Formula 3 -

Formula 3 was an Italian post-psych band that released four albums on Numero Uno between 1970 and 1973. The first two were produced and largely written by Lucio Battisti. Guitarist/singer Alberto Radius and keyboardist Gabriele Lorenzi later co-founded the super-group Il Volo.

Members: Alberto Radius (guitar, vocals), Gabriele Lorenzi (keyboards, vocals, 1969-74, 1990-92), Tony Cicco (drums, vocals), Mauro Gazzola (keyboards), Stefano Previsti (keyboards), Andrea Pistilli (keyboards), Maurizio Metalli (keyboards), Ciro Di Bitonto (keyboards)

Background

Formula 3 formed in 1969 as a Milan-based power trio with guitarist–vocalist Alberto Radius, keyboardist–bassist Gabriele Lorenzi, and drummer–vocalist Tony Cicco.

Radius performed with the Mario Perrone Orchestra and served as a temporary replacement for Franco Mussida in I Quelli. He earlier played in the Roman band White Booster and briefly joined the beat group I Campanino. Lorenzi arrived from the popular beat group I Camaleonti, where he contributed Hammond organ and backing vocals during their late-’60s peak. Cicco, a Naples native from a musical family, had played in several southern Italian bands before relocating north and joining Lucio Battisti’s live ensemble.

Battisti, who recently co-founded the label Numero Uno with lyricist Mogol, produced the trio’s debut single “Questo folle sentimento” backed with “Avevo una bambola.” Released in December 1969, the single reached No. 5 on the Italian charts and marked the start of Formula 3’s long-running partnership with Battisti and Mogol, who supplied most of the group’s early repertoire. The band supported Battisti in his rare live appearances and quickly became one of the most visible acts on the Numero Uno roster.

Dies Irae

Formula 3 released their first album, Dies Irae, in February 1970 on Numero Uno.

The album blends organ-led suites with reimagined singles and reinterpretations from the Lucio Battisti–Mogol songbook.

Alberto Radius plays electric and acoustic guitar with overdriven phrasing and spatial bursts, particularly in the album’s multi-section title track and closing instrumental segments. Gabriele Lorenzi commands the Hammond organ, phrasing the longer builds and interacting with Radius across alternating lead motifs and sustained drone beds. Tony Cicco plays drums and percussion with alternating restraint and burst, punctuating side-closers with solo cadenzas and executing tom-heavy climaxes under full-band crescendos. All three contribute vocals in layered and alternated delivery.

Lucio Battisti co-wrote the album’s original material with Mogol. Formula 3 also cover songs by the Left Banke, Four Tops, and Edoardo and Eugenio Bennato.

“Dies Irae” unfolds with layered organ and guitar interplay over a slow-ritual drum pulse. Latin liturgical phrases surface amid tremolo guitar accents and alternating choral sections. “Sole giallo, sole nero” uses reprise structure and percussive space to build toward a coda with overlapping organ motifs and a brief drum solo. “Walk Away Renee” shifts tonal balance from pop ballad to modal slow-build, carried by staggered organ phrasing and guitar saturation in the instrumental midsection. “Perché… perché ti amo” alternates strophic hush with surging declarations, using volume contrast and octave switches for effect. Other tracks lean on post-beat formulas with organ breaks and high-register vocal strain, particularly in “Non è Francesca” and “Se non è amore cos’è.”

A1. “Dies Irae” [Day of Wrath] (7:39) — adaptation of the Latin hymn, arranged by Isola Amelio; features Latin vocal inserts, Hammond-guitar interplay, and layered apocalyptic build
A2. “Non è Francesca” [It’s Not Francesca] (3:37) — originally recorded by Lucio Battisti (1969), written by Mogol–Battisti; re-arranged with organ breaks and forceful rhythmic backing
A3. “Perché… perché ti amo” [Because… Because I Love You] (6:07) — written by Mogol–Edoardo Bennato–Eugenio Bennato; dramatic pacing alternates between subdued verses and climactic refrains
A4. “Questo folle sentimento (intro)” [This Crazy Feeling (Intro)] (1:05) — brief instrumental prelude with fanfare tone and upbeat resolution

B1. “Questo folle sentimento” [This Crazy Feeling] (2:19) — originally released as a single in 1969; concise pop rock structure with refrain-vamp format
B2. “Walk Away Renee” (4:30) — originally by The Left Banke (1966), written by Michael Brown, Bob Calilli & Tony Sansone; also recorded by The Four Tops (1967); this version adopts darker tonal contrasts and features instrumental midpoint organ–guitar exchange
B3. “Se non è amore cos’è” [If It’s Not Love, What Is It?] (5:11) — written by Isola–Mogol–Colombini; alternates between heavy slow-build and subdued vocal passages with organ undercurrent
B4. “Sole giallo, sole nero” [Yellow Sun, Black Sun] (7:10) — written by Mogol–Battisti; includes closing drum solo, reprise-style instrumental interjections, and upward harmonic shifts

Sessions occurred in late 1969 under the direction of producer Lucio Battisti.

