Ronald ' Eurobeat'

I was born in 'Den Haag'. My first touch with music was basicly the fact that when I was 13 I got intouch with somebody who did 'something' on an illegal radio-station. In that period only the national radio & TV was allowed in my country and illegal radio- and even TV stations appear. Anyway, with some help I became a member of an illegal radio station called 'RADIO DELTA'. Every saterday I was picked up by the 'main man' of the station. We drove to a records shop and the latests 7 inch vinyls where bought. After that I did start with taping a nonstop programm. Mixing one track into another, and sometimes a jingle after the music could be heard. I still remember that I always did like to use different kinds of music styles (rock, pop, electro music). I was really a huge fan of THE POLICE. I mean that sound with that fantastic drummer Stewart Copeland. Now in 2007 I'm really looking forward to see them finally live in Amsterdam, 13th of september. Amazing! But also at that time I already had some 'feelings' for the electro sound. I did this nonstop DJ thing (if I remember well) two years. Due to the 'knocking down' of illegal radio stations this section of my life did end. When I started to work on thursday's and saterday's in a supermarket I discovered a new music style. Italo music! This kind of music was extremely populair in the place where I did live that time. Actually Tom Hooker 'Looking for love' was the track which totally got me. I started to get some cassette tapes and found out that this music sometimes could be happy, agressive or even so beautiful. But mainly the 'structure of this music. Beats, baseline and melody in combination with fantastic male- and female voices. This kind of music really took me by surprice! I entered the Italo scene in a period that for instance the sound of TIME RECORDS was massive! With the famous vocals of Dave Rodgers, Fred Ventura, Albert One and Clara Moroni. The main people behind this label: Farina & Crivelente. And what about the engineer: Laurent Gelmetti! Also MEMORY RECORDS; Sandro Oliva and Brian Ice and 'the one and only' Gino Caria!. BABY RECORDS and all the stuff created by Roberto Turrati & Mike Chierigatoo! Kazan, Den Harrow and Ricky Shayne for excample. Really masterpieces! And IBIZA RECORDS with Sandy Marton, Via Verdi, Taffy, Toy Boys and all the other productions mixed by MA-MA and produced by the famous Claudio Cecchetto. Some of these people did appear (for me)many years later again on something what was called ..... Eurobeat. Looking back at this period it was great. Running to the recordshop each monday afternoon to buy the vinyls. And then each wednesday back to the recordshop to check the fax which could tell me which new titles where coming the next week! And together with Tony C. we had are own Italo Top 20! The EMS Italo Top 20 filled up with the latest release info. Funny period where I had lots of fights with a matrix printer who did not want to help me. Crazy times! And then ofcourse the live-performances arranged by the I VENTI d'AZZURRO team. Live on stage: Fred Ventura, Cleo, Albert One, Ryan Parris, Miko Mission and last but not least ALEPH! After a live gig of ALEPH I got intouch with Giancarlo Pasquini. This was for me (I found out later) the beginning of something very special. The Italo vinyls, I bought them from 1986 till 1991, then other things in live became important. But than around 2000 (thanks to the internet) I got intouch with a Japanise guy called Hiroshi Ide. His endless 'flow' of Pasquini stuff got me into the Eurobeat scene. I have to say, that without this Japanise friend some things never could have happened! A million thanks Hiroshi!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eurobeat, for me a positive shock cause the massive amount of material which was produced each month on several compilation works. And what about the side effects of this music. Linked to Japanise cartoons, video games, Walt Disney was even a part of it, Para Para dance and car racing etc. For me as Italo fan totally different if you compare it with my Italo period where for instance in my hometown (and some area's around it) only the biggest fans could be found. And the records where only availeable in certain vinyl shops. And now this Eurobeat, totally great in Japan. With a hit compilation serie which was already in the 125 region (at the time I received the orginal Super Eurobeat CD's). Now in 2008 volume 182 is the latest release I received from Hiroshi!