Elio e le Storie Tese (Italian:[ˈɛːljoelleˈstɔːrjeˈteːze]; literally "Elio and the Troubled Stories"), often abbreviated EelST, is an Italian comedy rock band from Milan, formed in 1980.[1][2] Their frontman is Stefano Belisari, better known as Elio.
The group participated to the Sanremo Music Festival for the second time in the 2013 edition with the song "La canzone mononota", achieving again the second place and winning the "Mia Martini" Critics Awards for the second time, the award for the best arrangement, and the Radio and TV Press-Room award.[6]
Historyedit
The origins of Elio e le Storie Tese go back to the 1970s, when Stefano Belisari (Elio), Luca Mangoni and Marco Conforti (Sergio's brother and future manager of the group) were classmates in a high school in Milan.[7]
The first line-up debuted in Milan in 1980. It consisted of Elio on guitar, Paolo Cortellino on bass and Pier Luigi Zuffellato on drums. Cortellino was then replaced firstly by Fabio Gianvecchio (Chiosco), later by Dario Mazzoli (Scaffale), and finally, in 1986, by Nicola Fasani (Faso). In the meantime, Zuffellato had left the group, and was replaced by Vittorio Cosma until 1982, when, after EelST were joined by the pianist Sergio Conforti (Rocco Tanica), the role of drummer was filled by a Drumulator operated by Rocco Tanica himself until 1988, when Swiss drummer Christian Meyer joined the group.[8]
At the beginning, Elio was the singer and guitarist, but in 1983 the group hired rock guitarist Davide Civaschi (Cesareo). From that moment on, Elio could focus on being the front-man, and, sparingly, play the Western concert flute, for which he had passed the music academy's examination.[8] In 1988, the group was also joined by the multi-instrumentalist Paolo Panigada (Feiez),[7][8] who died ten years later of a brain hemorrhage during a concert.[8]
In 1992, Elio decided to include architect and former classmate Mangoni in the band. Mangoni, described in the official website as "artist and architect",[9] would have various roles, such as dancing and singing during live performances.[8]
In March 2014, Elio e le Storie Tese presented six episodes of Il Musichione, a comedy musical show on Rai 2.[10]
On 17 October 2017, the band announced that they would disband at the end of the year, after their last concert in Milan on 19 December.[11]
On 16 December 2017, it was announced that the band would take part in the Sanremo Music Festival 2018 with the song Arrivedorci, i.e. "Arrivederci", meaning "See you later" in Italian; the song title is misspelled in the same way in which Alberto Sordi intentionally mispronounced the word, with a fake and exaggerated American accent (mostly for comic effect), while dubbing Oliver Hardy in the Italian versions of Laurel and Hardy films, from 1939 to 1951).[12] The song, a slow ballad with a lyric consisting in a half-comical, half-serious concise recapitulation of their history, came last in the final chart and it was called by journalist and music critic Mario Luzzatto Fegiz "the ugliest song [they] ever wrote"; Elio, replying to Fegiz in an ambiguous attitude, stated that the band had made a calculated effort to classify last.[13] A follow-up "Tour D'Addio" ("Farewell Tour") was announced for the Spring of 2018 starting on April 20 and ending on June 29.[14] Later on, during a June 30, 2018 meet-and-greet in Barolo, for the tenth edition of its Collisioni rock music festival, Elio clarified that the main reasons behind the band's break-up were Tanica's recurring and continued absence from their stage performances during the previous years, due to health reasons – namely depression (although the keyboardist never gave up his official membership in the band, by continuing to play keyboards and synths on their studio albums)[15][16][17] – and a general tiredness within the band after their long career.[18]
On 5 April 2022, Elio e le Storie Tese announced a reunion concert to be held in July of the same year. The purpose of the event is to raise funds to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing their country after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[19][20]
On 5 June 2023, the band announces, on Radio Deejay and on their own website, the resumption of live activities and an autumn tour in theaters with the show "Mi resta un solo dente e cerco di riavvitarlo" ("I have only one tooth left, and I'm trying to screw it back in") directed by Giorgio Gallione.[21]
Styleedit
The music of the group is openly inspired, among other sources, by the style of Frank Zappa, both in music and lyrics.[22][23][24] Elio e le Storie Tese's musical work is characterized by eclecticism and competence, in the melodic, harmonic and orchestration (arrangement) aspects, augmented by the members' technical proficiency.[22][24] They are widely considered as some of the best musicians in Italy.[7][24][25][26][27] They are usually joined by an "unofficial" member, Mangoni (a former schoolmate of Elio and actually an architect), whose role is to dance, make choreographies or even sing during live shows on stage.[8][28][29]
In their official discography, and in their gigs, EelST have covered many of the genres typified in popular music: rock, Latin, progressive rock, disco and soul, to name a few.[7][22] A very strong attitude to affectionately mock and modify to their needs the clichès of Italian pop music has always been part of their musical career, and nonetheless many Italian pop artists have been proud guests in their recordings, acknowledging their value.
Their songs are typically interspersed by a rude, coarse humour which lies in stark contrast to their extreme varied and competent musical talent; once the band was considered part of the 'demential' rock underground spawned after the demise of punk and cross-fertilized by situationist dadaism,[24][30] but they have soared well past above that scene.[7] One of their favourite themes is adolescent life,[22] seen as a golden period of fun, friendship, music and sexual discoveries.