The gatefold cover features a swirling psychedelic composition designed by Studio Marconi, with concentric architectural and industrial forms pulled toward a darkened center. Radiating yellow and orange ribbons intersect a tilted cityscape populated by miniature buildings and mechanical extensions. The band’s name and title appear in warped green and purple text integrated into the lower right.

Numero Uno lifted “Sole giallo, sole nero” backed with “Se non è amore cos’è” as a May 1970 single. In October 1970, Formula 3 reappeared with the non-album “Nanananò” backed with “Io ritorno solo.”

Formula 3

Formula 3 released their self-titled second album in June 1971 on Numero Uno.

This release consolidates their psychedelic songcraft into more concise arrangements, with increased focus on lyric imagery and narrative framing. Compared to the extended instrumental focus of Dies Irae, this album prioritizes vocal strophes and balladic progression, though it opens with one of their most expansive compositions.

Alberto Radius plays electric and acoustic guitars with recurring blues phrasing and sustain-driven climaxes, particularly during the opener and side-closer. Gabriele Lorenzi anchors every track with Hammond organ voicings, alternating between ascending swells and understated harmonic backdrops. Tony Cicco maintains an active drumming style with cymbal-lifted passages and vocal delivery marked by declarative phrasing and emphatic cadences. All three share vocal duties with alternating leads and group harmonies.

All seven tracks are credited to Lucio Battisti (music) and Mogol (lyrics), whose production role and lyrical involvement frame the album as a structured interpretation of their writing, rather than a vehicle for the band’s improvisational development.

“Nessuno nessuno” develops in three connected sections with gradual organ-guitar interplay. It frames a lonely highway journey where headlights emerge then disappear through white fog, as the driver reflects on emotional detachment. “Eppur mi son scordato di te” uses strophic vocal contrast and guitar-led refrains to depict a failed romantic justification. “Il vento” contrasts resigned lyricism with gradual instrumental uplift, marking a decision to flee a decaying relationship. Other songs emphasize lyrical allegory, such as “Un papavero,” which personifies transient romantic encounters through flower symbolism, and “Vendo casa,” where a ruined domestic space reflects inner collapse. Blues framing and Hammond bursts define “Tu sei bianca, sei rosa, mi perderò” and the closing “Mi chiamo Antonio Tal dei Tali,” both rooted in repetition and refrain variation.

A1. “Nessuno nessuno” [No One, No One] (11:00) — multi-part suite describing a solitary drive through the Po Valley under low visibility and emotional fatigue
A2. “Tu sei bianca, sei rosa, mi perderò” [You Are White, You Are Pink, I’ll Get Lost] (4:12) — rock-blues structure with Hammond interjections; lyrics follow a spiraling infatuation
A3. “Vendo casa” [I’m Selling My House] (2:47) — compact ballad depicting a man in emotional collapse following a breakup, framed by disorder and loss

B1. “Eppur mi son scordato di te” [And Yet I’ve Forgotten You] (3:35) — hit single; shifting vocal cadence and guitar–organ dialogue depict an excuse-laden confession after infidelity
B2. “Un papavero” [A Poppy] (3:57) — uses flower metaphor to portray a fleeting, independent woman who resists attachment
B3. “Il vento” [The Wind] (4:44) — follows a predawn escape from a failing relationship; organ undercurrents and lyrical resolution build toward affirmation through departure
B4. “Mi chiamo Antonio Tal dei Tali e lavoro ai mercati generali” [My Name Is Antonio So-and-So and I Work at the General Markets] (5:50) — narrative-driven blues recounting the frustrations of a laborer denied affection at home despite long shifts unloading produce in the rain

Sessions occurred in early 1971 under the direction of producer Lucio Battisti.

The cover art uses a high-contrast photo montage of the band surrounded by expressionistic paint overlays. Designer uncredited.

Numero Uno issued “Nessuno nessuno” backed with “Eppur mi son scordato di te” as a May 1971 single.

