Artist
DELIRIUM
1970-72
Ivano Fossati (vocals, flute, acoustic guitar)
Mimmo Di Martino (guitar, vocals)
Ettore Vigo (keyboards, vocals)
Marcello Reale (bass, vocals)
Peppino Di Santo (drums, percussion, vocals)
1972-74
Fossati replaced by:
Martin Grice (flute, sax, keyboards, vocals)
1975
Rino Dimopoli (guitar, keyboards, vocals)
Ettore Vigo (keyboards, vocals)
Marcello Reale (bass, vocals)
Peppino Di Santo (drums, percussion, vocals)
Delirium came from Genova, from a previous beat band
called I Sagittari, and formed in 1970, releasing their first single a year
later.
Canto di Osanna, presented at first Viareggio pop festival was a successful
single and gave the band an immediate notoriety. They had also won a Radio
Montecarlo rock contest in 1971.
First album, Dolce acqua, also from 1971 contains a good and original mix of prog, jazz and some tuneful melodies, the leading role of singer Ivano Fossati is evident, with his furious flute soloing being one of the band's most distinctive elements. The album, housed in a nice triple gatefold cover, is structured in various movements like a classical suite, but here and there some parts seem a little incoherent with the whole LP. It was not a great success, as demonstrated by the fact that no less than three tracks from it appeared on singles a year later.
In February 1972 their memorable TV presence at Sanremo music festival gave them their best success ever with the hit single Jesahel, soon followed by a similar song, Haum! Always during their career Delirium mixed the commercial side of their singles with the more difficult approach of their albums, and this is particularly evident in this first phase.
Around mid-1972 Ivano Fossati suddenly had to leave the group for his military service, later to pursue a solo career that's still successful today, even with a lighter (but always full of jazzy and ethnic influences) kind of music. His replacement was englishman Martin Frederick Grice (from Boomerang) who, along with the ever present flute, was also a brilliant sax player.
Second album Lo scemo e il villaggio still has some jazz influences and a stronger use of sax by the new member Grice, with the evident lack of a role singer in the band, all members taking the lead singer role. The track La mia pazzia is the closest to first album's style.
Third album follows in 1974, called Delirium III (Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo) and judged by many as their most mature work. La battaglia degli eterni piani contains a dark-inspired atmosphere never heard in their previous releases, the flute has again a prominent role and the sax is only present in Viaggio n.2. This is also the first album to feature electric guitar, as Mimmo Di Martino only played the acoustic in previous albums.
The band was at the end of their career, also due to the low interest shown by the media, and after some more commercial singles in 1974-75, the last of which with new singer/keyboardist Rino Dimopoli replacing Grice, they came to a split.
Apart from Ivano Fossati the only other member to stay
in the professional music field was keyboard player Ettore Vigo with rockers Kim
& the Cadillacs.
In early 90's, following a successful Jesahel disco remix, the band
reunited with some CD's containing new versions of their best tracks,
playing live for many years.
At the beginning of 2007 the new line-up featuring
original members
Ettore Vigo, Peppino Di Santo and Martin Grice with Roberto Solinas
(vocals, acoustic and electric guitars) and Fabio Chighini (bass, vocals)
released the Live-Vibrazioni notturne CD, also as 2-LP set, for the Black Widow label, including tracks from the LP's
and some singles made by the group, along with a new cut, Notte a Baghdad,
and 2 covers, showing the excellent form of the revamped Delirium.
In 2009 the fourth studio album in the story of Delirium (now with the additional name International PROGressive Group) was released, Il nome del vento, with help from various guest musicians including their original guitarist Mimmo Di Martino, while the live line-up included again for a short time the multi-instrumentalist Rino Dimopoli.
The album, including brand new compositions except some small excerpts from Van Der Graaf Generator's Theme one and Dio del silenzio from Delirium III, was well played and a pleasant listen, mainly based on not particularly heavy sounds.
The following year, the long career of Delirium was celebrated with the release of a nice retrospective DVD, Il viaggio continua: La storia 1970-2010, which includes a concerto in Genoa from 2008 (also on the bonus CD) and the complete series of RAI TV clips made between 1971 and 1975.
The line-up had a new change in 2014, with Vigo, Grice and Chiglini assisted by Michele Cusato (guitar), Alfredo Vandresi (drums) and with the strong vocal and live presence of singer Alessandro Corvaglia (Maschera di Cera, Aurora Lunare) for the first time as a sextet. This group released L'era della menzogna on LP and CD in 2015, presented live at Marseille Prog Sud festival.
