Circus 2000 -

Circus 2000 was an Italian pop-psych band that released four singles and the 1970–72 Rifi albums Circus 2000 and An Escape From a Box.

Members: Silvana Aliotta (vocals, percussion), Marcello Quartarone (guitar, vocals), Gianni Bianco (bass), Roberto “Johnny” Betti (drums, 1970-71), Franco Lo Previte (drums, vocals, 1972-73)

Background

Circus 2000 formed in 1969 in Torino, Italy, when vocalist Silvana Aliotta joined forces with guitarist Marcello Quartarone, bassist Gianni Bianco, and drummer Roberto “Johnny” Betti. The group coalesced through live performances at Torino’s Swing Club, a jazz-oriented venue that served as a hub for experimental musicians in the region. Their collaboration blended Aliotta’s theatrical vocal presence with the band’s emerging interest in psychedelic and progressive forms.

Aliotta was already an established performer in Italy’s mid-1960s pop scene. Born in Reggio Calabria in 1949 and raised in Torino from age two, she began singing in public at nine and placed second at the 1965 Festival di Castrocaro with “Caro Johnny.” She subsequently recorded pop singles for Odeon and DKF Folklore under the pseudonym Silva Grissi. Produced at times by Nico Papathanassiou (brother of Vangelis), her recordings found chart success in Greece, where she also toured and recorded localized material. By the late 1960s, her stylistic trajectory shifted from orchestral pop to more experimental directions, setting the stage for her involvement with Circus 2000.

After months of rehearsals and performances around Torino, the group signed to Ri-Fi in 1970 and recorded their self-titled debut album. They used a professional songwriting team: Marinco “Vermar” Rigaldi and Englishman Robert Michaels, the latter formerly of Bournemouth R&B octet Dave Anthony’s Moods.

Circus 2000

Circus 2000 released their self-titled debut album in November 1970 on Rifi.

The album presents a brief set of English-language songs rooted in late-60s Californian psych-pop with traces of occult lyricism and Indian-style guitar figures.

Silvana Aliotta sings lead vocals with a dynamic range that shifts between airy phrasing and forceful projection. Guitarist Marcello “Spooky” Quartarone alternates between fuzz, wah-wah, and sitar-like lines. Gianni Bianco handles both bass and second guitar, often adding counterlines or jazz-informed runs. Drummer Roberto “Johnny” Betti provides the core rhythm tracks, later joined on alternate sessions by Franco “Dede” Lo Previte, whose tribal fills and rolling snare patterns appear on select cuts. One track includes uncredited flute.

Tracks such as “Must Walk Forever,” “Magic Bean,” and “I Am the Witch” contain layered guitars, modal progressions, and brief shifts in tempo and arrangement. “Sun Will Shine” and “The Lord, He Has No Hands” contrast distorted fuzz lines with Aliotta’s soaring upper register, while “Try To Live” and “While You’re Sleeping” veer toward blues-based and country-tinged forms, respectively. Across the album, tightly constructed melodies support tonal variety, with the vocals moving between whispered lines, incantatory chants, and sudden outbursts. Absence of keyboards leaves space for alternating lead and bass movement beneath the rhythmic frame.

A1. “I Can’t Believe” (2:25) — described in reviews as lyrically centered on loss; opens softly and expands into a heavier midsection.
A2. “Try To Live” (3:30) — includes a jazz-informed bassline and distorted guitar break.
A3. “Must Walk Forever” (3:37) — features occult lyrics and Aliotta’s most assertive vocal delivery.
A4. “Sun Will Shine” (1:47) — incorporates operatic phrasing, fuzz guitar, and punchy bass figures.
A5. “I Just Can’t Stay” (2:30) — English-psych inflection; includes uncredited flute.

B1. “I Am the Witch” (3:12) — treated vocal effects and rhythmic drive suggest a blend of psych-pop and heavier rock.
B2. “Magic Bean” (1:57) — Indian-inspired theme with pseudo-sitar guitar work.
B3. “While You’re Sleeping” (2:40) — country-rock inflected with sharp dynamic shifts in the vocal line.
B4. “Try All Day” (2:27) — sung by Quartarone; straightforward pop ballad with subtle psych textures.
B5. “The Lord, He Has No Hands” (3:32) — closing piece with saturated guitar feedback and layered ensemble playing.

Sessions occurred at Studio Play-Co. with engineer Bruno Righi. The album covers shows a group photo rendered in two-tone dayglo.

