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| ITALIAN DISCOTHEQUE PIONEERS | |
www.djsportal.com/en/index.php?id=pioneer
{ an internet book about DISCOTHEQUE PIONEERS }
The difference between ignorance and awareness is wisdom
We don't know where we are going unless we know where we've been
Without that knowledge... history is gone with the wind
ITALIAN DISCOTHEQUE PIONEERS
all interviews and articles this part of the website are result of close
cooperation between www.djsportal.com editor and owner Yahu Pawul
and Italian deejay (of younger than early disco pioneers generation)
Max de Giovanni.
Max is younger generation of disco
pioneers but same passion in his heart as masters.
the first and only unique worldwide story about discotheque pioneers from Italy
by
Max de Giovanni
In the early '70 discos had not yet arrived in Italy - (like everywhere in Europe - except UK). The night scene, consisted of night clubs with live music where friends could enjoy a nice evening out. However some owners had records played during the breaks that the orchestra or band took during the evening and even chose what records were to be played.
During this time clubs had no light systems and sound systems as same as soundproofing. Some guys did start a new profession work. Person who did that job had to be quick for he only had one turntable to work with. Eventually he was known as the disc jockey (DJ) deejay. An new profession was born. They - deejays - tried to play new songs of records for the simple reason that people / udience dance (no dance music exist that time back then).
The deejay was able to play several (3 slow + 3 fast) records in a row, announcing each song by microphone. Art of mixing with BPM and pitch control (we all know now today) did not exist yet. It was also very, very hard to get proper records in Italy - (we call "black music") produced by Afro - Americans most of all.
At the end of '60 a few disco pioneers from Rome decided to organise AID (Italian DJ Association). That was the time of: Roberto Bonardi, Billo Levati, Sergio Cossa, Claudio Casalini, Ivano Carlini, Ronnie Jones ...
Kind of new adventure came into the Italian music and club - entertainment business. Early disco deejays invented a new profession in fact - even (as we say as a kind of serious joke) before its start to exist as deejay profession in real.
What was also very important and comfortable that time early disco era back then - there were a few guys in that business as real and first pioneers and it was easy to talk and solve professional problems - compare to years that came / follow later.
However in June, the 29th of 1975 italian nightlife was to be changed. Discotheque name - 'Baia degli Angeli' was opened and began its history in the Gabicce Mountains. Who could be better witnes than its owner and creator Giancarlo Tirotti. I met him in city Misano for interview about Baia's history.
FROM LEFT:
Sterling St. Jacques - New York dancer. He was at baia, he tried djing but unlikely it was not his talent. He was actor in an italian movie and he did work for a club '78' in paris as dancer also. Then he moved to studio 54 NYC. He died 1984. His father was an USA actor.
Giancarlo Tirotti - owner of Italian disco legend - discotheque name Baia Degli Angeli.
In the early 70's,Tirotti used to travel all over the world, expecially in South America and New York, for the reason to be able to create art and fashion. He decided to buy a sporting area and to build something special. Because of his travelling he was able to experience what was happening elswhere, thus his inspiration to open a discotheque.
"I wanted to create and open a disco where all people could go from - rich or poor. Culture and money was not to bean obstacle"- say Tirotti. He did all arrangement of the club and paint colors. White was the main color of the walls and people could enjoy wonderfull panorama view - top of the Gabicce Mountain.
"The disco had two dancefloors at different levels. Baia's garden and swimming pool were opened daily. Baia was opened to the wee hours of the morning and then some (would you belive 9 a.m.). After a night of dancing people could have a great breakfast and fun swim - thus avoiding the crowded beach - say Tirotti".
When visiting New York City and seeing some of the best discos, Tirotti realized how much more effective a great sound and lighting systems as same as good music selections by talented and professional deejay could improve a disco.
No problem to get a good sound system, but any light's effects didn't exist in Italy that time. Tirotti have contacted some business companies and proposed to build proper light system. He got what he want in a pretty short time. Some parts of this light system were so heavy, they had to use special crane to build.
