CCCP Fedeli alla linea

Infobox musical artist
Name = CCCP Fedeli alla linea

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Img_capt = CCCP Fedeli alla linea
Img_size =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Reggio Emilia, Italy
Genre = Punk rock, New Wave, post punk, pop rock, art rock
Years_active = 1982-1990
Label =
Associated_acts = C.S.I., PGR
URL = [http://www.cccp-fedeliallalinea.it www.cccp-fedeliallalinea.it]
Past_members = Giovanni Lindo Ferretti
Massimo Zamboni
Annarella Giudici
Danilo Fatur
Umberto Negri
Carlo Chiapparini
Gianni Maroccolo
Francesco Magnelli
Ringo De Palma
Ignazio Orlando
Giorgio Canali

CCCP Fedeli alla Linea were an Italian band formed in 1982 in Berlin by vocalist Giovanni Lindo Ferretti and guitarist Massimo Zamboni. The band's style was self-defined by the members themselves as “Musica Melodica Emiliana - Punk Filosovietico” (“Melodic Music of Emilia-Romagna - pro-Soviet punk”)

Their name, CCCP, is the acronym for "SSSR", ( _ru. Союз Советских Социалистических Республик; transliterated "Sojuz Sovetskich Socialističeskich Respublik"); (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, abbreviated USSR).

CCCP left behind the stereotypes of punk rock, and reached for a genre-defying convergence of militant rock, industrial music, Folk, electropop, Middle Eastern music, and even chamber music while delivering through their lyrics a bleak vision of humankind, also introducing elements of expressionist theater and existentialist philosophy in their live shows.

CCCP's works influenced dozen of artists such as Marlene Kuntz, Massimo Volume, and Offlaga Disco Pax. fact|date=August 2007

History

1981–1983: Formation

CCCP was formed in 1981 when Ferretti met Zamboni (both were from Reggio Emilia) in a discoteque of Kreuzberg (Berlin). Once they returned home they founded a new band called Mitropank. During the next summer Ferretti, Zamboni and bassist Umberto Negri returned to Berlin: it was during that trip that CCCP Fedeli alla Linea were born. The band members decided to use a drum machine instead of an actual drummer.

The name of the band celebrates the popular sub-culture of Emilia while also praising the Soviet Union, creating a link between Russia and the typical province of Emilia-Romagna.

During this period the band performed several times in Germany, playing some underground clubs in Berlin such as the Kob or the Spectrumin. Their permanence in Berlin influenced the sound of the band through the local industrial scene. East Berlin's culture and the Islamic community of the West side of the town also influenced Ferretti's lyrics.

The band's first concerts in Italy were met with a negative response from the crowd, leading the band to add two new members to the line-up: Annarella Giudici "Benemerita soubrette"Well-deserved soubrette] , and a performer named Danilo Fatur. Annarella, Fatur, and for a little time Silvia Bonvicini (a second "Benemerita soubrette"Well-deserved soubrette] ) contributed to characterize their concerts by playing comic-demential sketches during their gigs.

1984–1985: First EPs

In 1984 the band released "Ortodossia", their first EP on the independent label Attack Punk Records. In the same year the"Ortodossia II" EP was released, which included the same three songs already included in their first EP ("Live in Pankow", "Spara Jurij", and "Punk Islam") plus an additional fourth track ("Mi ami?"). 1985 saw the release of their third EP, "Compagni, Cittadini, Fratelli, Partigiani".

The three EPs were produced and recorded by the band with very few money and musical instruments in a single room improvised as a recording studio, which was situated near a city tram line which constantly disturbed the regustration.

1986: First Album

Their first studio album, "1964/1985 Affinità-Divergenze fra il Compagno Togliatti e Noi - Del Conseguimento della Maggiore Età", was recorded during 1985 and published by Attack Punk Records in 1986. It reduced the visceral impact of hardcore while focusing on the eerie contrast between a harsh but spare instrumental background and Ferretti's delirious cut-up lyrics and Brecht-ian delivery. An eclectic stylistic range (from existential psychodrama to Dance groove, from erotic cabaret to folk ballad) helped craft an oppressing atmosphere of angst and boredom, particularly in the centerpiece, "Emilia Paranoica".

This album is considered by many music critics one of the masterpieces of contemporary Italian music, and a milestone for the whole European punk movement. The album's sales induced Virgin Dischi, the Italian branch of Virgin to sign the band. Some of the band's fans saw this move as betrayal and nicknamed the band “"CCCP fedeli alla lira"” with "lira" (the old Italian currency before the introduction of Euro) instead of "linea" (line).

1987–1988: Signed for Virgin

During 1987 the band recorded and released their first single "Oh! Battagliero" and their second album, "Socialismo e Barbarie", which was realized with a relatively big budget if compared with the first album. It is a less cohesive work, that ran the gamut from Middle Eastern music to a rock version of the Soviet anthem, from Catholic hymns to feedback workouts.

In 1988 Virgin re-released "Socialismo e Barbarie" on CD, and their first EPs on the compilation "Compagni, cittadini, fratelli, partigiani / Ortodossia II".

In the same year, CCCP released the single "Tomorrow (Voulez vous un rendez vous)", a cover version of a song by the singer and painter Amanda Lear [Amanda Lear sung on both the two tracks of the single] .

