Banco del Mutuo Soccorso were one of the most prominent bands in the golden age of Italian progressive rock. Their recordings of the 1970s, particularly Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (1972), Darwin! (1972), and Io sono nato libero (1973) are highly regarded among fans of the genre. In later years, the band pursued a more pop-oriented style, often shortening the name to Banco, and sometimes singing in English rather than Italian. The band was formed in 1969 by brothers Gianni Nocenzi and Vittorio Nocenzi, both of whom play keyboards.