Den Harrow 's Biography (Stefano Zandri) Italo-Disco Music

Star among the stars of the 80s was Den Harrow, aka Stefano Zandri who, starting from 1983, became the idol of millions of girls who loved him until provoking the envy of a large part of the male gender, being endowed with a rare beauty, as a modern Apollo. Tens of thousands of magazine covers and posters were dedicated to him, many more than to other celebrities of his period, competing with the world icons of the show. Stefano Zandri aka Den Harrow, born on 4 June 1962 in Nova Milanese (MB), is the son of an architect and a haute couture dressmaker. Following the premature death of his father, he grows up with his mother, brother and sister. At the age of 7, he learns to play piano and guitar. During high school in Milan he further develops his interest in music. At the same time, he starts practicing Judo, bodybuilding and Break Dance. Eager to make a career in show business from an early age, he is discovered as a model thanks to his pleasant appearance and his well-defined physique. Shortly after, in 1983, he meets the singer and producer Enrico Ruggeri, Roberto Turatti at the time drummer of the Decibel and DJ at the "American disaster" disco in Milan and Michele (Miki) Chieregato, keyboard musician and radio speaker at Radio Studio 105 and DJ of “Divina” in Milan, with whom he collaborates in the production of his first album “To Meet Me”. Turatti contacted Enrico Ruggeri to write the text, the song was released in 1983 under the Disco Magic label. Some time later, arrived his second single "A Taste Of Love". The song was a great success in all Italian discos and radios. Den began to perform on countless tours, initiating the story of one of the most influential performers of the entire decade of the 80s. The ambitious and profitable project then passed under the Baby Records label owned by Freddy Naggiar, the King Midas of record companies, the best known and most powerful of that time. In 1985 Den Harrow is for the first time on the stage of the Festivalbar in Crotone: immediately all the teenagers of Italy go crazy for their new idol. Den has an extremely flashy and refined look, wrapped in a plum-colored leather suit and, with the movements of a great performer, he thrills the audience. Two days after the first appearance at Vittorio Salvetti's Festivalbar, a continuous bivouac of girls invoking his name is stationed under Den's house. Den, to leave the house, must use a secondary exit inside the building. In the meantime, the song “Future brain” (extracted from the first album “Overpower”) is the most broadcasted song by all Italian, German, French and Spanish radios. 6 September 1985, Verona Arena. It is the first Den Harrow final. Thousands of teens scream the name of the singer, who performs an extraordinary show on the Arena stage. The clamor of the audience's screams is so deafening that it almost covers the music. At the end, Den Harrow is awarded as the winner of the Dj star (Youth Festivalbar). In the same year in Bologna he won the “Vota La Voce” award, an award organized by the popular magazine “Sorrisi & Canzoni TV”. In France he wins his first Gold Disc with "Future Brain" with over 500,000 copies sold, in Germany he achieves the same success. The song will sell a total of 3 million records, totaling over 30 music magazine covers. The year will end with the third single from the album: “Bad Boy”, the video of which was shot in London, in the area where the Millennium Dome stands today. 1986 opened with the single “Overpower”, presented in every music program of RAI and Canale 5, where Den will present himself showing off an innovative “Mad Max” look, brandishing a lightsaber and miming a fight. The costume he plays "Overpower" in is one of the original costumes from the movie "Legend", played by Tom Cruise. The series of tours throughout Europe continues. There is not a moment of respite for the young Den who in the meantime comes out on the world market with "Charleston", whose video clip is always shot in London with about 300 extras and original dresses from the 1920s, which were irreparably ruined during the final scene of the collective dive in the pool. Den Harrow will present this song during 5 stages of the Festivalbar, including the final of his second appearance at the Verona Arena. Den ~~still~~ amazes again with his look and the sets he personally takes care of. Together with 2 English dancers, he drives the audience crazy another time. In just 2 years Den becomes the undisputed idol of teenagers from all over Europe who follow him everywhere to attend his shows. Den wins two more Gold Records and a Platinum Record, as well as 20 covers of the weekly "Bravo", a well-known German music magazine. An extremely busy year to satisfy the requests of the European public! The record company buys a private plane to allow Den to participate in the afternoon to a television program in France and, after a few hours, be at the sound check in Germany for a date of the tour, and then leave the following morning for a photo shoot in Poland. Finally, from the album "Overpower" another single is extracted: "Catch The Fox", which becomes a smash in every part of Europe, consecrating Den as the most loved performer of the moment so much to win the "Otto Walh" award of Bravo Magazine, considered an important and prestigious award that positions Den Harrow as the best artist of the year, second only to Michael Jackson. The song sold over 2 million copies and won 2 other Gold Discs. The look used during the performance of "Cacth The Fox" is a captivating leather costume of a modern archer, with a silver fox that wraps his neck, a bow and an arrow which, at the end of the song, is thrown at the center of a target positioned on the stage (Den specially took archery lessons for a month). In 1987 it’s time for a new album, “Day By Day”. 4 singles will be extracted from this, the first of which is the very famous “Don 't Break My Heart”. Den Harrow is now a money machine. 246 shows this year, grueling tours across Europe. In Germany, in sports halls he shares the stage with "Europe", "Modern Talking" and "Sandra". It is the year of the consecration: Den Harrow again wins the "Otto Walh" award, but this time the gold one. It positions him in front of the legendary Michael Jackson, George Michael, Prince, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen and many others. Den is at the first place in the rankings in Germany, 30 other music magazines covers are dedicated to him and he wins the “Stella d'Oro Disco Forum” as best singer of 1987. His image is entrusted to the photographer of Billy Idol, Fedrick Gabosky. The second excerpt is “Tell Me Why” which reaches the first position in France. It is among the top 5 in the charts of half of Europe, the third single extracted is "Energy rain" and finally "Day By Day" which gives the title to the album which also includes "High Dee Ho" and "Dangerous", the last one assigned in second place to Alba Parietti who will present him at the Festivalbar. The Den Harrow star is increasingly bright in Europe, is ranked as the most loved singer by teenagers in a "Top 5" chart, where he is present together with Simon le Bon, Tony Hadley, Michael Jackson and Prince. The third album is "Lies". It is 1988, the first single extracted is "Born To Love" which again obtains an extraordinary success in Europe and once again the Gold Discs are 2. He participates to 3 stages of the Festivalbar and wins another final at the Verona Arena, this time Den's look is entrusted to Jean Paul Gualtier. A very elegant double breasted and the hair is gathered in a small tail wrapped in a velvet ribbon. Now Den is more mature, the scenography is, as always, engaging. The second excerpt is "You Have A Way". The video, recorded in the studios of "Baby Records", is melancholy... Den retraces the years of his career. The images of the old songs scroll behind him and seem to announce an imminent retirement. In fact, Den is seriously taking it in consideration, he hasn't time for his family since 5 years, there are no holidays~~, no holidays~~ and he can't even devote himself to his passion: motorcycles. The money he has earned is now so much and Den is really tired. Now it's the turn of “Lies”, the song that gives the album its title. 1989 opens with "Holiday Night", the fourth single extracted with a video shot in Ibiza and an arrangement that begins to deviate from the sounds of the decade that has just ended, embracing a sound more in vogue at that time. Finally "Take Me Back". During that year, Den toured for 40 dates between Germany and Austria and for the first time sings live in Italy accompanied by the Italian group “Caravan”, previously led by the great “Miko Mission”.