Baia was opened all day and night long, in the summer and in the winter. Disco was closed down brifely when they would do some new renovations only. Even Baia's staff became part of the décor as they wore all white specialy designed.
Baia's gate was opened at 10 p.m. but a lot of people were waiting overture / special sound opening at midnight. Disco did great business after 3 a.m. when other clubs closed and everyone flocked to Baia.
Tirotti adopted a genial marketing methods - I mean flyers with only a few but essential words and his logo - but above all word of mouth - I mean news from friend to friend was the best advertisement method that time.
Baia's logo was born naturally. Tirotti wished to have something clear, simple, efficacious and harmonious that all people could recognize easily. He thought a smile and his grafic designer put an eye, lips and an aureola. Here the famous Baia's angel logo
Tirotti bought also a big angel statue that was situated and lightining on the top of the Gabicce Mountain which could be seen by many for miles away. In addition Tirotti produced flyers on plexiglass, never used before for disco's. After meeting Andy Warhol n New York Tirotti printed his wonderful images of Marylin Monroe as part of Baia's advertise posters.
Then Tirotti took from New York a new style and sound of early disco music never heard before in Italy. The sound of disco music, so popular in States, played by early deejays. All these innovations made a sensation in Italy. He used some of the most prominent deejays from NYC. A new day was beginning for disco scene in Italy and it was happening at Baia as first.
In New York club, located near docks (no one rememberclub name unfortunately) Tirotti met a young deejay name Tom Sison who was born in Puerto Rico and living in Philadelphia. Tirotti loved what he heard and offered him job in Italy for Baia Degli Angeli club as same as great amenities at Suerte, a resort near Baia - as room, board, food, money for a few flights yearly to NYC to buy new records as well as good pay.
Tom couldn't be the only dj working everynight from 9pm to 6am. This was too long session and very tired work for any single deejay. He asked Tirotti to engage a New York friend, Bob Day. Bob arrived and the best italian couple of djs of everytime was born.
 
Tom Sison & Bob Day
Bob & Tom were simply the best couple of djs of italian disco scene and changed completely the night life style. They were real hits in Italy back then. Bob & Tom played the right music that they had gotten from NYC and introduced much new material from which other Italian deejays picked up from. They played and mixed all best Philly Sound, TK - Miami Sound, Salsoul - I mean all that music never heard before in Italy. Those two American deejays were, first in Italy, to perfect the technique of mixing records with BPM on the now classic Thorens turntables with pich control. Bob & Tom were always on beat and had the dancefloor packed.
"1976 was the best year, wonderful gigs, people success from all adriatic coast and all my international friends
You could heard about Baia everywhere and a lot of people arrived from different places: Milano, Roma, Firenze, Perugia. All people talk also about Baia Degli Angeli Bob & Tom's tapes recorded live and became so popular around - say Tirotti".
"Baia's greatness was its ending. Disco was very changed since people arrived from everywhere. No more every kid of people people audience, but only nightdancers who lived their live too intensively and strange way.
I decided to sell Baia on summer end 1977 and I went to live in Africa for some years. Bob & Tom were back
to New York and we never met anymore. I have no more notice or contacts with them" - say Tirotti.
The fall of 1977 Baia was re-opened with new ideas and new projects. Claudio Rispoli alias Mozart a friend of Bob Day, became a new deejay. He began his succesful adventure as one of a few most talented djs in Italy. Mozart is the only DJ whose won 'Telegatto', a very important prize from italian tv. He was the resident DJ at Baia, as same as Daniele Baldelli for some months. Then another talented DJ name Rubens joined him and they became most famos and wealthy italian DJ's.
1980 Baia Degli Angeli was definitly closed (there is not any secret rumour) by QUESTORE di Gabicce. This local administration officers decided that Baia became dangerous for health of young people because of drugs dealing.
After Baia's closing day Mozart and Rubens played in all italian clubs their fantastic sound - but it's an other history ...
