Mellotronists

In a message dated 10/10/2005 10:39:35 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
mellotrongirl@... writes:

I think  
this is RDM's second album; the first-Io Como Io, I understand is a  
lot different and bland compared to this hyperkinetic  workout.



I haven't heard their first (La Biblia), but Io Come Io (until recently, I  
thought it was their first) is a good album, but more garage rock sound than 
the  symphonic Contaminazione.  A cut and paste below from a web site that gives 
 some more background (_http://www.italianprog.com/a_rovescio.htm_ 
(http://www.italianprog.com/a_rovescio.htm) )
 
 
Il Rovescio della Medaglia was formed in Rome around the  end of 1970 when 
three musicians from the 60's band I Lombrichi recruited the  singer Pino 
Ballarini, who had moved to Rome from Pescara. Their first  great success was at 
Viareggio Pop festival and they soon became one of the most  popular live bands 
in Italy during the early 70's. 
First LP La Bibbia, released in 1971, was  basically a very good hard-rock 
album with slight prog influences, recorded live  in studio and accompanied by a 
distinctive round medallion-shaped  booklet. 

The second one, Io come io a year later, was  in the same style, with 
ambitious philosophical lyrics inspired from Hegel  works. A short album (less than 
30 minutes) but again a really good  one! 
In 1973 a fifth member was added, keyboard player Franco  Di Sabbatino, also 
from Pescara, like Pino Ballarini, and briefly with _Il  Paese dei Balocchi_ 
(http://www.italianprog.com/a_paesedeibalocchi.htm) . With their sound enriched 
by  the keyboards, Il Rovescio released the third album, Contaminazione, with 
 the help of argentine composer Luis Enriquez Bacalov, who had already worked 
 with _New Trolls_ (http://www.italianprog.com/a_newtrolls.htm)  for their 
Concerto  Grosso and _Osanna_ (http://www.italianprog.com/a_osanna.htm) . The 
album was obviously  more in a symphonic direction, and was also released in an 
english-sung version  and issued in many foreign countries, to try to launch 
the group abroad. The  english language album appeared in Italy in 1975 only, 
when the band had already  split up. 
By this time the band was being renowned for their  powerful performances, 
always played at the loudest possible volume and helped  by a unique sound 
system. This is what the Contamination LP liner notes  said about it (originally 
written in english, mistakes and all...): "Their  instrumentation is among the 
moste interesting in Europe. The 6000 watt Mack  vocal equipment is 
quadrophonic and is equivalent to 36 track amplifiers. The  console table is really a 
portable recording studio with filters, compressors,  etc. The guitar, the 
battery and the keyboards have 900 watt amplifiers. The  keyboards consist of a 
vertical B Hammond organ, a harmonium, an eminent for the  reproduction of 
strings, two VCS synthesizers, a 200 Harp [it was probably  an ARP], and two mini 
moog synthesizers. The  lighting equipment is also important. There are 50 
spotlights which produce  colors and special effects. On a special screen behind the 
group, slides and  films are projected to produce abstract musical effects.". 
Not bad  for an italian band, and no one else in Italy had such a powerful 
live  act! 
But... in december 1973 the stealing of their big and  expensive PA brought 
the band close to the end, with Pino Ballarini leaving for  Switzerland 
(briefly replaced by Michele Zarrillo from _Semiramis_ 
(http://www.italianprog.com/a_semiramis.htm) ) and the others  continuing as an instrumental-only band. The 
live album Giudizio avrai,  privately released by the band in the late 80's, 
contains a recording from this  period, with the band's sound dominated by the 
keyboards. 
Last release is a single from 1975 (there's a mention on  its cover of a new 
album, but this was never released), then the band had  various line-up 
changes up to 1977.  
In early 90's guitarist Enzo Vita reformed the band with  a new line-up and 
released a new CD called Il ritorno, different from  their past production and 
more AOR-inspired, as its follower Vitae  (recorded earlier).