Talco

Talco are a punk, ska and ska-punk group from Marghera, Italy. The band forms in 2001 and remains active. Its line-up includes Andrea Barin, Tomaso De Mattia, Nicola Marangon, Marco Piccioni, Emanuele Randon, Marco Salvatici, Cioro, Ilaria Pasqualetto, Francesco Rioda, Davide Sambin Zara, Daniele Sartori, Riccardo Terrin and Simone Vianello.

Formation and early line-up

The project begins in late 1999 and early 2000 as a politicised ska-core band. The first line-up features Tomaso on vocals and guitar, Daniele on guitar and Nicola on drums. Rocco later joins on guitar, while Daniele moves to bass. Riccardo then joins on trumpet, giving the group its first stronger brass element. Emanuele later replaces Rocco, and Ilaria on tenor saxophone and Davide on alto saxophone expand the wind section.

Early recordings and live activity

Talco begin performing at ska events, including a festival in Lugo di Romagna in Ravenna. In October 2000 they record 11 live tracks for a first raw demotape. In April 2001 they make a studio recording at Lesder Studio in Mogliano Veneto, with six songs shaped by a combat-minded ska-punk style influenced by bands such as Clash, Banda Bassotti, Arpioni, Senza Sicura, Los Fastidios and Derozer.

During this period they play concerts in squats and other spaces, including outside Venice, and build a reputation around political and social themes. They open an Alberto Camerini show in Ponte nelle Alpi and perform a new song, “Tutti Assolti”, written about the Petrochimico of Marghera and the workers who die because of industrial pollution. Their set closes with “Bella Ciao”.

Political themes and first release

The band’s songs address war, anti-fascism, the Berlusconi government, the Democrazia Cristiana party, racism and social inequality. They perform at C.P.O. Gramigna in Padua and at Piazza dei Signori on Liberation Day. At times they play in the middle of crowds on a truck during protest marches. In September 2003 they stop live work to record their first studio disc, a set of 10 highly political songs. “Signor Presidente”, an anti-Berlusconi and antifascist track, is presented at C.S.O.A. Zona Bandita in Venice with Marones from Perugia. Their first CD,

“Tutti assolti”

is released in 2004 on Kob Records and Black Butcher Records.

Style and identity

Talco describe themselves as a strongly antifascist ska-punk band opposed to racism. Their work emphasises musical independence and a political message against discrimination.