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Thread: AREA - "International POPular Group - The Essential Box Set Collection"

  1. #1
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    AREA - "International POPular Group - The Essential Box Set Collection"

    Anyone else have this 6-disc box? First four studio albums and the first two live albums all gathered in one nice set with a decent book (in Italian). Found it for $39 (Cdn) from an Amazon marketplace seller - and that was new, unopened. Everywhere else I look it's in the $70-$90 range... I always love a good score like this!



    area-the-essential-box-set-collection-andrea-pazienza.jpg
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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  2. #2
    Member Mascodagama's Avatar
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    I have it. It's a great set! The packaging is nothing special, but with music this good who cares?

    I'm only sorry I can't read the book.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Anyone else have this 6-disc box? First four studio albums and the first two live albums all gathered in one nice set with a decent book (in Italian). Found it for $39 (Cdn) from an Amazon marketplace seller - and that was new, unopened. Everywhere else I look it's in the $70-$90 range... I always love a good score like this!



    area-the-essential-box-set-collection-andrea-pazienza.jpg
    Big time score, if you don't already have the music.

    I remember buying these all individually as imports... :P

  4. #4
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Facelift View Post
    Big time score, if you don't already have the music.

    I remember buying these all individually as imports... :P
    Yeah, Area was sorely lacking in my collection. I'm a huge RPI fan, and it was simply wrong that one of the biggest names in the scene was absent from my shelves. Over the years, I've concentrated (and spent) so much on the "one offs" and lesser-knowns outside of the Big Three, that Area kept getting pushed aside on my wish list. This purchase rectified that in a major way, and as a bonus it arrived in two days, as it came from within Ontario! I had to jump on it, at that price.

    Immersing myself in it as we speak, and of course loving it. Fantastic stuff!
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Yeah, Area was sorely lacking in my collection. I'm a huge RPI fan,
    Who/what is "RPI?"

  6. #6
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Facelift View Post
    Who/what is "RPI?"
    Sorry, "Rock Progressivo Italiano", or to put it a less pretentious way, Italian Prog. It's a rather broad umbrella, really, as Area has little in common with PFM, who have little in common with New Trolls or Malibran or Goblin or Quella Vecchia Locanda, etc. etc...
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Sorry, "Rock Progressivo Italiano", or to put it a less pretentious way, Italian Prog. It's a rather broad umbrella, really, as Area has little in common with PFM, who have little in common with New Trolls or Malibran or Goblin or Quella Vecchia Locanda, etc. etc...
    Oh - never heard that.

    Yeah - Area is does not really fit in with bands like PFM, Banco or Le Orme - more avant and jazzier. They're also not all Italian anyway, right? In terms of originality and having their own sound, I think Area stood out among the usually-cited Italian bands of the '70s.

  8. #8
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    Sorry, "Rock Progressivo Italiano", or to put it a less pretentious way, Italian Prog. It's a rather broad umbrella, really, as Area has little in common with PFM, who have little in common with New Trolls or Malibran or Goblin or Quella Vecchia Locanda, etc. etc...
    A little though - Areas first bassplayer went to PFM

    Personally I find Area much more interesting than PFM (which I also like).

  9. #9
    ...and anyone interested in learning more about a true voice explorer should check out Area further and the solo work of Demetrio Stratos.

    Here is his rendition of a Greek tongue twister about crickets, which is unrelenting and one of the coolest things I've ever heard.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8UVCz1ku4

  10. #10
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    ^^
    Unbelievable !

  11. #11
    there is a book about Demetrio's techniques and life written in Portuguese and made by a musicist which was very interested in Demetrio's voice and techniques. Not very easy to find, but quite nice, especially if you can read Portuguese.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate View Post
    I find Area much more interesting than PFM (which I also like).
    I love both, but it's still a fact that Area were a band whom most other Italian acts of the early 70s admired deeply. Reading esteemed journalist Donato Zoppo's interviews With Stratos made me realize this a long way, as did the extensive chronicles and biographical writings on 70s Italian popular music by Franco Fabbri (of Stormy Six), nowadays an established musicologist.

