Elio e le Storie Tese has been a cult band in the Italian underground music… Read Full Bio ↴Elio e le Storie Tese has been a cult band in the Italian underground music scene for a very long time. Their "bootlegging" cassettes were spreading rapidly, and the concerts (that were always in the Milan area, their hometown) were attended by an audience of affectionate fans.

When their first album "Elio Samaga Hukapan Karyiana Turu" came out (1989), the concept of an underground band was outdated by the 150,000 copies that were sold in the first ten months. This result was even more significant since they were not supported by the official media.

Slowly the media's ostracism would be transformed into a clear admiration for a project that did not undergound traditional market rules, but had instead created a new market. Today Elio e le Storie Tese is one of the most appreciated bands by the press and one of the most requested to appear on television.

The second album "Italyan Rum Casusu Çikti" that contains "Pipppero" (recorded with Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, the world-famous female Bulgarian traditional choir), reached success even quicker selling 150,000 copies in the first 6 months.

The hilarious impact of the lyrics, the catchy melodies, the stage presence, (their concerts are real happenings that are attended by a more and more vast and loyal audience), the professionality (the six musicians are some of the best performers in Italy); all these things together with a boost of energy and the constant seek of innovative ideas, make the group undoubtely a "unique case" in the Italian musical panorama.

Their impact on the media grew constantly, more and more. In 1996 they participated in the world-known "Festival di Sanremo", which contributed to increase their popularity without diluting their original and intelligent way of making music. Both critics and audience were stunned by their hit "La Terra dei Cachi".

Their next album "Eat the Phikis", released a few months after Sanremo, jumped immediately to number one of the Italian top selling chart.

Between 1997 and 1998 two new releases from Elio e le Storie Tese: their greatest hits called "Del Meglio del Nostro Meglio Vol. 1" and the special box "Perle ai Porci", containing all of their recordings, previously released and unreleased. Few days before the new year's day the band dramatically lost Feyez, the sax player, who died during a concert, because of an ictus.

"Craccracriccrecr", the next studio album, was released in 1999, followed two years later by "Made in Japan", a double live cd that ironically refers to the well known Deep Purple live album.

Their latest studio release is "Cicciput" (2003). Some of the most popular italian artists (Gianni Morandi, Laura Pausini, Max Pezzali, Litfiba) gave their contribution to the record.

During these years the band won more than a prize for their musical carreer: Best Italian Band at the Mtv European Music Awards 1999, Best Videoclip (Shpalman) at the Italian Music Awards 2003, "Critics' Prize" plus the second place at the Sanremo Festival in 1996.

They have been pioneers, in their own special way, in the field of marketing, communication and promotion. Nothing that ever comes from Elio e le Storie Tese could be less than unique.

At present Elio e le Storie Tese are the first artists in Italy (and among the very few in the world) to record each live performance and sell the mastered copy right after the show; in addition to that, this new website has been activated, with a new form of membership (annual or quarterly) allowing members to download a wide range of audio/video recordings for free.

The band:
Elio: voice, flute
Faso: bass guitar
Cesareo: guitar
Rocco Tanica: keyboards
Christian Meyer: drums
Jantoman: additional keyboards

(source: elioelestorietese.it)