To celebrate the 15 years of Italian punk rock hardcore band BULL BRIGADE, we have teamed up with the band’s singer Eugenio for his original list of 15 songs that have influenced his life and his musical journey.
The sound of Bull Brigade is a very distinctive street punk with punk rock and hardcore influences sung with a rough and melodic voice. The main thing that made the band one of the most important band in the Italian scene is, for sure, the poetic and strenght of the lyrics of the songs, focus on topic as working class and the suburb’s life, football supporters and social problems.
The band change from the roughness sound of “Strade Smarrite” (2008) to a more refined sound of “Vita libertà” (2016). In March 2021 the band will celebrate 15 years recording their new album.
The new Bull Brigade’s album it’s the result of two years of work, some songs written during the last tours, others came out during the quarantine time in 2020. In the last months of 2020 the band works with the producer Fabio Valente, historical singer of “Arsenico”, hardcore band from Torino. Fabio worked with the band for perfect and harmonize alle the new songs. After the last EP “Stronger than time”, first and only English work of the band, Bull Brigade are ready to write a new page of their history. It will be about 10 the songs that will be recorded at One Black Sock Studio in Torino and mixed and masterd at the Distilleria Music in Bassano del Grappa(VI). It is still confidentially the date of the release.
Bull Brigade was Born from the dust of Banda del Rione (2000) and Youngang (1994), two iconics Italian punk Oi! Band from Torino. The need of the charismatic singer Eugy was to build something important to leave a true mark in the scene, so in the 2006 he formed Bull Brigade.
The turning point was in 2008 when Bull Brigade released their first album “Strade Smarrite”, album that early become a symbol of the Italian street punk scene, because of its music and especially because of the iconics lyrics, at the release after Strade Smarrite followed a series of important and gloriouses shows all around Italy and Europe. In 2016 was released “Vita Libertà”, the album is very successful for the old fans and it approached new people to the band.
After years of tours with these two records the Band is stated as a important and significative band in the Italian and european punk panorama. A couple of EPs made over the years and hundreds of concerts, tours and festivals around Italy, Europe and South America have led the band to consecrate itself as one of the most important of its kind.
In 2021 the band returns with their third album entitled “Il fuoco non si è spento”. More details about the release and new tracks will be unveiled in the coming months.
15 songs to inspire 15 years of BULL BRIGADE:
1) FRAMMENTI -scivolando via-
I fell in love with punk / hc when I was 16, casually entering a squat in Turin while a concert was taking place. I didn’t know that those on stage were Frammenti, just as I didn’t know that the squat I was in was called Prinz Eugen. I chose this song because in one of my first bands we used to cover it, and it’s also one of my favourites.
2) ROUGH -Torino è la mia città-
This is the anthem of every Turin outcast, the one that any of us know by heart. I don’t know how many times we sang it while moshing under the stage, in our endless punk nights. Rough are one of the most important bands in Oi! history in Italy, and they are a real source of pride for anyone who has links to our scene. I think I have never performed this cover, out of respect for these giants.
3) BELLI COSI -gli anni migliori-
The most loved, the most followed, the most supported, the most missed … in short, we are talking about the best band ever in the Turin Punk-Hc scene of the second generation.
I was lucky enough to share a band with Lele, their bass player, but unfortunately it didn’t last long I was still very young.
4) NON SERVIUM -resurgir-
I have this memory that comes back in my head, a weekend at the Rude Boys Unity festival in Geneva many years ago, with these guys who stayed up for 3 days drinking and making noise: NSA !!! A few years later we became friends, playing together unforgettable concerts like at Brixton Jam in London, Traba in Madrid, Rome, Turin and Barcelona… THE CHAOS BROTHERHOOD !!!!
5) GLI ULTIMI -notte nera-
Gli Ultimi are one of the best bands that the Italian scene has managed to give birth to in recent years, genuine people who play sincere music that touches you in the soul. This song is our soundtrack in the van when we come back from tours. There is always someone who decides to put it at full volume.
6) ARSENICO -fratello servo-
One of the most beautiful festivals which played in Turin was the DIY for Radio Black Out, in which Arsenico also played together with my two old bands (YOUNGANG & BANDA DEL RIONE). This song is contained in a record called “Forti di incomprensioni instabili” which in my opinion is a real classic of the Turin HC. Fabio, the lead singer of Arsenico, is the artistic producer of the new Bull Brigade album … and “Fratello Servo” is my favorite song.
7) BRIGADA FLORES MAGON -Muvais Garcons-
In the best years of my youth this band has always represented a point of reference both in terms of music, style and political militance. I played with them many times in France, England and of course Italy and I also recorded a cover of “Pour ma Classe” sang in elementary school-level French. Listening to the Brigadas always gives me great emotions and brings my mind back to one of the best times of my life.
8) PAYBACK -Our Roots-
Payback have been at the top of the Italian scene for many years, and some of their songs have become absolute classics. I still remember the day I heard this song for the first time, I think it was at the Forte Prenestino in Rome. The first thought was: man, this is a song that I wanted to write !!! Although many years have passed, I still maintain a great friendship with these guys, especially with Marinaio and with Damiano whom I’m in touch with very often because Nutty Store is an official partner of Bull Brigade.
9) TOXPACK -Bastarde Von Morgen-
I met Toxpack thanks to Payback in the years when they often played together. I was also lucky enough to organize 2 concerts for them (Turin and Venice). I think it’s one of my favorite German bands, without a shadow of a doubt. I think there is something similar in the atmosphere and melancholy in the songs written by Toxpack and Bull Brigade, it might be just me but I always had this feeling.
10) WISDOM IN CHAIN -Cap City-
The time of the Lonely Life Crew was one of the most intense of my life: I played in two bands, I had a program I also booked concerts around northern Italy. Booking Wisdom in Chains in Cremona was one of my greatest satisfactions. Great band and amazing vocals. Who knows if one day it will be possible to share the stage again with these giants.
11) THE BONES – not another love song-
In our early years we listened to this band a lot, in the van touring Europe. Unfortunately I have never been able to see them live and I think it is one of my biggest regrets. This song is a real bomb, I never get tired of listening to it.
12) SUD DISORDER -poison city iron front-
Of all the songs that I have chosen for this playlist, this is the only one released in 2020. I wanted to choose it because we need new material to start again and to return to travel and dream with music. Sud Disorder are one of the most promising bands on the Italian scene and this track is truly exciting.
13) S-CONTRO -la mia storia-
S-CONTRO, with their original line-up, were something that literally swept our scene. I remember with great pride those glorious and unforgettable years. Marco and Daniele, two brothers of our Chivassese crew, were part of this line-up who recorded the first album. These were the days of the foundation of SHARP TORINO and unforgettable concerts, such as that of Piazzale Maciacchini in Milan in which S-CONTRO and BANDA DEL RIONE proudly represented our city at a very important concert in front of the Skinhouse in Milan, obviously I was there!!
14) BOOZE AND GLORY -hurricane-
I still remember the night when Frank Pellegrino came by train to a concert in Turin and said to us: “I’m a drummer, can I play a song with you?”. It was New Year and for us there were no problems to perform a cover of Nabat together … A few days later he was already living with us, playing and carrying out his projects and his battles. Years have passed and his success is there for all to see. This song I chose, from his latest album with Booze, is definitely my favourite. Whatup Frank !!!
15) SENZA SICURA -quando inizierà-
In 2020 I spoke several times to Isi, a great and old friend of mine, making plans and sharing thoughts as people like us often love to do. Senza Sicura are the soundtrack of my life, I should have put all theirt songs but I chose this one, the most representative of that period.
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