Litfiba

Litfiba stood out at the outset among the foremost acts in Italian new wave before becoming one of the leading mainstream rock outfits, securing their status as Italy’s most significant band from the 1980s into the 1990s and ranking equally high in influence. Beyond helping foster a durable Italian indie community, the group proved decisive after their commercial ascent in restoring rock to the upper reaches of the charts. Although the 1999 exit of vocalist Piero Pelù ended the band’s most luminous period, countless younger rock ensembles still absorb their method of pairing rock sensibility with broad commercial aims.

The group originated in Florence during 1980, taking its name as an acronym drawn from Località, Italia, Firenze, via de’ Bardi—the address of their initial rehearsal space. The original roster featured ex-Café Caracas guitarist Federico “Ghigo” Renzulli, bassist Gianni Maroccolo, keyboardist Antonio Aiazzi, and drummer Francesco Calamai, the last of whom was shortly succeeded by Renzo Franchi. Singer Piero Pelù joined in time for the band’s debut performance on December 8, 1980, the date John Lennon was fatally shot. Their earliest recording appeared as the 1982 EP Guerra; 1983 brought the single “Luna” together with the score for Krypton Company’s stage work Eneide. New drummer Ringo de Palma, born Luca de Benedictis, participated in a 1984 EP that contained a version of David Bowie’s “Yassassin,” the original track “Elettrica Danza,” and the cassette-only Live in Berlin. The first full-length album, Desaparecido, emerged in 1985 on the Florence label IRA, whose proprietor Alberto Pirelli later served as the band’s steady producer and manager. Regarded as one of the decade’s landmark debuts, the album displayed the musicians’ command of the new-wave idiom alongside Pelù’s gifts as both lyricist and frontman. Alongside Diaframma—with whom they cut the 1985 EP Amsterdam—and Moda, Litfiba established Florence as the center of Italian new wave. The double album 17 Re, widely viewed as their finest work, arrived in 1986; it was followed by the 1987 live set 12/5/87 (Aprite i Vostri Occhi) and 1988’s Litfiba 3. Anchored by the singles “Cangaçeiro” and “Tex,” the 1989 collection Pirata—a set of concert recordings supplemented with studio overdubs and issued by CGD—expanded their audience considerably, though Maroccolo, Aiazzi, and de Palma had already departed by that point.

With Pelù and Renzulli guiding a refreshed lineup completed by bassist Roberto Terzani, drummer Daniele Trambusti, guitarist Federico Poggipollini, and percussionist Candelo Cabezas, Litfiba achieved their decisive commercial breakthrough with 1990’s El Diablo, whose leaner, more forceful songs included the title track, “Proibito,” and the ballad “Il Volo,” written in memory of de Palma, who had died in 1989 from an overdose-induced heart attack. After an acclaimed tour, the 1992 anthology Sogno Ribelle appeared, followed in 1993 by the harder-edged Terremoto, recorded with new drummer Franco Caforio and without Cabezas. A fresh contract with EMI supported the 1994 live album Colpo di Coda—issued without Poggipollini, who later joined Ligabue’s backing band—and, after bassist Daniele Bagni arrived (with Terzani returning later on guitar and keyboards) and Aiazzi rejoined, the 1995 studio effort Spirito. Produced by Rick Parashar, that record leaned toward acoustic and pop-oriented material. The 1996 set Lacio Drom, mixing live tracks and unreleased material, preceded Mondi Sommersi (1997), the final installment in the so-called tetralogy of the elements (following El Diablo’s focus on fire, Terremoto’s on earth, and Spirito’s on air). Despite sustained record and touring success, Pelù exited after the 1998 live album Croce e Delizia and 1999’s Infinito, citing ongoing tensions with Renzulli, to launch a solo career.

Elettromacumba (2000) introduced Litfiba Mark 3, consisting of Renzulli, vocalist Gianluigi “Cabo” Cavallo, and former Malfunk members Gianluca Venier on bass and Ugo Nativi on drums (the latter later replaced by Gianmarco Colzi); Insidia followed a year later. With Aiazzi’s return the band supplied the track “Larasong” for the Italian edition of the video game Tomb Raider 6 and released 2005’s Essere o Sembrare. That same year Pelù, having acquired the rights to his final tour with the group, oversaw the issue of Litfiba Live ’99. Cavallo departed in 2006, leaving Renzulli as the sole remaining leader alongside Colzi, the returning Terzani, and a newly recruited young vocalist.