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See Savage's second interview (December 2001)
| Zeljko : Dear Mr. Zanetti. My name is Zeljko, I'm from Croatia and I am a writer for the music magazine Final Impact. It is my most greatest pleasure and honor to make an interview with the music genie you are !!! I have a lot of questions for you. First of all I would like to thank you for this opportunity. It means a lot to me because I've been your fan since 1985 (since I started to listen Italo disco) and from then I am watching your work. This interview is something like a dream come true for me. Really ! I would like to start with next. Could you tell me who is Roberto Zanetti ? Tell me about your childhood, how old were you when you decided to play music ? Something about you in general before you started with the music ? |  |
| Savage : I was born in Massa, Italy. music was just a hobby for me until I began studying the piano at the age of fourteen. Shortly afterwards I got together with small musical groups, such as L'Inchiesta, Fathima E I Pronipoti, I Sangrin, playing the keyboards. My first professional experience arrived with the group Santarosa and, together with them, I recorded a single, Souvenir, that sold 200.000 copies in Italy. the record was produced by Zucchero "Sugar" Fornaciari who was my great friend at the time. After this experience, I continued playing keyboards with other groups, among which I Vicini Di Casa and Taxi. It was with Taxi that collaboration with Zucchero grew stronger and we played together for a couple of years. In 1983 I produced a dance single entitled Don't Cry Tonight suitable for my voice, and I chose the stage name of Savage. Note that, throughout my career, I have used two different professional names : Robyx as a producer, and Savage as an artist. |
I suppose you didn't start your musical career playing Italo disco?
No, as I said above, I started with Italian music. Were you inspired by some artists to make Italo disco? For example, High-energy
music existed before Italo-disco, one could say that Italo is the child
of High-energy in some way (a logical continuation of disco music). You
know who Bobby Orlando and Patrick Cowley are. Did they have some influence
on you ?
Of course they influenced me. as you state Italo disco is an evolution of High-energy.
I think our style is a medley between the High-energy's sound and the Italian
melodies. The year 1983 is far away from us now. Your first single was Don't
Cry Tonight. How did you compose this song ?
I was in a blue, sad moment of my life. the melody went out from the deep of
my soul. It was written in five minutes. By the way, you have chosen the name of Savage for yourself. Why Savage
?
I took inspiration from a very famous comic : Doc Savage. Italo disco is a very nice and strong music. Your song Don't Cry Tonight
in an example of a beautiful, soft song, a very good song for our heart
and soul, for our thoughts. Italo disco in general is the most beautiful
music in the world, don't you think so?
Yes, I agree. Many thanks for you compliments. Please Roberto, could you tell me if you had any special feeling when
you made your Italo songs? I could bet you did since all your songs sound
incredibly beautiful, strong, and harmonical. When I listen to your songs
released in the 80's such as Radio, Only You, Love Is Death,
A Love Again etc. I could cry of happines ! Your songs makes me incredibly
happy and I know they have positive influence on all my friends who listen
Italo disco as well.
My songs are made to make people have fun and to enjoy themselves, however
there's always an autobiographical side to the song with a message I like to transmit.
Italo disco doesn't exist anymore, unfortunately, in the way of 80's.
Before I ask you about your work in the 90's, I would like to stay a little
bit longer in the 80's. As a producer or a songwriter, you did make songs
for many other artists, etc. Tell me something about this side of your work.
I remember a song entitled Magic Carillon by Rose, in the 1983. Am I right
? This song was simply great. There was also Kamillo and Buenas Noches
etc.
In 1983 I made the first single for my group Taxi, entitled To Miami.
The record became a local success (it was released only in central Italy) and
it paved the way for another piece : Angelica by Joey Moon. After these
first experiences, I was contacted by two DJs and, together with them, I produced
Incantation by Gang. This record, a cover of a Mike Oldfield song, worked
out well in Italy and it was the beginning of a collaboration with Discomagic,
which distributed it and was to become my partner in the future. In October-November
1983, I produced four other records : Buenas Noches by Kamillo, Starman
by Claudio Mingardi, Magic Carillon by Rose and, finally, my turning point:
the song Don't Cry Tonight by Savage. Since 1990, after Savage, I have
been dedicating most of my time to my career as a producer and, under the name
Robyx, I have signed the successes by Ice MC, Pianonegro, Double You, Corona and
actually Alexia. Did you have some contact with other Italo composers and producers ? For
example Mauro Farina or Giancarlo Pasquini (alias Aleph), or Fred Ventura
? Please, tell me something more ?
