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JO’S DREAM by Daniela

Today I want to talk to you about a little girl named JO.

She is a beautiful little girl, who stole the hearts of Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca, and in particular the heart of Michele Torpedine.

Perhaps many of you will already know her story, but here, on this site, we only talked about it when Il Volo made an appeal for her.

It was July 31, 2019 and this appeal was published on the official Il Volo page, which we also published here on the Flight Crew blog.

The boys said they learned about this little girl who was going to have an operation in America and they appealed to people’s good hearts for a fundraiser for her.

We are talking about Jo, a 3 year old girl, born in Tuscany, with different skeletal malformations, the most serious is the lack of tibias in her legs, a very rare case, not operable in Italy, where she would have been forced to amputate the limbs.

Jos Dream 01

In Florida, at the Paley Institute, Dr. Paley can solve his problem with various operations and physiotherapy, but it takes 500 thousand euros, in addition  travel, accommodation, maintenance and car for all months in America.

Jo, is supported by two parents who love her so much, but who don’t have the opportunity to face all those expenses.

For Jo, many artists and many ordinary people made donations , and in this way have allowed Jo’s dream to come true.

Michele Torpedine, took the story of this little girl very much to heart, and in February, while the boys were already on tour in America, he attended an event in Pisa in favor of Jo.

Here is the video of that event.

Michele says he is there for a much more important reason than what his job usually is, he suddenly fell in love with this wonderful little girl.

When he and the boys saw the pictures of this little girl, they were overwhelmed and therefore they will follow her in all her effort, with the hope of seeing her soon run with them. 

Look at how much tenderness these images:

Jos Dream 02

Jos Dream 03

Jos Dream 04

Michele writes of her that Jo is their other GRANDE AMORE and also that “It is inexplicable that this little girl must also suffer, but we must think about the ending … when we will see her run together with all the other children!”    

The journalist Antonella Pera wrote thus:
“Thanks also to the friendship that binds me to Michele, whom I have known for 20 years, we were able to organize this important meeting with Jo and I asked him and the boys from Il Volo to make an appeal. What can I say? Since when I contacted them onwards the donations have exploded. The three boys participated in the evening in connection on the other side of the world, during their tour in the United States. But the compliments, she concludes, also go to Jo’s parents, for all that what they are doing and because despite everything they have been able to make her a serene and joyful child.”

Finally the day of the departure for Miami arrives and Torpedine writes on his Facebook page.

“Let’s start for the big business! Good luck, little Jo!”

“Me and the boys are happy that little Jo will finally have the opportunity to go to America and we are confident that she can make her dream come true. At the same time, I’m sorry that many other children do not have his same luck … who knows how many there are! And a thought goes to them too.”

Jos Dream 05

Easter holidays come and Torpedine sends his best wishes to Jo:

“A special wish for a happy Easter to little Jo who is on the other side of the ocean … hoping to see her again soon and with me the best wishes from Il Volo, Dave Monaco and Nico Arezzo!”

On March 18 the first operation.
Jo’s mom Irene wrote this on her Facebook page:

“Dear Jo …
20 minutes ago, you fell asleep and your operation began.
It is the toughest test in the world. I’m scared. Rationally, however, I know that I have done 10,000 km and a lot of uphill road with all of you to bring it here.
Jo was calm, she never cried. The professionalism of a child-friendly institution can be seen.
We keep you updated,
Mum Irene”

…..and then:

“Hi everyone, Dr. Paley just came out of the operating room. Jo is fine. She hasn’t come out yet, some procedures have to end. Paley has operated on one leg for the time being. The right leg is only postponed in three weeks.

When you see a doctor come to you with eyes that laugh and shine, despite six and a half hours of work and saying to you:
THE LEFT LEG, IS PERFECT. THE KNEE BENDS 100 PERCENT.
Dear Dr. Paley, thank you. Thanks for how much you love your job. Thanks for those eyes that have looked into mine.”

Jos Dream 06

Physiotherapies are very hard for Jo.

Jos Dream 07

During an interview Torpedine talks about Jo, and from Miami, mom Irene, thanks him by writing thus:
“Thanks to Michele for the words and especially his and IL VOLO’s deeds that never fail. Thanks for being so sincere and familiar in our daily lives.”

The day of the second operation also arrives.

The surgery went well, the road is long, it will take a lot of patience and a lot of physiotherapy, but Jo will be able to walk.

Mum Irene wrote: 

“As soon as Jo perceived that she had the other guardian (the brace/apparatus used to support the leg) after awakening from anesthesia, she said to me:

-Mom, is this a tutor? (brace)
Yes love, like the other foot.
-Yes. (Silence) mom. Are my legs like everyone’s now?
Yes my love. Indeed stronger!
-Mom. (Silence) but now can I walk with two feet on the ground?”

