Jacula - In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum (1969)


In 1969, this album of mysterious worlds, evocative church organ, innovative guitar, involving voices and lyrics, creative piano and synth, rhythms with tympans, was recorded in London and only released in a strictly limited number of copies (300 + 10 promos) that were only partly distributed by the producer and label owner to religious sects. In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum never reached the record shops, but the recorded album was the beginning of a path towards an interior research...

The story starts in 1966 when the young musician and composer Antonio Bartoccetti leaved the Apennine mountains in the Marches and landed in Milan. There he composed loads of ideas with a view to transform into music a series of theological-philosophical and esoteric observations, a result of a teamwork Bartoccetti had with the fantastic visions of the medium Franz Parthenzy. Entering the Milanese underground music circuit, he went about many bands (like "Le Orme") and began to compose and write lyrics for the album In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum (a latin expression which means "The Poison is always at the end").

In 1968, Bartoccetti founded Jacula (together with his grilfriend Doris Norton and the organist Charles Tiring) and Dietro Noi Deserto (Behind Us Desert, with (Luciano Iura (vocals, organ), Luciano Quaggia (guitar) and Mauro Baldassari (drums) and the next year records a 45 rpm with Dietro Noi Deserto releasing the one-off single for the Italian Decca label. It had two tracks "Dentro me" ("Within me") and "Aiuto" ("Help"), both composed by Bartoccetti. This seems to be the only proper group which he played with (he played bass), and the style was closer to late 60's psychy beat than progressive. After a mini tour he dissolves the band, which he later deemed to be trivial, commercial and difined it as: "a mistake of his youth". Thanks to Dr.Tosi of the Decca's acquaintances, Antonio Bartoccetti meet Alvin Lee in 1969, who introduced him to the artistic director of the indipendent label Gnome Record. He went to London realising his biggest project: recording the first "embryonic" album In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum produced by Travers, author also of the wierd black and white sleeve. Bartoccetti entitled the album as "Volume zero". Realising that this work would be difficult to market, and with Bartoccetti's approval, Travers decided to not commercialise the work because he wanted it to reach only the "magic covents". Travers himself absorbed the 300 copies in block and made them reach sects and brotherhoods: this was the best way to diffuse the first esoteric message of the band: In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum containing six excerpts of great surrealistic influence: Pipe organs and Hammond organs played by the great Tiring, terrifying effects and piano melodies created by Doris Norton, guitars and bass-line by the protagonist. After this album Bartoccetti lived a very retired life studying philosophy and went to visit all the castles of Lombardy, the marches of Aosta, of Austria, of Hungary and Rumania where he periodically resided, considering it the darkest place in the world. He got his income from giving guitar lessons and spendt his time composing music for the concept of Jacula...

Tracks: 1. Ritus 2. Magister Dixit 3. Triumphatus Sad 4. Vereficium 5. Initjatjo 6. In Cauda Semper

Band Members: Antonio Bartoccetti - Music, lyrics, guitar, bass, vocal Charles Tiring - Church organ Doris Norton - Key special effects --- Volume zero - Composed by Spiritualist Seance (1966 - 1969) Recorded at Gnome Studio (UK) 1969 Mixed by Colin Coldweis Designed by Travers All songs published by Brioche Music Publishing

Release info:
Released by Gnome Record 1969 - In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum (LP) (AR-LP 00299) (310 copies, never sold)
Reissued on Black Widow Records (BWR 051) CD 2001

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