No thread for Goblin?

Oh, and not Goblin-related really, but Fabio Frizzi's score for The Beyond and Riz Ortolani's for Cannibal Holocaust are some of the best Italian horror soundtracks out there.

I think it's the first song on that Reale Impero Brittanico album that sounds like they were replicating Van Der Graaf Generator's arrangement of "Theme 1" - Pashmina, you should hear it because you may laugh.

The new album is really good, if anyone's interested. The guitar and drum sounds are close to those on "Nonhosonno", but overall it's less dense-sounding. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for the All-New Marangolo-Pignatelli Rhythm Explosion which this album isn't, but I'm guessing a lot of the sound has to do with how it was made, built up with ProTools in different studios (and countries), allowing them room instead for some nicely detailed writing and arrangements. The opening song "Victor" is a surprise, as it's entirely by Maurizio Guarini with a pretty convincing keyboard-simulated orchestra. He writes really well, and I'm glad he's back. "Japanese Air" is similar in a few ways to "Jennifer" from "Phenomena" and would be included on a Greatest Hits album if I were to make one.

Just picked up the Goblin volume in Cherry Red/El/Bella Casa's film music series (The Fantastic Voyage of Goblin: The Sweet Sound of Hell), and HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS "Le Cascade di Viridiana." Not from one of their soundtrack albums but from Il Fantastico Viaggio del Bagarozzo Mark, which I have no choice but to pick up now. Huge, soaring ridiculous prog-rock that reminds me of the Lindstrom & Prins Thomas album in places.

That album is amazing.

Here's a question for the Goblin experts. About a decade ago, maybe longer, I heard a wild CD of Goblin tunes done circuit house style - lots of slammin' dance beats and really energetic overall. I got the impression that this was a remix job. not something Goblin was involved with directly. Anyone know what this might be?

could this be your card?

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/goblin/the_original_remixes_collection___vol__1/

i don't know when those remixes date from.

Well, that's gotta be it. But I could've sworn I heard it as early as 1994 because the guy who played it for me was pretty much out of my life by 1998-9. Maybe he wasn't. Heard some clips online which were very techno. The ones I remember were very house, very gay. But sheesh - how many Goblin remix collections could there be?

Thanx for the link.

Anyone care to re-visit this one? I'd like to know more about what's good here...also anything else in Italian horror music. Thanks!

There is really nothing else in movies like watching an Argento film and that crazy organ and drum music starts up and you know someone is going to die.

I've got the DRG Collection Their Hits, Rare Tracks & Outakes Collection 1975-1989 but it's not as good as hearing it in the context of the films.

Claudio sent me a signed poster of him wearing leather pants (and yellow monster eyes) in an effort to woo me into booking his current band Daemonia.

That is what I thought....that maybe the music didn't sound as good when separated from the film.

I think you should book the man's band.

And I don't know, the music sounds pretty awesome to me separate from the films (of which, admittedly, I haven't seen a lot of). Suspiria, especially, holds up really well.

"That is what I thought....that maybe the music didn't sound as good when separated from the film."

It doesn't (I mean really how could it?), but it still sounds pretty great on its own.

I think there's a Goblin tribute band playing in London on Friday week! Can't be a big market.

If I believe that Daemonia could make big $$ in the US for Claudio, I would book him in a heartbeat. Much respect to the man... but he's used to getting the red carpet treatment in Europe and that's just not how it is here... :(

"Anyone care to re-visit this one? I'd like to know more about what's good here...also anything else in Italian horror music. Thanks!"

The Cherry Red comp is an excellent overview of Goblin's career.
Morricone did more than a couple of very good horror soundtracks back in the early 70's - check among the others "Il gatto a 9 code", "Una lucertola dalla pelle di donna" and "Gli occhi freddi della paura" (a total avant-garde/ psych jazz assault). Also, Fabio Frizzi (who scored Fulci's The Beyond - Zombi took a lot from him too) and Riz Ortolani (Cannibal Holocaust).

Claudio should tour the disco stuff.

I've been on a massive Goblin kick recently (music is funny that way, when you hear a sample of something you know used in another piece, and you *have* to go listen to the original instead.)

It still totally works, even separated from the film - but, you know, you have to like your mad Euro-prog. Suspiria is just... man, sometimes I get scared a bit listening to that on mine own late at night.

I think there's a Goblin tribute band playing in London on Friday week! Can't be a big market.

― Matt #2, Thursday, 12 February 2009 00:07 (9 hours ago) Permalink

they're playing tomorrow - http://www.last.fm/event/897924

I haven't looked, but I bet it's at the Underworld... fnar.

Wrong. The Old Blue Last. Bah, I hate that place.

But... man, why did I agree to go on a stupid blind date tomorrow? I'd MUCH rather go see a Goblin tribute band. Maybe I can cancel. (This is probably why I'm still single.)

I put on Il Goblini last year, it was a bunch of fun!

I take it everyone knows about this?

