Furyo - Furyo (EP) & Furioso (EP)

Furyo were three parts UK Decay and one part Gene Loves Jezebel - comprising Abbo (Vocals), Eddie Branch (Bass & Vocals) and Steve Harle (Drums) aswell as Albie De Luca (Guitar). Abbo, Branch and Harle, following the UK Decay split, had already contributed two seperate tracks to compilation albums of the time, namely as Meat Of Youth on the 'Batcave' LP and Slavedrive on 'The Whip' LP. Once De Luca joined the line-up was complete and stayed constant throughout Furyos brief lifespan.

Both of these records were released in 1984 and sound very different for their time. The excellent UK Decay web site covers the entire family tree better than I can (including In Excelsis recently posted at Punks On Postcards and UK Decay themselves at Hangover Heart Attack) but one thing I will highlight is the Roman-esque nature of the sleeves. Both use an antiquarian typeface (V for U, that kind of thing) and psuedo-Italian language. The cover of the Furyo EP features a chariot race while the song listings on the Furioso EP include 'Andante', 'Noblimente a sticcato' and 'Furioso apassionato'. Quite how seriously any of this is taken (wait 'til you hear the music) is possibly reflected in the band listing on Furioso:

Vocals - Joey (surely not Deacon?)
Guitars, Vocals - Cecil B DeLuca
Bass - Um Bongo (sickly fruit drink of the time)
Drums - Herbert Longfoot

Mick Mercer, in his book 'Gothic Rock', described Furyo as 'an acquired taste' - I'll let you decide...

Furyo - Furyo (EP) (Furyo MGRAM12 1984)

1. The Gold Of Our Lives
2. Vultures
3. In The Arena
4. Monster Of A Thousand Heads
5. The Opera In The Air

Furyo - Furioso (EP) (Furyo 12ANA24 1984)

1. Legacy
2. Chorus
3. King Of Hearts
4. Cavalcade

Furyo