When their first album "Elio Samaga Hukapan Karyiana Turu" came out (1989), the concept of an underground band was outdated by the 150,000 copies that were sold in the first ten months.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)
Come gli Area
Elio e le Storie Tese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
il gruppo italiano
ma i pezzi sono molto difficili
di questo gruppo italiano
non sono capace
di suonare i pezzi degli Area
perché sono dei brani impossibili
le canzoni degli Area
Allora sai che faccio
scrivo una canzone
che assomiglia a una canzone degli Area
me la studio bene
perfettamente bene
e poi la canto per te
Che bravi che erano gli Area
International Popular Group
Demetrio cantava di tutto
accompagnato da musicisti che suonavano di brutto
esploravano musiche nuove
e la gente ascoltava
un pubblico costituito
da giovani comunisti,
capelloni e drogati
Come tutti sanno
il pubblico fascista
non ha mai capito un cazzo di musica
si però i compagni
quando c'è da tirar fuori i soldi
tutto tace
Se c'è una cosa che mi dispiace
è che non li ho mai visti dal vivo
all'epoca ero solo un bambino
figurati se i miei genitori mi portavano
a un concerto degli Area
Tanti fricchettoni,
tanti comunisti,
troppa gente che non paga il biglietto,
mancano i proventi
e, alla fine, dimmi che ti magni. Gli strumenti?
Alla fine 'sto pezzo stile Area
è venuto un benino
se l'avessero scritto proprio gli Area
sarebbe un casino
questo lo puoi cantare
senza essere Stratos
questo lo puoi suonare
senza essere Tofani, Fariselli, Tavolazzi, Capiozzo
senza essere gli Area
In "Come gli Area," Elio e le Storie Tese express their admiration for the work of the Italian progressive rock band Area. However, they acknowledge that the complexity of the band's music makes it difficult for them to play their songs. Therefore, Elio decides to create his own song, inspired by the style of Area, and performs it for his audience.
The lyrics also touch on the reception of Area's music during their heyday in the '70s. They were loved by young, left-leaning audiences, including communists and hippies. The fascist audience, however, was less impressed. While Elio admits to never having seen the band live, he regrets not having had the chance to experience their music in person.
The song ends on a self-deprecating note, with Elio joking about his inability to reach the musicianship of the individual members of Area. Nonetheless, he takes pride in having created his own song in their style.
Line by Line Meaning
Vorrei suonare come gli Area
I wish I could play music like the Italian band Area
il gruppo italiano
the Italian band in question
ma i pezzi sono molto difficili
but their music is very difficult to play
di questo gruppo italiano
referring back to Area
non sono capace
I am not capable
di suonare i pezzi degli Area
of playing Area's music
perché sono dei brani impossibili
because their songs are impossible pieces
le canzoni degli Area
referring back to Area's songs
Allora sai che faccio
So you know what I do
scrivo una canzone
I write a song
che assomiglia a una canzone degli Area
that resembles an Area's song
me la studio bene
I study it well
perfettamente bene
perfectly well
e poi la canto per te
and then I sing it for you
Che bravi che erano gli Area
How great Area was
International Popular Group
referring to Area's description
Demetrio cantava di tutto
Demetrio sang everything
accompagnato da musicisti che suonavano di brutto
accompanied by musicians who played horribly
esploravano musiche nuove
they explored new music
e la gente ascoltava
and people listened
un pubblico costituito
a crowd made up of
da giovani comunisti, capelloni e drogati
young communists, hippies, and drug addicts
Come tutti sanno
As everyone knows
il pubblico fascista
the fascist audience
non ha mai capito un cazzo di musica
never understood anything about music
si però i compagni
But the comrades
quando c'è da tirar fuori i soldi
when it's time to get the money out
tutto tace
all falls silent
Se c'è una cosa che mi dispiace
If there's one thing that I regret
è che non li ho mai visti dal vivo
it's that I have never seen them live
all'epoca ero solo un bambino
at that time I was just a child
figurati se i miei genitori mi portavano
imagine if my parents took me
a un concerto degli Area
to an Area's concert
Tanti fricchettoni, tanti comunisti,
So many freaks, so many communists
troppa gente che non paga il biglietto,
too many people who don't pay for the ticket
mancano i proventi
revenues are missing
e, alla fine, dimmi che ti magni.
And in the end, tell me what you eat.
Gli strumenti?
The instruments?
Alla fine 'sto pezzo stile Area
In the end, this piece in the style of Area
è venuto un benino
has come out quite well
se l'avessero scritto proprio gli Area
if Area themselves had written it
sarebbe un casino
it would be a mess
questo lo puoi cantare
this you can sing
senza essere Stratos
without being Stratos
questo lo puoi suonare
this you can play
senza essere Tofani, Fariselli, Tavolazzi, Capiozzo
without being Tofani, Fariselli, Tavolazzi, Capiozzo
senza essere gli Area
without being Area
Contributed by Tyler R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.