Cardiacs and Frank Zappa are the two greatest things happened in music. That's my tribute to those geniuses.
ZFT, IF YOU READ THIS, PLEASE DON'T SUE ME !!!

Recorded alone in January 2013 using GarageBand.
If you're interested you can find all my discography downloadable for free here: 
http://sterbus.bandcamp.com

Discover Cardiacs. You'll love it, it's a way of life.

We Are Not Alone (Frank Zappa cover)

Debz Lewis - amazing vocals
Sterbus - acoustic guitars, glockenspiel, backing vocals, lyrics
Adrian Beckwith - piano delicacies

Maybe I'm a lioness
Modern tales of razor legs
Oh I, I am not so sure...

Holy elephants and fries
You can see the great shake's smile
Oh I, I am not so sure...

And, how could I break my heart in two
Je suis fool...
Wait, I am mistaking myself heavily
Once again...
Once again...

Written and recorded during september 2013
We're going to play it in Kingston... be there!

Dedicated to Tim

Sterbus feat. Debz Lewis - (Maybe I'm a) Lioness

This cover was originally aired during the Xtc Virtual Convention Online, October 1st 2021. We want to thank all the organizers for having us, we hope to see you all live next year for the Xtc Convention 2022!

Original song written by Andy Partridge, released on the album "Skylarking" in 1986. This cover version was recorded at Jungle Music Factory (Tivoli, Rome, Italy) by Francesco Grammatico during summer 2021. Here's all the musicians who played on the song:

Dominique D'Avanzo: lead vocals, flute, clarinet
Emanuele Sterbini: backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, bass
Max Crowe: Sequential Prophet Rev2
Martino Petrella: space-guitar solo
Riccardo Piergiovanni: piano
Francesco Grammatico: trombone, trumpet
Brenda Gaga: shaker, tambourine
Pablo Tarli: drums

Another Satellite (XTC Cover)

The last song and epic closer from our latest album "LET YOUR GARDEN SLEEP IN", written, arranged and produced by Emanuele Sterbini and Giovanna Dominique Damiana D’Avanzo.

Although the album is very power-pop, joyful and direct with big choruses and a cheerful spirit, we decided to close the album with this long song, with a big finale that just calls for a whole-world-singalong, possibly in peace, possibly in love.
The album is here: https://sterbus.bandcamp.com/album/let-your-garden-sleep-in

Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered
by Francesco Grammatico @ Jungle Music Factory in Tivoli (Rome, Italy) between February and October 2021.

Musicians:
Emanuele Sterbini: lead vocals, synth strings, classical and electric guitar, bass
Dominique D’Avanzo: backing vocals, clarinet 
Riccardo Piergiovanni: piano, organ
Al Strachan: trumpet
Brenda Gagarina: tambourine 
Pablo Tarli: drums

Lyrics:
Darkness made my eyes blind 
You can take my whole life
I can’t see the cirrus clouds 
Harbingers of your divine love

Hear the raindrops falling down 
Hide and take my mind apart 
Atoms floating all around 
Heartbeats take control of time

I’m walking in front of you
I can hear your breath behind my steps 
I’m lost if you call my name
I promise I won’t look back, I swear

To bring you back to life

Darkness made my heart blind 
Silence fills my mind with lies 
I can see the sighed way out 
Light awakens any doubts

I’m walking in front of you
-Don’t leave me back-
I can’t hear your breath behind my steps 
I’ll turn if you call my name
-Please take my hand-
I promised I won’t look back
-Orpheus-

Just before you were out 
Gods tear you out of my sight 
I will play my lyre
I will play till I die this song

Just before you were out
I’ll grieve your loss among the beasts -till I die-

Gods tear you out of my sight
I’ll grieve your loss among the trees -till I die-

I’ll grieve your loss among the beasts 
I’ll grieve your loss among the trees

To bring you back to life

Murmurations

Those were the two demos I made for the Simple Jacks songs "Faccia a faccia" e "Nancy è brilla" in 2010, before properly recording them on the EP called "Il Film" (the movie). Recorded by Francesco Grammatico, that also provided an ultra fast guitar solo at 8:36 ;) Thanks bro!

