After introduction with I Like Chopin, i would like to start talking about your beginning. Your biography is very interesting, so please tell me about your childehood, where you were born and some other data, to know you better ?
I was born in Beyrouth (Lebanon) as my father was working at the Italian Embassy at the time (he was a diplomat). That was in 1960. Then we moved to Jordany and then after the 6 days war we went to Copenhagen in Denmark (a much safer place !) That's where I spent my best time in an American school, learning my first Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel things on guitar. After that, we moved to France (and my studies got more academic) and then, finally, in 1975, back to Rome.
In Rome I started my first experiments with bands and songwriting while going to highschool. After school I went to London (on and off), working as a guitarist in Italian restaurants, and trying to find my way in the music scene. I met a lot of interesting musicians amongst which Denis Haines (at the time with Gary Numan's Tubeway Army) with whom I worked later on. In the meantime as I said when I was in Rome I'd meet Pierluigi either at his place or mine (we both had 4 track recording machines) to write songs. The idea was to put up a band but it was hard to find someone willing to invest So we gave up at a certain point and he went to the army while I started knocking at record companies' doors trying to get signed.
Did you choose your name Gazebo, or someone else did, and how ?
At the time DJs in Italy (we never dreamt of selling outside of Italy) were quite provincial and would have snobbed the record if we released it with my real name (hopefully that has changed now !) so I chose gazebo from the lyrics of Masterpiece ("Talking of cinema in the gazebo...") and that I kept :-))
I think 1981 was crucial for your music career, when you met Paolo Micioni. He produced your first hit Masterpiece. How did you meet him, and tell me about your first steps with him ? Did you work with him only till year 1983 ?
I must admit he was the first (and only at the time) producer who believed in me. He liked my music (even the one I did alone) and so I gave him credit. But then he did a couple of mistakes (so called) and that deteriorated our relationship. After Masterpiece we did some demoing together with another couple of musicians from his entourage but the material was not strong in my opinion so I asked Freddy if I could call in Pierluigi and that's how it all went.
Did you met other Baby records artists, like Joe Yellow, La Bionda...? I am trying to gather as many information as I can about other italo disco artists so I hope you can understand why I am asking you this ?!
No, sorry. I met La Bionda but much later .. The other artists I met at Baby Records were people like Pupo, Toto Cutugno and Ricchi e Poveri...
You co-wrote song Dolce Vita for Ryan Paris. This song became huge hit as well as I Like Chopin and still today we can here this song play on various radio stations around the world ?
Yeah! It was supposed to be in my first album (actually I thought it was a good follow up to Masterpiece because they talked about the movie scenes. Hollywood and Cinecittà ) but Freddy didn't like it. Nobody's perfect he he he... It was a good idea and it came to me while I was reading a gossip magazine. I called Pierluigi and he had this cool bass line. And there you go :-)
In some of mine previous interviews with Tom Hooker, P. Lion, Eddy Huntington, they all said how great and very professional producer/artist you are ! Do you like when you get great critics from your professional colleagues ?
Who doesn't ! It's very nice to meet these guys and talk about each others adventures. Someone should write a book !! As far as professionality. I can't judge. I know I've made mistakes in my career but I always tried to be sincere and honest towards myself and the others. Maybe that paid off.
As I like to say that italian disco music of the 80's is part of my soul and style of my living, I would like to know what do you think about that period ? You don't have to tell me nice things if you don't think about that period nice !?
The 80' have been quite peculiar. People are nostalgic because the world (at least the occidental world) had fewer major problems, people were making money, were enjoying life. Maybe a bit superficially. Then came the 90' with Saddam and the war in ex Jugloslavia (of which you know much better unfortunately) and the financial situation shaking. And one tries to remember the good times. The 80' were definitely the era of "plastic".
In every interview I ask artist about his favorite italo disco song and artist. So, could you tell me who were your best ?
I'm embarassed because I very rarely listen to Italo disco and I feel very ignorant compared to specialists like you ! I was more into English new wave at the time. Amongst the Italians I've always liked Another Life by Kano and of course Happy Children by P.Lion.
I am pretty sure on which name you mean ! I can ask you to read my interview with Tom Hooker. Tom Hooker was straightforward and said the name. Although I think we, fans, always knew what was going on. Yes, very disappointing for many fans. To cover something like that, studios needed some sort of "skills", I suppose. Also, maybe in the 80s, it was easier to cover up from any negative publicity, or hide some secrets, because media were not so "big". Nowadays it has become practicly impossible, or maybe it is still possible ? What do you think ?
Well .. I'm sure there are still a lot of "fakes" around. Nowadays digital technology can do miracles, believe me :-)) It's harder to find. But there are still many mediocre singers who sound great on their records.
Italo Disco videos were rare, and lots of artists didn't made videos. In one way it's understandable, because of the style of italo disco, here I mean on fact that one "voice" had lots of pseudonyms. Did you like to make videos ?
Well, I enjoyed it. We went to London and worked like if it was a movie set. It was cool, the video is in my opinion (I Like Chopin by director David Rose) very, very nic,e and still many fans ask me if the love affair was between the two girls or between me and each of them. Very intriguing :-) I think the real reason for which many Italo artists didnÂt make videos is because it was very expensive at the time and the wholesalers (who produced 90% of italo dance) didn't think in terms of promotion and marketing. It was a new thing at the time and you had to go to London if you wanted something decent.
Ooops. My mistake, Gazebo. Sorry. But it wouldn't be nothing strange if something like that happend. For instance Anfradno "Koto" Maiola had that experience with the Dutch producer Michele van der Kuy. Did you know about that ? :-)
No, sorry as I said. I'm not an Italo specialist. I never heard of either.
Do you accept critics and do critics have influence on your work ?
I used to be very careful about people's feedback but I soon learned that sometimes I was just losing time as we would normally end up using the first solutions. I like to call in DJs for additional versions but MY version has to remain as such.
How would you call the style of music you are producing today and do you miss 80's sound ?
Well... I think I can call what I do now Pop Music. I like the 80's sound and I noticed there's a certain comeback to that sound :-)
Gazebo, as I know you worked with one band from Bosnia and Herzegovina ? I know it sounds strange but if we know you worked with one singer, Ardit Gjebrea, from Albania, it shouldn't sounds strange. How come you worked with them?
Well, Plavi Orkestar (that was the band) was doing very well at the time and I met them one day at the Jugoton offices in Zagreb. Jugoton was releasing Univsion and so they asked me if I would help the guys on a song. I did. And I enjoyed the experience I wonder what happened to the members of the band. Now Jugoton is Croatia Records I think. Ardit, as I said before, is a very talented musician from Albania, I met him one day in my studio as he came along an Albanian violinist who came for a session. He asked me if I would arrange a song for him as he wanted to perform at the Tirana Song contest Festival. He had no money. But was so funny I decided to help him out. Now he is by far the best well known singer and performer in his country. For me it is like if I did another I Like Chopin ! I always liked experimenting and I learned so much from these experiences.
I believe you are very satisfied with your career because you have achieved huge success. However is there anything that you would like to change or what is your goal in the coming future?
Well, of course looking back you can always judge better. Considering my temperament I think I can consider myself quite lucky. I managed not to harm myself as much as I could have!! I have worked with outstanding people without whom I would have never achieved these results. I would like to finally come back with a mature album with songs that don't have to fit in any stereotype and to be able to tour with real musicians...
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