From: piscine@rs1.tcs.tulane.edu (henry bart)
Subject: Re: PFM anybody ????
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-17596]: rs1.tcs.tulane.edu
Organization: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 13:51:32 GMT

> Just picked up PFM Live in America and am now in much need of
> additional PFM. Where to start ??????

Here's a little article on PFM that someone else wrote (I don't know who) that
I keep for reference.  Hope it helps:


  From time to time the Italian group PFM have been mentioned in this
newsgroup. My collection of their works is fairly complete, so I thought I
should share my knowledge with the rest of you.

  I start with giving a little background and overview, followed short
reviews of the albums. I list the people that have been members of PFM.
Finally a short list of PFM- related works.

  My knowledge of PFM is almost entirely based the on the albums I own.
If you feel that something is wrong or if you have supplemental
information, I would be very glad to hear from you.

  The full name of PFM is Premiata Forneria Marconi, which means "The
Premiered Marconi Bakery" which I was told from another netter had to do
with a relative's bakery in Milano, which is the town from where they
come.

  Often they are referred to as the Italian Genesis. As long we speak of
their early works, this is fairly accurate. They played symphonic rock,
but they were more soft and romantic than Genesis. This applies to the
lyrics as well.

  Just like Genesis they changed their style over years to a "straighter"
line, but not in the same direction. Late PFM is quite much of mid-stream
rock. But don't take this pejorative.  Late PFM is often just as good as
old PFM if not better.

  My general view on PFM is that they are good, but not exceptional.  I
have always had a faiblesse for the Italian langauge, that is important
factor for my interest in them.

The albums
----------

(I have marked those with "CD" that I have information that they are on
CD. CD reissues tend to be Japanese, Italian or British.)

"Storia di uno minuto" (Eng. "One-minute story") (Jan. 1972) CD

A nice album with six good songs. The style is the one I talked of above.
The opening track, "Impressione di settembre" (Impressions of September),
has a theme which through the years has been some of a signature for them.

"Per un amico" (For a friend) (Nov. 1972) CD

Goes quite in the same style as the first album. The long "Il banchetto"
contains a quite long Moog passage of a semi-experimental kind, which
doesn't really fit among the other more melodic material in my ears.

"Photos of Ghosts"  CD

The English version of "Per un amico" with one song from "Storia...", "E
festa"/"Celebration" which is remixed. There is also one instrumental "Old
Rain", which is not on any other album. The English lyrics are written by
Pete Sinfield and have no connection with the original ones. "Il
banchetto" is unchanged in Italian.

"L'isola di niente" (The isle of nothing) (March 1974) CD

The sound of the title track is more harsh, but so are also the lyrics
more dramatic. The album has one English song with lyrics by Pete
Sinfield. We are still in the same area as on the first albums, but yet it
is no repetition.

"The World Became the World"

The English version of "L'isola di niente" with "Impressione di settembre"
added as the title track. As for "Photos..."  English lyrics are by
Sinfield.

"Cook" or "Live in the USA" (1974)   CD

Recorded live in Canada and USA. Although side two contains new material,
I don't find this album so exciting as the others.  May be it's because
all (almost) songs are in English and I prefer the Italian versions.

"Chocolate Kings" (1975) CD

Entirely in English. The sound is definitely different from the first
three albums. We're still in symphony-rock land with long songs (there are
just five), but the style is a bit rockier than before. Not really as good
as the previous albums, but still acceptable.


"Jet Lag" (1977)

Here we see a change in style. "Jet Lag" has a jazzier flavour.  There is
an unusual amount of electric piano. Not very successful, in my opinion,
though. Together with "Cook" their weakest album.  Most songs are in
English, one is in Italian. There are three instrumentals.

"Passpartu" (1978)

The step to here from "Jet Lag" is like night and day. All songs are in
Italian, no trace of English. The music is also completely different. The
dominating instrument is the accoustic guitar. It is also the only PFM
album without a violin. The only one using congas and such. The sound is
fluffy and airy. Soft and gentle, but much more rythmic than their first
albums. I doubt that the "progressive" label fits anymore. "Passpartu" is
quite a good album.

"Suonare Suonare" (Sound Sound) (1980)

Another radical change. "Suonare Suonare" has more of a light rock
flavour, is easy to access. (Well that is "Passpartu" too.) The style is
straight, you can't call this progressive. We sense here a
light-mindedness in the songs which was not on the previous albums, but
which would be even more prevalent on the later albums.  PFM in the 1980s
was happy music. This is also the first album where drummer Franz di
Ciccio is taking over lead vocals.

