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Martinelli's Biography / Topo & Roby's Biography - Official Website of Ciancio DJ

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    Martinelli: Pioneers of Italo-Disco
    Martinelli was an influential Italo-Disco music project active in the 1980s, born from the collaboration between renowned record producer Aldo Martinelli and American singer Simona Zanini. The duo left an indelible mark on the Italian dance music scene, contributing to the creation of iconic and highly successful tracks that defined the sound of an entire era.

    Topo & Roby: An Iconic Italo-Disco Project of the '80s
    Topo & Roby was an innovative Italo-Disco music project born in the 1980s from the creativity of Aldo Martinelli and Fabrizio Gatto. The project blended music and technology, representing a unique combination for the time.
    A Robot and a Voice: The Formula for Success
    The name of the project derived from its two protagonists:
    • Topo: a futuristic robot developed by Androbot Inc. for the consumer and educational market. Topo was capable of performing geometric movements, responding to voice commands, and moving autonomously within a home.
    • Roby: the human side of the duo, a female character visually portrayed by Raffaella Del Rosario in music videos and on record covers.
    "Under The Ice": An International Success
    Although Raffaella Del Rosario was the face of Roby, the voice behind the most successful single, "Under The Ice", belonged to Simona Zanini, an Italo-Disco singer.
    Released in 1984, "Under The Ice" quickly became an international hit, climbing the charts throughout Europe. In countries like Italy, Austria, Germany, and France, it reached the top of the charts, establishing itself as an enduring classic of Italian dance music. Even today, "Under The Ice" is remembered and appreciated by fans of the genre.
    The Legacy of Topo & Roby
    Topo & Roby represent a significant example of how Italo-Disco music was able to experiment with and incorporate the emerging new technologies of the 1980s. Their success testifies to the strength of a musical genre that marked an era and continues to influence contemporary dance music.

    Aldo Martinelli: A Pioneer of Italo-Disco
    Aldo Martinelli, a composer, singer, musician, and arranger from Milan, is a key figure in the history of disco and Italo-Disco music. Born in Milan and a piano graduate of the Conservatory of Alessandria, Martinelli left an indelible mark on the music scene of the 1980s.
    From the Beginnings to Success
    His musical career began as a keyboard player in various live bands and as a music teacher in schools. Driven by his talent as a composer, singer, and musician, he soon embarked on the path of producing and arranging his own music.
    The early 1980s marked the beginning of his success in disco music. One of his first notable works was "Take A Chance" by Bizzy & Co., a song that became the theme song of the beloved television program "Premiatissima" in the 82/83 seasons.
    The Meeting with Simona Zanini and the Birth of Iconic Projects
    In 1983, the search for an English-speaking singer led him to meet Simona Zanini, an Italian-American singer. This encounter marked the beginning of one of the most prolific and significant collaborations in the history of Italo-Disco.
    For the next five years, the tracks produced by Martinelli and Zanini dominated the European charts. Under the name "Martinelli", the duo signed hits like "Cenerentola-Cinderella" and "Voice (In The Night)", but it was with "Raggio Di Luna-Comanchero", released under the pseudonym "Moon Ray", that they achieved their greatest international success.
    A Versatile Artist: The Multiple Projects of Martinelli
    In addition to the "Martinelli" project, the pair created a series of other successful musical projects, using various pseudonyms, including:
    Aldo Martinelli's versatility, creativity, and talent contributed significantly to the richness and diversity of the Italo-Disco scene of the 1980s, consolidating his position as one of the most influential producers of that period.

    Simona Zanini: The Iconic Voice of Italo-Disco
    Simona Zanini, an Italian-American singer born in Ashland, Kentucky, in 1961, is a prominent figure in the history of Italo-Disco. Raised in the United States, she moved to Italy in the 1970s with her family, of Italian origin.
    The Beginnings and the Meeting with the La Bionda Brothers
    Her musical career began in 1980 when she was selected by the renowned La Bionda brothers in a national competition. She signed a contract with CBS as the voice of the "Oldaxe Band", with whom she released the single "Charter". This first step opened the doors for her to collaborate with some of the most established Italian musicians of the time.
    The Meeting with Aldo Martinelli and International Success
    1983 marked a turning point in Simona's career: the meeting with musician and producer Aldo Martinelli. Martinelli, looking for a native English-speaking singer for his dance projects, recognized in Simona the talent and the perfect voice for his sound.
    Thus began an artistic collaboration destined to dominate the European Italo-Disco charts. The first fruit of this partnership was the single "Feel the Drive", released under the pseudonym "Doctor's Cat".
    A Cascade of Hits under Different Pseudonyms
    Numerous successes followed: Simona wrote the lyrics and lent her unmistakable voice, while Aldo Martinelli handled the arrangements, instrumental parts, and also contributed to the vocal parts. To manage the intense production, the duo adopted different pseudonyms, hiding their identity behind a series of successful musical projects. Among the most famous stage names, we remember:
    From 1983 to 1988, these projects regularly conquered the Italian, French, German, and Swiss charts, also obtaining the prestigious Gold Record.
    Collaborations and Parallel Projects
    In addition to the prolific collaboration with Martinelli, Simona Zanini worked with other prominent artists of the time, including Diana Barton, Valerie Dore, Miko Mission, Ago and Moonshine.
    Simona Zanini Today: An Icon Who Continues to Shine
    Today, Simona Zanini combines her passion for music with her work as an English teacher. She continues to perform, often alongside Aldo Martinelli, evoking the magic of Italo-Disco that she helped create and make a global phenomenon in the 1980s. Her voice remains a symbol of a golden age of Italian dance music.

