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Specials > What is Italo Disco/Dance?
What is Italo Disco/Dance...?
Italo Disco / Dance does not mean Gianna Nannini, Eros Ramazzotti or Al Banoand Romina Power, who do Rock, Pop and Hit music. No, we mean the dance music,which comes from Italy. To me the best music of all times.It is also the music, which dominated our disco bars in the 80’s. Above all in Europe.
However, the fewest know that the music they have been listening to, came from Italy.The reason probably was, that the interpreters sung all in English. Rarely a text was sung in Italian.
Anyway, fact is, the music has been written and produced by Italian producers and pressedas well as distributed by Italian Records companies.
The Italo forefathers are without doubts: MAURO FARINA and GIULIANO CRIVELLENTE.
What those two have been producing in 20 years is simply sensational. We can even say,
that almost the whole present-day Dancestyle was shaped by these two men. At the beginning of the 80’s, they founded the famous company “TIME RECORDS”. Of course there are also others very well known producers like:
DISCOTTO
LOMBARDONI
MAIOLINI
LEE MARROW
A. ZANNI
S. CUNDARI
R. TURATTI
M. CHIEREGATO
W. CREMONINI
R. ARDUINI
A. MAIOLA
W. VERDI
Z. DAVIDE
R. ZANETTI
G. BORTOLOTTI
At that time the companies shot from the ground very fast. Memory Records with producers A. Zanni and S. Cundari. Baby Records became quite familiar among theproducers R. Turatti and M. Chieregato. Among others they produced for “DEN HARROW”, who is still a quite well known Italo-Star today.
The beginning of the disco scene is in the 70’s . MAURO FARINA was very young at that time and totally enthusiastic about the rhythmic sound, which came to us from America. In the mid 70’s he met GIULIANO CRIVELLENTE.
The Bee Gees with their title “Saturday Night Fever” started in 1978 an international discowave. Mauro was taken in a way that he began to compose together with Giuliano. The mixture from Rock and Pop, with a hard rhythmic bass, shaped the typical Italosound between 1981 and 1982. In addition the synthesiser came, which gave the entirefinal cut. The ''ITALO DISCO'' was born. 1983 the first groups werecreated, such as: Stage, P. Lion, Joe Jellow, Miko Mission and so on.
At the beginning 1989 ITALO DISCO began to vanish. It was ousted bya new music direction. The Rap from America came over and also the Acid came to life.The Italo sound sank completely in Western Europe. The new style directions had Western Europe solidly in the grasped. Also the Import from Italy broke in completely.Those, who now believed, that the Italo was dead, were taught of a better.
In the years 1989 until 1990 the Italo Rap and the Italo House became generally accepted.On the other hand most of the people didn’t know that they were dealing with Italian musichere, because it was all sung again in English.
End of 90’ until 92’ you could hear all style directions of Pop, Hip Hop, over Techno, TranceHouse as far as to Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. (By the way, Techno has been generated in 1988 in Berlin (Germany) ). In Spring 92’ the Dancefloorhit “Rhythm Is A Dancer” from the group “SNAP” came on the market. A new disco wave – or shall I say – a new dance wave was released.. That was
the reason why Italo came again into play. However, no longer under the name “ITALO DISCO” but instead under “ITALO DANCE”.
At that time the Label “ITALIAN STYLE” was very popular. Also the Label “DWA” what means: Dance World Attack and “MEDIA” were very well known. Groups were produced amongst the names like: Double You, Corona and Cappella. Also Radiorama made part in the 90’s of it and they still are today.
Since the appearance of the group “EIFFEL 65” and, with them the 1998 released song “BLUE DA BA DEE” , the Italians produce again like maniacs. FARINA and CRIVELLENTE are producing as well. FARINA is producing for groups like KOTOH, PIERROT and BLOCKHOUSE.
We do not hear a lot of this music direction in Western Europe. Especially in German spoken area this style has been totally lost. Mainly we hear music coming from America. The typical Pop songs by Madonna, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Jon Bon Jovi and all the boy and girlgroups, I can take no longer seriously. This music is running a lot in the disco bars, together with some House, Funk or Hip Hop.
The fewest today know the classic Discobeat. In Switzerland it is even worse. The most even do not know that there are still quite large numbers of Vinyl’s on the market . In Italy alone there are approximately 400 companies pressing Vinyl. The radio stations here are playing the general sound like Pop and Rock. They have no idea of Dancemusic. The Italians on their part are commercialising their sound where it is asked for and where it wants to be listened to. Unfortunately, it is not here in Switzerland.
Below countries where the Italo sound was popular in the past. Today this music is getting more and more popular:
ITALY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
EX YUGOSLAVIA
POLAND
ROMANIA
RUSSIA
SCANDINAVIA
NORWAY
THE NETHERLANDS
SWEDEN
FINLAND
MEXICO
CANADA
And even in JAPAN, where many Italo Stars got golden records. Japan has even an individual Dancescene.
In Canada we know our DJ–colleagues DJConstantine and DJBlade. We have met them over the Net. DJConstantine was elected DJ of the year 2000. He probably is the best known DJin Canada (Toronto). In his Disco he plays the most popular Italo Dance music and people there go crazy about this sound.