5 september 2006
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BOB DAY & TOM SISON
... American deejays, discotheque pioneers whose lived and worked in Italy when disco era ... |
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RONNIE JONES
... Since the beginning of 1971 I started deejaying, but quit in 1995. I didn't feel that I was capable of appreciating the new music of today ... |
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DJ RUBENS
...I think the greatest djs back then disco era in Italy were Bob & Tom. They brought to Italy new music,
new sound system and new art of mixing
... |
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TIZIANO FELICI
...I did start casually. I got crazy for english beat and I bought all new records. 1969 I was resident dj at Quinta Dimensione in Rimini and my last dj set was on 1982... |
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GIORGIO PAGANINI
...I became one of the audience for a new club name - Baia Degli Angeli. This early discotheque lights, soundsystem, music made big impression on me. I got like crazy and bought a lot of records ... |
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FABRIZIO FATTORI
...began going to discos in the late 1974, when I was 15. My favourite disco was "La baia degli angeli". Just in that period I realized that music was going to become an important part of my life... |
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LUCIANO SERAFINI
...He begun his djing career at Tino Club in Massalombarda - winter 1969 (at that time discoteques didn't exist in Italy yet)... |
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TONY JUSTICE
...As an early pioneer, Tony used microphone to introduce the songs and didn't have luxury of pitch control with BPM as we have now. He didn't need it for his blends were always on beat... |
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UMBERTO MAIOCCO "Barry"
...Deep voice and wonderfull music selections + Barry's technique of speak to microphone and music mix was unique radio style an very early disco style deejay ... |
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ELVIO PIERI
...1969 he start djing all over Europe: Campus in Marseille, Why Not in Monaco and Germany, Hippodrome in London, Morandi in Swiss, Gloris at Ibiza, Fabris in Vienna... |
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FABER CUCCHETTI
...dj's are kind of juke box now... dj's depend on people that want to dance. Many use music from internet... it's illegal... |
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FABRIZIO 'Billo' LEVATI
...Billo decided to be an disco dj and he became most popular dj in Italian scene. He was resident dj in the best clubs as Biblos in Riccione and Biblos in Cortina D'Ampezzo... |
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GIANNI MORRI
...I did start djing 1976. My father owned a discotheque in Rimini name "OK club". 1980 with a 4 years experience as a deejay - I did my first very important gig at Paradiso - Rimini... |
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DJ LORENZ
...No doubt that black artists created '70 disco music and history based on soul and R&B - todays artists
(some of them are just deejays) - steal music of the past - music recorded by real and talented musicians
... |
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DJ EBREO
...It is different now. People no more come to the clubs to get higher level of their musical culture as before... |
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CORRADO RIZZA
...I think pioneer were more passional and each one developped his particular sound: now djing is considered fashion and all play the same music... |
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MAX de GIOVANNI
...Now music is the same shit everywhere. All djs today play the same noisy and boring music / sound!
... |
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GIGI della VILLA
...is good quality for all men and above all for a djs. Each one can choice a vinyl and do his best to let people enjoy... |
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DJ MOZART
...Black music is the best sound and all producers are, according to me, the best artists. All Tamla, Motown, Philadelphia... Check on the early LP's covers and you'll see that almost all musicians became good artists and have solo career
... |
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CLAUDIO CASALINI
... I didn't decide to became a dj... it's happened casually: in 1970 I studied in London and I lived at Lancaster Gate in a "for long stay" hotel. In the downstairs it exist a discotheque and I prepared record tapes for hotel's owner who payed me with hot dogs ... |
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SALVATORE CUSATO
[...] it is a pleasure to travel and enjoy the company of discotheque veterans but techno and house dj of today are soo snobbish and feel soo "big"(?) stars [...]
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special thanks for our USA friend, pioneer deejay
Barry Lederer for all his help with english corrections
We authors - we're still looking for more materials about Italian disco pioneers
- reason is simple - to save as much as possible for future generations
and for discotheque and deejay history
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