    Discography of Aldo Martinelli :
    Album
    1984 - Gee Wiz (Doctor's Cat)

    Singles
    1982 - Bizzy & CO. - Take A Change
    1983 - Martinelli - Voice (In The Night)
    1983 - Cat Gang  - Locomotive Breath
    1983 - Doctor's Cat - Feel The Drive
    1983 - Doctor's Cat - Watch Out!
    1983 - Ris - Love-N-Music
    1984 - B. Blase - Shame (You Were The Big Sensation)
    1984 - Topo & Roby - Under The Ice
    1984 - Implantation - Choose Your Lover (Shoo-Wha Shoo-Wha)
    1984 - Springtime - Cynthia
    1984 - Doctor's Cat - Gee Wiz
    1985 - Ben Bruce - Eye To Eye
    1985 - Moon Ray/Raggio Di Luna - Comanchero
    1985 - Martinelli - Cenerentola (Cinderella)
    1985 - Moon Ray - Viva
    1985 - Radiorama - Chance To Desire
    1986 - Raggio Di Luna/Moon Ray - Tornado Shout
    1986 - Martinelli - O. Express
    1986 - Martinelli - Revolution
    1987 - Martinelli - Victoria
    1987 - Barbie - Barabba
    1987 - Martinelli - Summer Lovers
    1988 - Barbie - Cucaracha Paraiso
    2011 - Martinelli - American Band
    2012 - Martinelli - Torero

    Discography of Simona Zanini:
    Singles
    1983 - Dust Man - King Of The Ghetto (Back Vocal)
    1983 - Doctor's Cat - Feel The Drive (Vocal)
    1983 - Martinelli - Voice (In The Night) (Back Vocal)
    1983 - Doctor's Cat - Watch Out (Vocal)
    1983 - Giak - Inside You (Back Vocal)
    1983 - Delia Gualtiero - Ombre Cinesi (Album) (Backing Vocals)
    1984 - Raggio Di Luna / Moon Ray - Comanchero (Vocal)
    1984 - Topo & Roby - Under The Ice (Vocal)
    1984 - Dust Man - King Of The Ghetto (re-edit) (Back Vocal)
    1984 - Midnight Gang - Hollywood City (Written)
    1984 - Implantation - Choose Your Lover (Written)
    1984 - Miko Mission - The World Is You (Written)
    1984 - Kevin Johnson - Video Night (Written)
    1984 - Quentin Hunt - Monalisa (Written)
    1984 - Ago - Electric Cucaracha (Written)
    1984 - Dalila Di Lazzaro - Extra Love (Written)
    1984 - Doctor's Cat - Gee Wiz (Vocal)
    1985 - Ben Bruce - Eye To Eye (Written)
    1985 - Monia - Nuclear War (Written)
    1985 - Delia - Miracles (Written)
    1985 - Radiorama - Chance To Desire (Vocal)
    1985 - Martinelli - Cenerentola (Cinderella) (Vocal)
    1985 - Moon Ray - Viva (Vocal)
    1985 - Moonshine - China (Vocal)
    1985 - Radiorama - Desire (Vocal)
    1985 - Doctor's Cat - Andromeda (Vocal)
    1986 - Martinelli - Revolution (Vocal)
    1986 - Martinelli - O Express (Vocal)
    1986 - Raggio Di Luna/Moon Ray - Tornado Shout (Vocal)
    1986 - Radiorama - Hey Hey (Written)
    1986 - Diana Burton - Tango (Vocal)
    1986 - Valerie Dore ‎- Lancelot (fonte non ufficiale) (Vocal)
    1986 - Valerie Dore ‎- King Arthur (fonte non ufficiale) (Vocal)
    1987 - Martinelli - Summer Lovers (Vocal)
    1987 - Martinelli - Victoria (Vocal)
    1987 - Barbie - Barabba (Vocal)
    1987 - Barbie - Cuccaracha Paraiso (Vocal)
    2011 - Martinelli - American Band (Vocal)
    2012 - Martinelli - Torero (Vocal)
     
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