For Cisco not only Modena City Ramblers

The experience with the Modena City Ramblers It certainly represented an important chapter in the career of Stephen Bellottiknown to most simply as Cisco. But his story is not just about the band, which he joined at the beginning of 1992, when the group had already been on the road for a few months, after a concert in a club in Carpi. On the occasion of the singer-songwriter’s birthday – who turns 56 today – we tell his story before and after the Modena City Ramblers.

The passion for music was born when Cisco he is still a child, thanks to the records of the great Italian singer-songwriters, from Guccini to Vecchioni. But the group that changes his life is the Pogueswith that mix of Celtic, punk and Irish folk that opens up a world of flutes, accordions and violins. It is precisely that music that drives Cisco to travel, as a boy: from Norway to Denmark, and then England and Scotland. And of course Ireland. The land of origin of the Pogues.

Cisco leave the Modena City Ramblers in 2005: “After fourteen years of songs, stages, travels and shared experiences, due to life choices and personal needs, Stefano “Cisco” Bellotti has decided to take a different path than that of the Modena City Ramblers. After a long period of reflection and discussion, in complete agreement, we make this decision public. Nothing of what has been done together will be lost and represents a common heritage”, explains the band.

After leaving the group Cisco collaborates with some combat folk groups such as the House of the Wind hey Smoking Flame.

In 2006 his first solo album was released, “The Long Night”a folk rock not so far from the sounds of the Modena City Ramblerswith a pinch of civil and social commitment.

The second solo album, “The Mule”comes out in 2008: there is also the influence of Francis Magnelliformer collaborator of litfiba, CSI And CCCP. Among the songs stands out “Funeral for cigar and band”dedicated to Luca Giacomettimember of the Modena City Ramblers disappeared a few months earlier.

TO “The Mule” they follow “Seconds out” (2012), “Weddings and Funerals” (2015) and “The Dinosaurs” (read the review here) (2016), while Cisco collects collaborations and different experiences such as the one with the Rice weeders from Novi or Julius Horses. Then “Indians and Cowboys”released in 2019.

Finally, in 2021, “Songs from the Attic + Live from the Attic”the last solo work of the musician from Modena. The same Cisco he introduced the album with these words: “I decided to make two albums, one recorded in a more classical way, even if classical was not given the need to keep distance and work each in their own ‘home studio’ and one made of live, guitar, voice and harmonica, as were the performances that I made daily from the attic. I decided to transform into an album also this habit taken to maintain that connection with those who were at home, with those who follow me or with those who simply enjoyed my company, choosing those songs that are part of my musical history, perhaps less known than others, but very significant for me”.