"Come ti va in riva alla citta" (1981)

A more logical development. The rock accent is more distinct here than on
"Suonare Suonare". I should add that it is rock of the Eighties. A special
flavour is added by Patrick Zivas fretless bass.  He's been playing that
all the years, but the first album on which you really notice it is
"Suonare Suonare". "Come ti va..." is undoubtely a good album. I would
rank this together with the first two albums as their top material.

"Performance" (1982)

A double live album. Better than "Cook" is my opinion. Most of the songs
are from "Suonare Suonare" and "Come ti va...", but there are two old ones
too. And, yes, the theme from "Impressione di settembre" is here. Their
history a previous prog-rock band is seen here; several long solos. A good
example of their change of style is seen in the afore-mentioned "Il
banchetto". The moog material is replaced by a guitar/violin solo. The
tempo is also a little faster and more rhythmic.

"PFM? PFM!" (1984)

Similar to "Come ti va", but more slightly more poppier. And while "Come
ti va..." had some songs which could not pass as light-minded, like the
title track, this album hardly has none.  A happy album. Not as strong as
the two previous studio albums, but quite catchy.

"The Story of PFM" (> 1984) 2CD

This is a compilation. I am uncertain of the name, but I mention it since
it is available on CD. And, not, only in Italy. At least I have seen it
Amsterdam. Contains material up to "PFM? PFM!".  Can't swear that all
albums are included.

"Miss Baker" (1987) CD

Miss Baker is good Josephine. This album develops the light-mindness
musically and is a stronger album than "PFM? PFM!". Female backing vocals
and saxes added, something no other PFM album have. Pronounce "Baker"
without diphtong and stress on the last syllable. On a CD, but probably
hard to find, since it's starting to get out of print in Italy.

The people in PFM over the years:
---------------------------------
 Franco Mussida: Guitars on all albums.
 Flavio Premoli: Keyboards up to "Suonare Suonare".
 Mauro Pagani: Flute, violin and Italian lyrics up to "Chocolate Kings".
 Franz Di Ciccio: Drums on all albums up to "Performance".
 Girgio Piazza: Bass on the two first albums.
 Patrick Zivas (also spelled Djivas) Fretless bass from "L'isola..." and
    on.  Occasionally also keyboards.
 Gregory Bloch: Violin on "Jet Lag".
 Lucio Fabbri: Violin from "Suonare Suonare". Keyboards from "Come ti
 va..."  Also guitar on "Performance".
 Walter Calloni: Drums from "Performance" and on.
 Vittorio Cosma: Keyboards on "Miss Baker".

  To this come some additinal people on "Passpartu".

The vocals is a story for itself. PFM have had several lead vocalists.  On
the first album no one is credited for lead vocals, but on the next two
Mussida and Premoli are. On "Chocolate Kings", "Jet Lag" and "Passpartu" a
guy with the name Bernard Lanzetti is the lead singer.  When he left the
group, Mussida and Premoli stepped back to the microphones on "Suonare
Suonare" for some songs. However, Di Ciccio sings the most songs there,
and he sings all lead vocals from "Come ti va..." and on.  (Hm, like
Genesis actually, the drummer becomes the lead singer.)

Finally song-writing. Seems like Mussida and Premoli wrote the most of the
material. From "Come ti va..." all songs are by "Mussida/Di Ciccio/ Zivas.
"Miss Baker" has no composing credits.

Other material
--------------

Fabrizio De Andre In Concerto (1978) 2CD
De Andre is one of several popular song-writers in Italy. On this live
album he is backed by PFM who also have done the arrangements.  It is
available both as a double CD set, or you can the CDs separately.

I picked up part 2 this summer, but I haven't listened to it yet.

Franz di Ciccio + ? (1983)
All I recall about this one is that a lady in a Torino record store
presented me to this one - I believe it was a soundtrack - and said that
members from PFM appeared. I didn't buy it, so I don't have any more
information.

Mussida - Racconti della tenda rossa (1991) CD
A solo album from Franco Mussida. Sounds like nothing PFM have done, well,
maybe a little like "Passpartu". The opening track "Voci" is a novelty.
The remaining is a mixture of guitar-based instrumentals and vocal tracks.
After the opening track the album is a little uninteresting for a while,
but comes back with some good tracks.


 

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