Banda Bassotti
Encyclopedia
Banda Bassotti is an Italian
ska
-punk
band formed in 1987 in Rome
. Their songs are generally political in nature, focusing on Communist
and anti-Fascist
issues. Many are about Latin America
, as well. The band was inspired by The Clash
and The Specials
. The band was very politically active from the very beginning, attending protests and sympathizing with anti-Fascist movements in Italy. Their name derives from the Italian version of the Disney characters The Beagle Boys.
with Kaki Arkarazo and Negu Gorriak
. With this lineup the band toured Spain during the same year.
The band split up in 1996 only to be reunited in 2001 for a benefit concert. The reunited band introduced trombone and trumpet sections to their previously strictly guitar based punk lineup. The concert was released later the same year on the live album Un altro giorno d’amore.In March 2002 they released “L’altra faccia dell’Impero” after 7 years from their last studio-album.
For the promotional tour for this album they played hundred of concerts in Spain, Italy and in Japan where they concluded the Fuji Rock Festival
with the Red Hot Chili Peppers
. Shocked and disappointed at the direction politics were taking in the following years all over the world with the rise of such politicians as George W. Bush
and Silvio Berlusconi
they decided to record Asi es mi vida, an album with popular political songs from all over the world. In 2004 they released the album Amore e odio and toured Germany for the first time.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
-punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band formed in 1987 in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Their songs are generally political in nature, focusing on Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and anti-Fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
issues. Many are about Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, as well. The band was inspired by The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
and The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
. The band was very politically active from the very beginning, attending protests and sympathizing with anti-Fascist movements in Italy. Their name derives from the Italian version of the Disney characters The Beagle Boys.
Releases
Banda Bassotti released their first album Figli della stessa rabbia in 1991, which gained them a success amongst the local political and punk circles. In 1995 they released their second album Avanzo di cantiere recorded in the Basque CountryBasque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
with Kaki Arkarazo and Negu Gorriak
Negu Gorriak
Negu Gorriak were an underground Basque Crossover group. Their musical style combines various styles of rock music such as hardcore punk, hip-hop, ska, and reggae, although it is impossible to separate the band from its political ideology and its identification with the Basque Country and its...
. With this lineup the band toured Spain during the same year.
The band split up in 1996 only to be reunited in 2001 for a benefit concert. The reunited band introduced trombone and trumpet sections to their previously strictly guitar based punk lineup. The concert was released later the same year on the live album Un altro giorno d’amore.In March 2002 they released “L’altra faccia dell’Impero” after 7 years from their last studio-album.
For the promotional tour for this album they played hundred of concerts in Spain, Italy and in Japan where they concluded the Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The 3 day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan...
with the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. Shocked and disappointed at the direction politics were taking in the following years all over the world with the rise of such politicians as George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
they decided to record Asi es mi vida, an album with popular political songs from all over the world. In 2004 they released the album Amore e odio and toured Germany for the first time.
Discography
- 1992 - Figli della stessa rabbia
- 1993 - Bella ciao
- 1995 - Avanzo de cantiere
- 2001 - Un altro giorno d'amore
- 2002 - L'altra faccia dell'impero
- 2003 - Asì es mi vida
- 2004 - Amore e odio
- 2004 - Baldi e fieri
- 2006 - Vecchi cani bastardi
- 2008 - Viento, lucha y sol
- 2010 - Check Point Kreuzberg - Live at SO36 - Berlin