Week of May 25, 2008

Polifemo

Personnel:
David Lebón (Guitar, Vocals)
Rinaldo Rafanelli (Bass, Keyboards, Vocals)
Juan Rodriguez (Drums)
Ciro Fogliatta (Keyboards)

Albums:
1976 -Polifemo (EMI 8334)
CD: EMI 0946 3891302 3, 2007
1977 -Polifemo (EMI 8406)
CD: C's C 333, 1999

Singles:
1975 - Suéltate rock and roll/Vamos tranquilos (EMI 1251)
1976 - Oye Dios, qué me has dado/Buzios blues (EMI 1317)

A rock'n'roll trio formed by David Lebón (ex-Color Humano and Pescado Rabioso) now on guitar and vocals, Rinaldo Rafanelli (ex-Color Humano and Sui Generis) on bass and Juan Rodríguez (ex-Los Mentales and Sui Generis) on drums. In the heyday of progressive and fusion music, Polifemo - and other groups like Avalancha - dared to play straightforward rock'n'roll.

Their first single, "Suéltate rock and roll", was a huge success. Based on the same pattern they released a second and also successful 7", "Oye Dios, que me has dado". Lebón wrote both songs; Rafanelli wrote the b-sides (the best one being "Buzios blues").

In 1976, keyboard player Ciro Fogliatta (ex-Los Gatos, Sacramento and Espíritu) joined the trio for the recording of their debut album. The group turned fairly progressive with the use of mellotron and moogs. One track, "Tema de los devotos", written by Lebón, was dedicated to the Guru Maharaji and usually played at his Mission of the Divine Light reunions in Buenos Aires.

The album was heavily criticised, but the fans still bought it. This encouraged them to cut a second LP. However, Polifemo split during the sessions and Rafanelli took up the job to finish the album. This new effort went deeper into the symphonic rock territory; it was clear that by then they had abandoned the original idea.

After the break-up, Lebón went to Brazil and joined Charly García, Pedro Aznar and Oscar Moro for the super-group Seru Giran. They became the most popular rock group of the late 70s/early 80s over there.

Polifemo records are scarce and have not been reissued on vinyl. The singles were included on the best-of compilation LP, "Retrospectivo 75/77" (EMI 6467). The first album was released on CD with the first single as a bonus. A 2-CD set containing both albums and the singles is now out of print.

Taken from The Magic Land - A guide to Beat, Psychedelic and Progressive Rock music between 1966 & 1977 in Argentina and Uruguay (Marcelo Camerlo, Marcelo Gasió)


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