During my last visit to Rome, I kept searching for a good compilation of Italian 60's garage/beat music and was surprised by how few of them circulate, when the production of beat singles in the era was massive. If only I had the time and money, I'd search for the originals 45s which I'm sure wouldn't be too hard to find. As it is, I had to make do with this compilation suggested to me by the helpful clerk (or owner) of Soul Food Records. It was issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Roman Piper Club (now 50 and going strong). An impressive feat for any night club, my twisted mind ascribed its longevity to Mafia connections (this being Italy) but an internet search didn't yield any results - either there was nothing there or the Mob actually hides its activities rather than advertise them on the net (you'd think?). Anyway, I had to give up on my aspirations of presenting a juicy story worthy of Scorsese's "Casino" and settle for one about a historic club that used to embody the essence of the Swinging 60s' Rome. All the groups on this compilation (and many more besides) played the Piper stage, for an audience of the local fashionable Mods, peppered with Italian and visiting celebrities. Most of the songs are Italian-language covers of contemporary hits. Some I spotted immediately while others required research, but below you can find mention to all the original versions next to the song titles. As most covers are rather faithful to the originals, in some cases there's no further description necessary. The album commences with "Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi" by English expats The Rokes. A pleasant enough folk-rocker but choosing this track over the amazing "Piangi Con Me" deserves criminal prosecution. Dino & The Kings play a rockabilly version of country legend Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'". Though unmentioned by the compilers, it was apparently arranged by Ennio Morricone,. Is there any genre this great composer hasn't been involved in? Rita Pavone is probably the most familiar name on the cover, and she nails The 4 Tops' "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" like an Italian Diana Ross. Equipe 84 were also very successful but their entries here are nothing special.
Franco-Egyptian singer Ricky Shayne sings the praise of Mods on "Uno Dei Mods" while Evy (another French expat) tells off pseudo-mods in "L'abito Non Fa il Beatnick" (Clothes Don't Make a Beatnik) based on Spencer Davis Group's "Keep On Running". Patty Pravo features on dozens of old photos from the Piper Club, she was evidently the club's house singer as well as its public face, with her pretty ye-ye girl looks. So, of course, she's represented by 2 songs while her backing group Cyan (consisting of English musicians-for-hire) by a further 2, sung in English for a change. The group composition "Under One Flag" even makes a rare attempt at political commentary.
Another Italian-based English group were Sopworth Camel, who later shortened their name to Camel - no relation to either the American psych band Sopwith Camel or English proggers Camel. Their version of Cream's "Sitting On The Top Of The World" is the heaviest track here. The Group's "See Saw" is apparently an R&B original, but I can't get it out of my mind that they nicked it from Ray Charles. Uncredited on the cover, it features Lucio Dalla on lead vocals. The Primitives' "Yeeeeeeh!" is a garage-soul dynamite. One of the more celebrated English imports, they spent some years in Italy, also releasing an LP there, which I have on vinyl and will present sometime. Their drummer was to find later success as a member of the Dire Straits.
The Bad Boys play bubblegum pop while The Motown play folk-rock. The Trip are a bit out of synch with the rest of the groups here, as they were progressive rather than pop. Their song "Bolero Blues" is a heavy R&B instrumental. Since there can be no 60's tribute without The Beatles, we get two Italian Beatles covers by Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi (Nelle Mani Tue/We Can Work It Out) and I Meteors (Lasciami Con Le/I Feel Fine), the latter a garagey rough live version. The Pipers' "Amore Lo Sai" is typical R&B side recorded live (where else?) at the Piper Club, while I Balordi puzzlingly chose to cover Napoleon XIV's demented novelty "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa!". The Senate's "L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore" is a soul/pop composition by this Scottish band that included future members of the Average White Band. I New Dada put in the wild rocker "Batti I Pugni", deliciously reminiscent of Hamburg-era Beatles.
Saving the best for last, we get a true kick-ass garage classic, "Un Ragazzo Di Strada" by I Corvi. I know that it's "just" a cover of The Brogues' classic nugget "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" but for once here is a cover that more than matches the originals' fire and even improves on the lyrics. No wonder it was more successful than the original ever was and has known many covers - not least by that likeable Spanish vagrant Tonino Carotone. Nowadays the Piper Club mostly operates as a techno/house club (damned Mafia had to ruin that, too!) but also sometimes hosts live indie bands. If you happen on one of those occasions, don't miss the opportunity to see a gig at a club that's witnessed acts like Pink Floyd, The Who, Procol Harum, The Byrds in their prime - not to mention the irrepressible I Corvi...
***** for I Corvi – Un Ragazzo Di Strada (I Ain't No Miracle Worker, Brogues/Chocolate Watch Band)
**** for Dino & The Kings-Così Come Sei (Hey, Good Lookin' Hank Williams),Rita Pavone-Gira Gira (Reach Out, The 4 Tops), I Dik Dik-Sognando La California (California Dreamin', Mamas and Papas), The Four Kents –Se Io Ti Regalo Un Fiore (Gimme Little Sign, Brenton Wood), Ricky Shayne – Uno Dei Mods, Wess –Senza Luce (A Whiter Shade Of Pale, Procol Harum), La Ragazza 77 –Il Beat...Cos’è (The Beat Goes On, Sonny & Cher), Evy– L’Abito Non Fa Il Beatnik, Sopworth Camel – Sitting On The Top Of The World (Cream), The Group –See Saw, The Primitives –Yeeeeeeh!, The Trip – Bolero Blues, I Meteors Lasciami Con Lei (Live) (I Feel Fine, Beatles), New Dada - Batti I Pugni
*** for The Rokes-Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi (Cheryl's Going Home, Bob Lind). Equipe 84– Resta (Stay, Maurice Williams), Rocky Roberts & The Airedales – (Hold On I'm Coming, Sam & Dave), Patty Pravo– Ragazzo Triste (But You're Mine, Sonny & Cher), Renato Zero –Non Basta Sai, Cyan – Mama, Papa (Fernando Arbex),I Kings –La Risposta (Blowin' in the Wind, B. Dylan),Patty Pravo – Qui E Là (Holy cow, Lee Dorsey), Rocky Roberts – Ehi Joe! (Hendrix, B. Roberts), The Motowns – Prendi La Chitarra E Vai, Equipe 84 – Io Ho In Mente Te (You were on my mind, Barry McGuire), Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi – Nelle Mani Tue (We Can Work It Out, Beatles), I Pirañas – Sophie (Lindberg, by Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier), The Pipers – Amore Lo Sai (Live), The Senate – L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore, Sopworth Camel – Sei La Mia Donna (Only One Woman, Marbles), I Quelli – Una Bambolina Che Fa No No (La poupée qui fait non, M. Polnareff), I Beans – Un Marinaio (A Salty Dog, Procol Harum), Cyan– Under One Flag, I Balordi – Vengono A Portarci Via, Ha, Haa (They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa! Napoleon XIV), I Giganti –Ora Siamo Qui (Here It Comes Again, Fortunes)
** for Mal - Betty Blue (If I Only Had Time, John Rowles). Gepy & Gepy –Baby È Un’Abitudine L’Averti Qui, Patrick Samson & The Phenicians– Shibidibibbi, The Bad Boys – Shaly N 1
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