Sunday 15 May 2011

Emily

Another revolutionary act on my personal music life.
September 1996.
It's the beginning of a new scholastic year and, you know, a new year at school means always a new year in perspectives and lifestyle, especially when you are so young.
The first years of my teenage had been confused, as much as anyone else's I guess: switching seamlessly from a Faith No More Cd to a East17 one, while passing through Guns n' Roses and TLC. Some good hints mixed with embarrassing ones, where no criteria was the only criterion. (and I - kind of - esteem this type of attitude now, compared to that closed-minded stance of the following punk years for which the more obscure and unknown band, the better.. We were young though, can we be blamed for it?)

However, it was a Saturday evening and my brother asked me to go with him and see this band called Emily, which he had already run across a few days before.
He said I might have liked it too.
Only God knows why he had this thought as I was still uninitiated to the world of punk rock: evidently he saw some potentiality on me and yeah he was right.

A small music festival with local random bands was on in this nearby small village at the feet of the mountain. Honestly, nothing to go crazy about. Just lots of people and curious with nothing better to do on a still warm late summer weekend: a pleasant evening.

When Emily went on stage my perception of the whole thing changed drastically. I mean, apart from the music, which was captivating and mind-blowing, the atmosphere had something peculiar I couldn't describe. Those 3 guys were playing and singing and their friends were around there, singing and having fun with them. And there was no distinction between performers and audience. The only thing you could clearly distinguish were their colorful hair (oh yes, the 90's!) and their skateboards.
I fell in love with this scene.
At the end of the show I went by the merchandise stall to buy their tape: "Let us know what you think of it" it's what I was told by the guys behind the distro.
SERIOUSLY? I had no courage to show my astonishment but...do you really care about what I think? This was something really new to me.
I guess this was my first engagement with D.I.Y

Emily had been active from 1995 to 1997.
They were about 17 years old at that time and they sang and made a point about love life issues, homosexual relationships, squats, idol worship, nuclear testing/environmental exploitation.
After this experience Enrico, Manuel and Marco had several other bands.
Worth to mention that Alain from To Die For had been the only 4th member for a short period of time.
They are now the less nostalgic thirty-year-old guys I have ever met though, so I don't think we will ever be able to have any further news about this band, nor a reunion. R.I.P.







Band: Emily
Title: s/t
Label: ScufiĆ²t
Year: 1996
Genre: punk rock
Location: Maniago (Pordenone), Friuli.
Related bands: Oliver, Oslo, To Die For, Ulan Bator, Man On Wire.

1. Strong Man
2. Waiting For Me
3. Peaceful Holiday
4. Mary's Got A Garden
5. A Book
6. Picture's Room
7. Love Your Love