GIUSTO PIO "AUTO-MOTION (OTOMOSCION)" (1984)

Facilitati bioritmi computerizzati
han calcolato la fine di questo pianeta:
l'asse polare si spezzerà

L'umanità si sveglierà al suono delle sfere
saremo avvolti da un rumore di fondo tra le colonie di Mercurio
e della Terra non resterà che un pallido ricordo

Nei frigoriferi cellule liofilizzate
uomini-quanti algoritmici codificati
l'ora legale simbolica

Un'unità ci guiderà sulla città satellite
pattuglie a sfera fatte solo di fuoco dentro agli anelli di Saturno
e della Terra non resterà che un pallido ricordo

[from the lyrics of "Auto-Motion"]



edit 05.04.2016

Filippo Destrieri, historical musical partner of Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio, and main programmer / performer of the electronic and rhythmic parts that make up "Auto-Motion", was kind enough to let me have more information about the subject of this post. He also offered some corrections to the lyrics of the song that I had tried, but in vain, to understand. This really made my day, THANK YOU!!!

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As promised recently in the post dedicated to "Restoration", it's time to take care about the "Auto-Motion (Otomoscion)" 7" single.

This time I'll keep it short, you can read a detailed Giusto Pio biography in the aforementioned post or in the one I dedicated to "Legione straniera" some time ago.

"Auto-Motion (Otomoscion)" contains the following tracks:

01. Auto-Motion (3:56)
02. Auto-Motion (versione strumentale) (3:25)

Both tracks were remastered from the original vinyl in March 2016 and are available in FLAC lossless format, along with scans of the complete original artwork.

Please have a look at the comments section for the download link.



The single was released by EMI Italiana with catalogue number 06 1186667 sometimes in late 1984 and comes in a cover designed by Francesco Messina. No credits are given on the sleeve, but the author's style is easily recognisable, especially the 'alternating fonts' which he used on other works during those years.

Although producer Angelo Carrara is the only name credited on the labels, I understand that the same team of musicians and technicians who worked on the albums "Legione straniera" and "Restoration" in 1982/83 is also responsible for what we can hear on this precious little piece of vinyl. In particular, all the keyboards and rhythmic parts were played and/or programmed by Filippo Destrieri.



On Side A we find "Auto-Motion", a song composed by Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio, with lyrics by Saro Cosentino and - once again - Battiato, who also takes care about singing aided by a choir: I erroneously supposed this was the Madrigalisti di Milano ensemble, but I was told that actually they are the same musicians who participated in the recordings, along with studio technicians and whoever happened to be there on such occasion... The lyrics are all about an hypothetic future where the Earth cease to exist and humanity is forced to find a new home...

Interestingly enough, the song was used as the theme to "Chip" (...erroneously quoted as "Clips" both on the cover and label...), an Italian television broadcast about information technology that aired in September / October 1984. You can watch the original clip here below courtesy of Vimeo.

Side B offers an instrumental version of the same track, with Giusto Pio's prominent violin in place of the original vocal lines sung by Battiato.

Giusto Pio in the '80s

The following clips offer a complete preview of the remastered single. The original clip of the song is also included as a bonus, enjoy!

More information about Giusto Pio, Franco Battiato, Saro Cosentino, Filippo Destrieri, "Auto-Motion (Otomoscion)" and "Chip" is available here:

http://www.giustopio.it/

http://digilander.libero.it/giustopio

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giusto_Pio

http://digilander.libero.it/gianni61dgl/giustopio.htm

http://www.stefanomeneghetti.it/2010/04/giusto-pio/

http://www.frontiereprogetti.com/index.php?startpage=eventi&id=127

http://www.discogs.com/artist/369428-Giusto-Pio

https://www.debaser.it/giusto-pio

http://digilander.libero.it/giustopio/intervista.htm

http://www.musicletter.it/?x=entry:entry111208-130248

http://dentroisecondi.blogspot.com/2013/07/giusto-pio-se-ne-consiglia-la-lettura.html

http://aliceedintorni.blogspot.com/2010/12/dedicato-giusto-pio-11-gennaio-2011.html

http://www.arte.go.it/2015/01/18/video-latelier-di-giusto-pio-1/

https://www.discogs.com/Giusto-Pio-Auto-Motion-Otomoscion-12/release/1709825

https://battiatosingolare.wordpress.com/tag/giusto-pio/

http://quattrobit.blogspot.it/2014/03/chip-1984-trasmissione-rai-dedicata.html

http://www.tv-pedia.com/zapzaptv/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2871

http://www.tv-pedia.com/zapzaptv/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1366&start=15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Battiato

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saro_Cosentino

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filippo_Destrieri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCwPaltMbOM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUlfOk1gnkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN7BNsxiUx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnx_k6SYAUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9PXZNhL0qY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsyp_39RFRo

If you have any other useful information about this post or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!