Linda Jo Rizzo
Hi Linda, thank you for agreeing to doing an interview with me. I’m a huge fan and I love your music. It's also great to have a female artist, to interview for a change to balance things out on Skerat’s.
Now for the questions:-
1. What was your first real lucky break to get into the Italo\Euro dance scene?
A) My lucky break was actually when I was performing with the Flirts in 1984 at the big student concert held in west Germany every summer. I met Fancy on stage and he said he was looking to produce a single female singer. That is what I wanted in my heart….a solo career.
2. Where did Linda Jo Rizzo the person come from?
A) That is my real name since birth. I did not need an artists name because mine was so original.
3. Music is clearly a huge part of your life, what kind of music influenced you when you were growing up?
A) Strangely enough I was a real Hippie growing up. I loved the early rock bands of the 60’s and 70’s. My favorites were Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker….basically the Woodstock generation’s music.
4. What is your fondest memory of the industry in the 80's, do you have any funny stories to tell?
A) Oh my God, I have so many there is no room on the paper…..like getting locked out of our rooms with the Flirts when doing a show near Stuttgart,….like the heating going off during a show in north Germany and we froze changing our clothes in the dressing room,…I did a tour in Moscow 16 years ago in Gorky Park. The technician showed up 2 hours late with only half the equipment and 100,000 people were waiting for me and my band to perform!!!!!!!! Doing 2 concerts in Tunisia a few years ago and having to travel to the airport in a jeep with body guards with machine guns!!!! Boy was I scared but for them it is normal!!!! I did 3 concerts many years ago in Mombassa for the SOS Kinderdorf and that was the most beautiful concert of all for the SOS because we finally traveled to the village where the children live through our donations and we really experienced what we accomplished. I can go on for days but these are a few that pop into my mind.
5. How did you get to be involved as a singer with the Flirts, a group many of us truly love?
A)That is a funny story. I worked as a model In Milano for a few years. I recorded and performed on the side as a hobby. When I returned to NY to study, I kept contact with Italy. One day I am invited to dinner with my old producers from Milano and other people. Who is at the table????? Bobby Orlando!!!! He invites me to the studio the next day for a try out and BOOM……I became a FLIRT!!!!!
6. You have had a number of hits as yourself and with the Flirts in the 80’s, Heartflash, Passion, Your My First, Your My Last, which hits were special and why?
A) I have to be honest and say that my solo songs are more special because they are mine alone. Plus I wrote all my own texts so the songs have more meaning to me.
7. What was your favourite Italo\Hi Nrg track not realised by yourself and why?
A) I can’t really pick only one song but I can say that some of my favorites in dance music were Bad Boys Blue, Rick Astley, Jimmy Sommerville, Tina Turner…….
8. Do you keep in touch with any of the artists from the era\genre and if so which ones? Do you keep in touch with Bobby O?
A) I am in touch with John from Bad Boys Blue. He actually brought me together with his producer who just finished my new album. I have a duett on the new CD with Ryan Paris and Saragossa Band so we have contact. I often perform also with Silent Circle, Gazebo, Fancy……A dear friend is George McCrea who sang “Rock Me Baby”. That was before Italo Disco but he does great dance music and still sings like an angel after so many years.
Bobby has completely retired from producing other artists. He only works on his own projects and spends time with his family so I have no contact at all.
9. Do you have any new albums or singles coming out?
A) Yes, my new album “DAY OF THE LIGHT” will be released in the spring of 2012. The new single should be available about now. The album has remakes of my Flirts hits, my Italo Disco hits of the 80’s and new songs in the style of the 80’s. I really hope you like it!!!!!!!
10. Linda as you are one of the early pioneers of dance music, what do you think of the dance music scene today?
A) I am probably old fashioned. I love the disco music of the late 70’s and the 80’s. I find that the music back then was positive, happy, had great dance rythem, power, it was erotic, social and much more….The dance music today is very often for me aggressive, noisy, unbalanced, busy…weird!!!!! We live in a crazy world. I think music should have a positive and soothing effect on us and our inner souls. The music of today does not always bring that.
11. As I’m Australian can I ask? Have you ever had the opportunity to travel to Australia?
A) Funny you ask. I visited Australia 2 times in 2008. An old flame of mine moved to Perth and I had the pleasure of being invited. It is a beautiful place from what I saw. The people are so friendly and full of energy. I loved it. Of course the only set back for me would be being so far from my family in NY. Otherwise it is a Paradise!!!!!!