Rifi promoted the album with “Io, la strega” (b/w “Pioggia sottile”) in 1970 (RiFi RFN NP 16424), Italian-language versions of “I Am the Witch” and “I Can’t Believe.” A second single followed in 1971 with “I Can’t Believe” (b/w “I Am the Witch”) in English (RiFi RFN NP 16443). A Dutch version was issued on Explosion (DEX 01).

Between-Album Developments

In April 1971, Circus 2000 issued a standalone Italian-language single on RiFi: “Regalami un sabato sera” b/w “Ho regalato i capelli.” The latter was a translated version of “Must Walk Forever” from their debut album, repurposed for use in a popular Italian television series. Like many non-Anglophone acts of the era, Circus 2000 navigated a dual trajectory: crafting their most exploratory and original material in English for LPs, while tailoring their singles to domestic radio and variety audiences with Italian lyrics and more accessible arrangements.

A. “Regalami Un Sabato Sera” (“Give Me a Saturday Night”)
B. “Ho Regalato I Capelli” (“I Gave Away My Hair”)

In 1972, original drummer Roberto “Johnny” Betti made way for Franco “Dede” Lo Previte, whose arrival preceded the band’s stylistic change.

An Escape From a Box (Fuga dall’involucro)

Circus 2000 released their second album, An Escape From a Box (Fuga dall’involucro), in 1972 on Rifi.

The album marked a shift toward longer, more progressive structures with slower builds and extended instrumental passages. While still sung entirely in English, the band’s overall tone became more introspective and layered, moving away from the compact psych-pop forms of their debut.

Silvana Aliotta leads with guitarist Marcello “Spooky” Quartarone, bassist Gianni Bianco, and new drummer Franco “Dede” Lo Previte. The absence of keyboards is counterbalanced by open arrangements built around alternating textures from guitar and bass. Vermar wrote these tracks with a new partner, lyricist Visir (aka Alessandro Colombini).

Fuga opens with acoustic folk elements on “Hey Man,” gradually expanding into a full-band arrangement with swirling electric motifs. “You Aren’t Listening” moves between jagged electric phrases and more restrained vocal lines. “Our Father” builds from sparse instrumentation into a climactic chorus with ascending dynamics.

Side B features the album’s longest piece, “Need,” which cycles through clean wah-drenched figures, rapid rhythmic layering, and a tabla-accented outro. “When the Sun Refuses to Shine” closes the set with alternating tempo shifts and vocal variations, balancing light acoustic passages with fuzz-driven intensity. The band consistently maintains a balance between exploratory instrumental breaks and structured vocal sections, with Aliotta’s phrasing ranging from bluesy restraint to dramatic upper-register bursts.

A1. “Hey Man” (6:15) — includes acoustic introduction, layered vocal phrasing, and ensemble build; issued as a single in two parts.
A2. “You Aren’t Listening” (4:58)
A3. “Our Father” (6:12) — develops slowly into a soaring vocal chorus with intensified rhythmic drive.

B1. “Need” (8:36) — includes clean wah-wah motifs, multi-section structure with bass–drum interplay, wordless harmonies, and tabla close.
B2. “When the Sun Refuses to Shine” (7:42)

Produced by Sandro Colombini and engineered by Gianluca Citi. The album was recorded with no credited studio listed. Cover artwork was designed by Studio Moletti.

Rifi issued a single version of “Hey Man” (Parte 1ª b/w Parte 2ª) in May 1972 (RFN NP 16466).

Postlude

Circus 2000 disbanded in 1973 when Silvana Aliotta resumed her solo career. She performed the song “Bugie” at Un disco per l’estate and later recorded Italian versions of “Long Train Running” (“Manie”) and “Be My Baby.”

She contributed percussion to albums by Edoardo Bennato (Non farti cadere le braccia) and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (Io sono nato libero), and appeared as a guest vocalist on Fiaba by Procession and the Franco Simone track “Di notte.” In 1976, she co-founded the disco trio Le Streghe, produced by Shel Shapiro for Spaghetti Records. During the 1980s, she released solo material under the name Ben Norman on the Shirak label, including two self-written tracks. In later years, she remained active in live performance with a funk ensemble and eventually collaborated on stage with her daughter, Valeria Caponnetto Delleani.

Guitarist Marcello Quartarone co-founded Living Life with former drummer Roberto Betti and later collaborated with Paolo Conte before opening his own recording facility in Torino, G7 Music & Co. Betti also became a record executive and founded the Shirak label. His son Elvin Betti followed in his footsteps as a drummer, performing with the historic Torino band GOW and later with Magnifica Scarlatti.

In 1999, Akarma reissued both Circus 2000 albums on CD and compiled their non-album singles and select unreleased material into a dedicated archival release, bringing renewed attention to the group’s concise but influential legacy.

Discography: