Goblin (band)

Goblin
Performing at the Supersonic Festival, 2009
Background information
Origin	Italy
Genres	Progressive rock, instrumental rock, jazz fusion, electronic rock, experimental rock
Years active	1972–1982, 2000, 2005-2009, 2010–present
Website	www.goblinofficial.com

Goblin (also Back to the Goblin, New Goblin, Goblin Rebirth, the Goblin Keys, The Goblins and Claudio Simonetti's Goblin) is an Italian progressive rock band known for their soundtrack work. They frequently collaborate with Dario Argento, most notably creating soundtracks for Profondo Rosso in 1975 and Suspiria in 1977. CD re-releases of their soundtracks have performed well, especially in Germany and Japan. Goblin returned with a series of live concerts in Europe in 2009 and in North America in 2013.

Initially named Cherry Five, their early work spawned one eponymous progressive rock record, and they were then called in to compose the soundtrack for Profondo Rosso. The band changed their name to Goblin, rewriting most of the score, originally written by Giorgio Gaslini including the famous main theme. The 1975 soundtrack album was a huge hit. After a reshuffle in their line-up, and they put out an instrumental progressive rock album Roller, before working with Argento again for 1977's Suspiria. Other film soundtracks and a concept album (Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark) followed, then the score for the European version of George A. Romero's 1978 Dawn of the Dead. In the film's opening title sequence, they are credited as "The Goblins with Dario Argento". Tracks 1, 2 and 7 from the European version are also in the American version of the album.

Despite their success, membership continued to be a revolving door, and the band also struggled to maintain their credibility. The remaining members continued to work on further soundtracks, and there was a partial reunification of three of the four band-members for Argento's Tenebrae (1982) (the album was credited to the three band-members separately, not as Goblin). The last collaboration with the director took place in 2000, with the film Non ho sonno (Sleepless).