Franz Di Cioccio: “I preferred PFM to Led Zeppelin”

That of Franz DiCioccio, 78 year old, originally from Abruzzo and adopted by Milan, one of the founders of Award-winning Marconi Foundry (PFM), is a long career, full of satisfactions both nationally and internationally.

Among the many recognitions there is also that of having been contacted by Led Zeppelin after the death of John “Bonzo” Bonham (who died in September 1980) to replace the quartet’s original drummer in case Page, Plant and Jones decided to continue the band’s activity.

But at the moment of contact Franz (now Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic) made a very specific choice, which he has not regretted.

“Playing with Led Zeppelin would have been wonderful.” He explained to his colleague from the Neapolitan site who asked him for a memory of what happened. “It was a fantastic group. But I thought: “I have my band, what am I going to do with Led Zeppelin?”. With the group I wanted to leave something important, a significant seed. At the time, PFM’s music was very well regarded, it was very popular because it had affinities that others didn’t have. Those who did rock, did rock. Very good. Then there were those who did it better, those who didn’t. Our music couldn’t be catalogued and this gave the musicians incredible enthusiasm. You are the one who is creating something and making it available to everyone. This is the most beautiful thing. One day everyone will sing what you have created.”

And in fact in his long journey, which began with The Those(which also included Teo Teocoli) who in addition to the success of “è una bambolina che fa no, no, no” was the backing band first of De André and then for years of Lucio Battisti, Di Cioccio and his companions created a lot and a lot of it has remained in the history of Italian rock music.

But not only in Italy. PFM was the most successful Italian rock band in the United States, where in the mid-70s they played live for a long time (perhaps only Maneskin are more successful overseas today) and even Peter Sinfieldthe lyricist of King Crimson, Roxy Music and EL & P., joined the Italian band, writing the lyrics for the albums destined for the foreign and English markets.

But the band of Di Cioccio, Mussida, Pagani, Fabbri, Premoli and Djivas (who came from Area) has another great achievement to its credit: that of having been able to unite the singer-songwriter music of Fabrizio De André with rock, creating a joint tour at the beginning of 1979 in which the band took on the singer-songwriter’s songs, arranging them in a progressive key which, although moving away from the original, was well suited to Fabrizio’s voice and performance.

Asked if he had any regrets, Franz, an excellent drummer, replied: “How could I, with everything I’ve done!”