(Very spare recording, no overdubs!)

Simple Jacks album here: http://simplejacks.bandcamp.com/album/il-film

Russian Navy Hovercraft Lands on Busy Beach (Simple Jacks demo medley)

Yes, first chorus is in E, second in Eb, third in F... 
The everlasting question: why?

(ultra-demo-like version, all acoustic guitars passed through a megaphone)

Prosopopeye (old chorus version)

A song from the new all-instrumental album SOLAR BARBECUE. This is a kind of remix of the original coda of Fall Awesome, opener of the 2018 double album REAL ESTATE / FAKE INVERNO (the one with Bob Leith of Cardiacs on drums!). We removed electric guitars, bass and drums from the original recording (they come in only at the very end) and we added cellos and pianos, to make it more cinematic. Enjoy!
To hear the whole album, link here!
https://sterbus.bandcamp.com/album/solar-barbecue


Emanuele Sterbini: electric guitars, bass (from the original 2017 recordings)
Dominique D’Avanzo: clarinet (from the original 2017 recordings)
Riccardo Piergiovanni: mellotron (from the original 2017 recordings), piano (2022 overdubs)
Francesco Grammatico: trumpet, cellos (2022 overdubs)
Bob Leith: drums (from the original 2017 recordings)
Brenda Gaga: tambourine (from the original 2017 recordings)
lyrics
Music: Emanuele Sterbini

Original version on the double album “REAL ESTATE / FAKE INVERNO”, released in 2018

Ruben, Raja, Lieve, Nike

YOU COME AROUND TO SEE A LIVE - SAUERKRAUT
WAS IT SUPERIOR? TO A GRIND
NEED A SIGN
NEVER GONNA SEE AGAIN

I'M GONNA BE THE ONE YOU LOVE - SEE ABOVE
WEAK IS THE LAWYER
CRAVE IT TO NO TALENT BROWN
WORDS THAT I DON'T NEED TO KNOW…

************

Nuisance - dream vocals
Sterbus - all the rest

Done with GarageBand in a windy night in march 2014
The original song "Otorinolaringoiatria" is downloadable from the album "Smash the Sun Alight" that you can find here http://sterbus.bandcamp.com/

This song as the whole album is dedicated to Tim Smith.

Australian ("Otorinolaringoiatria" Sauerkraut remix feat. Nuisance)

MY LOYALTY DEMANDED to do something to tribute my biggest musical heroes, also known as CARDIACS. I always felt that my one-day trip to see them live in London in 2007 was'nt really enough to thank them. I always dreamed about doing a cover of this wonderful and majestic and epic and flabbergastingly painstakingly so chock-full of chords tune that I finally made it. Hope you like it, really hope you like this little homage to our great Tim Smith and his boys... HUGE thanks goes also to Nuisance for helping me through the higher and harder vocals, Lucio for arranging and harmonizing so well with soprano sax all the guitar leads as well as the coda and of course Mr. Grammatico for producing everything... Very big thanks go also to The Mop for finding out all the chords... thank you, Kavus said they were all right :) Here are the lyrics, for all those who want to be encouraged to sing along... :)

We cut all his eyes we did
Squeezed the lids and down the grog into hole
He skip with cow eyed smile to the blissful
Into craggy dress and WE WILL WE PRAISE HIM
WE WILL PRAISE HIM off his pins
Clear him of all sins
Oh my! We sang with strength to carry on
Encouraged him to sing along
We sang of all the world and praised him HOORAY!

