All the tracks of the first Klein and MBO album were recorded with a Roland Sh-1 and a Roland TR-808 plus a cheap guitar. The vocals are by the italian singer Rossana Casale and Tony Carrasco. My brother Davide, credited as "co-arranger" composed and played all the instrumental version.He sold the rights because too young (21 years old) to understand the music industry.
The final mix was by Mario Flores, Tony Carrasco and Mario Boncaldo.

The early tracks of N.O.I.A.tracks were recorded mainly with Roland Sh-1, Roland TR-808, Prophet 5 and EDP Wasp. Later with Oberheim DMX and more synths played sometimes by a session musician called Luca Orioli. The first two singles was mixed by Tony Carrasco and produced by Oderso Rubini.

 

GAZNEVADA 'I.C. love affair' (original 1982 7")

Jock Hattle Band - Crazy Family (High-Energy)

Rah Band - Messages From The Stars Original 12 inch Version 1983

 

This is also an interesting part of music history, the gay-bar disco scene. Made popular by for example Bobby O (Orlando) who produced many of Divine´s records and later Pet Shop Boys. Stock, Aitken & Waterman found many of their acts in that scene and developed their production style inspired by it. They revolutionized pop music in mid 80s.

 

Some of my favourites:

Public Passion - Flash in the night

Kirlian Camera - Blue room

Clio - Faces

Scotch - Born to kill

 

(Not Italodisco related)
I use to hate Stock, Aitken & Waterman: at that time I found them unbearably stereotyped, any of their songs were so formal and boringly attentive to style details ... more than remixers they were hairdressers of music.
Despite this, they are a fundamental part of my 80's culture and now, after so many years, I listen to their work with pleasure

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 6, 2022

Klein and MBO remain in my personal ranking of the best Italo 80's songs. It is very interesting to read about all your backstage memories. I would be really curious to hear some unreleased songs from that era, some unfinished ideas/ruff mixes recorded on a reel to reel or cassette tape.
I know that all artists have these demo recordings

@emage Dig into the crates, take out the treasure and share it, you will make all of us fetishists happy (especially me!)

 

Italo Disco - The glitter sound of the 80s (https://www.arte.tv/en/)

ARTE - Next broadcast on : Friday, July 29 at 23:15 (www.arte.tv/de/videos/084718-000-A/italo-disco/) Available on 8.7 at 5: 00am

In the 80s, millions of young Europeans surrendered to the crazy rhythm of a music that mixed catchy synthetic sounds, bizarre English lyrics and addictive electronic beats. The visionary video clips are also legendary. It was the world of Italo Disco: born in Italy, pushed forward in Germany, it made the whole globe dance.

The documentary immerses the viewer in the musical universe of an era. In the 80s, millions of young Europeans surrendered to the mad rhythm of a music that mixed catchy synthetic sounds, bizarre English lyrics and addictive electronic beats. The visionary video clips are also legendary. It was the world of Italo Disco: born in Italy, pushed forward in Germany, it made the whole globe dance.

The documentary by Alessandro Melazzini describes the emergence and development of a multifaceted musical genre. It delves into the creative, economic and productive realms of a socio-cultural phenomenon and an entire music industry.

Lovingly compiled archival footage is paired with interviews from artists and protagonists of the era. These include Sabrina Salerno, Johnson Righeira, Savage and the La Bionda brothers, as well as hot DJs and experts, including DJ Hell and Mathias Modica.

With the help of rousing and pulsating rhythms of well-known songs from that era, but also through cult songs less known to the general public, "Italo Disco - The Glitter Sound of the 80s" takes the viewer on a journey of discovery of a sound that was both commercial and forward-looking.
The sound of an era that is very often described, but not always really understood. This film comes very close to the secret of Italo Disco.

Regie : Alessandro Melazzini / Land : Deutschland / Jahr : 2021 / Herkunft : BR

 

Last edited: Jul 6, 2022

Geolocation mismatch: I guess that link is valid in Germany only
Damn…

 

Well said, I totally agree. I did not like them then, and I don´t like them now. Well, I like their work with Divine and Dead or Alive. And a couple of their early singles like Hazel Dean - They say it´s gonna rain and the first Bananarama singles. The other 2000+ releases are like wearing Ball sweaters and neo-yellow suspenders.

 

https://www.arte.tv/en/

 

Bayern-Premiere: 7.7.2022 Musikfilmtage Oberaudorf

It looks like it will be out on July 7th, so not yet available for streaming, but I found the trailer:

 

Klein & MBO were so ahead of their times! Possibly the best italo producers.