I know Mauro Farina very well. He is a great professional person. Also Fred
Ventura is a friend. We did several tours together in Poland and USSR. You used to work together with the great Ivana Spagna. What do you think
of her as a disco star in the 80's ? By the way, I saw her perfomance at
the San Remo 2000 Festival. Her song was great, but don't you think her
position on the final results was unfairly bad ? I think she sung the best
song of this festival !
Ivana Spagna is a great singer and also a good songwriter. She co-wrote some
text of the Corona's songs that I co-produced. The first time I met her, she was
the singer of a local dance band (around 1980/81) and I was the keybord player
of a group called Taxi. I was on stage in a club here in Italy and she was there
to listen to me and my band. I know you like all your songs in the beautiful career you had in the
80's, but is there any special one for you and why ?
I'm a romantic person. I always feel a little bit nostalgic thinking back on
everything that happened. I love all of them in the same way. Of course, if I
have to choose one, it's Don't Cry Tonight. So, now we could talk about the 90's and your fantastic work in the last
decade. I clearly remember 1994. when I first heard your song Don't You
Want Me. (You know Roberto, in 1994 the war was in my city and all over
Croatia. But your songs, previously and during that period, represented
a big help for me. While I was listening to your songs, I thought less about
the war. When rockets were falling on the city, I put my walkman's headphones
on my ears with Italo disco and I was listening and listening... This was
a terrible experience but I survived with the big help of you and the other
Italo-disco songs. Thank you for that, really). This song was huge success
in many European countries, wasn't it ? At that time, many "old" Italo artists
had released their own new songs, for example Miko Mission with I Can
Fly, Tom Hooker with Runaway, Ken Laszlo with Tonight Remix,
or Den Harrow with You And The Sunshine...)
You are right : war is a very bad experience and I'm very sad that it happened
here in europe, in your country. I'm very proud to know that I gave you a little
help with my music and your words make me feel more important as human been.
In your opinion, what are the differences between Italo-disco music in
the 80's and the one released in the 90's ?
Italo disco was done with the heart, the music of 90's was done for business.
Your musical carrer in the 90's is characterized by production for the
other artists. The most popular of them is Alexia. Please tell me more about
your work in the 90's ?
In 1990 I met Double You by chance, and a fruitful collaboration began. It
led to the single Please Don't Go. Also on this occasion, my intuition
proved right when I launched a style : "Covermania", later followed by many
others in europe. Following its release, Please Don't Go became an instant
hit, being one of those songs that climbs charts without the help of any particular
promotion. In 1993 I inaugurated an unending series of successes, such as those
by Ice MC and Corona. The first hit was The Rhythm Of The Night by Corona.
In this piece I confined myself to giving some suggestions to the producer Francesco
Bontempi, and it was only from the second single (Baby Baby) onwards that
I became a very important part of the project, making mixes and cooperating actively
in the creation of all the songs. With other new records by Ice MC, Think
About The Way and It's A Rainy Day, I worked on finding new sounds.
The famous sounds of the kick drum and the movement of bass, that were to characterize
Eurodance, were used for the first time in these songs. In a few years, I saw
myself catapulted among the most important producers, selling more than six million
singles and two million albums all over the world, with Ice MC and Corona.
What are the plans for the future as far as your artists are concerned
?
I already terminated to work with Ice MC, Corona, Double You. The artists are
always the same : everytime they have success they start to create problems and
at that stage I prefer to stop and start to work with a new name. No plans for
Alexia ... Just wait and see ! Why did you decide to produce for other artists exclusively, with no more
production just for yourself, for Savage ?
So many songs in my head... Too much ideas for one artist only ! Roberto, in your opinion, and according to your experience, what does
a song need to be good and successful ?
A catchy melody, easy to remember. What kind of commitment and dedication does a producer need to make a
record which his has the feeling it will become a big hit?
Lots ! For example, the recording of the new album by Alexia began in September
1998 and went on until july 1999: that's nearly a year ! After that, there are:
photo shoots, videos dance steps for the shows, interviews, promotion with radios,
televisions and so on ... Now, could you tell me something about the studio equipment you use for
creating your great songs ? I know, many readers of my magazine would like
to know.
