Litfiba -

Litfiba are an Italian new wave band that debuted with the 1982 EP Guerra, followed by the 1983 Eneide di Krypton soundtrack. On IRA, they made the 1985–88 albums Desaparecido, 17 Re, and Litfiba 3.

Members: Ghigo Renzulli (guitar), Piero Pelù (vocals, 1980-99, 2009-present), Sandro Dotta (guitar, 1980), Francesco Calamai (drums, 1980-83), Gianni Maroccolo (bass, 1980-89), Antonio Aiazzi (keyboards, 1980-96, 2003-06), Renzo Franchi (drums, 1983-84), Luca De Benedictis [Ringo De Palma] (drums, 1984-89), Roberto Terzani (bass, guitar, keyboards, 1989-94, 1995-99, 2007-09), Daniele Trambusti (drums, 1987, 1989-92)

Background

Litfiba formed in October 1980 in Florence when guitarist Federico “Ghigo” Renzulli and bassist Gianni Maroccolo started a group in the Via de’ Bardi 32 rehearsal cellar with keyboardist Antonio Aiazzi and drummer Francesco Calamai. Second guitarist Sandro Dotta joined the first rehearsal lineup and departed within the opening weeks. Renzulli constructed the name Litfiba from a telex-style code that pointed to Italy, Florence, and Via de’ Bardi.

Renzulli spent 1976–78 in London, then returned to Florence, where he formed Cafè Caracas in 1979 with bassist-vocalist Raffaele “Raf” Riefoli. Maroccolo attended hotel school in Florence and pursued studies in bass, double bass, and phonology. He played with Aiazzi and Calamai in a prior band, The Destroyers. For the frontman role, Aiazzi invited Pelù, an alumni of Liceo Dante school band The Mugnions, which debuted recently at Circolo Bencini. Pelù passed an audition in the Via de’ Bardi cellar.

Litfiba debuted on December 6, 1980 at the Rokkoteca Brighton, a room attached to the Casa del Popolo in Settignano. The group expanded the live schedule through 1981 and opened for Siouxsie and the Banshees on June 21 at Stadio Lungobisenzio in Prato. Bruno Casini became the first manager and organized press and concert work around the Florence circuit.

Early Releases

Litfiba issued a five-track untitled EP in June 1982 through Urgent Label, the new-wave imprint of Materiali Sonori. The group won the second Festival Rock Italiano that month at the Palasport in Bologna. The prize secured the June 1983 single “Luna” (b/w “La preda”) through Fonit Cetra. Litfiba replaced Calamai, sidelined by severe tendinitis, with former Cafè Caracas drummer Renzo Franchi for the 1983 sessions.

Krypton director Giancarlo Cauteruccio commissioned Litfiba in 1983 to compose music for the multimedia production Eneide. The group recorded the project at GAS with engineer Sergio Salaorni. Litfiba released the October 1983 soundtrack Eneide di Krypton through Suono Records. Former Mugnions drummer Luca De Benedictis, known as Ringo De Palma, replaced Franchi for the autumn lineup. Litfiba mounted the first foreign tour in December 1983, a French run that included the Rencontres Trans Musicales in Rennes.

Litfiba released the Yassassin EP through Contempo in spring 1984, pairing two versions of the David Bowie song with “Elettrica danza.” The group followed the EP with European dates. Alberto Pirelli left the GAS operation in 1984 and founded IRA Records with Anne-Marie Parrocel. Pirelli launched the label with Catalogue Issue, which carried the Litfiba tracks “Onda araba” and “Versante est.” The band then entered GAS with producer Alberto Pirelli and engineer Carlo Rossi to record Desaparecido, the first Litfiba studio album of original songs for IRA Records.

Discography:

Guerra (EP, 1982)
Eneide di Krypton (1983)
Yassassin (EP, 1984)
Desaparecido (1985)
17 Re (1986)
Litfiba 3 (1988)
El Diablo (1990)

Sources:

References:

Litfiba official biography — October 1980 formation, Via de’ Bardi, original personnel, December 6 debut, Bologna festival, Luna/La preda, Eneide di Krypton, French tour, Yassassin, and the lead-in to Desaparecido. (Litfiba)
Ghigo Renzulli interview, MusiCulturA, January 2026 — Renzulli identifies himself and Maroccolo as the founders, explains the mistaken Federico Fiumani advertisement, names Aiazzi and Calamai as subsequent recruits, identifies Pelù as the Aiazzi recommendation, and recounts Cafè Caracas with Raf. (MusiCulturA online)
Gianni Maroccolo, Ala Bianca biography — Florence schooling, early instrumental study, and the Destroyers/Queenies & The Suffragettes connection with Antonio Aiazzi. (Ala Bianca)
Piero Pelù interview, Firenze Made in Tuscany — Liceo Dante, the Mugnions, Federico Fiumani, and the March 8, 1980 Circolo Bencini concert. (Firenze Made in Tuscany)
Bruno Casini, In viaggio con i Litfiba, publisher material — Via de’ Bardi 32, the December 6 Rokkoteca Brighton debut, founding personnel, and Casini as first manager. (Editrice ZONA)
Federico Guglielmi, “Litfiba 1982–1989,” Vinile — June 1982 Urgent Label/Materiali Sonori EP, Festival Rock connection, Fonit Cetra single, Franchi succession, Yassassin, IRA formation, Catalogue Issue, and pre-Desaparecido chronology. The scans also confirm the original EP and pre-album release sequence.
Antonio Aiazzi interview on Eneide di Krypton — Giancarlo Cauteruccio brought the project to the Via de’ Bardi cellar; Litfiba developed the music and recorded at GAS with Sergio Salaorni. (Radiomusik Tv Blog)
Rencontres Trans Musicales archive — Litfiba appear in the official 1983 Rennes program. (LESTRANS)
Litfiba official Desaparecido page — IRA Records release and the Pelù–Renzulli–Maroccolo–Aiazzi–De Palma lineup. (Litfiba)