Jos Dream 08

Jos Dream 09

The happiness of IL Volo and Torpedine, who published this article on the official Facebook page, is accompanied by these words:

“We are happy to have contributed together with our manager Michele Torpedine and other colleagues from the world of entertainment to this enormous success: little Jo will walk again!”

Jos Dream 10

I would say that it is a story that started very badly, but that it will have a very nice ending. Jo will be able to walk.

Of course there will still be moments of tension and a lot of work and pain, but the road is now downhill.

What about Torpedine and Il Volo? One word, fantastic. You are unique people!

Good luck Jo, we love you !!

Daniela

Jos Dream 11

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.

QUESTION & ANSWER with TORPEDINE by Daniela

Among the many live shows of these days, I saw this video made by the QUESTION & ANSWER program, conducted by Serena and Alessandro asking Michele Torpedine questions of all kinds. I found the answers very interesting and that help us to better understand the manager of our guys.

Enjoy the reading!

S = Guys, Michele Torpedine, manager of Il Volo and author of the book, RICOMINCIO DAI TRE will soon be with us. (she shows the book).

He is a great character in the world of music, he has launched many famous singers and it is an honor to have him here.

(After 10 minutes, Michele connects)

MT = Hi everyone, so what are we talking about today? What should I expect from you Serena? Should I call the lawyer?? (laughs)
But do I have to answer all the questions?

S = Yes, to all questions, and you cannot ask us questions.
Alessandro asked me if I am a little afraid of you, and I am a little afraid of you, because I have read your book and you say you do not have a nice character.

MT = I have a bad temper with those who deserve it, otherwise I am very sweet.
I become grumpy and unpleasant with those who deserve it, but with people who do well I  don’t.

A = Can we also mention names in the questions, or not?

MT = The names yes.

S = My first question is this: is there anything about you that cannot be joked about at all?
(the connection with Michele disappears and when it reappears there is no audio, therefore Michele is asked to exit and return from the live. Michele re-enters, everything is ok.)

MT = No, apart from the physical aspect and the problems of sex, everything can be said about me.

S = But I have all questions about Michele sex!!

MT = I’ll try to answer you.

S = Alessandro ask yourself, the first questions.

Torpedine 01

A = Which is the artist with whom you have had working relationships, who has been the most underrated?

MT = From me or from the audience?

A = The one who didn’t get what he deserved.

MT = There is one in particular, which I brought to Sanremo years ago, his name was Roberto Amadè, he is a great songwriter. We reached the final in Sanremo, but then, the discography and the television viewing did not appreciate him for what he deserved. He is very strong.

A = Because of him or not?

MT = Because the “connoisseurs” did not consider him suitable. You know, you always see the image of those who are doing well (means those who are welcome), of the others not, and with him there was nothing to do, unfortunately, because he was very strong, and he still is because he writes yet . Sometimes there are unexplained things behind success.

A = Instead, what was your most overrated artist? If you can tell….

MT = None of my artists. Just read their names that you understand that they are really good: Gino Paoli, Zucchero, Giorgia, Pino Daniele, Bocelli, Il Volo ….. with these names, you cannot say that they have been overrated, I clearly speak of my artists.
There are many other useless artists, there are names in rap, in trap, in these genres here, which is no longer music, but something else.

Also in women’s discography, there are many voices that are all the same, once there were singers who each had their own musical genre, and a great personality. Today on radio, you can hardly distinguish one from the other species in young people.

Torpedine 02

S = Mine are a little more particular questions, listen carefully to this question.
“Who would manage Il Volo when you retire?”

MT = (he makes a superstitious gesture) …. who will take Il Volo ?? The same happened with Bocelli, after 16 years, his wife and relatives continued the journey and they do it well.

The problem is not to continue, the problem is the initial phase, when they are unknown, it takes the person who senses their talent, afterwards, when the thing has exploded, it is not difficult to manage, as long as you continue on the things already done before.

S = But you think that when you retire, Il Volo will divide, or will always remain: Il Volo?

MT = No, they are too intelligent to divide. I always say that the beautiful part of Il Volo has yet to come, they are still young, they still call them “tenorini”, because they still do not have an age to be considered credible, but vocally, with what they learn on stage, at 28 / 29 years will be great stars, because they sing really well and it will always be better.

A = What artist would you have wanted to manage, which you have not managed?

MT = In Italy I was lucky enough to work with many great artists, I would have liked to have more Pino Daniele, it was the most beautiful production that ever existed on the Italian market. If you talk to me about the international market, that’s another matter.

Pino was the best, his concerts were really all live, he had few recorded sequences.

Torpedine 03

S = Of all the artists you have had, humanly, who is the biggest asshole?

