You’ve never heard of Ezio. No one has (except Swimitt – thanks by the way), and even after reading this opinion, you still won’t. I keep them locked up in my spare bedroom, far from the prying ears of you mere mortals. Sure, the fat one cries a lot, and keeping them in guitar strings is kinda expensive, but that’s just the way it’s gotta be. Mine. Not yours. Even though I’m going to explain to you how cosmic they are, and how they’re my favourite band, and how they’re just two ugly blokes with guitars and no red cap and really really underground and cool, you’re still not gonna like them, hear of them or ever listen to them, ok? Let me tell you something – I’ve stood about as far as you are now from your computer screen, to Ezio Lunedei, the man himself. I’ve shook his hand, smelt his sweat, had my picture taken by his side AND, got Booga’s (the other one) plectrum. It’s inside my the sleeve of my copy of their rare album, which you’ll never have. Ezio, is like your secret ankle fetish. It’s your collection of porn (if you’re a teenager), your past (if you’re an adult) and your nostril hair (if you’re Jill). It peeks out of my over-flowing collection of predictable classics and regrettable nu-metal, winking only at those with eyes and minds wide enough to see it. Of all the things, people and places I’ve reviewed, Ezio is the one I most highly recommend, and remember – I’ve reviewed Dooyoo. So listen, and learn.


Firstly, allow me to lazily off-load some facts for you to skim-read, while I think of something better to say:


Ezio Are:

Ezio Lunedei (guitar, vocals)
Booga (guitar)

They come from Cambridge. They have three main albums, and few early demos. These include:

Ezio (rare, demo)
The Angel Song (rare, demo)
Black Boots On Latin Feet (ge
nius debut)
Diesel Vanilla (equal genius, but hard to find due to record company liquidation)
Higher (slightly sell-outish accessible latest)

They’re both approaching middle-age, they’re both look kinda Italian and they play every where – the largest being The Shepard’s Bush Empire, and the smallest (probably) being the ‘Barrel’, a pub in Northumberland that holds 30 people and has a floor-level stage. Despite being better guitarists and lyricists than anyone famous we could mention, without exception, they’re still the kind of band that share a pint with you after the gig. This is why we should all cry when we watch Top Of The Pops.


Can I brag some more? Well, Booga also signed a tour poster, and accepted a drink ‘on me’. Um, I have a mouse-mad (“Ten years playing in a band so that I can sell computer peripherals” jokes Ezio, without ever cancelling the tour or changing dressing-rooms) and all the albums. Ezio is a bit chubby, very sweaty, and a better guitarist then Clapton. Booga is a lot chubby, kinda quiet, and a better guitarist then Hendrix. They only play live, acoustic guitar, and write all their own material. Dealing first with image, integrity and dedication – these men are exactly the opposite of what we despise in popular bands. Their isn’t a shred of grandeur, pretence of boastfulness in anything they say or do. They’re completely 100% void of all the bullsh*t, business, cocky-arsed wanky bollo*k in most accomplished and respected musicians. Amazingly, they don’t seem bitter that despite writing and performing music that is actually better then multi-million selling artists everywhere, they’re still forced to work like dogs just to make their way. If every band in the world displayed the work-hard, modest mentality of Ezio, I would happily hold a strangers hand and dance with him through the reeds.
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Heehee… wouldn’t it be funny if now that I’ve finally got round to discussing their music, I told you they sounded bad? That would crack me up. No such luck though. Every song, is equalled only in terms of technical brilliance, by emotional and lyrical depth. It’s mature, it’s non-self-indulgent, it’s detached and refreshing. A big, warm-breezed slap to your face, and the only reason you might not like is because it’s too good for you to believe. Even though the music you hear is created solely by two men with acoustic guitars, the sound is full and multi-layered. While one man bounces his way through a multitude of oh-I-never-would-have-thought-to-use-those chords, the other will glide through a solo that really represents that the pinnacle of guitar playing in, all its glory. I’m talking no corners cut, no techniques avoided – the full works, top speed fret-work. Better, harder, more exciting then ANY Hendrix, Clapton or Page. And it’s not even one of those things when you can pipe up and say ‘yes, but sometimes the simplest playing is the most effective’ – listen, you little parrot, you’re wrong. It’s complex, it’s so very very fast, AND it sounds amazing. As much as I love the sound of a good electric guitar, the spirit of an acoustic guitar is on a different level all together. There is no safety-net of fuzz petals or heavy distortion to disguise your errors, no discreet bass to fill your sound. The acoustic guitar can only account for the skill, accuracy and timing of the person playing it. It’s a raw, intimate instrument, with a beating heart of its own. Ezio send the blood pumping through its veins (did that work?). Songs like their most famous anthem ‘Saxon Street’ (a homage to their childhood hang-out), is a perfectly rounded slab of high-intensity, well-crafted, inventive guitar playing – displaying the same h
ead-banging passion of all our favourite metal riffs and pop-grunge bridges, only with more style, precision and class. As for the slower songs, such as ‘A Thousand Years’ or ‘Cancel Today’ – think the whispering sentimentality of Greenday during ‘Good Riddance’ , only using more then five simple chords and a wider variety of technique. The fact is, Ezio can sound as large as Sabbath or as mellow as Kyuss using half the tools. They are better guitarists then you, me, and anyone else.


