What songs got you into Italo-disco

[David b]

I'd say scotch "disco band" and eddy huntington "ussr" were the first italo songs i heard and they're still two of my favorites today.
Also grant miller "touch in the night" miko mission "how old are you" and all of modern talking's big hits although they are not italo as such.

[Magnifique]

Good question, I have to ponder as the Italo era and similar material started circulating a long time ago. :icon_mrgreen:

Here are a few tracks I can remember at once:
Fun Fun -- Happy Station, Colour My Love
Phaeax -- Talk About
Fancy - Slice Me Nice
Linda Jo Rizzo -- Fly Me High
Yvonne Kay -- (I've got the) Music in me / Rise up
Sue Sadlow -- My Man
Gipsy & Queen/Ken Laszlo -- the whole repertoire
Alan Barry -- Tell Me The Reason
Marx & Spencer -- Stay (Matis RMX)
L'Affair -- Secret Eyes
Robyx -- There's a starman waiting in the sky...:icon_razz:
Glamour Station -- Everybody does it
Cruisin' Gang -- Chinatown
Styloo -- Pretty Face
...and, and, and.

[SandraDee]

What about Valerie Allington's 'Stop' from '83? Definitely one of the best Italian hi-nrg tracks ever IMO.

[euroflash]

I think Gazebo's first LP released in '83 set an Italo hook in me deeply. Also Ryan Paris "Dolce Vita", and Savage "Don't cry tonight" were among the most memorable songs. Of course, many, many more were discovered later, but these artists were right there at the beginning for me.

[Residual Effect]

I only got into Italo a couple of years ago, completely due to the Pet Shop Boys including Savage's "Don't Cry Tonight" on their "Back to Mine" Mix CD. I never even knew it existed before then. It was only after exploring further that I realized there was a whole genre of this music. Before then I was a complete techno fan, I just really really like the Pet Shop Boys so I bought everything they did. That Savage record is so beautiful and sad and yet so uplifting at the same time that I was hooked instantly, surprising for me since I was into a genre of music considered fairly emotionless. I think that record has even more beauty, poignance and resonance today given what's going on in the world than it did when originally released. Or it should.

"Don't Cry Tonight" is still my most favorite Italo and always will be. When I DJ though, I prefer the Hi-NRG Italos that I discovered after I heard that Savage record, like M+G "When I let You Down", Larabell's "I Can't Stop", K. Barre's "Right By the Moon" and Gipsy and Queen's "Touch Me Feel Me Kiss Me." However, my most favorite Italos to dance to are the "Don't Cry Tonight" influenced slow 102 BPM numbers like Ray Cooper's "Breakdown", Albert One's "For Your Love", Suzanne Meal's "Forever" and Xario's "The Way You Are." So there's my list.

[normvork]

The first exposure I had was an Lp called Tantra-The Double Album on Importe 12 Records.
The killer tracks were Hills of Katmandu and
Get Ready to Go.
When this record was released in 1980, Stereo Review magazine reviewed it and stated "Disco didn't die, it just moved to Italy".

[SandraDee]

Well if we're going back as far as Tantra (who I also love), what about the late 70s Italian classics like Baciotti, Macho, Peter Jacques Band & Easy Going?

[normvork]

Well if we're going back as far as Tantra (who I also love), what about the late 70s Italian classics like Baciotti, Macho, Peter Jacques Band & Easy Going?

Ya Know, it's always a problem to say what was the first of a genre when everything evolves and there is no single revolution point. I was just listening to Karen Silver's Hold on I'm Coming and telling myself this could have been the first House Music record.
And yes, I loved Peter Jacques and Easy Going also.

[FranceJoliFan]

Give Me A Break - Vivien Vee
I Love My Radio (Midnight Radio) - Taffy
Any Time Or Place - Azoto
Hot Leather - Passengers
Skydiver - Neon
Not Tonight - Macho

[David b]

I too only got into italo a few years ago.I love the italo-hi nrg and the early "thats eurobeat" classics.Im still discovering new songs all the time.:icon_biggrin:

[JohnBoy]

Bolero (Hold Me In Your Arms Again) by Fancy

[BJ Foys]

For me it was probably Around my Dream by Silver Pozzoli, Right on Target by Paul Parker or the Gino Soccio stuff - particuarly Its Alright (is that officially italo?). After those records got me into it I trawled through collections and CD compilations only to find the majority of Italo disco records are utterly naff. I wished someone had just given me a collection with all the gems. I then bought Amnesie's Turas for £45 only for it to come out on that disco galaxia compilation. Gutted.

[David b]

For me it was probably Around my Dream by Silver Pozzoli, Right on Target by Paul Parker or the Gino Soccio stuff - particuarly Its Alright (is that officially italo?). After those records got me into it I trawled through collections and CD compilations only to find the majority of Italo disco records are utterly naff. I wished someone had just given me a collection with all the gems. I then bought Amnesie's Turas for £45 only for it to come out on that disco galaxia compilation. Gutted.