Divorce from "Baby Records".

With the end of the decade Den's interest in the world of entertainment is waning and ~~finally~~ terminates the contract with his record company. Den rests for a year to recover the motivation and energy spent in the previous decade. He will come back on the scene in 1991 with a new single produced by the Nicolosi brothers (musical group "Novecento") and will immediately enter the Italian charts. A new video is shot in Venice, produced by Mediaset and presented at Superclassifica Show by Maurizio Seymandi, his old friend and historical conductor of the well-known program. In the same year, Den signs a recording contract with the German "Polydor" for 500 million of the old lira for the release of two singles "Real Big Love" and "All I Want Is You", followed by a tour of 30 live dates in Germany and Austria, this time accompanied by the American R&B group “Womack & Womack” and Divine Cornelius, former drummer of Steve Wonder. Shortly after, Den has a terrible surprise: he discovers that his accountant, during the whole decade of his success, never paid a penny in taxes to the Italian taxman. The consequence was a disastrous financial crash, so much so that he had to declare bankruptcy and remain with almost no money. Tragedy within the tragedy, his beloved mother dies in that period. So, with a broken heart, Den decides to move to San Diego in California with 10 million lire, all he had left of his immense fortune. To make money and be able to pay for the motel where he lives, he works as a personal trainer, while at night he is the security officer of the "Planet Hollywood" in San Diego where he accidentally meets Lorenzo Lamas (very famous actor) who wants him in a television series produced by himself. After the TV series Den is put under contract in Las Vegas where for a year he works as a stripper at "Mg Grand" and "Mandalay" under the stage name "Den The Stripper" with considerable success. Tired of that life, in 1994 he comes back to Italy and returns on the record market with "Take Me", "Universe Of Love" and "You And The Sunshine". In 1995 with “Tomorrow Is Another Day” and “I Need A Lover”, meanwhile releases in 1996 “I Feel You”. At the end of the decade will come out a series of collections in which he will reinterpret his great successes. In 1999 Mediaset chooses him as artistic director of "Meteore", a musical program presented in the first edition by Giorgio Mastrota and in the second by Amadeus. Den Harrow, in addition to taking care of the artistic direction, is also a regular guest of the program. The singer's success is still remarkable, so much so that Max Moroldo, a very successful young record company, decides to produce the album "Back From The Future" for Den which contains both old re-arranged hits and new songs, making an investment of 800 million of the old lire to promote it on Mediaset networks.