Know it? I'm at it, having just arrived in Birmingham.

Yowzah!

Please give us an honest live review. I'm concerned that they might be kinda lightweight on stage these days...

With a "notorious Japanese band, Corruption". Must have been something.

yes! got wrecked with a mate last night and he bought us tickets this morning, cant fucking wait. Any reports from brum?

Sorry, I misread the link and at the Brum show, not the London one. They don't play till 11 tonight, will try and report soonest.

Looking forward to hearing about this.

Goblin have just finished. It might have been because the sound had been mostly set up for doom acts all weekend, but if anything I could have done with it being less heavy, and with more keys. In other words, any suggestion of them being lightweights is WAY off the mark. Anyone going tomorrow is in for a treat. New stuff sounds totally like Zombi, by the way. I know, snake eating its tail and all that.

Saw their first comeback gig in Austria a few months ago. I didn't know their stuff and I have never seen any Argento films, so I was coming to them cold and I was distinctly unimpressed. To my ears they sounded like a poor man’s Genesis (a group I love), their widdly guitar and keyboards got on my nerves after a while as did the watery and pedestrian melodies.

See Suspiria. If you can't see it on the big screen, jack up the volume as hard as the neighbors can take it.

I imagine Goblin aren't very good at being Genesis (though they are from the prog era) - maybe they pulled out a different set for a Doomster audience?

Set was surprisingly Suspiria light. Centred mainly on Profondo Rosso, with a couple of tracks from the latest album and the main theme from Zombi. Really not much guitar widdling at all, spiralling keyboards kept low in the mix. New stuff in particular has some real blasting guitar, just single tone blurts across it like a doom/dirge outfit (although not as minor key).

I was totally prepared for it to be a shocker but I thought it was pretty rad and yeah, large riffage

brilliant, cant wait

Checking out the Supersonic line-up . . blimey! We have a circuit of freaky music festivals up here in Scotland, but over the last few years they seem to have disappeared up the blind alley of having lots performance artists doing REALLY INTERESTING things with amplified styrofoam.

I loved them at Supersonic. Highlight of the weekend for me I think. I was also coming completely cold; never heard them before, only the most layman's conception of what they are like, but I was mightily impressed. They were so incredibly tight and polished and the sound quality was amazing. Nowhere near lightweight either.

Wow the London gig was amazing! They actually got a good sound in the Scala, which is a first. I have to say the drummer is one of the best I've seen in a long time, superb control and power.

man on the "they couldn't have done it without Goblin but they sure are pretty great" tip there's an act called Umberto basically biting Goblin hard enough to draw blood but wow do they kick ass at it. They're one of those CDr/cassette label bands. Their From the Grave is a wonderful rainy night listen, I can attest.

I like the name.

Oh yeah. I can definitely feel that.

oh man here they are redoing "profundo rosso" live in the studio recently - if you dig this stuff like I do prepare to go ape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEcyYuAV3mg&feature=player_embedded#!

heavy

They were really great at Supersonic last year.

Awesome.

It just kills me that I could be booking Goblin's first ever US tour, if they were realistic about their popularity in the US. They just aren't a household name here.

Not Goblin, but Black Hole - an Italian band hugely influenced by Goblin that recorded a wonderfully naive psych metal album back in 1985.
Hilarious English pronounciation, sub-basement sound quality and a couple of great horror rock songs: as good as the best Paul Chain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edk885QCCBA

I think this happened to Wishbone Ash and Christian Death too. When I saw them I'm sure there was 3 original members and some metal guys filling in.

when i went and saw pretty things in philly years ago i think their manager played drums? something happened to their drummer. but that's a different kind of emergency.

they should just have dueling goblins. goblin opening up for goblin.

I like the idea of multiple permutations of a band simultaneously touring the US at all times under the same name. One is awesome and pumped and one is tired and weird and there's a third one who just robs you outright...

Tangential to this thread but Robert's post has reminded me of a really weird dream I had the another night about a band called Fishbone Ash.

xpost I think that's happened with the Vulgar Boatmen, two different sympatico versions of the same band. Oh, and the Aussie/US indie band Ashtray Boy has two editions as well, to circumvent travel costs.

I think Legendary Pink Dots and King Crimson also had an agreed upon thing to have different versions of their band (?)

There are two versions of the (English) Beat in existence too, but it neatly breaks down into Dave Wakeling's lot that play in the US and Ranking Roger's band that do Europe.

I'm still puzzled why they all can't get along and play in the same version of the same band.

Not sure the two (English) Beats are allied. And there's definitely only one King Crimson, though there are bands around with ex members that play KC material. But there are plenty of feuding acts that share a catalog. Like, I dunno, Supertramp and the singer going around doing Supertramp stuff.

I'm still puzzled why they all can't get along and play in the same version of the same band.

Because they probably all fell out over money and don't trust each other, no doubt with good reason.