Stay alive to live or without
And he is down all over and out

Watch us hang on shoulders as tall as gold as
Feely hand and finger around all we
And look to see if we care if he is heaven sent or
Hell bent but WE WILL PRAISE HIM
WE WILL PRAISE HIM ALL AWAY
Praise him all away
My arms chancing and you will no way
Live long enough to repay me
I praise you anyway always

Wipes last with brown and pale
Dirty Boy he gone all stale
And down the stair and hallway crawling
And pig and toast and kitchen brawling
Night-time days are all weekless
Alarm charm, he's all up and dressed
He dirty boy, he bathroom dances
And check his jam and breathe on glasses

Spiny grip brings all off 'Mr.Regal jelly' in hand
Warm feel and suck regal man suck bland
Suck bland away and he a sleepy cow-eyed dog
He treading soft sand
Kiss and stroke and praise him
STROKE AND PRAISE HIM
All is worth a kiss
Not how to cleanse
And fowl preserver of sick somehow don't worry now
Hold his mouth and stop him breathing
Over and out .........

(repeat ad libitum!)

Become a Sterbus fan here! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sterbus/212439165480185?fref=ts

Dirty Boy (Cardiacs cover)

On the morning of 19 May 2023 we lost Andy Rourke, the great bass player from The Smiths. In the aftermath of his passing I started to revisit all of his band's catalogue, and I discovered songs that I had probably overlooked, and that had really cool bass lines (I'm a bass player too). "Barbarism Begins at Home" was one of those that really stood out so I decided to do a cover of it, but I wanted it to be different, so the main funky bass line became an acoustic guitar riff, and I added a new bass line, with more than a nod to Tony Levin's work with King Crimson on songs like Thela Hun Jinjeet, from the album Discipline.

Then I thought that the whole tune could've been rearranged in a Remain in Light/Talking Heads style, with percussions aplenty and traces of Byrne and Eno "My life in the bush of ghosts" too. I called my friend Zubi and asked him to sing the lead part and to play a solo Adrian Belew-style, and he promptly delivered with aplomb throughout. Kudos to that featous guy. Dominique D'Avanzo added her bright and charming backing vocals and soon started to conceive the brilliant video you can see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFUgK5WeXJ4 

What you're listening - and hopefully grooving to - is both an homage to a great musician and an attempt to give a different light to an already very poignant song. 
Enjoy!

Zubi Records - lead vocals, guitar solo
Dominique D'Avanzo - backing vocals
Emanuele Sterbini - bass, acoustic guitars, drums and percussion programming, mellotron
Andy Rourke - himself, from this interview here  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tMMOZKC9Og&t=8s  

Arranged, recorded and mixed by Emanuele Sterbini in three sessions with GarageBand between May 2023 and January 2024. 
Zubi Records recorded his parts at the Bibbirria in June 2023.
Mastered by Manuel Nash on the 1st of February 2024.

Barbarism Begins at Home (The Smiths cover) feat. Zubi Records

Last 19th September we've had the pleasure to be invited to play at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston for a Tim Smith benefit - you all know who Tim Smith is, don't you? - and we thought "what can we possibly do that will amaze everyone?" so me and my co-conspirator Dominique decided to start our set with Fear by the Spratleys Japs, and to close the concert with that 237-chords long beast that is Dirty Boy... All done with just a clean Telecaster, a clarinet, and two voices!
But we thought that the "main course" of the evening had to be this relaxed and slow-paced rendition of one of our favorites Cardiacs songs, Gina Lollobrigida (she's an italian actress, and we love her movies!) ... I can imagine young Tim being inspired by her!
We didn't announce the song live, as it is so different from the original that we wanted to see when the pond identified it... they actually had to wait the start of the vocals to recognize it :)
We promised to record our version as soon as possible, and here it is!

****************************************­***********************************

Recorded @DB Recording Studio in Bagni di Tivoli (Rome, Italy) 
by Francesco Grammatico on 6 - 7 December 2015.

Dominique D'Avanzo - lead vocals, harmonica, clarinet. left hand theremin-synth;
Emanuele Sterbini - acoustic guitar, backing vocals, glockenspiel, right hand theremin-synth;
Francesco Grammatico - piano, peppered tarallucci;

Film concept - Dominique D'Avanzo and Emanuele Sterbini
Really patiently edited by our great friend and Cardiacs brother Charlie Mounsey
Produced by Unwelcome Human Films

Made in homage to Tim Smith, Cardiacs and Gina Lollobrigida; no copyright infringement is intended.