 

Some of my italo favs:
Charlie – Spacer Woman (1983)

Nexus – Stand Up (1983)

Gino Soccio – Remember (1982)

B.W.H. – Stop (1983)

Doctor's Cat – Feel The Drive (1983)

Casco – Cybernetic Love (1983)

G.A.N.G. – KKK (1983)

IMO 1983 is the best year in music some more tomorrow

 

Last edited: Jul 7, 2022

Thank You!

Starting a Revolution (Italo Disco Documentary) Release date: 26 september 2020

6.09.2020 Ever since the eighties Dennis van den Berg, Chris Duyvestijn and Michael Halve have been great fans of Italo Disco music. Throughout the years, they’ve seen many Italo artist perform live. In their own country The Netherlands, but also in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Italy. They have seen many artist perform, except for one of the greatest artists: Martinelli.

‘Starting a Revolution’ is an Italo disco documentary about three friends trying to organise an Italo party with a live performance of Aldo Martinelli and Simona Zanini. Will they succeed or is this artist out of league? A Mezza production. Video by Patrick den Hollander, Maurice de Jong and Michael Halve Music by Martinelli, George Aaron, DJ AjeN, DJ Peet Need Subtitles by Dario Halve Interviews by Dennis van den Berg, Chris Duyvestijn and Michael Halve

 

Here they are some unreleased tracks from old cassettes:

 

From 1986, Spanish group Squash Gang - I want an Illusion. Signed with the Blanco y Nero label,
which had lots and lots of great music. See for yourself:
https://www.discogs.com/label/271812-blanco-y-negro-music-sa?sort=year&sort_order=asc

1983: Creatures - Believe in Yourself. That sound, that melody! Still stands after 39 years.
Song is written by Mario Flores & Maurizio Sangineto. Sangineto was also responsible
for the well known 7-ties funky disco classic from Firefly: Love is gonna be on your side.

1985, Patrick Colby - Mandrill - Produced & Mixed by Alex Cundari,
of course well known from Koto, Ken Laszlo and other stuff.

Last one for now: 1983, Cube - Concert Boy. Not the typical Italo sound, but still from Italy and evenly great.
This track reminds me a bit of Michael Sembello’s Maniac. i’d call it electro-wave, or something..

 

Giorgio Moroder - From Here To Eternity [Remastered] (HD)

Italian keyboardist and soundtrack composer Giorgio Moroder was one of the most significant artists to help move the genre forward. In 1977, Moroder released one of the first Italo-disco records, From Here to Eternity. Built with electronic percussion, analog synths, and heavy bass loops, the album was far from the soulful, full-band disco topping the U.S. charts—its emphasis lied within its stark electronic instrumentation, all programmed and recorded by Moroder.

This recording practice was revolutionary, utilizing advances in technology to reduce the number of musicians on each track and put the composition into the hands of the producer alone. Standout tracks like “Utopia,” “Lost Angeles,” and the classic title track captured a new disco sound, a futuristic blend of space-age sci-fi and dark dance-floor energy.

 

Waiting for that Arte doc, I came across another short doc (13 mins) of how Italo came to be, and it's influence on US Dance and House music. Klein & MBO is specifically mentioned. Not a word about Davide Piatto, but now, we know!

 

It's funny to see Tony talk about it! The story was very different; Mario Boncaldo (MBO) was a dj and a record shop owner that at that time make also "business" in the music industry; in the 1981 the Human League reached the number #1 with something "electronic" not properly "disco" so he looked for someone with drum machines and synths that could make something similar. My brother with his band N.O.I.A. just bought a Roland TR-808 so Mario went at hour home asking to record a demo. My brother did Dirty Talk with a stereo cassette recorder then Mario rent a studio for recording it in a better way. He asked to Tony to work to the lyrics and the singer Rossana Casale sung the track. The track (instrumental version) had a big success so Mario come back to ask to my brother to compose and record more tracks (The first album De-Ja-Vu). Tony was a friend and he mixed the two N.O.I.A. first 12" . In the years after Mario break the partnership with Tony (don't know why but I suppose for money...). My brother made another (shitty) track as Klein & MBO with Tony in 1988 but the hype about Klein & MBO was over.
In the early 2000 Mario (that became a site maker for bitches and trannies) discovered that the music of Klein & MBO was still huge in youtube and ask us to work again with him (he was in need of money). We just made some stuff and then he died due to a cancer. I asked to him to give to my brother the chance to be credited in the old stuff as composer but he was a bad people until his last day. After Mario died, Tony took back the "Klein & MBO" trade mark but without any results. Now Tony speaks as "the creator" but the truth is that he just wrote some lyrics and make some little arrangement during the mixing sessions...

 

Giorgio Moroder - Chase (live by Kebu @ Sthlm Italo Disco Party 2015)

www.kebu.fi
www.youtube.com/channel/UCV-5d2ZbKBRCGaG3MXXfXcw

 

Last edited: Jul 8, 2022