Stormy Six
Encyclopedia
Stormy Six were an Italian
progressive
and folk rock
band founded in Milan
in 1966. They performed and recorded until 1983, mostly as a sextet
but occasionally as a quartet
, a quintet
and a septet
. Although their line-up changed considerably over the years, founding member Franco Fabbri
remained with the group for its entire duration. In May 1993 they performed at a re-union concert in Milan, which was recorded and released on a CD
, Un Concerto (1995).
Stormy Six were best known as one of the five original Rock in Opposition
(RIO) bands that performed at the first RIO festival in March 1978 in London
. They later participated actively in the shaping of RIO as an organisation and performed across Europe
with other RIO and related bands.
/psychedelic rock
band, opening for The Rolling Stones
on their first Italian
tour in 1967. After some line-up changes Stormy Six switched to left-wing
/protest
folk rock
and their first three albums, recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s, reflect this style. In the mid 1970s their music became more complex and they started to experiment, moving into progressive rock
.
At the end of 1974 Stormy Six and other musicians in Milan
formed a music cooperative
called L'Orchestra which was aimed at "promoting all sorts of non-commercial music, and included avantgarde, jazz, political, protest and popular music". It also became an independent record label
which the musicians managed themselves and on which Stormy Six released many of their own singles and albums. Stormy Six played a leading role in the affairs of L'Orchestra.
Stormy Six's exposure to and collaboration with foreign artists began in 1975 when English
avant-rock group
Henry Cow
first toured Italy. Stormy Six invited Henry Cow to join L'Orchestra which cemented a relationship between the two bands. Later, in 1978, Henry Cow invited Stormy Six and three other European groups to perform at a Rock in Opposition
(RIO) festival in London
. As one of the five original RIO members, Stormy Six participated actively in the shaping of RIO as an organisation. In 1979 Stormy Six organised a second RIO festival in Milan where the now seven RIO members performed in a week-long event.
Stormy Six's sixth album, L'Apprendista (1977) was well received in progressive rock circles, and their next album, Macchina Maccheronica (1980) won them a place in the "RIO genre". Henry Cow's Georgie Born
guested on Macchina Maccheronica and performed with Stormy Six in several of their concerts at the time.
After recording one more album, Al Volo (1982), Stormy Six broke up in 1983.
In July 1983 three of the former Stormy Six members (Franco Fabbri
, Umberto Fiori and Pino Martini) collaborated with German
avant-rock group Cassiber
(Chris Cutler
from Henry Cow, Heiner Goebbels
and Alfred Harth
) for a public workshop and recording project at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte
of Montepulciano
. The recordings were subsequently broadcast by RAI Radio3
, Italian Radio, and seven of the pieces later appeared under the name Cassix (Cassiber/Stormy Six) on the Recommended Records
sound-magazine, Rē Records Quarterly Vol.1 No.3
(1986).
On 10 May 1993 a Stormy Six reunion took place for a performance at the Orfeo Theatre in Milan. The concert was recorded and later released on a live album, Un Concerto (1995).
being the only constant member.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
progressive
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band founded in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1966. They performed and recorded until 1983, mostly as a sextet
Sextet
A sextet is a formation containing exactly six members. It is commonly associated with vocal or musical instrument groups, but can be applied to any situation where six similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
but occasionally as a quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
, a quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
and a septet
Septet
A septet is a formation containing exactly seven members. It is commonly associated with musical groups, but can be applied to any situation where seven similar or related objects are considered a single unit, such as a seven-line stanza of poetry....
. Although their line-up changed considerably over the years, founding member Franco Fabbri
Franco Fabbri
Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980...
remained with the group for its entire duration. In May 1993 they performed at a re-union concert in Milan, which was recorded and released on a CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, Un Concerto (1995).
Stormy Six were best known as one of the five original Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition or RIO was a movement representing a collective of progressive bands in the late 1970s united in their opposition to the music industry that refused to recognise their music...
(RIO) bands that performed at the first RIO festival in March 1978 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They later participated actively in the shaping of RIO as an organisation and performed across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with other RIO and related bands.
History
Stormy Six began in 1966 as a popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
/psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band, opening for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
on their first Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
tour in 1967. After some line-up changes Stormy Six switched to left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
/protest
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
and their first three albums, recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s, reflect this style. In the mid 1970s their music became more complex and they started to experiment, moving into progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
.
At the end of 1974 Stormy Six and other musicians in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
formed a music cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
called L'Orchestra which was aimed at "promoting all sorts of non-commercial music, and included avantgarde, jazz, political, protest and popular music". It also became an independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
which the musicians managed themselves and on which Stormy Six released many of their own singles and albums. Stormy Six played a leading role in the affairs of L'Orchestra.
Stormy Six's exposure to and collaboration with foreign artists began in 1975 when English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
avant-rock group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
first toured Italy. Stormy Six invited Henry Cow to join L'Orchestra which cemented a relationship between the two bands. Later, in 1978, Henry Cow invited Stormy Six and three other European groups to perform at a Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition
Rock in Opposition or RIO was a movement representing a collective of progressive bands in the late 1970s united in their opposition to the music industry that refused to recognise their music...
(RIO) festival in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. As one of the five original RIO members, Stormy Six participated actively in the shaping of RIO as an organisation. In 1979 Stormy Six organised a second RIO festival in Milan where the now seven RIO members performed in a week-long event.
