In the middle of the 90ies another (short-lived) C.A.M.-soundtrack series saw the light of day. It must have been in the very early 90ies that two leading men in the Italian soundtrack-scene, Mr. Maurizio Buttazoni and Mr. Sergio Bassetti, decided that it was time for a new soundtrack-series from the vaults of C.A.M. and that it would certainly be a wise and clever marketing-decision to ask potential buyers, which soundtracks they would most love to see on - yes, the good old days! - vinyl! They teamed with what is now sometimes called the "granddaddy of soundtrack-fanzines" (fanzine = "fan magazine"), "Soundtrack - the collector´s quaterly" and conducted a poll among its readers, which Italian scores they would love to see issued.
The poll was quite a success, since many readers participated and 1984 the first batch of six LPs was issued. Their print run was - since the items were clearly directed to the international collectors community (liner notes in English!) - 1000 copies each and their production values were quite nice, although not 60ies quality anymore: Rather thin vinly and soft cardboard covers with a very distinctive artwort! Attractive individually numbered items, nice pressing quality, and already gaining value for the last decade. Definitly items to be on the lookout for!
In 1985 they took a break and in 1986 another two items were issued, followed by a last batch of three items in 1987. Then the project came to a sudden, certainly too early end. Aside from the inclusion of peoples release-wishes in their marketing concept (an idea which was only re-used many years later by the VERY successful FSM-label!) it is also worth noting that all the releases part of this series are "world premiere issues", in other words: none of these scores was ever available before on the LP-format! Of course (smile) the most collectible are the three Italo-western-waxings and the otherwise still unavailable Morricone-composition for a Gilles Pontecorvo-movie, but nevertheless also the other (mostly sandal-)scores are certainly worth to be heard.
Some of these scores have already been re-issued on CD by C.A.M., but keeping in mind that it was seemingly not too difficult to issue 11 top-scores from the 60ies in the middle of the 80ies, one starts to wonder, how many more great treasures might be hidden in the C.A.M.-vaults. Hope anybody will start such a project again better sooner than later ...
If you have any questions, that have been left unanswered (and I am sure there are some ...), please do not hesitate to drop me a line e-mail! I answer all questions as fast as possible, plan to collect them and want to put them into a FAQ-section (which is planned for 2003!). The same goes of course, if you have any info or items for sale or trade available!!
AVAILABLE items (visually graded: cover/record; play-graded upon request):
PHCAM 09: Seven slaves against Rome (Francesco DeMasi), M/M PHCAM 10: The thief of Bagdad (Carlo Rustichelli), M/MPlease note: of all the listed items I have only one spare copy available; wants-lists welcomed (trade preferred!).
Hercules | Phoenix PHCAM 01 | 1984 | S | Masetti |
Un dollaro bucato | Phoenix PHCAM 02 | 1984 | S | Ferrio |
Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei | Phoenix PHCAM 03 | 1984 | S | Lavagnino |
Ogro | Phoenix PHCAM 04 | 1984 | S | Morricone |
Esecutore oltre la legge/Due contro la citta' | Phoenix PHCAM 05 | 1984 | S | Sarde |
Romolo e Remo | Phoenix PHCAM 06 | 1984 | S | Piccioni |
Hercules unchained | Phoenix PHCAM 07 | 1986 | S | Masetti |
God forgives ... I don't!/Kill or be killed/Bastard ... vamos a Matar! | Phoenix PHCAM 08 | 1986 | S | Rustichelli |
Seven slaves against Rome | Phoenix PHCAM 09 | 1987 | S | DeMasi |
The thief of Bagdad | Phoenix PHCAM 10 | 1987 | S | Rustichelli |
The ugly ones/Nevada/The bounty killer | Phoenix PHCAM 11 | 1987 | S | Cipriani |