****************************************­***********************************

And now it's time to singalong with us... everything is easy! 

Here's me hidden in the underground
And so far I don't mind
That's why a-ha you'll find
I'm never coming here
Buy me all the things I ask for
Nothing's too much for me
Here more often than not
A burst investigating main

Never before did it seem what it used to seem
Its right by night time
So find the right time

One day I'll be getting older
And so what happpens now on the big screen
Or should I leave it all behind

You laugh and I can never hear you
Never before did I know
A bigger chance to be congenial
I once had a go on my own

Oh no see who's getting nearer
All efforts wasted now
That's why I'm right believing
Everything I see
Whats new? "Bulldog Drummonds' peril"?
"The tragedy of a switchboard operator"?
Another "Weekend World"?

Never before did it seem what it used to seem
It's packaged right like Gina Lollabridgida

You laugh and I can never hear you
Never before did I know
A bigger chance to be congenial
Once had a go on my own

You laugh and I can never hear you
Never before did it seem what it used to seem...

****************************************­***********************************

A video for this song can be found on YouTube at the following link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFpqJz2s6GU

Enjoy!

Gina Lollabridgida (Cardiacs cover)

The black duck has long been valued as a game bird, being extremely wary and fast on the wing. Although this is a species of least concern, it is slowly declining due to habitat destruction. Some conservationists consider the hybridization and competition with the mallard an additional source of concern, should this decline continue. The hybridization itself is not the major problem; natural selection will see to it that the best-adapted individuals still have the most offspring.

(Quando sento Revolver / Quando sento Revolver / ah-ah / ah-ah) 

But the reduced viability of female hybrids will cause some broods to fail in the long run as the offspring die before reproducing themselves. While this is not a problem in the plentiful mallard, it might place an additional strain on the American black duck's population. 

"Something happened on the day I flied
Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside
Somebirdy else took his place, and bravely cried:
(I'm a blackduck, I'm a blackduck)"

Recent research conducted for the Delta Waterfowl Foundation suggests that hybrids are a result of forced copulations, and not a normal pairing choice by black hens.

Recorded at home with GarageBand on Easter day 2016.

Dominique D'Avanzo: clarinet, low-octave clarinet, harmonica, ocarina, glockenspiel, tiny vocals
Sterbus: acoustic guitar, synth, glockenspiel, tambourine, drums

Written by Dominique D'Avanzo 
Arranged by Emanuele Sterbini and Dominique D'Avanzo

*********************************************************

Blackducks on Parade

STERBUS presents MAYBE BABY, the first extract from the new double album REAL ESTATE / FAKE INVERNO out NOW!

Buy / Download / Listen on https://sterbus.bandcamp.com !!

Watch a most splendid video for this song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3vZUuedtFw

Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered by Francesco Grammatico @ DB Recording Studios in Bagni di Tivoli (Rome, Italy).
Elisa Raho’s celtic harp recorded by Valter Sacripanti in his studio in Amelia (Terni, Italy).
Supported by Zillion Watt Records


Lyrics:

Forbear from taking advantage
Yawnatown Royal Crown Pun
I can’t find a way to get close to you

What makes you think
that maybe baby
you’re the one?

I’m not arousing suspicion
Yawnatown Royal Crown Pun
Can’t you turn a blind eye to what I do

What makes you think
that maybe baby
you’re in sight?

Stuck between the devil and the sea
down in Sicily
Waving at the waves breaking the reef
Scylla and Charybdis
the Royal Crab Crown
Aaah…

Beware of speeches and drifters
Yawnatown Royal Crown Pun
ask the storyteller to change the rules

What makes you think
that maybe baby
you’re allowed?