Stormy Six's sixth album, L'Apprendista (1977) was well received in progressive rock circles, and their next album, Macchina Maccheronica (1980) won them a place in the "RIO genre". Henry Cow's Georgie Born
Georgina Born
Georgina Born is a British academic, anthropologist and musician. As a musician she is known as Georgie Born, but in academic circles she does not use the diminutive form.-Background:...
guested on Macchina Maccheronica and performed with Stormy Six in several of their concerts at the time.
After recording one more album, Al Volo (1982), Stormy Six broke up in 1983.
In July 1983 three of the former Stormy Six members (Franco Fabbri
Franco Fabbri
Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980...
, Umberto Fiori and Pino Martini) collaborated with German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
avant-rock group Cassiber
Cassiber
Cassiber were a German avant-rock group founded in 1982 by German composer and saxophonist Alfred Harth, German composer, music-theatre director and keyboardist Heiner Goebbels, English drummer Chris Cutler from Henry Cow and German guitarist Christoph Anders...
(Chris Cutler
Chris Cutler
Chris Cutler is an English percussionist, composer, lyricist and music theorist. Best known for his work with English avant-rock group Henry Cow, Cutler was also a member and drummer of a number of other bands, including Art Bears, News from Babel, Pere Ubu and Gong/Mothergong...
from Henry Cow, Heiner Goebbels
Heiner Goebbels
Heiner Goebbels is a German composer, music director and professor at Justus-Liebig-University in Gießen and at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland....
and Alfred Harth
Alfred Harth
Alfred 23 Harth is a German multimedia artist, band leader, multi-instrumentalist musician, and composer who mixes genres in a polystylistic manner...
) for a public workshop and recording project at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte
Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte
The Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte is an annual Italian summer school and musical festival for young singers, actors, musicians, conductors and composers. It was set up in Montepulciano in 1976 by Hans Werner Henze, a string of whose works have been premiered at it.Productions are worked on in the...
of Montepulciano
Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and comune in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany, in Italy. Montepulciano, with an elevation of 605 m, sits on a high limestone ridge. By car it is 13 km E of Pienza; 70 km SE of Siena, 124 km SE of Florence, and...
. The recordings were subsequently broadcast by RAI Radio3
RAI Radio3
Rai Radio 3 is an Italian radio station operated by public broadcasting company RAI, specialising in culture and classical music.The station was founded in 1950 as the Terzo programma and was loosely based on its British namesake, the BBC Third Programme, which had been established in 1946...
, Italian Radio, and seven of the pieces later appeared under the name Cassix (Cassiber/Stormy Six) on the Recommended Records
Recommended Records
Recommended Records is a British independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978. RēR features largely "Rock in Opposition" and related music, but it also distributes selected music released on other independent labels.In 1982 Cutler established November...
sound-magazine, Rē Records Quarterly Vol.1 No.3
ReR Quarterly
The RēR Quarterly was an English "quarterly" sound-magazine comprising an LP record and a magazine. It was published at irregular intervals between 1985 and 1997 by Recommended Records and November Books, and edited by English percussionist, lyricist and music theorist, Chris Cutler...
(1986).
On 10 May 1993 a Stormy Six reunion took place for a performance at the Orfeo Theatre in Milan. The concert was recorded and later released on a live album, Un Concerto (1995).
Members
Stormy Six's line-up changed considerably over the years, with founding member Franco FabbriFranco Fabbri
Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980...
being the only constant member.
| 1966–1967 |
|
|---|---|
| 1967–1968 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vocals |
| 1968–1969 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vocals |
| 1970–1972 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vocals |
| 1973–1975 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vocals |
| 1976 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vocals |
| 1978 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vibraphone, trombone, vocals |
| 1979–1980 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vibraphone, trombone, vocals |
| 1981 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, vibraphone, trombone, vocals |
| 1982 |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, synth guitar, vocals |
| 1993 re-union |
Franco Fabbri Franco Fabbri is a Brazilian-born Italian musician, musicologist and broadcaster.Born in São Paulo in 1949, from 1965 Fabbri was guitarist, vocalist and composer for Stormy Six, regarded as one of the most interesting Italian progressive bands, and one much admired by the specialist press: in 1980... – guitar, synth guitar, vocals |
Albums
- Le Idee di Oggi Per la Musica di Domani (1969, LP, First)
- L'Unitá (1972, LP, First)
- Guarda giù dalla pianura (1974, LP, Ariston)
- Un Biglietto del Tram (1975, LP, L'Orchestra)
- Cliché (1976, LP, L'Orchestra)
- L'Apprendista (1977, LP, L'Orchestra)
- Macchina Maccheronica (1980, LP, L'Orchestra)
- Al Volo (1982, LP, L'Orchestra)
- Un Concerto (1995, CD, Arpa/Sensible)
Singles
- "Oggi Piango" / "Il Mondo è Pieno di Gente" (1967, 7", Mini)
- "Lui Verrà" / "L'amico e il Fico" (1967, 7", Mini)
- "La Luna è Stanca" / "Lodi" (1970, 7", First)
- "Alice Nel Vento" / "Il Venditore di Fumo" (1970, 7", First)
- "Rossella" / "Leone" (1971, 7", First)
- "Garibaldi" / "Tre Fratelli Contadini di Venosa" (1972, 7", First)
- "Sotto il Bambù" / "Nicola fa il Maestro di Scuola" (1972, 7", First)
- "1789" / "Carmine" (1976, 7", L'Orchestra)
- "Cosa Danno" / "Reparto Novità" (1981, 7", L'Orchestra)
External links
- Stormy Six homepage.
- Stormy Six. ItalianProg.com.
- L'Orchestra. ItalianProg.com.
- Stormy Six. ProgArchives.com.
- Stormy Six. ProgWeed.net..