Le Stelle di Mario Schifano - Dedicato a... (1967)

Psych-rock z elementami heavy. Mario Schifano artysta, grafik (autor okładki a także sponsor projektu muzycznego) bliski przyjaciel zespołu The Rolling Stones. Cztero-osobowy zespół nagrał niesamowity album gdzie na stronie A mamy wyróżniającą się 17-minutową kompozycję w klimacie ciężkiej psychodelii - długa improwizacja coś w rodzaju rytuału (klimaty wczesnych Floydów i grupy Deviants) strona B - zawiera pięć krótszych ,wokalnych kompozycji z keyboardami, drapieżnymi solami gitary oraz partiami fletu. (abraxas)

Le Stelle di Mario Schifano are (nowadays) a little known (one-shot) band in the world of the italian progressive scene. Their name derives from the italian pop artist (painter) Mario Schifano who, during the second half of the sixties was fascinated by multimedia and abstract artistic expressions. In a similar vein to what Velvet Underground made at that time with Andy Warhol.

"Dedicato a..." is probably among the most wanted, rare and expensive italian vynil album of any time. It was released in 1967. this means it's the first example of prog in Italy. And that's the inrteresting thing. Despite the official vulgata describes it as the product of a beat band, it is clearly more, very far from a beat work. Probably one of the less commercial outputs in all the italian prog experience. The band itself, after a brief but intense success split up

It mixes improvvisation, medieval evocations thanks to guitar's arpeggio, acid psychedelia, noises, voices, choruses, quotes, blues and even tv jingles.

A musical anarchic orgy. A post-modern madrigal.

Keyboardist and singer Nello Marini tried a solo career with a commercial single, issued in 1968, and later appeared on Venetian Power's LP. In 1993 he released a self-produced CD, entitled "Artista" with saxophonist Carlo Ponara. (progarchives)