Vasco Rossi
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Vasco Rossi (born February 7, 1952) is one of the best-known artists and songwriters in Italy. His nickname is Blasco.
Rossi was born in Zocca, in the province of Modena (Emilia-Romagna).
Rossi started his involvement in the music world working as a DJ, during his university studies, being the founder, together with some friends of him, of one of the first private radio stations in Italy, Punto Radio. It was in this station that Vasco Rossi started airing some of his early songs. Encouraged by his friends, especially Gaetano Curreri (now leading member of Stadio), Vasco Rossi released his first EP on June 13, 1977, which included the songs Jenny è pazza and Silvia. This EP was successively followed by an album, named Ma cosa vuoi che sia una canzone, in 1978. In 1979, Vasco Rossi published a second album, named Non siamo mica gli americani (We are not the Americans at all), which included one of his most famous signature songs, Albachiara. Colpa d'Alfredo (Alfredo's fault), published in 1980, was one of his most controversial albums, especially for the title-track, which included words such as negro (nigger), troia (bitch) and stronza (asshole) in a period in which the music censorship was widely praticated in Italy. However, all these controversies actually increased Vasco Rossi's popularity.
In 1981, the album Siamo solo noi (It's just us) was released: it is mainly famous for its title track, another signature song and often considered a generational hymn. The following year Vasco Rossi took part at his first Sanremo Music Festival, participating with the song Vado al massimo (I go at the maximum), being last placed. After the album with the same name, released soon after the end of the music festival, Vasco Rossi took part again at Sanremo with Vita spericolata, probably his most popular song, which however placed in second-last place, also because of Rossi's drunkenness during his performance. The following album, Bollicine (Bubbles), published in 1983, however led Vasco Rossi to the peak of his popularity. The title track, whose lyrics are about Coke (but with also a clear assonance with cocaine), won the Festivalbar, making of Vasco the leading musician among the youth.
In 1984, soon after the publishing of his first live album, Va bene, va bene così (That's good, that's good this way), Vasco Rossi was arrested with the charges of drug possession and traffic. He was soon released, but successively convicted to 2 years and 8 months with probation. His next album, Cosa succede in città (What happens in the city), one of his weakest, did not confirm the past successful sellings. In 1987 a new album, C'è chi dice no (There's who say no) was published; soon, Vasco decided to start performing live in venues, because of the increasing participation in his live performances. His tenth studio album, Liberi liberi (Free free), published in 1989, and followed by a very popular tour, recorded in two live albums, Fronte del palco and Vasco Live 10/7/90, with the latter recorded in the Milan concert held in San Siro. Vasco's next album, Gli spari sopra (The shots above), published in 1993, won ten platinum discs. In 1996, a new album, named Nessun pericolo per te (No danger for you), featured songs Sally and Gli angeli, with the latter characterized by a video directed by Roman Polanski. The 1998 album Canzoni per me (Songs for me) is probably the less rock one in the entire Vasco Rossi discography, and is characterized by a more visible songwriting approach to his songs. Despite all this, Vasco won his second Festivalbar with one of the songs from this album, L'una per te (The one for you). The next studio album, Stupido hotel (Stupid Hotel), was published in 2001.
In his career he has released 20 albums (including live albums and official collections) and has written more than 130 songs. He has also worked as a lyricist for other singers. He defines himself as a provoc-author and has been the target of criticism because of his lifestyle and lyrics. His latest album is Buoni o cattivi, released in 2004.
Official discography
Albums
- Ma cosa vuoi che sia una canzone (1978)
- Non siamo mica gli americani (1979)
- Colpa d'Alfredo (1980)
- Siamo solo noi (1981)
- Vado al massimo (1982)
- Bollicine (1983)
- Va bene, va bene così (1984)
- Cosa succede in città (1985)
- C'è chi dice no (1987)
- Liberi liberi (1989)
- Fronte del palco (1990)
- 10.7.90 San Siro (1990)
- Gli spari sopra (1993)
- Nessun pericolo... per te (1996)
- ''Rock (1997)
- Canzoni per me (1998)
- Rewind (1999)
- Stupido hotel (2001)
- Vasco Rossi Tracks (2002)
- Buoni o cattivi (2004)
- Buoni o cattivi live anthology 04.05 (2005)
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