Top 10 Area Songs (1970's Italian Progressive Rock Band)

Photo: By Stratuz at Italian Wikipedia (Transferred from it.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Area songs list looks at an Italian Progressive rock band formed in the early 1970’s by Demetrio Stratos and Giulio Capiozzo. Labeling them as just an Italian Progressive Rock band would be a sin as they are perhaps one of the most famous rock groups to ever come out of the Italian Peninsular in Classic Rock History. The band Area released their first album in 1973. The record was entitled Arbeit macht frei. The album featured musicians Demetrio Stratos on vocals, Giampaolo Tofani on guitar, Patrizio Fariselli on keyboards, Giulio Capiozzo on drums, Patrick Djivas on bass, and Eddie Busnello on saxophone. On the band’s next album in 1974 entitled Caution Radiation Area Ares Tavolazzi would replace Patrick Djivas on bass and sax player Eddie Busnello would leave the band.

In 1975, the band released their groundbreaking album Crac! The record turned the band into a household name on the national level in Italy and also other parts of Europe especially in France. The band would release four more albums up to the year 1980.

Area was a band known for its incredible live performances as most progressive rock, jazz fusion based bands were. Along with their seven studio albums, the band Area also released six live albums.

Our Top 10 Area Songs list takes a look at some of the band’s finest moments.

# 10 – L’abbattimento dello Zeppelin

Arbeit macht frei. The album was released in 1973. The song was also released as a single, although it was not something you would find on American AM radio in the 1970s.

# 9 -L’elefante bianco

The Area song “L’elefante bianco,” was released on the band’s third album entitled Crac! in 1975.

# 8 – MIRage? Mirage!

The song “MIRage? Mirage!” was released on the Caution Radiation Area album in 1974. One can hear the influence of Frank Zappa on this very cool track especially in the middle section.

# 7 – Ici On Dance!

in 1978 the band released the album Gli dei se ne vanno, gli arrabbiati restano! The song “Ici On Dance!” was the opening track on side two of the album. Don’t miss the great guitar riffs on this captivating track.

# 6 – Caos (parte seconda)

If you love original music, than this is for you. It’s the best way we can describe it. We love it. “Caos (parte seconda),” was the closing track ion the band’s fifth album entitled Maledetti (Maudits).The album was released in 1976.

# 5 – Mbira & Orizzonti

The track was taken from the 1997 album Chernobyl 7991. It’s interesting to hear how the band sounded after not releasing an album for seventeen years.

# 4 -La Torre Dell’Alchimista

After founding member Demetrio Stratos passed away, the band’s sound shifted more towards jazz fusion than progressive rock. This track was taken from the album Tic&Tac which would be their final album from their golden period, and the last to be released for another seventeen years. The record was released in 1980.

# 3 – La Mela Di Odessa (1920)

When I first heard this track I was reminded of the Chick Corea Electric Band’s “Rumble,” then I realized Chick Corea’s “Rumble,” came out ten years after “La Mela Di Odessa, ” was released. So now we know what Chick Corea was listening to in the 1970’s. This amazing pice of progressive rock jazz fusion was released in the Crac! album in 1975.

# 2 – Acrostico In Memoria Di Laio

This incredible foray into fusion and progressive rock was taken from the album Gli dei se ne vanno, gli arrabbiati restano! This memorable record was issued in 1978.