Italian
rock singer and
songwriter.
Hero of way too many Italian
teenagers of the 80's.
Born in
Zocca, near
Modena,
Italy,
February 4, 1952.
After an abortive early career as theater director and thespian, he starts his own
radio channel 'punto radio' and works there as a DJ between 1975 and 1978. At this time he records his first albums 'Ma cosa vuoi che sia una
Canzone' ('A song isn't that much') and 'Non siamo mica gli americani'
('We sure aren't the Americans'), that go mostly unnoticed.
His breakthrough comes 1980 with the then newly formed Steve Roger's Band
and the song 'Colpa d'Alfredo' ('Alfredo's fault'), censured by the radio,
but cherished by the public.
A violently negative article written by the journalist Nantas Salvalaggio,
describing Vasco as 'an ugly, mean character addicted to drugs' has the effect
of earning Vasco the fame of rebel and symbol of transgression, but also of
lust for life, poetry and romance. The same article also earns
Salvalaggio an ironic dedication of the album 'Blasco Rossi'.
As some kind of confirmation of this direction taken by Vasco, his titles
'Vado al massimo' ('I go full throttle', 1982) and 'Vita spericolata'
('Reckless life' 1983). This last song, from the album 'Bollicine' ('Bubbles',
one million sold copies), becomes Vasco's and his fans' manifesto.
It is a fast, very creative period. His classic works come now:
'Va bene, va bene cosi' ('It's Alright this Way'), 'Cosa succede in citta'
('What's up in Town'), 'C'e' chi dice no' ('Some say no'). All the while he
is constantly on the road with the Steve Roger's Band and the guitar heroes
Maurizio Solieri and Massimo Riva. Also, he is found in possession
of cocaine and jailed for a few weeks in April 1984, and again for
a similar crime in 1988. His recorded comment at the time:
'I only get high on pear juice'
('Pear' is the Italian slang for heroine injection).
From this time on, his production and his live tours slow down somewhat, while
his themes become more meditative and responsible.
1989 sees the release of 'Liberi, liberi' ('We are free') followed by the live
records 'Fronte del palco' ('On the Stagefront') and '10.07.90 San Siro'.
In September 1989 Vasco is awarded for the 'best live tour' at Vota la voce.
He can now decline the offer to share the stage with the Rolling Stones during
their Italian tour, and disappear from the scene for a couple of years
(although he writes the music for Carlo Verdone's movie 'Stasera a casa di Alice' ('Tonight at Alice's')).
He publishes an album of new songs in 1993,
'Gli spari sopra' ('You shoot at them') video shot in the old prison of Alcatraz.
His following records, all wildly successful, are 'Nessun pericolo... per te'
('No danger... for you', one million copies sold), 'Canzoni per me' ('Songs
for me'), 'Rewind' and 'La fine del millennio' ('The end of the Millennium').
Released records
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 - live (1984)
Blasco Rossi (1984)
Cosa succede in città (1985)
Le canzoni d'amore di Vasco Rossi (1986)
C'è chi dice no (1987)
Bravo Vasco (1988)
Gli slogans di Blasco (1988)
Liberi liberi (1989)
Fronte del palco (1990)
Vasco live 10.7.90 San Siro (1991)
Viaggiando (1991)
Vasco Rossi (1991)
Voglio proprio esagerare (1993)
Gli spari sopra (1993)
Nessun pericolo... per te (1996)
Rock (1997)
Canzoni per me (1998)
Rewind live (1999)
La fine del millennio (1999)
Stupido hotel (2001)
Tracks (2002)
Buoni o cattivi (2004)
Sources:
RAI (Italian State Television).
www.angolotesti.it