Stuck between the devil and the sea
down in Sicily
Waving at the waves till they recede
Scylla and Charybdis
the Royal Crab Crown
the Royal Crab Crown
Aaah…

So dry well all their bones
Sail beyond
your Pillars of Hercules
Move along

Socratic doubt will you leave me
Yawnatown Little Drowned Muse
I can’t tell how everything fell in ruins

I can’t overcome a force-nine gale
hear the Sirens scream
Swear against Poseidon and his reign
crazy spicy nymphs
Long for my return and call you names
fight the anchovies
I thought love was more or less
a given fee
you’re so duty free

When I get home
I’ve got the feeling
that they’re seizing my ankles
and I sink
When I get home
I’ll find me wheezing
while they’re snooping around in
everything

So dry well all their bones
Sail beyond
your Pillars of Hercules
Move along


Emanuele Sterbini: lead vocals, electric guitar, bass
Dominique D’Avanzo: backing vocals, Royal Crab scream
Bob Leith: drums
Riccardo Piergiovanni: piano
Charlie Cawood: electric guitar, sitar, 12 strings acoustic guitar
Elisa Raho: celtic harp
Brenda Gaga: tambourine

Music & Lyrics: Emanuele Sterbini & Dominique D'Avanzo

Maybe Baby (from the last double album "Real Estate / Fake Inverno")

We've been invited to play at the wonderful Italian Prog Festival called "Progressivamente 2019" (organized by Guido Bellachioma) and we decided to play - as an homage to the 50th anniversary of their legendary debut album - "I Talk To The Wind" by King Crimson. Recorded live at Planet Roma, 29 september 2019. We always especially loved the original version as sung by Judy Dyble, and our version is dedicated to her.

Dominique D'Avanzo - flute, vocals
Emanuele Sterbini - acoustic guitar, vocals
Riccardo Piergiovanni - piano
Carlo Schneider - sax, sax solo
+ very special guest Andrea Salvi - flute, flute solo

Brilliantly Mastered by Matteo Del Vecchio

Hope you enjoy it!

I Talk To The Wind (King Crimson cover live @ Progressivamente 2019)

Here's my "Sexy Sadie meets Black Hole Sun meets Comfortably Numb" remix!

I decided to use only GarageBand, the 2011 old version, so the drums are half samples, and half midi programmed by me... I also recorded guitars, bass, organ, shaker and tambourines, while Dominique added recorder, tenor recorder, flute and vocals during the coda. 
We only kept the vocals from the original track and, of course, Sir Elton John! 
Mastering by Paolo Sala.

Watch the video for the song, released by Unwelcome Human Film here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6su7m5ZAo8&feature=emb_title

Enjoy!

Following this link you can find our last double album "Real Estate / Fake Inverno", featuring Cardiacs drummer Bob Leith! 
https://sterbus.bandcamp.com/

Steven Wilson - Personal Shopper (Remake / Remodel GRGBND RMX)

Meet Sterbus - a warm, enthusiastic soul who just might have been born in the wrong place; and who writes songs which sound as if they definitely belong in a different place. Although they're Italians and makes their home in Rome, their true musical spirit wanders much further westwards – to the rainy Portland of Elliott Smith; the pink-noise/scruff-tinted Glasgow of Teenage Fanclub; the joyful power-pop of Guided by Voices and The New Pornographers, Frank Zappa and Mike Keneally; perhaps the psychedelic Philly of Todd Rundgren; and most certainly the various London and English West Country ground-soils which nurtured (or spat out) King Crimson, XTC and Cardiacs.

"… In the end, two guys from Rome, Dominique D’Avanzo and Emanuele Sterbini,  under the Sterbus moniker, released one of the best pop records of the year; “Let Your Garden Sleep In” has one of the best setlists of 2021, if what you’re looking for are the melodies of Pastels and the gentle verve of Belle and Sebastian, but also those power-chords on steroids that for thirty years have strengthened the pop rhymes of Guided By Voices or the quick-setting melodies of They Might Be Giants." - Mason & Dixon

https://lineamasondixon.it/en/2021/11/17/sterbus-en/

Sterbus

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