Me and my colleague DJDusty have no other choice than to order Vinyl’s per Internet. Sometimes I go directly to Italy to shop. In the meantime we profit also from our good contacts in the Dancemusic.
IN THIS SENSE I SAY
ITALO NOW AND FOR EVER
However, the fewest know that the music they have been listening to, came from Italy.The reason probably was, that the interpreters sung all in English. Rarely a text was sung in Italian.
Anyway, fact is, the music has been written and produced by Italian producers and pressedas well as distributed by Italian Records companies.
The Italo forefathers are without doubts: MAURO FARINA and GIULIANO CRIVELLENTE.
What those two have been producing in 20 years is simply sensational. We can even say,
that almost the whole present-day Dancestyle was shaped by these two men. At the beginning of the 80’s, they founded the famous company “TIME RECORDS”. Of course there are also others very well known producers like:
DISCOTTO
LOMBARDONI
MAIOLINI
LEE MARROW
A. ZANNI
S. CUNDARI
R. TURATTI
M. CHIEREGATO
W. CREMONINI
R. ARDUINI
A. MAIOLA
W. VERDI
Z. DAVIDE
R. ZANETTI
G. BORTOLOTTI
At that time the companies shot from the ground very fast. Memory Records with producers A. Zanni and S. Cundari. Baby Records became quite familiar among theproducers R. Turatti and M. Chieregato. Among others they produced for “DEN HARROW”, who is still a quite well known Italo-Star today.
The beginning of the disco scene is in the 70’s . MAURO FARINA was very young at that time and totally enthusiastic about the rhythmic sound, which came to us from America. In the mid 70’s he met GIULIANO CRIVELLENTE.
The Bee Gees with their title “Saturday Night Fever” started in 1978 an international discowave. Mauro was taken in a way that he began to compose together with Giuliano. The mixture from Rock and Pop, with a hard rhythmic bass, shaped the typical Italosound between 1981 and 1982. In addition the synthesiser came, which gave the entirefinal cut. The ''ITALO DISCO'' was born. 1983 the first groups werecreated, such as: Stage, P. Lion, Joe Jellow, Miko Mission and so on.
At the beginning 1989 ITALO DISCO began to vanish. It was ousted bya new music direction. The Rap from America came over and also the Acid came to life.The Italo sound sank completely in Western Europe. The new style directions had Western Europe solidly in the grasped. Also the Import from Italy broke in completely.Those, who now believed, that the Italo was dead, were taught of a better.
In the years 1989 until 1990 the Italo Rap and the Italo House became generally accepted.On the other hand most of the people didn’t know that they were dealing with Italian musichere, because it was all sung again in English.
End of 90’ until 92’ you could hear all style directions of Pop, Hip Hop, over Techno, TranceHouse as far as to Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. (By the way, Techno has been generated in 1988 in Berlin (Germany) ). In Spring 92’ the Dancefloorhit “Rhythm Is A Dancer” from the group “SNAP” came on the market. A new disco wave – or shall I say – a new dance wave was released.. That was
the reason why Italo came again into play. However, no longer under the name “ITALO DISCO” but instead under “ITALO DANCE”.
At that time the Label “ITALIAN STYLE” was very popular. Also the Label “DWA” what means: Dance World Attack and “MEDIA” were very well known. Groups were produced amongst the names like: Double You, Corona and Cappella. Also Radiorama made part in the 90’s of it and they still are today.
Since the appearance of the group “EIFFEL 65” and, with them the 1998 released song “BLUE DA BA DEE” , the Italians produce again like maniacs. FARINA and CRIVELLENTE are producing as well. FARINA is producing for groups like KOTOH, PIERROT and BLOCKHOUSE.
We do not hear a lot of this music direction in Western Europe. Especially in German spoken area this style has been totally lost. Mainly we hear music coming from America. The typical Pop songs by Madonna, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Jon Bon Jovi and all the boy and girlgroups, I can take no longer seriously. This music is running a lot in the disco bars, together with some House, Funk or Hip Hop.
The fewest today know the classic Discobeat. In Switzerland it is even worse. The most even do not know that there are still quite large numbers of Vinyl’s on the market . In Italy alone there are approximately 400 companies pressing Vinyl. The radio stations here are playing the general sound like Pop and Rock. They have no idea of Dancemusic. The Italians on their part are commercialising their sound where it is asked for and where it wants to be listened to. Unfortunately, it is not here in Switzerland.
Below countries where the Italo sound was popular in the past. Today this music is getting more and more popular:
ITALY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
EX YUGOSLAVIA
POLAND
ROMANIA
RUSSIA
SCANDINAVIA
NORWAY
THE NETHERLANDS
SWEDEN
FINLAND
MEXICO
CANADA
And even in JAPAN, where many Italo Stars got golden records. Japan has even an individual Dancescene.
In Canada we know our DJ–colleagues DJConstantine and DJBlade. We have met them over the Net. DJConstantine was elected DJ of the year 2000. He probably is the best known DJin Canada (Toronto). In his Disco he plays the most popular Italo Dance music and people there go crazy about this sound.
Me and my colleague DJDusty have no other choice than to order Vinyl’s per Internet. Sometimes I go directly to Italy to shop. In the meantime we profit also from our good contacts in the Dancemusic.
IN THIS SENSE I SAY
ITALO NOW AND FOR EVER