    The tune "Via Lumiere" (closing track on L'Isola) by P.F.M. is a direct homage to Area, btw.

    About Demetrio Stratos' achievements as vocalist, theoretical explorer of both techniques and cultural origins (he travelled continents for his ethnomusicology studies) etc. there's much to be said. His source findings and various recorded experiments and the likes are given academic attention on the highest levels in Italian musical research, and one of the absolutely most prestigious contemporary music awards granted in Italy is named after him (Meredith Monk, Fred Frith and Diamanda Galas are among the receivers since its establishment).

    Several high-profile documentaries about him have been made, one of which is this - well worth watching:


    After having seen this film for the first time in a while right now, I also note that it links to the most recent documentary on him, La Voce, which documents and demonstrates his influence and the academic results of his findings and theories. Very cool!
    Last edited by Scrotum Scissor; 10-29-2015 at 07:00 AM.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  13. #13
    This is SO good! "Progressive rock" should be proud to have contained such a great talent among its ranks. Of course, it isn't...

    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  14. #14
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    Big, large, huge fan of Area. Wish they had done more / been better documented.

    This might be the best footage of them (there isn't a lot and a good bit of what there is has canned music). This song isn't on any of their albums, iirc and it isn't long before the guitarist left. There's footage of them as a quartet without him that's good as well, but this is the best of them in their classic quintet lineup.

    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  15. #15
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Great track & footage - but its on Maledetti (side 2 of the LP, different bassplayer)

    Now I need to hear the album, thanks !

  16. #16
    ^

    Their most underrated record, IMO. The Steve Lacy contribution is priceless.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  17. #17
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    "SCUM" is one of my favorite Area tracks !



    According to Wiki Maledetti is a concept album: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maledetti_%28Maudits%29

  18. #18
    Member oilersfan's Avatar
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    Area is just the best.

  19. #19
    Member Steve F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate View Post
    "SCUM" is one of my favorite Area tracks !
    mine as well.
    Steve F.

    www.waysidemusic.com
    www.cuneiformrecords.com

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    “Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin

    Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]

    "Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"

    please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.

  20. #20
    Maledetti was my first Area album, and still my favorite. Wonderfully wild. And yeah, Stratos is practically without equal IMHO.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve F. View Post
    Big, large, huge fan of Area.
    Who in turn, turned yours truly on to the band, via stocking the albums at Wayside back in the 90's. I think I had read the description in the old print catalog (remember those?!) and that piqued my interest. So I provisionally was preparing to order Are(a)zione, being that was the album that was recommended.

    While I was waiting for funds to become available so I could send in the order, I happened to see a New Year's Show at the Phantasy Theater in Lakewood, Ohio, which featured (amongst others) the late Doug Walker, synthesist/reedsman from Alien Planetscapes . So I'm hanging out with Doug back at our friend Jim's house, talking about music, and Doug just happens to mention Area. So I figured, "OK, that's two people I respect telling me to check this band out, I better follow through on this one". And I did. Unfortunately, though, I only ever got one other album, Caution Radiation Area. Maybe I should keep my eyes on this boxset and see if a cheap copy turns up someplace.

  22. #22
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    I have the 2004 Akarma box set, which has Are(A)zione, Arbeit Macht Frei, Caution Radiation Area, and Crac! in mini LP sleeves.

  23. #23
    I'll just add to the chorus. You can't go wrong with Area.

  24. #24
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    I recently got that Akarma box as well, hoping it would sound better than my original 4 CD's. A preliminary comparison: both have some sound quality issues, so I guess I'll keep both for now. Same with my two versions of the "Malidetti" CD; the original sounds good until you get to the songs on side two, then it sounds like a cassette. The Akarma release sounds better except for one track from side one, which has an edit in the middle and balance issues. I also have most of the albums on vinyl from purchases in the 70's.

  25. #25
    Ya know, I just remember, I've got a whole DVD full of Area bootlegs (audio only) that I pulled off of Dimeadozen.

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