A non-album single appeared in February 1971: “La folle corsa (Parte I)” / “La folle corsa (Parte II)”.

Sognando e Risognando

Formula 3 released their third album, Sognando e Risognando, in September 1972 on Numero Uno.

The album marks their full transition from psychedelic songcraft to an extended-suite format built on dynamic interplay, symphonic motifs, and instrumental architecture. Divided into three multipart compositions and one standalone ballad, the album integrates classical, rock, and pastoral elements into one of the band’s most structurally ambitious efforts.

Alberto Radius plays electric and acoustic guitar with saturated leads and textural figures, shifting from rhythmic drive to delayed phrasing across instrumental sections. Gabriele Lorenzi commands a broad arsenal including Hammond organ, piano, Minimoog, and string synth, alternating between layered harmonic structures and contrapuntal bursts. He also plays bass on key passages. Tony Cicco anchors the ensemble with tom-driven fills, suspended cymbal phrasing, and sectional crescendos, while contributing vocals in both solo and ensemble contexts.

Lucio Battisti produced the album and co-composed two tracks with Mogol. The remaining material is credited to the trio, with Battisti contributing to the final suite. Track divisions follow thematic segments across three main suites: Sognando e Risognando, L’Ultima Foglia, and Aeternum.

The title suite opens with “Fermo al semaforo” [Stopped at the Traffic Light], which stages a suspended mood through synth beds and guitar pulses. “Sognando” [Dreaming] rises with overlapping vocal layers and driving guitar lines. “La stalla con i buoi” [The Stable with the Oxen] contrasts atmospheric imagery with electric bursts and vocal counterpoint. The suite closes with “Risognando” [Dreaming Again], a brief reprise with soft phrasing and echo-laced guitar. L’Ultima Foglia [The Last Leaf] builds from “L’albero” [The Tree], where angular guitar lines and shifting organ clusters swell into “Non mi ritrovo” [I Can’t Find Myself], a sequence of tom-led syncopation and thematic rotation. “Finale” ends the suite with layered classical piano and acoustic textures.

“Storia di un uomo e una donna” [Story of a Man and a Woman] follows a balladic structure with acoustic guitar, piano, and subdued group vocals. The track traces a decaying relationship suspended in doubt and resignation. The closing suite Aeternum opens with “Tema” [Theme], blending guitar-led tension and organ flourishes. “Caccia” [Hunt] develops around phased drum patterns and Moog accents, which bleed into the classically inspired “Interludio,” where piano, synth, and guitar trade thematic material in swelling waves. “Finale” closes the album in a suspended minor resolution.

Sognando e Risognando
A1. “Fermo al semaforo” [Stopped at the Traffic Light] (2:53)
A2. “Sognando” [Dreaming] (2:15)
A3. “La stalla con i buoi” [The Stable with the Oxen] (4:10)
A4. “Risognando” [Dreaming Again] (1:19)

L’Ultima Foglia
A5. “L’albero” [The Tree] (5:15)
A6. “Non mi ritrovo” [I Can’t Find Myself] (4:21)

L’Ultima Foglia (cont.)
B1. “Finale” (2:12)
B2. “Storia di un uomo e una donna” [Story of a Man and a Woman] (4:57)

Aeternum
B3. “Tema” [Theme] (2:32)
B4. “Caccia” [Hunt] (1:42)
B5. “Interludio” (5:56)
B6. “Finale” (1:18)

Sessions occurred in mid-1972 under the direction of Lucio Battisti and sound technician Gaetano Ria.

Sognando e Risognando presents a surreal illustration of a reclining female mannequin with an open torso, set against a dark void scattered with retro-targeting icons. The band’s name is rendered in dotted circus-style lettering, while the title floats in rounded, spaced-out syllabic bubbles.

Numero Uno issued “Sognando e risognando” backed with “Storia di un uomo e una donna” as a single (ZN 50148) in May 1972.

La Grande Casa

Formula 3 released their fourth album, La Grande Casa, in June 1973 on Numero Uno.

The album closes their 1970s studio run with a marked shift toward intimate songcraft, romantic lyricism, and shorter forms. It departs from the suite-based structure of Sognando e Risognando and favors acoustic textures, solo spotlights, and emotionally centered arrangements. Though less exploratory in structure, it refines many of the trio’s harmonic devices and vocal arrangements while anticipating the stylistic direction of Il Volo.