12. What projects are in the pipeline for Linda Jo Rizzo right now?
A) Well as I said, my new CD comes out with a Retro sound which is absolutely in right now!!!! I hope that it will be a success amoung the Italo Disco fans because I would love to take it around the world on tour. My biggest love is performing live in front of a large audience……I will tour with it till my tonsils fall out!!!!!! That would make me very happy!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Andrew,
Say hello to all my fans and have a wonderful happy new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best wishes,
Linda
Now for the questions:-
1. What was your first real lucky break to get into the Italo\Euro dance scene?
A) My lucky break was actually when I was performing with the Flirts in 1984 at the big student concert held in west Germany every summer. I met Fancy on stage and he said he was looking to produce a single female singer. That is what I wanted in my heart….a solo career.
2. Where did Linda Jo Rizzo the person come from?
A) That is my real name since birth. I did not need an artists name because mine was so original.
3. Music is clearly a huge part of your life, what kind of music influenced you when you were growing up?
A) Strangely enough I was a real Hippie growing up. I loved the early rock bands of the 60’s and 70’s. My favorites were Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker….basically the Woodstock generation’s music.
4. What is your fondest memory of the industry in the 80's, do you have any funny stories to tell?
A) Oh my God, I have so many there is no room on the paper…..like getting locked out of our rooms with the Flirts when doing a show near Stuttgart,….like the heating going off during a show in north Germany and we froze changing our clothes in the dressing room,…I did a tour in Moscow 16 years ago in Gorky Park. The technician showed up 2 hours late with only half the equipment and 100,000 people were waiting for me and my band to perform!!!!!!!! Doing 2 concerts in Tunisia a few years ago and having to travel to the airport in a jeep with body guards with machine guns!!!! Boy was I scared but for them it is normal!!!! I did 3 concerts many years ago in Mombassa for the SOS Kinderdorf and that was the most beautiful concert of all for the SOS because we finally traveled to the village where the children live through our donations and we really experienced what we accomplished. I can go on for days but these are a few that pop into my mind.
5. How did you get to be involved as a singer with the Flirts, a group many of us truly love?
A)That is a funny story. I worked as a model In Milano for a few years. I recorded and performed on the side as a hobby. When I returned to NY to study, I kept contact with Italy. One day I am invited to dinner with my old producers from Milano and other people. Who is at the table????? Bobby Orlando!!!! He invites me to the studio the next day for a try out and BOOM……I became a FLIRT!!!!!
6. You have had a number of hits as yourself and with the Flirts in the 80’s, Heartflash, Passion, Your My First, Your My Last, which hits were special and why?
A) I have to be honest and say that my solo songs are more special because they are mine alone. Plus I wrote all my own texts so the songs have more meaning to me.
7. What was your favourite Italo\Hi Nrg track not realised by yourself and why?
A) I can’t really pick only one song but I can say that some of my favorites in dance music were Bad Boys Blue, Rick Astley, Jimmy Sommerville, Tina Turner…….
8. Do you keep in touch with any of the artists from the era\genre and if so which ones? Do you keep in touch with Bobby O?
A) I am in touch with John from Bad Boys Blue. He actually brought me together with his producer who just finished my new album. I have a duett on the new CD with Ryan Paris and Saragossa Band so we have contact. I often perform also with Silent Circle, Gazebo, Fancy……A dear friend is George McCrea who sang “Rock Me Baby”. That was before Italo Disco but he does great dance music and still sings like an angel after so many years.
Bobby has completely retired from producing other artists. He only works on his own projects and spends time with his family so I have no contact at all.
9. Do you have any new albums or singles coming out?
A) Yes, my new album “DAY OF THE LIGHT” will be released in the spring of 2012. The new single should be available about now. The album has remakes of my Flirts hits, my Italo Disco hits of the 80’s and new songs in the style of the 80’s. I really hope you like it!!!!!!!
10. Linda as you are one of the early pioneers of dance music, what do you think of the dance music scene today?
A) I am probably old fashioned. I love the disco music of the late 70’s and the 80’s. I find that the music back then was positive, happy, had great dance rythem, power, it was erotic, social and much more….The dance music today is very often for me aggressive, noisy, unbalanced, busy…weird!!!!! We live in a crazy world. I think music should have a positive and soothing effect on us and our inner souls. The music of today does not always bring that.
11. As I’m Australian can I ask? Have you ever had the opportunity to travel to Australia?
A) Funny you ask. I visited Australia 2 times in 2008. An old flame of mine moved to Perth and I had the pleasure of being invited. It is a beautiful place from what I saw. The people are so friendly and full of energy. I loved it. Of course the only set back for me would be being so far from my family in NY. Otherwise it is a Paradise!!!!!!
12. What projects are in the pipeline for Linda Jo Rizzo right now?
A) Well as I said, my new CD comes out with a Retro sound which is absolutely in right now!!!! I hope that it will be a success amoung the Italo Disco fans because I would love to take it around the world on tour. My biggest love is performing live in front of a large audience……I will tour with it till my tonsils fall out!!!!!! That would make me very happy!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Andrew,
Say hello to all my fans and have a wonderful happy new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best wishes,
Linda