| Litfiba | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Florence |
| Genres | New Wave, alternative rock, hard rock, pop rock, heavy metal, grunge |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | Edel |
| Website | www.litfiba.net |
| Members | |
| Ghigo Renzulli Piero Pelù |
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| Past members | |
| Gianmarco Colzi Roberto Terzani Gianni Maroccolo Ringo De Palma Francesco Calamai Renzo Franchi Gianluigi Cavallo Antonio Aiazzi Gianluca Venier |
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Litfiba is an Italian hard rock band formed in Florence in early 1980.
Litfiba originated from the meeting of 5 punk, New Wave and simply rock music fans with then no musical background. The band evolved from British influenced new-wave rock to a more personal rock sound influenced by Mediterranean vibes; the songs are mostly sung in Italian.
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The band was born in Florence in 1980. The band was named after the telex code for Via dei Bardi, Florence, where the band rehearsed (<L>ocalità <IT>alia <FI>renze via dei <BA>rdi). The early line-up consisted of 4 members Federico Renzulli (nicknamed Ghigo) on guitars and lead vocals, Gianni Maroccolo on bass, Sandro Dotta on lead guitar - left the band after a few weeks - and Francesco Calamai on drums. Antonio Aiazzi on keyboards and Piero Pelù on vocals joined the band shortly after. punk and new-wave were a huge influence over the band's early songs, which often had English lyrics. The first show took place on 8 December 1980 (the day John Lennon died) in Settignano near Florence.
The band’s first recording was a 5 track EP titled Guerra (1982), followed one year later by a 7' single, "Luna/La preda", which won the band the first place at the "2° festival rock italiano". Meanwhile, Calamai was replaced on drums by Renzo Franchi: with this line up the band worked on a soundtrack, Eneide di Krypton. After a while Franchi left the band, to be replaced by Luca De Benedectis, known as Ringo De Palmawith whom the band recorded Yassassin, a 12-inch (300 mm) single containing a brand new track, "Electrica Danza", and a David Bowie cover.
The band released their first full-length album, Desaparecido ("Disappeared" in Spanish) in 1985. Following the EP Transea (1986) and the second full-length 17 Re (17 Kings in italian), Litfiba toured for the first time, subsequently releasing 12/5/87 (aprite i vostri occhi), their first live album. Litfiba 3 (1988) was the last recording featuring Maroccolo, de Palma et Aiazzi as permanent members, although the latter would stay as session musician until 1996.
The first three albums form the "Trilogy of power" (in Italian, "Trilogia del potere"), stating the refusal of every kind of totalitarianism. The release of the Pirata live album, recorded on the 1988-89 tour, marked the end of the "Trilogy of power" years.
The second leg of the tour was made into an aptly titled VHS, "Pirata Tour", and featured Roberto Terzani on bass, Daniele Trambusti on drums and Candelo Cabezas on percussions besides Pelù, Renzulli and Aiazzi. Pelù and Renzulli then went back to the studio to record El Diablo, an album with a much rawer sound, warmly received by fans and critics alike. The following tour, with Federico Poggipollini on rhythm guitar, was also filmed for home video release.
Sales of the (1992) released Sogno Ribelle album proved the band’s new fame. The record was a compilation of old songs from previous albums rearranged with a more hard-rock sounding, live tracks and an unreleased song, titled "Linea d'ombra". It was once more followed by a VHS featuring music videos, live performances samples and interviews. The year after, the band released its harder and most rock’n’roll album to date, Terremoto ("Earthquake"), soon followed by the double live CD Colpo di coda.
When changing their label from CGD to EMI (with legal complications due to the release of unauthorized compilations), the band hired a new bass player, Daniele "Barny" Bagni, and recorded the third volume of its "tetralogy of elements": El Diablo was celebrating fire, Terremoto soil, the new album Spirito (1994, whose name should have been Serpente d’asfalto) celebrates the air. The record was, as usual, followed by a VHS: Lacio drom which contains extracts from the "Spirito tour".
The 1997 Mondi Sommersi album, with its 700,000 copies sold in a few weeks, brought out the missing element, water, as Aiazzi left the band, replaced on keyboards by Terzani, who also remained the second guitar player (as it appears to be in the last tour). Litfiba's biggest tour was immortalized on a VHS, whose profits went to the victims of earthquakes in Umbria and Marche regions, and on a double live CD both titled Croce e delizia. Infinito (1999) was the very last chapter of the band’s history with frontman Piero Pelù as a vocalist. Though much criticized because of its so-called "light" sound, the album sold to almost one million copies. On the "Infinito tour", tensions between Pelù and Renzulli became unbearable. The last show with Pelù took place at the "Monza Rock Festival 1999". He stopped being officially part of the band on July 11, 1999, subsequently starting a solo career.
Pelù took away in his farewell to the band three of Litfiba's musicians: Bagni, Terzani and Caforio. Renzulli lost the property of the band’s logo, a horned heart, but kept the name Litfiba, which is copyrighted under his name. The guitarist then decided to follow on immediately with a renewed and rejuvenated band, including the new singer Gianluigi Cabo Cavallo, bass and drums player Gianluca Venier, and Ugo Nativi, coming from the funk-rock band Malfunk.
The 2000 album, first with new line-up, Elettromacumba reached 100,000 sales. On the following "Elettro tour", Litfiba, with Mauro Sabbione, who had already played on the El Diablo album, on keyboards, played in smaller halls than before. After the tour, the band released Live on Line, including 15 tracks recorded during the last tour available only for download under MP3 format through web portal Lycos.
The musicians went back to the studio, with Nativi replaced on drums by Gianmarco Colzi, who had played with band Rockgalileo and singer Biagio Antonacci, for the recording of the Insidia album (2001). The record was much different from the previous album, due to darker lyrics with many symbolic references and the significant use of electronics. It was soon followed by the "Insidia tour", a 73 concerts tour that was the first part of the "Never ending tour". The band was then requested to release the soundtrack for the Italian version of the Tomb raider 6 - The Angel of Darkness video game, from which the October 2002 released "Lara Croft" single was issued. Former keyboards player Antonio Aiazzi returned to the band for the 2003 "Lara Tour" and 2004 "04 Tour", the second and third part of the "Never ending tour". The last concert was recorded for the release of Litfiba's official first DVD.
The last album to date, Essere o sembrare (2005), appeared to be moderately inspired and had a relative success. The release of the record was followed by a short tour, almost 15 concerts, followed by others during 2006 summer. In late 2006 singer Gianluigi Cabo Cavallo leaves the band, followed by bass player Gianluca Venier and keyboard player Antonio Aiazzi. Filippo Margheri, who previously fronted Miir, replaced Cavallo, while Roberto Terzani, who had previously played with Litfiba, and Pino Fidanza join respectively at bass and drums.
In november 2009, the long-time manager of the band Alberto Pirelli announces Litfiba are going to break up. However, just one month later, 11 december 2009, a message posted on the official website of the band announces the surprising reunion of the two historical founders: Piero Pelù and Ghigo Renzulli. They will play four concerts in spring 2010, under the moniker Litfiba: Milan (13th april), Florence (16th april), Rome (19th april), Acireale (21st april). A longer tour and a new album are expected in the second half of the year. In december 2011 a new album should come out.
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