevity as, for example, Nomadi or Pooh, coincided with the raising of progressive music. The progressive music was a new current (later called pop music), where fragments of classic music, jazz, popular music and rock came together. It was an interesting melting pot of ideas where it was possible to give free play to one's total creativity. I Quelli wished to become more than simple accompanist and their wish grew in the same period when the most significant way to communicate with young people was instruments' language. They were pushed to find a new identity by these new ferments added to their great discographical redemption wish. The new identity had to sound different than the very tested scheme they have called "Chitabasbatorga" .This strange idiom come from the initial of the instruments of the original set of the band : Chitarra (guitar) basso(Bass)batteria (Drums), organo (Keyboard). Things started to change. They become The Krell from the discographical point of view, but for their audience they were still I Quelli . One evening, while they were playing at "Paradise" club, close to Brescia, a friend told them about a violin and flute player whose expression was very close to rock style. They met Mauro Pagani during summer 1969. At that time Mauro was performing with "The Dalton", but he decided to quit them immediately and join i Quelli. It was really love at first "sound". The Krell went on performing in dance halls, but they felt a growing wish to change. They needed to find a new direction and to leave their repertoire, also because they wanted to better integrate Mauro. They needed new models, new ideas and they finally could find some in other bands' music, such as Chicago, King Crimson, Jethro Tull… These bands were used to leave or to expand the conventional song structure with the aim to offer more space to arrangements, virtuosity and improvisation. The Krell started to study and to rehearse a new repertoire, working very hard, eight hours a day, as if. Everyone who was late had to pay heavy fines and the money was used to buy new instruments and the first band's car. The metamorphosis begun.

TOP

AROUND THE WORLD

I Quelli went on in their session men activity. In 1970 something unusual happened. Within the recording of Battisti and De André records, Franz Di Cioccio was "lend" to Equipe 84. This happened because Equipe 84 was being re-launched and for this reason they were competing with Lucio Dalla at San Remo Festival. They needed a drummer for eight months and the Krell/Quelli needed to change their record company. Equipe 84 end I Quelli were owned by the same record company "Ricordi" and that was a good occasion to exchange courtesies. By lending Di Cioccio the Krell/Quelli got free from the old contract. They left Ricordi to follow other dissidents (Such as: L. Battisti, A. Colombini, Mogol), who were against the line of the Milanaise Company and who wanted to found a new record company: Numero Uno (Number One).

The opportunity to debut in the progressive current came during 1970 Sanremo Festival. I Quelli/Krell were engaged by the "Whisky Club", situated near Ariston Theatre, to perform some alternative music in a town invaded by light songs. "Please, no commercial music, only pop music transgressive energy" was the Customer's wish. During that transfer Di Cioccio's part as "lent" musician became very peculiar. From 8 PM to 11PM he performed, well dressed-up, live on TV from the Casino dance hall. Later he joined his friends at the Club, changing clothes and musical current, becoming an instinctive, sweaty rhythm machine. I Quelli's repertoire was perfect, arranged cunningly to catch the audience attention and consisted mainly in covers of particularly different songs taken from the most trendy foreign bands. Every evening the Club was invaded by people; everybody wanted to listen to the performance of the band that used to do unbelievable things. I Quelli were persuaded that was the right way to success.

TOP