Banda Bassotti was formed in 1988, by a group of politically active musicians who began to sympathize with the Nicaraguan, Salvadorean, Palestinian, and Basque people fights. This group of friends supports the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional with solidarity initiatives by creating some work brigades. From 1984 to 1987 they took part to a three months brigade with the building cooperative XXV Aprile, to build some students houses and a school. From 1987 to 1989 the group creates a rock-band which begins to stir in the squats and in the demonstrations. The Banda Bassotti together with other comrades establishes the project Gridalo Forte No fascism! No racism! A documentation centre against fascism and racial prejudice.
From 1990 to 1991 they organize an antiracist festival with the same title who took place in Rome on 1991 May 3rd and 4th. European antiracist bands took part into such festival with concerts, videos and meetings. From this documentation centre, after two years the label Gridalo Forte Records is created. From this documentation centre the project Balla e Difendi arises, always in 1991, where the Banda Bassotti, took part to, together with other roman bands, such as: Red House, Filo da Torcere, AK 47. In this record, produced by the Gridalo Forte Records independent label, took part the most active bands of the left roman antagonist scene. "Figli della stessa rabbia" the first Banda Bassotti cd follows the success of such initiative and it is produced by the same label. This cd obtained a great success of both audience and critics and acted as an ingagements band multiplier: from a roman dimension to a national, and then an international one.
Without abandoning their roots, the BB obtained appreciation in Spain and especially in the Basque Country, where they performed in several concerts together with some independist left bands. During the recording of "Bella Ciao" together with the GANG, it raised the idea to play in Salvador for the FMNL. The occasion to realize such idea comes out few months later in march 1994, for the first political elections after 11 years of civil war in Salvador. The Banda Bassotti played with the Negu Gorriak in San Salvador central square at the end of the campaign with an audience of 50.000 people. They performed in 4 concerts in less than a week.
In June 1995 the band moved to Euskadi for 15 days in the IZ studio, on the mountains and with Kaki Arkarazo –sound technician and Negu Gorriak guitarist- they recorded "Avanzo di Cantiere" produced by Gridalo Forte Records label. Fermin Muguruza took part to the traditional song "Carabina 30-30" This cd is sold also in Euskadi and Spain, published by Gora Herriak Records a branch of the International Basque label Esan Ozenki. The record has been presented in several concerts in Italy and all over Spain: Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago De Compostela, Saragoza, Gasteiz, Oiartzun. The Banda Bassotti played with the Negu Gorriak in summer 1995 in Bilbao Gaz Square at the town party with an audience of 10.000 people. After a while the Banda Bassotti took part to a Hitz Egin demonstration for the freedom of expression, a big concert to raising funds for the Negu Gorriak trial against the civil guard General Galindo. The song reported is Ustalkerria. They raised 200.000.000 liras for the defence, about 12.000 people took part to it and 15 bands played, there were all Basque bands and the Banda Bassotti represented the international sympathy.
In the mid 1996 the band decided to stop because of great energies spent and the obvious difficulties to go on both with the band and to work in the yard.
In February 2001 Negu Gorriak -who broke in the same time of of the Banda Bassotti- decided to keep the promise to get back together to play in a concert to celebrate the end of the legal prosecution of Colonel Galindo against their song Ustalkerria when the Negu Gorriak won the trial. The agreement stated that also the Banda Bassotti should have to rejoin nad play with the Basque band. The Banda Bassotti decided to increase the instruments of the band with the brass section: Sandokan to the tombone -singer of the Ramiccia and trombone of the International Fermin Muguruza Dub Manifest and of the Radici nel Cemento- and Stefano Cecchi to the trumpet -trumpet of the bands International Fermin Muguruza Dub Manifest and Radici nel Cemento-. They rearranged their songs and left for Bilbao.
Concerts in February should have been two but they were three, due to the great demand of tickets (30.000). Seizing this opportunity the Banda Bassotti organized two concerts in Rome on 15th and 17th March 2001. The first concert is in support of the people reported for the demonstration against the nazi Haider arrival in Rome, while the second took place in the Social Centre "Villaggio Globale" with an audience of 9.000 people. The great success of these occasional concerts was the input to find new energies and the Banda Bassotti started to reorganize its future as a band. They started again to play and they received great demands from Italy and Spain.
In May 2001 a double live cd has been published by the label Gridalo Forte Records with the title "Un altro giorno d’amore" recorded at the Villaggio Globale and mixed in the Euskadi Garate Studio by Kaki Arkarazo. The video is the live concert of May 17th as well. Fermin Muguruza took part to roman concerts singing "La Linea del Frente" and "Zu Trapartu Arte" the two most famous songs by Fermin Muguruza’s first band: the Kortatu. After a while they shoot the video of "Carabina 30-30" and Maurizio Gregori -Ramiccia’s saxophonist- joined the band.
In summer 2001 the Banda bassotti is on tour again in Italy, Spain and the Basque Country until September when they played at the Independent Day Festival with Manu Chao, Africa Unite, and so on. Without forgetting their attitude, the Banda Bassotti and their label organized a concert in Rome to support the partisan Walter Dall’Olmo and his family. After that they performed in Italy and Spain and in November 2001, during their first seven concerts tour, they had a total audience of about 30.000 people.
In their second tour in December, with four concerts their audience was of around 7.000 people. During this month they released a compilation with the title "Poetry and reality" for the Japanese label Two Children Records.
Singer Angelo "Sigaro" Conti, died at the age of 62 on 11 December 2018.
