Banco del Mutuo Soccorso

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso is an Italian rock band that emerged in the 1970s as a prominent progressive rock group, continuing to create music through the 1980s and 1990s. They remained active into the 2000s, performing at NEARfest in 2001 and 2008. Their charismatic frontman, Francesco Di Giacomo, passed away in 2014. The band was founded by keyboardists Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi, inspired by English progressive rock acts like Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Their debut album in 1972 featured notable tracks and a distinctive cover designed as a terracotta piggy bank. The follow-up, *Darwin!*, was their first concept album, focusing on evolution. In 1973, the album *Io sono nato libero* brought them further recognition with the single "Non mi rompete." Their music combined complex arrangements of keyboards and acoustic instruments, blending rock, jazz, and classical elements while maintaining Italian melodic traditions. They signed with Manticore Records and released an international album in 1975. By the late 1970s, they explored soundtracks and orchestral recordings under the shortened name Banco. The 1980s saw a shift toward shorter pop-oriented songs after limited success outside Italy. Gianni Nocenzi left for a solo career, while the band continued to evolve. In the 1990s, they revisited their earlier style and re-recorded past works. Following Francesco Di Giacomo’s death in 2014 and guitarist Rodolfo Maltese’s passing in 2015, Tony D’Alessio joined as lead vocalist in 2016. In 2019, the band released *Transiberiana*, their first new studio album since 1997. Recent singles include ...