Luckily, the bands strength is not simply in their ability to play. Call it secondary to music, call it a matter of taste, but I consider lyrics important and I consider Ezio’s superb. It’s not Morrison mysterious, it’s not Blink 182 blatancy, and it’s certainly not Fred Durst Angst – it’s the creamy centre they all surround. Ezio writes effort-less, heart-felt and realistic songs, with a personal touch we can marvel and a familiar ring to which we relate.

Sometimes, he’s simple and direct:

“It’s a nice surprise to see you
Christ, you look even better then before
It’s not fair to ask if I still want you
When you know I need you even more

I’m glad we’re both alright now
We’ve got ourselves back under control
We’re just living day to day
And we’re sticking, we’re sticking to our role”

(A Thousand Years)



At other times, he’s a big old metaphor-whore:

“Agony’s got a perfect mouth
She wears the finest clothes
Always black with a wide brimmed hat
That shades her eyes and nose

And the strongest winds can’t move her
And her hair, it never grows
Agony’s got a perfect mouth
Wears the finest clothes”

(Agony)

or

“Go, please go
Because your hair
is like a storm cloud
And the sharks swim in your eyes
And I say go, please go
Because your tongue is like a serpent
And your mouth is full of lies…”

(Go)



And then sometimes he’s all imageryy:

“I dreamt I was in heaven and I was sitting at a bar
With all the other angels I was smoking a cigar
One hand on my hip and one foot on a chair
And a golden ostrich feather that was planted in your hair

And if I really were an angel, I’d float over your bed
Each night a different dream of me I’d plant inside your head
And if I were an angel, I tell you what I would do
I’d appear in a vision, and I’d give my wings to you”

(The Angel Song)


… but whatever angle the songs takes, it’s always the right side of simple and overly-poetic. Ezio writes with the knowledge and experience of a man, yet the passion and enthusiasm of a boy – a formula we should all strive to achieve, here or anywhere else.



A few friends I’ve tried to introduce to Ezio, have either been scared off by how different it is to their usual sound, or strangely unwelcoming of his voice. Personally, I’ve never experienced a problem. Ezio has a soothing, slightly-deep voice that, though limited, could hardly spoil the excellence of both lyrics and music. It’s not a love-it-or-hate-it Axel Rose whine, it’s a well-trained, driving throat-voice, if you know what I mean.


Though if you’re still unconvinced, then you’re either the evil collective offspring of Hear’Say, or you’ve not been reading this probably. Forget the fact that mid-tempo acoustic rock is ‘not really your thing’ – Ezio are a vibrant, inspiring duo that deserve you’re attention. They may not get too frustrated at their lack of fame themselves, but I do - it’s tim
e to remove them from my spare-bedroom, and show them to the world. One of the few thoughts worth getting depressed about is this – if Ezio wore skater pants and Booga lost 100 pounds, you guys might have actually heard of them, and I wouldn’t have to write this opinion. We should all be ashamed of ourselves.

Also, visit the Ezio web page…

http://www.ezio.de

… it’s actually fairly well-made, with a decent bio and various discography’s/message boards/lyrics for you to ponder. It should also contain tour dates…

… and that’s another thing. Even if I haven’t moved you to find their albums or visit their website, please do me this favour – if your local theatre/pub are showing an Ezio set, get off your lazy TV-watching ass and go watch them. Go laugh at Ezio’s jokes, and gasp when Booga plays a solo with a bottle of beer so fast his hand becomes a flabby blur. Do it, feel liberated, cast your CDs into the fiery pits of your rejection and never look back again. Their live show is truly something to behold – no flashy mediocrity disguising stage props, no token DJ to distract you… just two normal-ish blokes with guitars, and a love of the music they create.

Ezio represent everything we should demand from world-famous artists… a boundless knowledge and ability on their instruments, and a hard-working, humble frame of mind. They show a endless drive for creativity, complexity and passion, and are truly the most grossly under-listened band in existence. I refuse to pigeon-hold their style, I can not award a genre – I can only place my hand firmly to my heart and recommend you listen to their music, with a big cheesy grin and reassuring nod to boot. If the popularity of music were any longer dictated by quality, Ezio would be in all our spare-rooms.

Go on, for me.