The mixer is a Soundcraft 3200 (36 x 32). I record vocals and guitars on Protools
and I sequence the keyboards with Logic Platinum. My computer is a Mac 9600. All
samples comes through various Akai but I also use Roland JV, modules by EMU and
KORG. I like to use vintage analogic keyboards, like Roland Juno 106 or Super
Jupiter and also drum machines like Roland 909 and 808. Something about your studios ?
My studio is located in the ground floor of the house where also my offices
are located. I have a big room for the main studio plus a medium one for the vocals.
The studio is located in Massa, near the centre, four kilometers from the sea.
Could you describe a typical working day for you ?
Jogging in the morning (I did New York Marathon last year), then a couple of
hours in the office. Studio time in the afternoon and sometimes during the night.
I never work on Saturday and Sunday. Do you have enough spare time ?
Yes, especially right now. I'll be travelling a lot in the next period.
Roberto, two years ago many European artists came back, realeasing their
old songs again in new versions : the Germans Modern Talking and Bad Boys
Blue for example, or as well the great Italian Radiorama with Aliens
2000 or Miko Mission with How Old Are You 2000. But nothing from
Savage ! Please, tell me why ?
To be honest I should like to do a new record, instead of remixing old things.
we'll see in the future. By the way, what do you think about German disco scene, back in the 80's
and today ?
I think the Germans have a lot of things in common with the Italian producers.
They did a similar music during the 80's and 90's. I remember a group called Maxx
that copied me and my Ice MC. The same question about the Italian disco scene. Are you interested in
Mauro Farina's work for the SAIFAM Publishing Group ? What do you think
about his work ?
It's a good and professional producer. I don't remember to have never copied
him in any way. OK Roberto, it was a great pleasure for me to write these questions for
you. Can we expect something from Savage in the near future?
I really don't know, but I would like. Just wait and see!
© May 2000 Zeljko Vujkovic - All rights reserved
The Eurodance Encyclopaedia
Interviews
AK Swift - by Tavi Meran
Aleph - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Alexia - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Alexia - by Tavi Meran
Alice Edun - by Tavi Meran
Ann Lee - by Tavi Meran
Anna Nordell - by Tavi Meran
Boney M - by Zeljko Vujkovic
C. Accatino - F. Rimonti - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Clara Moroni - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Claudia Cazacu - by Tavi Meran
DanceFronT - by KDJ
Denis Curman - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Domino - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Eddy Huntington - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Evi Goffin - by Tavi Meran
Franca Morgano - by Tavi Meran
Fred Ventura - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Gazebo - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Heidi Degn - by Tavi Meran
Iris Trevisan - by Klems
Jenny B - by Tavi Meran
Jes - by Tavi Meran
Joy Peters - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Kim Leoni - by Tavi Meran
Koto - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Kyra - by Tavi Meran
Layzee - by Tavi Meran
Letizia Pignagnoli - by Tavi Meran
Linda Rocco - by Tavi Meran
Linn - by Tavi Meran
Liza da Costa - by Tavi Meran
Luciana - by Tavi Meran
Lydia - by Tavi Meran
Marianne Festraets (AB Logic) - by Klems
Melody Castellari - by Tavi Meran
Nexx - by Tavi Meran
P. Lion - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Pamela Knight - by Cesar
Pandora - by Tavi Meran
Pernille Georgi (Me & My) - by Tavi Meran
Plavka - by Tavi Meran
Raquel Gomez - by Tavi Meran
René Behrens aka Diablo - by Tavi Meran
Sandy Chambers - by Tavi Meran
Savage (first interview) - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Savage (second interview) - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Sheila Fernandez - by Tavi Meran
Simone Angel - by Tavi Meran
Smile - by Tavi Meran
Spagna - by Tavi Meran
Sylvia Tosun - by Tavi Meran
T-seven - by Tavi Meran
Terri B - by Tavi Meran
The Twins - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Thea Austin - by Tavi Meran
Tom Hooker - by Zeljko Vujkovic
Verona - by Tavi Meran
Viviana - by Tavi Meran
Whigfield - by Tavi Meran
Ysa Ferrer - by Tavi Meran
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