Gino Santercole

Gino Santercole (21 November 1940 – 8 June 2018) was an Italian singer/songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He was well known for his breakthrough hit "Questo vecchio pazzo mondo" ("This old crazy world"), a cover of P.F. Sloan's " Eve of Destruction," and for the song "Such a Cold Night Tonight" that he sang in the movie ''Yuppi Du''.

Life

Early life

Santercole was born in Milan, Italy, on 21 November 1940. His family is originally from the south eastern region of Apulia. Santercole's mother, Rosa, was the sister of the singer, comedian, and movie director Adriano Celentano.

Santercole lost his father as a child. He spent some years in college, and was then forced to go to work by himself. He was fond of rock'n'roll, and in his free time he learned to play the guitar.

Celentano recruited Santercole for his group, the Rock Boys, when his second guitarist, Ico Cerutti, left the group. Santercole became a Rock Boy just in time to participate in the First Italian Festival of Rock and Roll, held on 18 May 1957 at the Via Piranesi Ice Palace in Milan. Record producer Walter Guertler was in the festival audience, and signed the Rock Boys to a recording contract right after the show.

The Rebels and the solo debut

The Rock Boys evolved into the Rebels, who backed up Celentano and other singers such as Ricky Clem Sacco and Gianco. Celentano began a solo career and soon Santercole became the group's lead guitarist.

Santercole began singing as well; the first song he sang on was "Sono un fallito" ("I am a Failure"), a cover of Ray Charles's "Busted." That was followed by his own solo single, 'Silver Star', in December 1964, which got good airplay and chart success in early 1965. In 1965 he released a solo EP, credited to Santercole with Celentano and Don Backy.

Then in 1966 Santercole sang on and released the single "Questo vecchio pazzo mondo" ("This old crazy world"). The song is a cover of the folk-rock/protest song written by P.F. Sloan, ' Eve of Destruction' which became a hit when covered by Barry McGuire in 1966. Santercole performs the song in Cantagiro in 1967. Celentano used the same music tracks and lyrics in 1984 on his album ''I miei americani (My American)'', a collection of U.S. hits translated into Italian, and again in the first episode of his 1999 television show, ''Francamente me ne infischio (Frankly I don't care)'' in 1999.

In 1966, Santercole participated in Festival di Sanremo with his uncle, Ico Cerutti and Pilade, performing "Il ragazzo della via Gluck" ("The Kid from Gluck Street") under the name Trio of Clan; however, they are eliminated in the early evening.

Meanwhile, the kinship with Celentano is strengthened. Celentano separated from his Milena Cantù and married actress and singer Claudia Mori, while Santercole fell in love with and married Mori's sister, Anna Moroni (becoming the brother-in-law of his uncle). Anna Santercole will bear him two sons.

Composer and actor

Santercole has written many famous and significant songs of Italian music, including some of great success. His first success was "A Caress into a Fist" ''("Una carezza in un pugno")'', initially recorded by Celantano as a B-side in 1968. The song has become an evergreen of Italian pop music is, having been used several times by Celentano in his television programs. In 1992 the singer and Fiorello imitator included a new cover of "A Caress into a Fist" on his album ''Again fake''.

"A Caress into a Fist" was the first song Santercole wrote. He had never tried to write a song, because he did not believe he could. One day, though, when learning a new song – Bert Kaempfert's "Strangers in the Night"—on guitar, he found himself varying notes and finally playing a completely different song, the one that became "A Caress into a Fist".Gino Santercole, una vita tra musica e cinema
" VignaClaraBlog.it, Web, May 15, 2011.

Other hits followed: "Svalutation", a rock song with electric guitar, on his 1976 album (which also contained his songs "The Boat" and "Room 21"), "A boy on the Lion", and "Remarkably" (written initially for Mina, with lyrics by Luciano Beretta).

Santercole also composed music for movies. He is credited with the soundtracks of ''Segni Particolari: Bellisimo (Distinguishing Features: Beautiful)'' (1983) and ''Joan Lui – Ma Un Giorno Nel Paese Arrivo 10 Di Lunedi'' (1985). In addition he did numerous work on the music of Celentano's films; a highlight being his hit "Such a Cold Night Tonight" (which Santercole sang in English), from the movie ''Yuppi du''.

In 1969, Santercole also began an acting career. While he had previously played cameos and parts, his first substantial role came in the 1969 film ''Serafino (Seraphim''). One day he visited Celentano, who had landed a role in the movie, on set; the director, Paolo Germi, saw him, thought he had a good face, and cast him as the Sergeant.

As an actor, Santercole has worked with directors like Pietro Germi, Dino Risi, Giuliano Montaldo, Luigi Comencini