Procesò
Banda Bassotti Lyrics
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Va davant el rei borbó
Felip V el calça llarga segueix l'any 1708
I el Decret de Nova Planta
L'organista Cabanilles va sonant una tocata
Molts maulets, bolic al muscle
Busquen on alçaran casa
Els teixidors de la llana
Passen porcs i botiflers
Botiflers i sargantanes renegats i delators
Socarrats i socarrades
Lladres, bisbes i marquesos
Naus amb senyera esgarrada
Carles d'Àustria plegant vela
Pebre, cànem i pesquera
D'Asfeld, dimoni emplomat
Incendiari i mala bava
Soldats catalans i anglesos
De Portugal i d'Holanda
Saladures, prostitutes
Ametllons, arròs i pansa
Françesos i castellans
Saragüells i el mal d'Almansa
Passen molts més de maulets
Botiflers no hi han apenes
Passa Berwic i Blanquer
I Lluís XIV de França
Lliures, diners, divuitès
Un nou patriotisme passa
Castellanesc i estafant
L'Estat modern va d'estrena
I els senyors van de dinar
El Penjadet i Basset
Quart de Poblet assa en flames
Volen les cendres de Xàtiva
I una extensa polseguera
S'escampa sobre la llum
Que el sol va en la comitiva
I la remor se l'enduu
Que el conjur no dura sempre
I la història ja és passada
Però el mal que vingué d'ella
Mal d'Almansa rossega encara i alcança
Tot el poble
The lyrics of Banda Bassotti's song "Procesò" depict a long, sad, and desolate procession that takes place during the year 1708 under the rule of King Philip V of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain. The procession is associated with the Decree of the New Plant, a policy imposed by King Philip V to centralize power and suppress the autonomous rights of regions like Catalonia.
The lyrics mention various groups of people participating in the procession. "Maulets" refers to supporters of the Catalan independence movement who carry hidden weapons in their muskets. They are accompanied by weavers of wool, who carry moneybags and carpets, symbolizing their economic activities. The mention of "botiflers" and "sargantanes" refers to those who betray their own people and collaborate with the oppressors. Soldiers from different nationalities, including Catalans, English, Portuguese, and Dutch, are also present.
The lyrics further mention thieves, bishops, and marquises, while ships with torn flags sail in the background. Charles of Austria is depicted retracting his sails in defeat, representing the loss of the War of Spanish Succession. The references to products like pepper, hemp, and fish represent the economic changes brought by the "Nova Planta" policy. The lyrics also mention French and Castilian people, with references to the battle of Almansa and the suffering caused by it.
The song highlights the tensions and conflicts brought by the establishment of a modern state and the suppression of regional identities. The procession represents a collective memory of a dark period in history, symbolizing the enduring pain and consequences of the Almansa battle and the imposition of the New Plant.
Line by Line Meaning
Comença la procesó llarga, trista i desolada
The long, sad and desolate procession begins
Va davant el rei borbó
Goes ahead of the Bourbon king
Felip V el calça llarga segueix l'any 1708
Philip V, wearing long pants, follows in the year 1708
I el Decret de Nova Planta
And the Decree of New Plantation
L'organista Cabanilles va sonant una tocata
Organist Cabanilles plays a toccata
Molts maulets, bolic al muscle
Many rebels, bag on the shoulder
Busquen on alçaran casa
They search for where to build a home
Porten pelfes i catifes
They carry treasures and carpets
Els teixidors de la llana
The wool weavers
Passen porcs i botiflers
Pigs and traitors pass by
Botiflers i sargantanes renegats i delators
Traitors and lizards, renegades and informers
Socarrats i socarrades
Singeing and scorched
Lladres, bisbes i marquesos
Thieves, bishops, and marquises
Naus amb senyera esgarrada
Ships with tattered flags
Carles d'Àustria plegant vela
Charles of Austria lowering the sail
Pebre, cànem i pesquera
Pepper, hemp, and fishing net
D'Asfeld, dimoni emplomat
Of Asfeld, the scheming devil
Incendiari i mala bava
Arsonist and bad temper
Soldats catalans i anglesos
Catalan and English soldiers
De Portugal i d'Holanda
From Portugal and Holland
Saladures, prostitutes
Salters, prostitutes
Ametllons, arròs i pansa
Almonds, rice, and raisins
Françesos i castellans
French and Castilians
Saragüells i el mal d'Almansa
Bosom friend and the evil of Almansa
Passen molts més de maulets
Many more rebels pass by
Botiflers no hi han apenes
Traitors are hardly there
Passa Berwic i Blanquer
Berwick and Blanquer pass by
I Lluís XIV de França
And Louis XIV of France
Lliures, diners, divuitès
Freedom, money, 18th century
Un nou patriotisme passa
A new patriotism passes
Castellanesc i estafant
Castilian and deceitful
L'Estat modern va d'estrena
The modern state is debuting
I els senyors van de dinar
And the lords go to lunch
El Penjadet i Basset
The hanged man and Basset
Quart de Poblet assa en flames
Quart de Poblet burns in flames
Volen les cendres de Xàtiva
They want the ashes of Xàtiva
I una extensa polseguera
And an extensive dust cloud
S'escampa sobre la llum
Spreads over the light
Que el sol va en la comitiva
While the sun is in the procession
I la remor se l'enduu
And the noise takes it away
Que el conjur no dura sempre
Because the conspiracy does not last forever
I la història ja és passada
And the history is already in the past
Però el mal que vingué d'ella
But the harm that came from it
Mal d'Almansa rossega encara i alcança
The evil of Almansa still gnaws and reaches
Tot el poble
The whole people
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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