Italo Disco

From: Clearsound

ClearSound P.O. Box 486 2601 CL Den Haag The Netherlands
clearsoundmike@hotmail.com

ClearSound knows how important music is. Therefore ClearSound gives you the opportunity to get the Italo disco music you have been looking for for a long time. At ClearSound you can compile your own CD, cassette, D.A.T. or MiniDisc. You can choose your favorourites out of the Italo Catalogue.

In 1983 the term Italo Disco was heard for the first time, I think. The German record company of BERNHARD MIKULSKI published their first double album of the serie "Best of Italo Disco". I think they invented the word ‘Italo’. Of course ‘Italo’ is known in the meaning of ‘coming from Italy’. But the MIKULSKI-company created that first combined term; ITALO DISCO.

Prehistory

But more previous than the year 1983 there was already Italo Disco made. The difference is it wasn’t called that way. It was just discomusic out of Italy. In the late seventies we already saw some names of producers and composers at record-labels, we know from the Italo-scene of some years after that.

Let’s start with the prehistory of Italo Disco: In the summer of 1978 (more then twenty years ago) LA BIONDA had a smash hit all over the world; "One For You, One For Me". LA BIONDA produced several Italo Disco songs in the eighties. RIGHEIRA is the most successfull example. But also AIDA COOPER (‘Stand Back’) and ROBERT BRAVO (‘Love Me Like I Do’) were produced by LA BIONDA.

Even in a song like ‘One For You, One For Me’ you can already hear the Italian melodies. 1979 One year later JACQUES FRED PETRUS recorded his first disco hits; ‘Walking On Music’, ‘Fire Night Dance’ by the PETER JACQUES BAND, ‘I’m A Man’ by MACHO and ‘Music Man’ by REVANCHE. MAURO MALAVASI was always involved.

TANTRA released a song called ‘Hills Of Katmandu’ that year. A product of CELSO VALLI; in the eighties he produced a lot of IBIZA RECORDS-productions. ‘Give Me A Break’ by VIVIEN VEE (Banana Records) was a smash discoteque hit in the States and Europe. Persons involved on this product were CLAUDIO SIMONETTI and GIANCARLO MEO. ‘San Salvador’ and ‘Soft Emotion’ by AZOTO are also releases of 1979. It was released on VEDETTE RECORDS and the producer was CELSO VALLI.

1980

In 1980 HARRY THUMAN had a commercial hit with ‘Underwater’ (Baby Records). Often this song was used as a radio-tune. It is an instrumental one, full of synthesizers. CLAUDIO SIMONETTI and GIANCARLO MEO released a song called ‘Capricorn’. The song was a hit in the United States. On the most famous label, DISCO MAGIC, a song called ‘Flood’ was released by DELANUA. Development noticeable That first period was an important base for the years that brought us the great music we now call ITALO DISCO. IL DISC started after some licensed productions with real italo productions.

I think 1982 is the year the sound we all love was created. To give some examples:
Masterpiece GAZEBO
Baby / Best Tenax DIANA EST Dischi Ricordi
Robot Is Systematic 'LECTRIC WORKERS Disco Magic
The Garden 'LECTRIC WORKERS Disco Magic
How Many Fill DELANUA Disco Magic
Hookey SYLVI FOSTER Disco Magic
Dream STEELY 'CHUCK' McDONALD
Eyes You Are A Danger GARY LOW
Il Disc Tequila BO' BOSS Il Disc

1983

Some Italo-lovers say: "The best Italo-year ever, was 1983." I find it hard to choose one year, but I agree on the fact that 1983 was a very good year. DISCO MAGIC released more than thirty 12"-es. A lot of record-labels started their production in that particular year: AMERICAN DISCO, BABALU, CRASH, CRUISIN, FLY, HISS, HOLE, ITALIAN, MANY, MEMORY, MERAK, OUT, SENSATION, TANGA, THICK and X-ENERGY. How would it be without the releases from those labels? These were really important. 1983 was also the summer of ‘Dolce Vita’ by RYAN PARIS (Disco Magic 117) and ‘Vamos A La Playa’ by RIGHEIRA (CGD 15091) thanks to Spain and Italy.

The Italo-virus spread as holidaymakers brought that summerhits back home. There was no way back. Italo had conquered a lot of European countries. More songs were released and became hits. Not only in Italy, but also over the frontiers; ‘I Like Chopin’ and ‘Love in your eyes’ by GAZEBO, ‘Happy Children’ by P. LION, ‘I Want You’ by GARY LOW, ‘Somebody’ by VIDEO, ‘Happy Station’ by FUN FUN, ‘Hypnotic Tango’ by MY MINE, ‘The Night’ by VALERIE DORE……. 1984 In

1984

the story continues. Another large number of labels were released. The most important ones are BLOW UP, FDT, GONG, IBIZA, KEEPON MUSIK and RAM. A lof of starting labels first made covers, but with Italo style;

Bette Davis Eyes CHINA TOWN Crash 005 1983
Dance Hall Days MAQUILLAGE Crash 015 1984
Incantations G.A.N.G. Disco Magic 121 1983
T.S.O.P. PHILADELPHIA Disco Magic 132 1983
Starman LOOPSIDE FDT 001 1983
Souvenir SAXOPHONE FDT 009 1984
Stay MARX & SPENCER Hole 20127 1983
Tequila BO' BOSS Il Disc 1003 1982
Waiting For A Train MOONBASE Il Disc 1007 1983
Flash FLASHBACK BAND Il Disc 1010 1983
Souvenir NICKY & NICKY Lombardoni 003 1985
Do It Again CLUBHOUSE Many 501 1983
Superstition/Good Times CLUBHOUSE Many 503 1983
Standback AIDA COOPER Many 504 1983
Pulstar HIPNOSIS Memory 002 1983
You Should Be Dancin' SKY CRACKERS Memory 004 1983
Get Back COCKROACH Out 3001 1983
Popcorn MAGIC MEN Out 3003 1983
Big In Japan/Relax THE COVER BAND Sensation 8002 1984
Susanna THE CONTROL BAND Sidet 101 1985
Life Is Life STARGO Stargo 8502 1985
Ali Shuffle CAMARO'S GANG Superradio 7005 1984
If You Leave Me Now SHIRLEY ROSS Tanga 002 1983
I've Got The Music In Me YVONNE KAY X-Energy 12005 1983
Africa KEY OF DREAMS Zanza 0113 1983

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