Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias

Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias  were an English comedy rock band. They were formed in Manchester, England in 1973.

Their story is told in CP Lee's book When We Were Thin (2007 by Hotun Press). The name of the band is a corruption of the Latin American band Alberto y Los Trios Paraguayos.

Career
Created in 1973 by Chris "C.P." Lee, with Jimmy Hibbert (vocals, bass) and Bob Harding (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards), the comedy sketch outfit became a musical group in 1974 and was joined by drummer Bruce Mitchell (drums), with Les Prior (vocals),  Simon White (steel guitar, guitar) and Tony Bowers (vocals, bass, guitar). They became a popular support act, supporting Hawkwind on their 1975 tour. The group mercilessly parodied the major rock names of the 1970s – "Anadin" was a sendup of Lou Reed's "Heroin". By 1976 they were topping the bill in their own right and were supported by such acts as The Police, The Cure, The Stranglers, Devo, Ian Dury and The Blockheads, The Buzzcocks, Dr. Feelgood and Blondie. They were promoted by Freddie Mercury and Bryan Ferry. As with many comedy ensembles, the Albertos belied their comic aspirations by their exemplary musicianship, and they released four albums and a variety of spoof discs, culminating in the musical play, Snuff Rock.

Sleak (aka Snuff Rock), inspired by the then recent film, Snuff, and the concept of snuff movies, but carrying the idea to a band who killed themselves for entertainment, was their musical play presented at London's Royal Court Theatre and Round House and was famous for the role of the comic disc jockey played by Les Prior. They reached the UK Singles Chart with the accompanying EP, "Snuff Rock", released on Stiff Records, poked fun at the punk rock phenomenon, targeting the Sex Pistols ("Gobbing On Life"), The Damned ("Kill") and The Clash ("Snuffin' Like That") as well as myriad reggae bands in "Snuffin' In A Babylon". Tony Bowers and Bob Harding left the band in July 29, 1978, they were replaced by John Scott (vocals, bass, guitar, saxophone, keyboards) (ex John Cooper Clarke and Jilted John) and Ged Green (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) in August 24, 1978. They reached the UK Singles Chart with the Status Quo spoof, "Heads Down No Nonsense Mindless Boogie" in 1978. Les Prior died in January 1980 from leukaemia, which left a large gap in the group. Ged Green left the band in March 27, 1980, he was replaced by Ian Morris ("Mog") (vocals, bass) (ex The Smirks) in March 28, 1980.

After their nationally networked TV show Teach Yourself Gibberish and a crack at America with Sleak, the Albertos disbanded in 1982.

The band's brand of spoof rock has been said to be in the same English tradition as that of the Barron Knights and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, but a better comparison might be the American parody singer Weird Al Yankovic.

Discography

Albums
Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias – Transatlantic Records, 1976
Italians from Outer Space – Transatlantic Records, 1977
Skite – Logo Records, 1978

Compilation albums
The Worst of the Berts – Logo, 1980
Snuff Rock – the Best of the Albertos – Mau Mau, 1991
TV Sweat – Overground, 1996
Mandrax Sunset Variations – Castle Records, 2001

Singles
"Dread Jaws"/"De Version"* (1976) Transatlantic
Snuff Rock EP  – "Kill", "Gobbing On Life", "Snuffin' Like That", "Snuffin' In A Babylon" (1977) Stiff
"Old Trust"/"Neville"/"Teenager in Shtuck" (1977) Logo
"Heads Down No Nonsense Mindless Boogie"/"Thank You"/F*** You"*/"Dead Meat Part II"* (1978) Logo (UK #3)
"Juan Lopez"/"God is Mad" (1978) Logo
"Ou Est Madeline"*/"Peter Parker" (1979) Fiction
"The Ballad of Robin Hood"*/"Space Invaders"* (1979) Fiction
"Cruisin' With Santa"*/"Eye and Eye"* (1982) New Hormones
(* Non-album tracks)

References

Other websites
 

English musical groups
1973 establishments in the United Kingdom
English punk bands
Musical groups established in 1973
Musical groups from Greater Manchester
New wave bands