I heard that Simonetti's Goblin is all long leather coats and Cradle Of Filth guitars, I could be wrong. The other version with the original guitarist, bassist and drummer is the one that played in the UK a few years ago. I've got lost with it now, no idea which version is touring the US.

That's totally bizarre because it seems to be the same exact thing happening with the Hawkwind reunion (the Chicago show was postponed to March because it had caused Dave Brock so much stress induced illness?!) Nic Turner's Space Ritual Hawkwind Assembly is playing here in like a week too.

Didn't Brock lose the rights to the name in the US? Ah who knows, you get more drama with these old bands than when they were young and actually making worthwhile music.

I thought Projekcts was King Crimson split into different bands?

Claudio Simonetti, Massimo Morante and Maurizio Guarini were at the Glasgow, Scotland 2011 gig for sure. The Scotsman (of all places) has an interview with Simonetti from that time, including talk of the unstable lineup...
http://www.scotsman.com/news/interview-goblin-prog-rock-band-1-1494605

Looking for details on that gig, I see that they played the Phenomena theme, which I was not familiar with at the time and when I finally saw that film I didnt know I had heard it before; I wish I had known it before the gig because I love that tune. Interestingly, some of the performances got put on a Tenebre dvd.

I also recall that whoever was controlling the background screen made a terrible job of it, the clips kept stopping and showing a dvd menu behind the band.

I've only heard Suspiria, Deep Red, Tenebre, Phenomena, Dawn Of The Dead, Roller and the Libra - Shock album (I think they did stuff for The Church and Terror At The Opera but I cant remember any of it).

Is there anything else as ambitious as Suspiria? Because that one seems totally different from the others, especially the range of sounds used.

the soundtrack to the suspiria laserdisc is still to this day one of the most phenomenal things i've ever heard. sound/audio-wise. jaw-dropping sound.

I've seen the film plenty of times but whenever I looked for the album it was always oddly expensive for something so big a classic. Does anyone know why you never see it in shops? I've seen quite a few of their other albums in stores but never Suspiria oddly.

i have the dvd set that includes a compact disc of the soundtrack. you could probably find that online. anchor bay? i can't remember.

just a quick search and here's one for 25 bucks on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suspiria-DVD-2001-3-Disc-Set-Limited-Edition-out-of-print-dario-argento-/221295636350?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray&hash=item33863f6f7e

probably find one cheaper if you look.

I bought my latest version from eMusic, no idea if it's easily available in the physical. Before that I had the anthology DRG disc with a handful of tracks from each film.

the anchor bay 3-disc set is well worth getting.

The rival Goblins should tour like the Gallagher brothers and have a Goblin 1 & a Goblin 2. They should also incorporate watermelon smashing into their live act.

skull smashing more like

there was a 6 cd box set out (in uk at least) just last christmas that had suspiria as one of the discs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Awakening-Goblin/dp/B0094GMS24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381825579&sr=8-1&keywords=goblin

(has gone up a bit since i bought mine)

actually, single disc is £12

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suspiria-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B003H3D2C0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1381825662&sr=8-9&keywords=goblin

Yes, I have noticed it becoming more affordable recently, I'll probably get it in a few days.

So this was finally addressed:

To avoid unpleasant misunderstanding we are sorry to announce that Claudio Simonetti, Bruno Previtali and Titta Tani will not be present in the line up of the next Goblin tour in the United States, it seemed right to inform all our fans.
This was an amazing and unrepeatable tour!!!

(The link itself might or might not work but it was up and saying that earlier today; post itself was from Wednesday.)

The "next" tour? Does that mean the leg with Zombi opening?

Saw Goblin when they came thru Portland on Saturday. Great show. It was really endearing, they seemed to be so happy to be up there.

No real set surprises, they played most of Roller up front (although I didn't recognize a lot of it) and then dove into the segmented soundtrack parts towards the last half.

Profondo Rosso killed.

So is the non-Claudio version worth seeing? They are playing Worcester MA in July.

I imagine they are much like the non-anybody anything bands, perfectly fine.

But I think there are three other actual members in this band IIRC.

They were great when they played in London a few years ago.

Looking at Claudio's Facebook page I think it actually may be his lineup on tour right now: https://m.facebook.com/claudiosimonettiII?fref=nf

Just got back from a screening of L'Inferno (1911) with accompaniment by Maurizio Guarini. I don't know anything about Goblin or their other soundtrack work, but the total effect was stunning.

this is an all-around awesome jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHhpYE4Ap4I

love these guys

Guarini is returning to AFI Silver to accompany L'Inferno (https://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/m-0100002202) and Nosferatu (https://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/m-0100000238).

For those who missed it on the obituaries thread, RIP Massimo Morante. The bandana king is no more!

https://pitchfork.com/news/massimo-morante-goblin-founder-and-guitarist-dead-at-70/

I was at this Goblin performance in Glasgow. As others have noted here, on the night they were really surprisingly loud and heavy - it was quite a smart and effective updating of their original sound. Really glad I went. RIP Massimo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ConNBa3HSIM