Rediscovering Time: From the Castelli Romani to the New Album “Risveglio”
Born in the early 1970s in the Castelli Romani area near Rome, Sigmund Freud were part of that creative wave that helped shape the identity of Italian Progressive Rock — a scene filled with experimentation, poetry, and the desire to transcend musical boundaries.
After years of concerts and studio sessions that never reached the public, the band finally resurfaces thanks to Black Widow Records, releasing “Risveglio”: an album that captures the original recordings of the ’70s, newly remastered but still infused with the warmth and authenticity of that era.
We had the pleasure of speaking with members of Sigmund Freud about the rediscovery of their music, their memories from a magical time in Italian Rock, and the emotions surrounding their long-awaited return.
Let’s start from the beginning: what do you remember about the summer of 1972 and the atmosphere that led to the birth of Sigmund Freud?
We had been playing for a few years performing songs by the myriad of pop singers and bands. Then something changed, the echoes arrived of Italian groups and especially foreign ones presenting more substantial, more intense, and of course more exciting pieces. It was the ’70s, when the drumming of minstrels and Mozartian symphonies intertwined among multifaceted colors. Something was changing in the musical landscape.
How did your musical background and the environment of the Castelli Romani influence the band’s style and artistic vision?
Our musical formation, almost unconsciously, was immersing itself and being contaminated by rock, which was initially primitive, inarticulate, as Robert Fripp of King Crimson used to say. In the Castelli Romani, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso was already receiving recognition and applause, and we were proud of it.
At that time, Progressive Rock in Italy was growing rapidly — from Banco and PFM to Le Orme and New Trolls. What were your main influences, and how did you perceive that new musical wave from the inside?
For obvious logistical reasons, none of us missed a Banco concert; fortunately for us, they often performed in the Castelli Romani. This inevitably brought us closer to the other groups you mentioned. Surely, we had chosen models that were difficult to emulate, but ambitious projects are the ones that ultimately give the greatest satisfaction.
You played many festivals and open-air concerts around Rome — Villa Ada, Villa Pamphili, Conca d’Oro… What was the live scene like in those years, and what memories do you keep from those experiences?
They were remarkable experiences; we exchanged experiences and talked about our own music, about how we could have our songs heard, and about the themes expressed in the lyrics. There were many opportunities; today there is little space for those who make music outside the commercial orbit.
Despite recording for RCA and EMI in 1975, an album was never released. What happened back then, and how did you experience that missed opportunity?
Those were the years in which, in my opinion, most of the creative music was written: so much experimentation, so many groups, so much material to listen to and evaluate. An immense task for industry professionals, who perhaps were not particularly attentive. This, however, did not stop us.
After so many years, “Risveglio” finally brings those songs to light. How did this collaboration with Black Widow Records begin?
When they say Carpe Diem. Two dear friends, Filippo de Masi and Francesco Pozone from Music Day, introduced us to Pino Pintabona of Black Widows Records in Genoa. We played him some old recordings, and after a few years—time to find musicians passionate about the genre and, above all, skilled—here we are with the project completed.
When you listened again to your old recordings, what was your first reaction? Did you immediately recognize yourselves in that sound, or did it feel like rediscovering a forgotten chapter?
All the musicians in the band have, over time, explored multiple genres and played a thousand different things, but that sound is part of their DNA, and it was like tasting grandma’s dish again: those flavors impossible to forget.
The remastering preserved the vintage warmth of the original tapes. How important was it for you to keep that authentic 1970s feeling intact?
It felt like going back in time, to when we practiced in the cellar, reliving those moments note by note, and each of us used their instrument to bring the music to life.
“Risveglio” blends classic Progressive structures with strong melodic elements — very Italian in spirit. How would you describe the balance between experimentation and songcraft in your music?
Experimentation must never be an end in itself; there is a risk of failing to convey what you want to express, and it becomes merely a technical exercise. Balance is needed.
Let’s talk about specific tracks: “Fiori di Polvere Bianca” and “Palla di Neve” both deal with powerful social and emotional themes. How were these songs born, and what do they represent for you today?
Unfortunately, these are still current issues: drugs have never stopped circulating and claiming victims; they just make “less news.” The new form of slavery, based on importing low-cost labor, has reduced workers to indecent wages. Someone had to say it.
“Giochi d’ombre” and “Epilogo” seems to have a more introspective and poetic side, while “La Quiete Dopo la Tempesta” shows great instrumental interplay. Were these pieces meant to reflect different facets of the band?
Absolutely. They contribute to achieving the balance we mentioned earlier.
The album closes with the “Freud 70’s Medley,” over sixteen minutes of pure Progressive imagination. Can you tell us more about its conception and how it represents the essence of your early years?
The idea comes from Black Widow, and we liked it; it creates a curtain between past and present, highlighting a thread that has never been broken.
Looking back, how would you describe the creative energy of the Italian Progressive scene of the 1970s compared to today’s musical landscape?
What a terrible question! Do you want us to make a lot of enemies right away?! Joking aside, everything seems flattened; those approaching music today have as their only aim to ride the easy wave, to have everything immediately, with the least effort possible. Some even take advantage of AI to produce a piece on which to overlay banal and repetitive themes, with a vocabulary reduced by the now entrenched lack of culture. In our time, people read books, engaged in discussions, everything was up for debate, and we accepted nothing at face value. Creativity is about asking questions and seeking answers.
Do you believe that today’s younger generations can still connect with the messages and ideals of that era?
It would be desirable, if not necessary.
Beyond nostalgia, “Risveglio” feels like a rebirth. How does it feel to finally share your music with a new audience after so many decades?
We hope to “awaken” interest in a genre that has ended up being niche, when it should be an example—the essential foundation from which anyone intending to make music should start.
The band will soon be touring in Italy and Europe. What can the audience expect from your live shows, and how will you combine music with the theatrical and visual elements you mentioned?
We intend to engage the audience in a mix of arts; on stage there will be appearances by mimes, actors, and… more. We want to surprise, not just with the music.
Finally, if you could send a message to the young musicians discovering Progressive Rock today, what would you tell them?
Music is study and creativity. For example, Mozart—who in my opinion is an absolutely prog composer—went beyond the norms and obligations of his time. One must have the ability to look with the eyes to the past and with the mind to the future. Progressive music is fertile ground precisely for those who possess these qualities.
“Risveglio” is not just an album — it’s a bridge between generations. Through the voices and instruments of Sigmund Freud, we can still feel the creative spark of an era where imagination had no boundaries. Their story reminds us that true passion never fades; it only waits for the right time to reawaken.
Purchase “Risveglio” HERE
Read our Review of “Risveglio” here: [Review] Sigmund Freud – Risveglio