1989: Third Album

The third album, "Canzoni, Preghiere, Danze del II Millennio - Sezione Europa" (1989), signs their musical change to electropop. Keyboard, instead of guitar, became the most important instrument. Their sound is now influenced by Middle Eastern music and it's more soft than in the previous records. It replaces the original sociopolitical emphasis with mystical overtones, and their industrial hardcore with a far less revolutionary synth-pop.

1989–1990: Litfiba and demise

In 1989 CCCP, Litfiba, and Rats went on tour in the Soviet Union (Moscow and Leningrad). In Moscow they played in a palace full of soldiers in uniform. The soldiers stood up when the band played at the end of the concert the Soviet hymn "A Ja Ljublju SSSR".

During this year guitarist Giorgio Canali, bassist Gianni Maroccolo, keyboardist Francesco Magnelli, and drummer Ringo De Palma (the last three leaved the Litfiba because of some artistical difference of opinin with band's manager Alberto Pirelli) joined and transformed the group.

The group, now composed by eight members, recorded their fourth album "Epica Etica Etnica Pathos" in an abandoned 700' villa. This album signes another amazing musical evolution for the band. CCCP reached their zenith with this album, a Frank Zappa-esque stylistic puzzle that also stands as a personal musical encyclopedia, with complex and unpredictable suites such as "MACISTE contro TUTTI". A gorgeous "swan song", and a transition to the new sonorities of the Consorzio Suonatori Indipendenti (C.S.I.), the new band born under the ashes of the CCCP.

The acronym used for the new band name, C.S.I., reminds to the new situation in the Soviet Union, with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) ( _ru. Содружество Независимых Государств (СНГ); transliterated "Sodruzhestvo Nyezavisimykh Gosudarstv"; _it. Comunità degli Stati Indipendenti (CSI)). With the creation of the CIS, the Soviet Union and at the same time the band ceased to exist.

CCCP were effectively disbanded on 3 October 1990, in the same date of the German reunification, and the members went on to other projects.

Post-CCCP

When the Soviet Union collapsed, Ferretti and Zamboni decided to shuffle the line-up and adopt a less political stance. The renamed Consorzio Suonatori Indipendenti (C.S.I.) debuted with a set of songs from "Ko del Mondo" (Polygram, 1993). They rapidly evolved towards a form of chamber rock music (mostly drum-less with "Linea Gotica" (Polygram, 1996). Unfortunately, "Tabula Rasa Elettrificata" (Polygram, 1997) simply aped the alternative rock fads of the moment.

When C.S.I. disbanded in 1999, Ferretti debuted solo with Co-dex (2000), then formed Per Grazia Ricevuta (PGR) and released "PGR" (2002) that steered towards world-music.

Members

* Giovanni Lindo Ferretti (Cerreto Alpi, September 9, 1953): songwriter, vocals
* Massimo Zamboni (Reggio Emilia, 1957): guitar
* Annarella Giudici (born Antonella Giudici): “Benemerita soubrette”Well-deserved soubrette]
* Danilo Fatur: “Artista del popolo”People's Artist]
* Umberto Negri: bass (1982-1986)
* Carlo Chiapparini: guitar (1981-1989)
* Ignazio Orlando: bass, keyboards, drums (1987-1988)
* Gianni Maroccolo (Manciano, May 9, 1960): bass
* Francesco Magnelli: keyboards
* Ringo De Palma (born Luca De Benedictis, Turin, December 28, 1963 - Florence, June 1, 1990): drums
* Giorgio Canali (1958): guitar, Atari 1040

Members Timeline

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Discography

Studio albums

* "1964/1985 Affinità-Divergenze fra il Compagno Togliatti e Noi - Del Conseguimento della Maggiore Età", Attack Punk Records, red vinyl 1986, re-released in 1988 by Virgin

* "Socialismo e Barbarie", Attack Punk Records 1987, re-released in 1988 by Virgin with two extra tracks.

* "Canzoni, Preghiere, Danze del II Millennio - Sezione Europa", Virgin, 1989

* "Epica Etica Etnica Pathos", Virgin, 1990

Live albums

* "Live in Punkow", Virgin, 1996

Compilations

* "Compagni, cittadini, fratelli, partigiani / Ortodossia II", Virgin, 1988

* "Ecco i miei gioielli", Virgin, 1992

* "Enjoy CCCP", Virgin, 1994

Singles

* "Oh! Battagliero", Virgin 1987

* "Tomorrow (Voulez vous un rendez vous)" (feat. Amanda Lear), Virgin, 7" and 12" vinyl, 1988

EPs

* "Ortodossia", Attack Punk Records, red vinyl 1984

* "Ortodossia II", Attack Punk Records, red vinyl, re-released in 1985 by Virgin in black vinyl

* "Compagni, Cittadini, Fratelli, Partigiani", Attack Punk Records, picture disc, re-released in 1985 by Virgin in black vinyl

* "Ragazza Emancipata", Stampa Alternativa, 1990

VHS

* "Tempi moderni"

See also

* Consorzio Suonatori Indipendenti (C.S.I.)

* Per Grazia Ricevuta (PGR)

References and footnotes

External links

* [http://www.cccp-fedeliallalinea.it Annarella Benemerita Soubrette - CCCP - fedeli alla linea]
* [http://www.rudepravda.net RudePravda - Fedeli alla Linea]
* [http://mp3.gomma.tv/audio/gommatv%20013%20-%20Umberto%20Cccp.mp3 Interview with Umberto Negri on gomma.tv (in Italian)]