Alberto Radius plays acoustic and electric guitar with a focus on tonal shaping and contour. His acoustic figures dominate the album’s intros and transitional segments, while his electric phrasing recurs in climactic passages. Gabriele Lorenzi supports the arrangements with piano, Hammond organ, Minimoog, and string synth, often layering harmonic beds with subtle bass doubling. Tony Cicco balances soft rhythmic frameworks with tom-driven fills and delivers emotionally restrained vocals across the ensemble’s quieter sections.

All six tracks are credited to Radius–Lorenzi–Cicco with lyrics by Mogol. The music reflects a break from the Battisti-directed repertoire of earlier albums, with songwriting grounded in first-person reflection, inner narrative, and acoustic immediacy.

“Rapsodia di Radius” opens the album with fingerstyle acoustic phrasing that gradually gives way to organ-piano layering. The lyric evokes a dystopian emotional state—rage, fear, and isolation—contrasted by a lyrical instrumental coda that projects hope beyond the breakdown. “La ciliegia non è di plastica” [The Cherry Is Not Made of Plastic] juxtaposes a satirical image of consumerized femininity with affirming metaphors drawn from natural imagery. “Libertà per quest’uomo” [Freedom for This Man] moves from minor-key suspense to choral affirmation, anchoring the repeated plea for release within an ascending structure of keyboard ostinatos and vocal loops.

The title track stages a narrative of domestic alienation, with soft-spoken lines over sparse piano and reverberant acoustic chords. “Cara Giovanna” [Dear Giovanna] follows with tender arpeggios and a resigned tone, depicting the unraveling of a romantic bond through shifting perspective and implied detachment. “Bambina sbagliata” [Wrong Girl] concludes the album with alternating syncopated verses and sharp cadences, framing rejection through rhythmic detachment and layered vocal exit.

A1. “Rapsodia di Radius” [Radius’s Rhapsody] (5:24) — acoustic intro leads into an evolving arrangement that sets a world of emotional paralysis against a closing instrumental suggestion of escape
A2. “La ciliegia non è di plastica” [The Cherry Is Not Made of Plastic] (4:35) — rhythmic verses portray a woman’s internal conflict between authenticity and commercialized self-image
A3. “Libertà per quest’uomo” [Freedom for This Man] (5:36) — minor-key instrumental passages give way to choral repetition of the title phrase as a looped mantra of liberation

B1. “La grande casa” [The Big House] (5:30) — sparse arrangement centers on a man’s realization of emotional emptiness inside a newly built, echo-filled home
B2. “Cara Giovanna” [Dear Giovanna] (5:02) — quiet ballad with piano and acoustic interplay narrating the parting reflections of a couple at the end of a relationship
B3. “Bambina sbagliata” [Wrong Girl] (4:44) — syncopated vocal phrasing and sharp chord accents depict an emotionally estranged farewell

Sessions occurred in early 1973 under the direction of Mogol.

The cover photograph depicts a whitewashed villa recessed behind a dense field of silhouetted vegetation. The foreground appears overexposed in stark black and white, while the title and band name are printed above in tricolor Italian flag colors—orange, green, and white—underscoring the national identity of the group’s final 1970s work.

Numero Uno issued two singles:
• “La ciliegia non è di plastica” backed with “Cara Giovanna” (ZN 50303, May 1973)
• “Rapsodia di Radius” backed with “Bambina sbagliata” (ZN 50317, September 1973)

Postlude

Formula 3 disbanded in 1974 as each member pursued a solo path. Alberto Radius joined Il Volo before resuming solo work and launching Studio Radius in 1978. Over the next decade, he collaborated extensively with Franco Battiato and contributed to recordings by Milva, Alice, and Giuni Russo. He also released material under the alias Freddy The Flying Dutchman and later led the band Cantautores. Tony Cicco recorded solo as Cico, initially echoing Formula 3’s style before shifting toward cantautori material. He also wrote for artists such as Loredana Bertè and Fiorella Mannoia and worked as a session drummer with Pino Daniele, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Gadd, Mino Cinélu, and Eddie Gomez.

The trio reunited in 1990 and entered the Sanremo Festival twice, performing “Un frammento rosa” in 1992 and “La casa dell’imperatore” in 1994. Lorenzi departed after the first reunion and retired from music to open a restaurant in Livorno. His keyboard role passed through Andrea Pistilli and Maurizio Metals before settling with Ciro Di Bitonto in 2013. Radius remained active until his death in San Colombano al Lambro on 16 February 2023, aged 80.

Discography: