One of many English bands coming to Italy in search of success during the beat-era, The Trip included a young Ritchie Blackmore in their first line-up, along with founder members Arvid "Wegg" Andersen, Billy Gray and drummer Ian Broad, but a line-up change brought two italians in, keyboard player Joe Vescovi from Savona (later the leading figure in the band) and drummer Pino Sinnone from Turin.
With a stable line-up the band had a good recording deal with RCA and released their first album in 1970, and a single taken from it.
The Trip (sometimes referred to as Musica Impressionistica, from a title on back cover) can't be yet considered a prog album, rather a rock-blues LP, with five long pieces led by guitar and organ. The long opening cut Prologo, is a good introduction to the band's sound that since their early days has always mixed English and Italian-sung tracks in their production.
Also in 1970 the band members acted in the film Terzo canale - Avventura a Montecarlo, a nonsense comedy based on the story of a band trying to get to Montecarlo from Italy and playing the Rome Caracalla Pop Festival in the end.
With Caronte, in 1971, the Trip's sound became much more original, with more space to Joe Vescovi's keyboards. Since the first notes of Caronte I, the opening track, it's clear that a classical influence has enriched the band's sound. The long Two brothers is another highlight of a very important album.
Live '72 captures the performance at the Piper in Rome for Controcanzonissima dated 28 Jan 1972, the last concert with the historical line up (Joe, Wegg, Billy and Pino), an unpublished document, evidence of the energy and powerful of one of the most representative bands in the 70s Italian prog scene. Contains an interview with Joe Vescovi by Athos Enrile.
TRACK LIST:
Side A:
Repent Walpurgis (Fortuna) 5:52
Caronte 6:31
Interview with Joe Vescovi 5:22
Side B:
Two Brothers 6:43
Ode a Jimi Hendrix 10:49
THE TRIP:
Joe Vescovi
Arvid “Wegg†Andersen
William “Billy†Gray
Pino “Caronte†Sinnone
http://player.believe.fr/v2/8034077059885 CATALOG