Premiata Forneria Marconi

by Bruce Eder
Italys leading progressive-rock outfit of the early 70s, PFM wouldve remained a purely Italian phenomenon had it not been for their being signed by Emerson, Lake & Palmer to the latters Manticore label. Their sound was more distinctly rooted in the pre-classical era than that of their Germanic counterparts. In addition to electric keyboards (synthesizers, etc.), they also relied on violin and flute (recorder, actually) as major components of their music. Their name, by the way, was short for Premiata Forneria Marconi, the name of the bakery that originally sponsored them.