I know what you mean nobody introduced me to italo/hi-nrg i had to discover it all on my own.:icon_cry: Sometimes i think nobody else in Ireland has ever heard of italo/hi-nrg it's great to have you guys to talk to
I love silver pozzoli,paul parker and gino soccio they are officially italo i think although not too sure if paul parker is ?
i'm a big fan of fancy too which comes under german disco i think also fun fun , ken laszlo and max him

[JohnBoy]

I know what you mean nobody introduced me to italo/hi-nrg i had to discover it all on my own.:icon_cry: Sometimes i think nobody else in Ireland has ever heard of italo/hi-nrg it's great to have you guys to talk to
I love silver pozzoli,paul parker and gino soccio they are officially italo i think although not too sure if paul parker is ?
i'm a big fan of fancy too which comes under german disco i think also fun fun , ken laszlo and max him

Loved Japanese Girl By Max Him. What a bed room voice!

[marmite7]

I love silver pozzoli,paul parker and gino soccio they are officially italo i think although not too sure if paul parker is ?
i'm a big fan of fancy too which comes under german disco i think also fun fun , ken laszlo and max him[/quote]

Paul Parker is USA hi-nrg, whereas Ken Laszlo is Hungarian

[David b]

I love silver pozzoli,paul parker and gino soccio they are officially italo i think although not too sure if paul parker is ?
i'm a big fan of fancy too which comes under german disco i think also fun fun , ken laszlo and max him

Paul Parker is USA hi-nrg, whereas Ken Laszlo is Hungarian [/quote]
Thanks for the info marmite7:icon_lol:

[marmite7]

Hey David

Hungary had a huge following of what we term hi-nrg/Eurobeat and although the music we loved was mostly played in gay clubs, over there it was regular club fodder.

My Hungarian mates were astounded when I explained they'd grown up loving "gay music"

Mind you - I was more astounded by the fact these 26 year olds all recognised Fun Fun, Ken Laszlo, Cruisin Gang & Den Harrow :icon_razz:

[David b]

Hey David

Hungary had a huge following of what we term hi-nrg/Eurobeat and although the music we loved was mostly played in gay clubs, over there it was regular club fodder.

My Hungarian mates were astounded when I explained they'd grown up loving "gay music"

Mind you - I was more astounded by the fact these 26 year olds all recognised Fun Fun, Ken Laszlo, Cruisin Gang & Den Harrow :icon_razz:

I never thought hungary had a huge following but then again with ken laszlo
being from there no wonder they got into it.

[marmite7]

Most of Europe was into it - BIG TIME!

You only had to go on holiday to Spain, Ibiza, Portugal, France etc etc to hear the latest "holiday hit" which invariably was (to us) a hi-nrg/eurobeat tune.

Sabrina - Boys Boys Boys
Spagna - Call Me
Shy Rose - I Cry For You (Voted No1 dance tune in Ibiza that year!)
Baltimora - Tarzan Boy

all crossed over too (cept Shy Rose), into the mainstream charts :icon_surprised:

Without hi-nrg/eurobeat there wouldn't be the clublife in Ibiza, there is now!

[David b]

Most of Europe was into it - BIG TIME!

You only had to go on holiday to Spain, Ibiza, Portugal, France etc etc to hear the latest "holiday hit" which invariably was (to us) a hi-nrg/eurobeat tune.

Sabrina - Boys Boys Boys
Spagna - Call Me
Shy Rose - I Cry For You (Voted No1 dance tune in Ibiza that year!)
Baltimora - Tarzan Boy

all crossed over too (cept Shy Rose), into the mainstream charts :icon_surprised:

Without hi-nrg/eurobeat there wouldn't be the clublife in Ibiza, there is now!

I love these 4 songs They always get me onto the dancefloor.
Happy holiday songs

[Energyguy]

I love silver pozzoli,paul parker and gino soccio they are officially italo i think although not too sure if paul parker is ?
i'm a big fan of fancy too which comes under german disco i think also fun fun , ken laszlo and max him

Paul Parker is USA hi-nrg, whereas Ken Laszlo is Hungarian [/quote]

Silver Pozzoli was probably what got me into Italo disco along with Scotch band

[SandraDee]

or the Gino Soccio stuff - particuarly Its Alright (is that officially italo?). .

Gion Soccio is Canadian.

[dacha]

Who told you that Ken Laszlo is hungarian? Is it because his surname?
His real name is Gianni Coraini and he's Italian ofcourse!
Fun Fun is also italians with little help of Ivana Spanga and they all songs published for X-Energy Records from Rome.

[JohnBoy]

Who told you that Ken Laszlo is hungarian? Is it because his surname?
His real name is Gianni Coraini and he's Italian ofcourse!
Fun Fun is also italians with little help of Ivana Spanga and they all songs published for X-Energy Records from Rome.

Sorry I am on the wrong page.
I thought You were talking about Gino Soccio and realized its the thread above yours.
Anway Gino Soccio is French Canadian and was born in Montreal.

[gorman]

excellent topic , here is mine :icon_biggrin:

thise one is the first italo tracks i listened to , offcurse i know later it was italo disco ( i like chopin - gazebo ) & ( dolce vita - ryan paris ) ( vamos ala playa - reighera )

the truth is i fall in love with thise music from the first tune , i remember also ( astaire - the power of love and love trap ) thise is hi nrg i know but it's stuck into my ear untill now

that was 20 years back :icon_smile: , what a beautifull time i wish if i could turn back the clock and use my old dusty tapes :icon_mrgreen: