Gazebo: The Biography of an Italo Disco IconPaul Mazzolini, known by his stage name Gazebo, is an Italian singer, musician, arranger, and record producer, born in Beirut, Lebanon, on February 18, 1960. An emblematic figure of Italo disco, he dominated international charts in the 1980s with iconic tracks such as "Masterpiece," "I Like Chopin," and "Lunatic," selling millions of records worldwide.
Early Life and Musical Formation (1960-1981):
Son of Francesco Mazzolini, a Friulian diplomat, and Sonya Kolosine, an American singer, Paul spent a cosmopolitan childhood, absorbing diverse cultural influences. His passion for music emerged early: at just ten years old, he took up the guitar, learning to play it self-taught. In 1975, he settled in Italy. His musical training was eclectic, ranging from jazz to rock and punk, genres he actively experimented with during his adolescence.
The Meeting with Paul Micioni and First Steps (1981-1982):
1981 was a crucial year in Mazzolini's career. The encounter with Roman producer Paul Micioni marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. Micioni, looking for a male voice for the music project "Range," featuring Natascia Maimone, identified Paul's talent. The song "Give Me," arranged by a young Pierluigi Giombini, laid the foundation for Gazebo's future success. Although not a resounding success, this song was important for the experience gained and the contacts established in the Roman music scene.
Rise to Success: "Masterpiece" and the Explosion of "I Like Chopin" (1982-1983):
1982 saw the birth of the Gazebo project and the release of the single "Masterpiece," the result of the creative synergy between Mazzolini, Giombini, and Micioni. Initially released by Claudio Casalini's independent label "Best Record," the song was subsequently acquired by Freddy Naggiar's "Baby Records," one of the most influential labels in the Italo disco scene. "Masterpiece," written by Gazebo and Giombini, achieved significant success, reaching the second position in Italy and climbing the charts in several European countries, including Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
The summer of 1983 definitively consecrated Gazebo internationally with "I Like Chopin." Composed by Giombini and produced by Naggiar, the song became a global success, selling over eight million copies and reaching number one in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Canada, and Japan. A triumph that launched him into the Olympus of international stars. The song is still considered a classic of 80s music and one of the most representative tracks of Italo disco.
On the wave of this extraordinary success, the album Gazebo was released, including, in addition to "I Like Chopin" and "Masterpiece," other successful singles such as "Lunatic," which reached the top 20 in several European countries, and "Love In Your Eyes." In the same year, Gazebo wrote the lyrics for "Dolce Vita," performed by Ryan Paris and produced by Pierluigi Giombini, which established itself as another major European hit, reaching the top 5 in numerous countries.
"Telephone Mama" and the Transition Phase (1984-1991):
The album "Telephone Mama," released in 1984, failed to replicate the success of its predecessor, despite containing notable tracks like the title track and "First!". This marked a transition period for Gazebo, who, after the release of "Univision" (1986), decided to focus more on production and arrangements for other artists, while continuing to compose and experiment with new sounds. However, he released other singles like "The Sun Goes Down on Milky Way" (1986) and "Give Me One Day... / Diamonds Are Forever" (1987).In 1989, he released the album "Sweet Life," named after the song dedicated to Federico Fellini and his famous film, which also contains a cover of "Waiting for Bardot" by the German group "Boytronic."The Return to Recording and Experimentation (1992-2008):
In 1991, he released the single "Fire" on the Lunatic label.
In 1992, Gazebo returned with the album "Scenes From The News Of Broadcast," followed in 1996 by "Portrait," a collection that includes remixed versions of his most famous hits. These works marked a phase of experimentation, with more mature and refined sounds.
The new millennium opened with the single "Tears for Galileo" (2006), a song with Eurodance sounds that reached number one on the Euro Dance Chart, demonstrating Gazebo's ability to renew himself and keep up with the times. In 2008, he released the album "The Syndrone," a more complex and articulated work, which includes the single "Virtual Love."
The Digital Era and Recent Projects (2011-Present):
The advent of the digital era saw Gazebo adapt to new modes of music consumption. In 2011, he released the single "Queen of Burlesque," distributed on digital platforms such as iTunes and Amazon, accompanied by a video on YouTube. In 2013, to celebrate his 30-year career, he released "I Like... Live!," a live album that collects 21 songs recorded during the "Syndrone Tour."
The autumn of 2015 marked the release of "Reset," an album anticipated by the single "Blindness" and followed by "Wet Wings" and "The Secret," which confirmed Gazebo's continuous artistic research.
In 2018, with "Italo By Numbers," Gazebo paid homage to the Italo disco of the 1980s, reinterpreting hits by artists such as Spagna ("Easy Lady"), Raf ("Self Control"), and Ryan Paris ("Dolce Vita"). The album also includes the unreleased track "La Divina," his first song in Italian, dedicated to his singing teacher, and the English version "Untouchable," demonstrating his linguistic versatility and his ability to move between different genres and styles.Discography :Album1983 - Gazebo -Gazebo1984 - Gazebo - Telephone Mama1986 - Gazebo - Univision1988 - Gazebo - The Rainbow Tales1989 - Gazebo - Sweet Life1991 - Gazebo - Scenes From The News Broadcast1994 - Gazebo - Portrait1997 - Gazebo - Viewpoint2000 - Gazebo - Portrait & Viewpoint2007 - Gazebo - Ladies! The Art Of Remixage2008 - Gazebo - The Syndrone2013 - Gazebo - I Like ... Live!2015 – Gazebo - Reset2018 - Gazebo - Italo by NumbersSingles1980 - ...China Express... - The Ghost Of The Samurai1981 - Range - Give Me1982 - Gazebo - Masterpiece1983 - Gazebo - I Like Chopin1983 - Gazebo - Lunatic1983 - Gazebo - Love In Your Eyes1984 - Gazebo - Telephone Mama1984 - Gazebo - First1984 - Gazebo - For Anita1986 - Gazebo - Trotsky Burger1986 - Gazebo - Sun Goes Down On Milkyway1987 - Gazebo - Give Me One Day ... / Diamonds Are Forever1988 - Gazebo - Coincidence1989 - Gazebo - Dolce Vita1991 - Gazebo - Fire1991 - Gazebo - The 14th Of July1991 - Gazebo - I Like Chopin 91 (Rmx)2000 - Gazebo - Masterpiece 2K (remix)2006 - Gazebo - Tears for Galileo2007 - Gazebo - Ladies!2008 - Gazebo - Virtual love2011 - Gazebo - Queen of Burlesque2015 - Gazebo - BlindnessCiancio DJ © Copyright - 2018 by Antonio Stanzani
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