Biography of Roberto Vecchioni

Roberto Vecchioni (born in Carate Brianza, province of Milan on 25 May 1943) has enjoyed a long career marked by a large number of record releases, prizes and achievements, but not without misunderstandings and difficulties. He started out in the sixties while still at university, singing in cabarets and writing lyrics for Zanicchi, Vanoni, Cinquetti and Nuovi Angeli. However, his work in the field of music did not prevent him graduating at the Università Cattolica in Milan and starting a career as a secondary school teacher. He released his first album as a singer-songwriter ("Parabola") in 1971, but it went unnoticed, as did the second, "Saldi di fine stagione" released a year later. In 1973 he decided to make an all-out effort in his musical career. He took part in the Sanremo Song Festival ("L’uomo che si gioca il cielo a dadi") and finished eighth, but the public began to take an interest in him. In 1974 he released "Il re non si diverte", an album that prompted interest above all within the music industry. During this period he began working with the prestigious Tenco Prize and became an established promoter of the event. In 1975 he recorded the album "Ipertensione", where autobiography, controversy and literary references combine in a mixture that was to become his hallmark as an artist. The following year he released "Elisir", where the cultural references ("A.R". and "Velasquez") jostle for space with dedications to his singer-songwriter colleagues ("Canzone per Francesco", dedicated to Guccini). His first big break came in 1977 with Samarcanda. The album, like the title song, is a poetic metaphor for human destiny, but also contains references to his private life ("Canzone per Sergio", "Due giornate fiorentine" and "L'ultimo spettacolo"). In the meantime he focused on musical aspects, collaborating with musicians of the calibre of Lucio Fabbri, Mauro Paoluzzi and Walter Calloni. In 1978 he released "Calabuig", "Stranamore e altri incidenti", which was steeped in literary metaphors. However, in the album "Robinson", released a year later, the autobiographical aspects once again came to the fore in his songs. Two acrimonious lawsuits (the charge - subsequently dismissed - of having offered a marijuana joint to a fan during a concert and the legal action with his former record company) are echoed in "Signor giudice" and "Lettera da Marsala". In 1980 the recording dispute was resolved through a curious stratagem: his new record, "Montecristo" (an outstanding album, including impromptu performances from Dalla, Venditti and Finardi), was published by both labels. In 1982 he released the album "Hollywood Hollywood", where the metaphor of life focuses more on the cinema than on literature (the songs include "Ricetta di donna", previously recorded by Ornella Vanoni). In 1985 he released a double album, Il grande sogno (cover designed by Andrea Pazienza), a project that was complemented by a book of poems, short stories, song lyrics and a video filmed by Vecchioni himself in the United States. In 1985, he released "Bei tempi" and in 1986 "Ippopotami", which he took on tour with a swing orchestra. But it was not until 1989 that he returned to the big time with "Milady", an open confession of his innermost sentiments. He subsequently recorded: in 1991 "Per amore mio"; in 1992 "Camper", with which he won the Festivalbar; "Blumùn" in 1993; "Il cielo capovolto" in 1995; and "Studio Collection" in 1998. In the literary field, as well as "Il grande sogno", in 1996 he published the collection of short stories "Viaggi del tempo immobile" followed in 2000 by his first novel "Le parole non le portano le cicogne" (Einaudi). Vecchioni's last album, "Il lanciatore di coltelli", was released in 2002.

Biography of Roberto Vecchioni

Roberto Vecchioni (born in Carate Brianza, province of Milan on 25 May 1943) has enjoyed a long career marked by a large number of record releases, prizes and achievements, but not without misunderstandings and difficulties. He started out in the sixties while still at university, singing in cabarets and writing lyrics for Zanicchi, Vanoni, Cinquetti and Nuovi Angeli. However, his work in the field of music did not prevent him graduating at the Università Cattolica in Milan and starting a career as a secondary school teacher. He released his first album as a singer-songwriter ("Parabola") in 1971, but it went unnoticed, as did the second, "Saldi di fine stagione" released a year later. In 1973 he decided to make an all-out effort in his musical career. He took part in the Sanremo Song Festival ("L’uomo che si gioca il cielo a dadi") and finished eighth, but the public began to take an interest in him. In 1974 he released "Il re non si diverte", an album that prompted interest above all within the music industry. During this period he began working with the prestigious Tenco Prize and became an established promoter of the event. In 1975 he recorded the album "Ipertensione", where autobiography, controversy and literary references combine in a mixture that was to become his hallmark as an artist. The following year he released "Elisir", where the cultural references ("A.R". and "Velasquez") jostle for space with dedications to his singer-songwriter colleagues ("Canzone per Francesco", dedicated to Guccini). His first big break came in 1977 with Samarcanda. The album, like the title song, is a poetic metaphor for human destiny, but also contains references to his private life ("Canzone per Sergio", "Due giornate fiorentine" and "L'ultimo spettacolo"). In the meantime he focused on musical aspects, collaborating with musicians of the calibre of Lucio Fabbri, Mauro Paoluzzi and Walter Calloni. In 1978 he released "Calabuig", "Stranamore e altri incidenti", which was steeped in literary metaphors. However, in the album "Robinson", released a year later, the autobiographical aspects once again came to the fore in his songs. Two acrimonious lawsuits (the charge - subsequently dismissed - of having offered a marijuana joint to a fan during a concert and the legal action with his former record company) are echoed in "Signor giudice" and "Lettera da Marsala". In 1980 the recording dispute was resolved through a curious stratagem: his new record, "Montecristo" (an outstanding album, including impromptu performances from Dalla, Venditti and Finardi), was published by both labels. In 1982 he released the album "Hollywood Hollywood", where the metaphor of life focuses more on the cinema than on literature (the songs include "Ricetta di donna", previously recorded by Ornella Vanoni). In 1985 he released a double album, Il grande sogno (cover designed by Andrea Pazienza), a project that was complemented by a book of poems, short stories, song lyrics and a video filmed by Vecchioni himself in the United States. In 1985, he released "Bei tempi" and in 1986 "Ippopotami", which he took on tour with a swing orchestra. But it was not until 1989 that he returned to the big time with "Milady", an open confession of his innermost sentiments. He subsequently recorded: in 1991 "Per amore mio"; in 1992 "Camper", with which he won the Festivalbar; "Blumùn" in 1993; "Il cielo capovolto" in 1995; and "Studio Collection" in 1998. In the literary field, as well as "Il grande sogno", in 1996 he published the collection of short stories "Viaggi del tempo immobile" followed in 2000 by his first novel "Le parole non le portano le cicogne" (Einaudi). Vecchioni's last album, "Il lanciatore di coltelli", was released in 2002.