| LP | |||
| Dolce acqua | Fonit (LPX 11) | 1971 | triple gatefold laminated cover |
| Fonit 3000 (SFC 188) | 1978 | reissue with diferent single cover, simply entitled Delirium | |
| Fonit / Vinyl Magic (LPP 432) | 1991 | reissue with standard gatefold cover | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMLP 144) | 2010 | reissue with triple gatefold cover | |
| Fonit/De Agostini (LPX 11) | 2018 | triple gatefold cover with inner and 8-page insert - no.22 in the De Agostini "Prog Rock Italiano" series | |
| Lo scemo e il villaggio | Fonit (LPX 18) | 1972 | gatefold laminated cover |
| Fonit (LPX 18) | 1974 | second issue with non laminated gatefold cover | |
| Fonit / Vinyl Magic (LPP 434) | 1991 | as above with standard gatefold cover | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMLP 145) | 2010 | as above - issued on black vinyl first, later (2017) red | |
| Delirium III (Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo) | Cetra (LPX 29) | 1974 | gatefold laminated cover |
| Fonit / Vinyl Magic (LPP 421) | 1991 | as above with standard gatefold cover | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VMLP 126) | 2008 | as above with glossy gatefold cover | |
| Delirium Live (Vibrazioni notturne) | Black Widow (BWR 100) | 2007 | 2LP - recorded live in 2006 - gatefold cover with inners and 4-page photographic insert glued in - early copies in clear blue vinyl |
| Il nome del vento | Black Widow (BWR 113) | 2009 | gatefold cover |
| L'era della menzogna | Black Widow (BWR 180) | 2015 | 200 copies with textured gatefold cover, poster, 16 page booklet and bonus single |
CD |
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| Dolce acqua | Fonit Cetra (CDM 2025) | 1989 | reissue of 1971 album |
| Warner/Fonit (26620-2) | 1999 | as above | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 149CD) | 2010 | as above - mini-LP triple gatefold cover - 1 bonus track | |
| Gruppo Ed.L’Espresso (10) | 2014 | as above with mini-LP gatefold cover – no.10 in the “Progressive Rock Italiano" series | |
| Lo scemo e il villaggio | Fonit Cetra (CDM 2027) | 1989 | reissue of 1972 album |
| Warner/Fonit (28913-2) | 1999 | as above | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 145CD) | 2010 | as above - mini-LP gatefold cover | |
| Delirium III (Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo) | Fonit Cetra (CDLP 421) | 1991 | reissue of 1974 album |
| Warner/Fonit (27119-2) | 1999 | as above | |
| BTF/Vinyl Magic (VM 126CD) | 2007 | as above - mini-LP gatefold cover | |
| Live - Vibrazioni notturne | Black Widow (BWRCD 100-2) | 2007 | recorded live in 2006 |
| Il nome del vento | Black Widow (BWRCD 113-2) | 2009 | new studio album - CD exists with standard jewel case or 3-fold digipack cover |
| A night in Genoa | Black Widow (BWR 127) | 2010 | live in Genoa in 2008 - bonus CD with the DVD Il viaggio continua: La storia 1970-2010 |
| L'era della menzogna | Black Widow (BWRCD 180-2) | 2015 | |
VARIOUS ARTISTS COMPILATIONS |
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| Nuovi complessi
d'avanguardia da Radio Montecarlo (with Canto di Osanna) |
Fonit (LPQ 09060) | 1971 | laminated single cover - compilation with La Quinta Faccia, Valerio Valerisce Group, le Macchine per Sognare, Jimmy M.E.C, i Tibu', le Mummie, Aspidi, i Cliffters |
SINGLES (with picture sleeve) |
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| Canto di Osanna Deliriana |
Fonit (SPF 31284) | 1971 | both unreleased tracks |
| Jesahel King's road |
Fonit (SPF 31293) | 1972 | both unreleased tracks |
| Fonit/Warner (50541 97042 386) | 2019 | reissue on blue vinyl - 500 numbered copies issued for the 2019 Record Store Day | |
| Haum! Dubbio |
Fonit (SPF 31295) | 1972 | B-side from Dolce acqua |
| Dolce acqua Favola o storia del lago di Kriss |
Fonit (SPF 31297) | 1972 | both tracks from Dolce acqua |
| Treno È l'ora |
Fonit (SPF 31300) | 1972 | both unreleased tracks |
| Dimensione uomo La mia pazzia |
Fonit (SPF 31301) | 1972 | both tracks from Lo scemo e il villaggio - probably a promo or a withdrawn single |
| Leoa de laoa Pane vero vino puro |
Aguamanda (AG 9002) | 1974 | both unreleased tracks |
| Jill Live love and be free |
Aguamanda (AG 9007) | 1975 | both unreleased tracks |
| Cowboy Corri bambino |
Cetra (SPB 36) | 1975 | both unreleased tracks |
| Signore Buana, the rainbow |
Fonit (SPF 31313) | 1975 | both unreleased tracks |
PROMO-ONLY AND JUKEBOX SINGLES (with white label and plain covers except where noted) |
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| Canto di Osanna Deliriana |
Fonit (JBF 612) | 1971 | jukebox single |
| Dolce acqua Favola o storia del lago di Kriss |
Fonit (JBF 613) | 1972 | jukebox single |
| Dolce acqua (Speranza) Johnny Sayre (Il perdono) |
Fonit (JBF 614) | 1971 | jukebox single |
| Preludio |
Fonit (JBF 399) | 1971 | juke box three-track single - backed with Osanna/L'uomo and New Trolls/La prima goccia bagna il viso |
| Dolce acqua |
Fonit/Besana "Gran regalo" (JBF 623) | 1972 | free with Panettone Besana - custom picture sleeve - backed with Franz Liszt/Rapsodia ungherese n.2 |
| Dubbio |
Fonit/Besana "Gran regalo" (JBF 624) | 1972 | free with Panettone Besana - custom picture sleeve - backed with Benedetto Marcello/Adagio dal film "Anonimo veneziano" |
| Haum |
Fonit (JBF 407) | 1972 | juke box single - backed with Osanna/Canzona (There will be time) |
| Treno |
Fonit (JBF 627) | 1972 | juke box single - backed with Greyhound/I've been trying |
| Treno È l'ora |
Fonit (EPD 172) | 1972 | promotional EP - also contains Raccomandata con Ricevuta di Ritorno/L'ombra and New Trolls/Black hand |
All the Delirium releases are rather common due to the
great success many of them had, with the only notable exception of the third
album, Delirium III (Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo). Interesting to
notice that, though it was the same label, the third album appeared on Cetra
rather than Fonit label (see Fonit page for further
explanations).
