Gruppo Italiano were an Italian
Italo disco
Italo disco (variously capitalized, and sometimes hyphenated as Italo-disco) is a music genre which originated in Italy in the late 1970s and was mainly produced in the early 1980s. Italo disco evolved from the then-current underground dance, p ...
band formed in 1980. They are best known for the song "Tropicana" that ranked sixth on the Italian hit parade in 1983.
History
Gruppo Italiano was founded in 1980 when Roberto "Bozo" Del Bo and Chicco Santulli, upon returning to Italy from a four months stay in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, decided to set up a band that would merge sophisticated musical ideas and humour. The group's best-known line-up comprised Patrizia Di Malta, Raffaella Riva, Gigi Folino, Del Bo and Santulli. In 1984 the group entered the main competition at the
Sanremo Music Festival
The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...
with the song "Anni Ruggenti", that peaked at number 12 on hit parade.
Personnel
Principal members
* Patrizia Di Malta – vocals
* Raffaella Riva – vocals, percussion
* Gigi Folino – bass
* Roberto "Bozo" Del Bo – drums
* Chicco Santulli – guitar
Discography
* ''Maccherock'' (1982)
* ''Tapioca manioca'' (1984)
* ''Surf in Italy'' (1985)
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
External links
*
1980 establishments in Italy
1989 disestablishments in Italy
Italian pop music groups
Italo disco groups
Musical groups established in 1980
Musical groups disestablished in 1989
Musical groups from Milan
Musical quintets
{{Italy-band-stub