In 2001 Den disappears again and we’ll see him again only in 2005 on Sky TV with the program "Radio Harrow”, television format of which he’ll be productor and ideator and where he traces the 80s in company of dei main characters of that age, including his producer and fraternal friend Roberto Turatti. In 2006 RAI wants Den for the fourth edition of "The Island of the Famous" in Honduras conducted by Simona Ventura. In 2009 he participates again to the reality show as Guest Star in Nicaragua, also hosted by Simona Ventura. In 2009 Den is in Abruzzo with the Civil Protection paratroopers to assist the earthquake victims in the Navelli base camp and will remain there for 6 months. Always in 2009 Den comes out on the record market with a the best titled "The Legend" with all his revisited hits and a new single entitled "Take me away" edited by SAIFAM with a box set containing the new album, a DVD with a long interview and a calendar where Den poses for 12 months with an athletic and powerful physique. In 2012 RAI wants Den again in the one that will be the last edition of "The Island of the Famous" on the RAI channel hosted by Nicola Savino and Wladimir Luxuria. In that same year, RAI signed Den in the "Day Time" of "The Island of the Famous", for a total of 36 episodes where he was one of the commentators in the studio. In 2012, "Den Harrow & Hitfinders" re-proposes a version of its first 1983 hit "2 Meet Me 2012". In November 2018 Den Harrow writes his official biography, a compelling story that will keep his fans in suspense from the first to the last page, an open-hearted story about the life of one of the brightest stars in European dance music. In 2020 Den and its new authors Daisy Scaramella, who is also his life partner and Alberto Marzocchi, create a song in Italian with the intention of participating to the Sanremo 2021 Festival; Fonogram’s Paolo Paltrinieri nominates it but without the result hoped. During his long and prolific career, Den Harrow won 8 Gold and 8 Platinum Records, an edition of the Festivalbar youth, Vota la Voce, 2 Otto Walh, the Gold Star for best 1987 singer. Today, he is the only Italian to whom 398 music magazine covers, over 10,000 newspaper articles and posters have been dedicated in the world. In the SIAE ranking he is in 36th place as a singer who has sold the most records in Italy and in the world, with 20 million records sold, out of a total of 146 Italian artists. Among the curiosities, we point out a Cicciobello dedicated to Den, produced by “Sebino Giocattoli” as a “Cicciobello Rock star”. Today Den lives happily in Spain with his partner Daisy Scaramella, a successful former manager in Great Britain and a fashion enthusiast. Together they share many passions, including travel and sport. In 2021, after a long pause, the great return of the artist Stefano Zandri "Den Harrow" with the pop dance song "Always", written for him by his partner Daisy Scaramella.

Discography:

Album

1985 - Overpower

1987 - Day By Day
1988 - Lies
1996 - I, Den
2000 - Back From The Future

Compilation

1989 - The Best Of Den Harrow

1999 - I Successi

2008 - (1982-2009) The Legend

Singles

1983 - To Meet Me

1983 - A Taste Of Love
1984 - Mad Desire

1985 - Future Brain
1985 - Bad Boy
1986 - Overpower
1986 - Charleston
1986 - Catch The Fox (Caccia Alla Volpe)
1987 - Don't Break My Heart
1987 - Tell Me Why
1987 - Energy Rain
1988 - Day By Day
1988 - Born To Love
1988 - You Have A Way
1988 – Lies
1989 - Holiday Night
1989 - Take Me Back
1991 - Ocean
1992 - Real Big Love
1992 - All I Want Is You
1993 - Take Me
1994 - The Universe Of Love
1994 - You And The Sunshine
1995 - Tomorrow Is Another Day
1995 - I Need A Lover
1996 - I Feel You
1998 - Future Brain '98
2000 - Future Brain '00
2001 - Don't Break My Heart 2001
2006 - Push Push
2012 - Den Harrow & Hitfinders - 2 Meet Me 2012

2021 - Always