The band has also been the first one, in 2004, to sell instant CDs of their live performances immediately after their end (which they dubbed CD brulé, as they were 'burned' on the spot, like mulled wine, in Italian "vin brulé").[31]
Line–upsedit
Membersedit
Stefano Belisari a.k.a. Elio[8] – lead vocals, transverse flute, electric guitar, electric bass
"Vacanza alternativa/China disco bar/Bomba intelligente (2016)
"Licantropo vegano" (2017)
"Arrivedorci" (2018)
Referencesedit
^ abc"Elio e le storie tese". Treccani (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^ abcdAmore, Maurizio (15 January 2013). "Elio e Le Storie Tese". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^ ab"Sanremo: i vincitori del Premio della Critica". ANSA (in Italian). 4 February 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^"Dieci! Il referendum della musica italiana del decennio". Rockol (in Italian). 11 January 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^"Il miglior disco italiano? Bollicine di Vasco Rossi". Linkiesta.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^ ab"Sanremo 2013: tre premi ad Elio e le Storie Tese". Sony Music (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^ abcdeDi Mambro, Angelo (2004). L'importanza di chiamarsi Elio. Storia e gloria del più importante gruppo italiano (in Italian). Castelvecchi.
^ abcdefghijklmn"La band". ElioeleStorieTese.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Biography". ElioeleStorieTese.it. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
^Gandus, Valeria (5 March 2014). "Il Musichione, Elio e le Storie tese portano "bruttezza" (e molta musica) su Rai2". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian).
^Laffranchi, Andrea (18 October 2017). "Elio e le storie tese si sciolgono: "Il 19 dicembre l'ultimo concerto"". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 18 October 2017.
^"Sorpresa Elio e le Storie Tese: sul palco di Sanremo 2018 con "Arrivedorci"". Il Giorno (in Italian). 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^DopoFestival – Puntata del 07/02/2018 (Television production) (in Italian). RAI. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
^"Concerti, Elio e le Storie Tese: domani il concerto di addio, a primavera il tour di addio". Rockol (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^Sollazzo, Boris (17 May 2016). "Rocco Tanica "Sono stato male, ma non lascio Elio e le storie tese"". Giornalettismo (in Italian). Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
^"Perché Rocco Tanica non suonerà più dal vivo con gli Elio e le Storie Tese". Il Post (in Italian). 1 May 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
^"Rocco Tanica abbandona l'attività live con Elio e le Storie Tese". La Stampa (in Italian). 30 April 2016.
^L'addio di Elio e le Storie Tese (in Italian). Marok.org. 30 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
^"#insiemeperlamusica: Il Concertozzo!". Elioelestorietese.it (in Italian). 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
^"Elio e le Storie Tese annunciano il "Concertozzo" a Bergamo: la festa di fine sfiga". Radio DeeJay (in Italian). 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
^"Mi resta un solo dente e cerco di". elioelestorietese.it (in Italian). 6 May 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
^ abcdLo Giudice, Antonio. "Elio e le Storie Tese. Tecniche di resistenza al nulla". Ondarock.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^Tricomi, Antonio (4 May 2008). "La musica senza etichette dei militanti irriverenti". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^ abcdGiudici, Luca (4 May 2008). "La vita tesa di Elio". Bravo! Online (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^Villa, Marco (27 November 2011). "Elio e le Storie Tese miglior gruppo italiano di sempre: il trollaggio perfetto?". Rockit.it (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^De Monte, Guglielmo (2 June 2013). "Sundayup: Il ritorno di Elio e le Storie Tese". The Bottom Up (in Italian). Archived from the original on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Soundsblog Awards 2008 – Miglior Gruppo Italiano". Blogo (in Italian). 18 December 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"E gli Elii lanciano "Mangoni candidato ideale"". Vanity Fair (in Italian). 5 May 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Milano, Mangoni di Elio e le Storie Tese si candida con Pisapia". Blitz quotidiano (in Italian). 6 May 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Elio e le Storie Tese in concerto". Trentinofamiglia.it. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^Torelli, Umberto (3 July 2004). "Elio e le Storie Tese lanciano l'instant cd". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Bio". PaolaFolli.it. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
^"Elio e le storie tese, il nuovo album è 'Arrivedorci'". Rolling Stone Italia, Rollingstone.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 June 2018.
^"E.L.I.O. – The Artists Formerly Known as Elio e le Storie Tese". Marok.org. 16 January 1999. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
^"The Original Recordings 1990/2003 - Compilation di Elio e le Storie Tese". Marok.org. 9 November 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
Further readingedit
"Elio e le Storie Tese". Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana (in Italian). Florence: Giunti. 2006. p. 173.
Di Mambro, Angelo (2004). L'importanza di chiamarsi Elio. Storia e gloria del più importante gruppo italiano (in Italian). Castelvecchi.
Elio e le Storie Tese (2006). Vite bruciacchiate. Ricordi confusi di una carriera discutibile (in Italian). Bompiani.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elio e le Storie Tese.
Official website(in Italian)
Elio e le Storie Tese's biography at ElioeleStorieTese.it (in English)