The Trip Takers The Trip Takers

(“The Trip Takers” project starts from the bases left in the mid-60s by bands such as Beatles and Byrds, to incorporate psychedelic atmospheres that expand the sound, making it addictive, thanks to organ and sitar on the front line. The instrumentation used and a recording technique deliberately far from the digital, but more inclined to the effects produced by the analogic, give a birth to a disc that, even if fresh and immediate, it’s far from contemporary productions to create incredibly authentic vintage atmospheres)"The Trip Takers" project starts in September 2015 after the meeting between Carmelo Gazzè and Manuel Rotella. The first one, multi-instrumentalist with beat garage training formation and a massive list of collaborations behind (Convulsed in primis), veteran from the long-standing experience with the Out Key Hole band and with strong intent on continuing the interrupted path of Anglo-Californian’s atmospheres; the second one, young beatnik not so much attracted to the new musical trends belonging to his generation and thus on the constant research for fertile soils of the past. The band is completed by Giuseppe Mangano, with a recent past with the Out Key Hole too, and later particularly active in alternative multiform projects (such as the Intelaiatura Basimale);
Morgan Maugeri, already Demo Mode guitarist, interested in testing parallel sound dimensions; Simone Di Blasi (active in Addamanera and Brothel) who, by joining the band at the organ, completes the formation.

This creature is molded by personalities and influences at times heterogeneous to each other, which are well mixed with the common will to get out, from the current canonic sound, in an attempt to romantically preserve a retro style approach, purposely in a simple and genuine way.
In August 2016, the recordings of the first homonym EP so called "The Trip Takers".

"The Trip Takers" project starts from the bases left in the mid-60s by bands such as Beatles and Byrds, to incorporate psychedelic atmospheres that expand the sound, making it addictive, thanks to organ and sitar on the front line. The instrumentation used and a recording technique deliberately far from the digital, but more inclined to the effects produced by the analogic, give a birth to a disc that, even if fresh and immediate, it’s far from contemporary productions to create incredibly authentic vintage atmospheres.REVIEWS

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN 05/11/2017

New from Area Pirata Records, the home of Italian Garage Rock, comes the debut mini-album/EP from Garage/Beat obsessives The Trip Takers. Eschewing modern recording techniques to create an authentic vintage lo-fi analogue sound, The Trip Takers EP revisits the classic mid 60s proto-Nuggets era of American Garage/Psych with six tracks that channel the slightly shambolic records by "British Invasion" influenced bands such as The Groupies, The Velvet Illusions, The Inmates, The Cave Men and Satan & The G Men whose two minutes of fuzzed up teen angst tend to turn up on one of the many Pebbles compilations and the much weirder early acid heads who were the psychedelic trailblazers. The Trip Takers have lovingly recreated these sounds with such an ear for detail that they do sound like songs that could have been recently rediscovered after decades lost in the archives somewhere.

With a mix of Beatles pop smarts and Byrdsian jangle, side one of the EP is firmly rooted circa 1965/66 with the sound of early Garage bands more than evident on the three tracks on this side of the disc. While side one is firmly inspired by early Beat bands, side two sees The Trip Takers exploring wonky mid 60s Psychedelia and sounding not unlike Nashville Psych Pop outsiders The Sufis with three tracks of acid drenched strangeness. Recalling the first wave of acid advocates where the Beat bands began turning on, tuning in and freaking out, ‘Misty Shore’, ‘Above’ and ‘You Are Not Me’ are recreations that tap into the vibe of the times with swirling organ and sitar pushed way up front in the mix. For serious RetroHeads, The Trip Takers EP is well worth your time………….it may not be in anyway original, but that’s not really the point.

Bertrand Tappaz – Chronique 2018 – 05/06/2019 – VOIX DE GARAGE GRENOBLE

Après 2 singles et un EP impeccables j’attendais le 1er album de ce quintet italien de pied ferme ! Et il ne me déçoit pas un seul instant.
Recréant une vibe bien Sixties, proposant un travail très convainquant sur le son, tout particulièrement au niveau des guitares et de l’orgue, avec des tessitures très intéressantes et un équilibre entre les 2 instruments assez inusité. La voix est plutôt velouté, les compositions tout en délicatesse… Mais attention ici on parle bien de Garage Punk. Marqué Psych Pop et d’obédience Sixties, tirant un poil vers le Freakbbeat, donc avec de la moelle et des mélodies.
10 chansons en 29 mn on ne s’appesantit jamais mais les Trip Takers visent l’efficacité maximum et l’excellence.
Et il faut reconnaître que leur album est à la hauteur de leur ambition : une collection de super chansons qui se dégustent individuellement mais aussi parfaitement au sein d’un album judicieusement construit !