Franco Battiato: Classic or Dud?

I can't speak for the lyrics if only because I don't know Italian. Musically, though, I found the two albums I heard -- _Pollution_ and _Sulle Corde Aries_ (I think that's the name) -- entertainingly strange prog stuff for the early seventies, at once humorous and straightforward in feel. Worth a listen.

The full-scaled Messa Arcaica (1994) is some beautiful stuff (think Harold Budd orchestrated by Gorecki in the Pantheon). Grab a copy if you happen across it; it's probably out of print...

The very mistitled Juke Box (1978) might just be the shortest full- length CD in my collection; 27 minutes all in all, apparently the soundtrack to an Italian TV movie. Still great but a much different animal than Messa (though it points in that direction); sparer set- up, more experimental sound. Him and four other musicians playing songs on piano, violin, and vocals.

I need to pick up more of his work. It's too bad, it seems he's another of the largely overlooked artists of the 70s...

Listening to Clic and it is pure genius. Certain parts remind me of Umma Gumma, some Italian prog elements, the noisier aspects of Kraut, kind of like early Kraftwerk. Moody brilliant stuff.

omg. tight under appreciated thread. yes, total classic. all the 70s albums without exception. even some of the newer material is very, very strong.

anyone who saw "children of men" and wondered who does the version of "Ruby Tuesday", that's him, though that's only one small glimpse at the man.

also, wasn't he supposed to have gone on tour with john cage at some point?

i have been searching for videos of battiato in his classic early 70's mode with no luck :( i would LOVE to see footage of him playing during this time, anyone know where i might find something like this ?

hard to come up with an anglo/yankee punk song decent enough to silence stuff like "arkenames" on pollution. le orme is better than the sex pistols

Franco rockin' for the kids in the early 70's - the song is "Meccanica":

a pre-weirdness Franco Battiato goes down the Italian beat route:

Battiato in full kraut glam regalia:

more 70's extravaganzas:

why the hell are these clips only 30 seconds long?!

They were probably part of some RAI special about the new music scene - long ago, when Italian tv still cared about music.

for what's worth, "La Convenzione" - a great/ rare sci-fi, totally krautrock spiced 45 from 1972:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UobHlEKWFE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCoUNjjjlEQ

Saint Etienne included a Battiato track in their latest spotify playlist thing. Great stuff!

RIP

:'( RIP

Oh no! RIP Franco ;_;

For Italian music lovers, the impact of this is comparable to losing Bowie.

For Italian music lovers, the impact of this is comparable to losing Bowie.

Great comparison, also concerning the variety of his output.

;_;

Big RIP, was just dipping into his late 70s minimalist period a few days ago. Not his best work, but you've got to admire the fearless experimentalism. The early albums through Clic are masterpieces, and the late-70s/early 80s art pop stuff is brilliant as well

Well damn. Hell of a run.

on Eurovision day too :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCj_2jKs_qE

Obsessed with this song since I heard it over the closing credits for La Chimera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yzQ6BEdAAI

Classic. Probably the best Italian pop album ever