The three original albums are all housed in laminated
gatefold covers, the first having a triple gatefold while Lo scemo e il
villaggio has a thick gatefold cover.
Along with the standard black vinyl version, the 2008 reissue of the Delirium III (Viaggio negli arcipelaghi del tempo) album was also released by BTF in a limited 21 numbered copies pressing on gold/black splattered vinyl.
An interesting little known single is mentioned in the RAI Italian Radio/TV archives, coupling Dimensione uomo and La mia pazzia from the second album Lo scemo e il villaggio. Having an official Fonit release catalogue number, this was probably intended as a promotional-only single or withdrawn right after its release, as it's usually not mentioned in any discography of the band.
Some tracks from the early production of Delirium and Osanna were used in the soundtrack of the 1972 western film Scansati...a Trinità arriva Eldorado directed by Dick Spitfire (Aristide Massaccesi, a.k.a. Joe D'Amato). Among these an instrumental version of Jesahel used as main theme and in the end titles. This soundtrack never appeared on record.
The group also appears in the 1972 movie with Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia Continuavano a chiamarli i due piloti più matti del mondo, while playing Favola o storia del lago di Kriss in a small club.
The Canto di Osanna single has been released in
France (on Sonopresse), Spain (Zafiro 00X-246) and Portugal (Cetra CET 4.003), while Jesahel had foreign releases in
Sweden (Sonet), Germany (Ariola 12073 AT), Turkey (Yanki
YP24), Portugal (Cetra
CET 4.004), Argentina (Fermata 3F 0412), Yugoslavia (Cetra /Jugoton SCE
88549) and many other european countries. The single Haum/Dubbio was also
issued in Greece on Pan Vox (PAN 7576) with company sleeve, in Yugoslavia (Cetra /Jugoton
SCE 88571), in Turkey (Yanki
YP29) and in Germany and Holland (same label and number, Ariola
12.287 AT, year 1974). The single Dolce acqua/Preludio was issued in Yugoslavia in 1972 on Cetra/Jugoton label (SCE 88603) with picture sleeve.
In Brazil Haum! appeared on a promotional 1972 single on the Fermata label (993.0104 - no picture cover), backed with Troglomen by Alluminogeni.
The first LP Dolce acqua was issued in 1972 in Brazil with gatefold cover (Importa/Som Livre 310.1007) and in Yugoslavia with single cover (Cetra/Jugoton LSCE 70500).
Dubbio was also included on a Japanese 7" 33rpm 5-track compilation from
1985, called Italian Rock Special (Seven Seas/King 7SSY-7), though it
only contains this track in a rock vein, others are closer to pop, by Caterina
Caselli, I Dik Dik, Lucio
Battisti. The same label released in Japan a promotional single in 1987 containing King's road by Delirium coupled with Fiaba by Procession (Nexus/King 7SSY-16)
Odd to say that Jesahel was also covered (with translated lyrics) by many international artists including Shirley Bassey and the English group Congregation.
No counterfeits exist.
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Dolce acqua - triple gatefold cover |
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Lo scemo e il villaggio - gatefold cover |
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Delirium III - LP |
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Canto di Osanna - 7" single |
Jesahel - 7" single |
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Haum - 7" single |
Dolce acqua - 7" single |
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Treno - 7" single |
Leoa de laoa - 7" single |
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Jill - 7" single |
Signore - 7" single |
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| Dolce acqua - promo 7" single | Dubbio - promo 7" single |
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| Canto di Osanna - 7" single (Portugal) | Jesahel - 7" single (Portugal) |
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| Haum! - 7" single (Holland) | Jesahel - 7" single (France) |
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| Jesahel - 7" single (Turkey) | Haum! - 7" single (Turkey) |
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| Live-Vibrazioni notturne - CD | |
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| Il nome del vento - CD | L'era della menzogna - CD |
Click on pictures to enlarge
Delirium's own website is www.deliriumband.it
Thanks to Black Widow for pictures and information on current Delirium activities and to Mirko Ferrarini, Lorenzo Pittan, Luciano Fassa, Alessandro Cumbo, Gustavo Castagna Machado for information included in this page
