Il Mucchio "Il Mucchio "1970
A five-piece from Venice, Il Mucchio were active since 1970, releasing an album and three singles. Drummer Rebeschini had been in the first Le Orme line-up.
The group was produced and followed by a popular 60's singer, Pino Donaggio, who composed almost all their repertoire. The album, eight tracks for around 34 minutes, contains lightweight progressive, mainly based on a thin organ and a very melodic singing that give the sound a strong sixties flavour. A reworking of Schubert's Ave Maria was also included.
A small similarity with New Trolls in their multivocal parts, but definitely not a memorable album.
Soon after the recording sessions for the album, the singer/flutist Sergio Piazza temporarily left the group to do his military service, and the others kept playing as a quartet, sharing the lead singer role.
The line-up then changed radically around the only remaining founders Zanardo and Rivoltella, with newcomers Roberto Fagotto (voice and guitar), Franco Carradori (drums) and keyboardist Luciano Basso (who later had a solo career). This line-up produced the later singles (from 1972 and 1973), which were in a similar vein, but with a more evident 70's prog feel in the arrangements and sounds, especially the last one Lei se ne andrà.
After tha last single the group had another line-up change, with the bass player Lucio Franchin, drummer Massimo Rizzotto and guitarist Franco Scoblar (the latter who replaced Basso), then the group broke up in 1975.
In 1995 Il Mucchio was reformed for a few concerts with three of the original members (Piazza, Zane e Zanardo), along with drummer Francesco Satini and singer/keyboardist Chiara Maccatrozzo. This line-up stayed together for around two years.
A different reincarnation of Il Mucchio, still active includes Roberto Fagotto and Luciano Zanardo along with Alessandro Viola (keyboards and vocals), Willy Lorenzon (vocals), Fabio Runello (guitar) and Matteo Regazzo (drums).
Italian Progressive