MT = Who has read the book and who follows all my controversies in recent years knows it, is only the artist Zucchero.
The others behaved well, I have nothing to say to Bocelli, to Giorgia, we had a working relationship and then it ended, but I could not say anything about it.

I have been with Il Volo for 11 years, in short, the only one who humanly disappointed me is only Zucchero, luckily like him, there are not many of them, this is an environment where someone still thanks you.

S = In your book you say that no artist has ever thanked you.

MT = It is the vice of the environment, but not everyone is like that, as always, there are intelligent people and others who instead have no sensitivity, or have no memory, because they are greedy of fame.

S = Do you have to say thanks to someone?

MT = Yes. You must know that in the beginning, when I played (he was drummer) I needed money, the whole family was poor, indeed very poor, and when I started playing, my father beat me, because playing, especially in the south, it was not considered a real job, it was wasting time and I had to go to work at 12/13 years of age, otherwise there was no money to eat.

Fortunately then, I started playing for Orietta Berti (Italian singer), and I started to bring home some money. She was the first to trust me, I did a little bit of everything with her and she said that I could be a manager.

Then I went to work for Gino Paoli (Italian singer) and he told me if, in addition to playing, I wanted to take care of him, and with these two characters my life changed.

From a life of total misery, I went to a good time.

(Michele receives a call and the connection jumps, then he reconnects.)

Torpedine 04

A = In fact I thought that, with Gino Paoli, first you only played and then instead you became his manager.

MT = Yes, in fact, I suggested to Gino to take a tour with Vanoni (Italian female singer), at the beginning they didn’t want because there was a love story between them, then they accepted and it was a great success, a very successful tour, and we made a lot of money and my life changed.

A = I personally met Lucio Dalla (author of Caruso) and I think he was one of the few who remained the same, despite the notoriety.

MT = Yes, it’s true, moreover he lived in Bologna like me, and we met often, because we were friends, but also because he lived the city, he didn’t live a retreat, where nobody could meet him, often you met him in the shops, in bars.

S = If you met fifteen year old Michele Torpedine, what would you say to him?

MT = It is a question that many ask me, but, despite those were the most terrifying years for me, because I only took the beating, we ate little and lived five in a room, but it is the period that I remember, as more absolutely beautiful, so I would tell myself to do the same things again, even if I suffered. 

Everything I do, I think back to that first period and for me it is a great victory.

Yesterday on RAI1 the recording of the 2015 IL VOLO concert was broadcast and the boys made high audience, they won the audience of the evening, and for me, this is as if I were doing it for the first time.

S = What you are proud of, but you would never put on your resume.

MT = It is difficult to answer because I am proud of everything I have done and for now everything has gone very well, so there is nothing that I would eliminate.

A = I would like to ask you a question relating to live concerts.
Is there a concert you would like to do in an important location, and with whom?
I remember that with Zucchero you did the concert in the Kremlin.

MT= With Il Volo, next year we will do something for the first time in Piazza S. Pietro (Vaticano).

I was the first to do a concert in the Kremlin with Zucchero, then with Bocelli I did the concert under the Eiffel Tower and the concert in front of the  Twin Towers, and I made the proposal for the Bocelli concert at the Colosseum, then he and I parted, but he did that concert, and the idea was mine.

I could think of a concert on the Chinese Wall, or on the Moon ….. with Il Volo I made Pompeii.

Torpedine 05

A = If you hadn’t become a manager, what would you have done?

MT = I would have continued to play the drums, also because it is the only thing I can do.

I also wrote it in the book, they made us work as children, I practically didn’t see school, so today I would be doing concerts on some cruise ship or in some place, but anyway with that job, I would always have to eat.

S = Once the girls used to say “Come and see my collection of butterflies.” (like a phrase to attract the girls in the house), now what collection would you show?

MT = Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on the case, I am part of an industry, where girls do not need many incentives for certain moments, however it would be sad to think of using those means, when there are serious people who hopefully have other topics to show.

S = Now Michele I have some stupid questions. Nothing is known of your private life, we want to know if you are married, engaged, divorced …. we want to know your facts. Always ask you about the guys from Il Volo, but tell us about yourself. Did you ever say I LOVE YOU?

MT = Very few times.

(Michele reads a message)

A message from the president of Sony has arrived at this moment: “The boys don’t miss a beat.” 

(certainly referring to the consensus of audience that had the concert on RAI1)

Everyone has his point of view with women, I am now elderly and still single, unfortunately I have a negative attitude with women, I have little confidence in them, perhaps because most women in our environment are very “easy”, there are many temptations, and they are unable to be faithful, and I do not respect this type of woman and I am afraid to put such a woman in my house, in fact I was single. I am a southern man and would be very disappointed if my woman cheated on me, I am also jealous, and when I am on tour around the world, I cannot control the situation at home.

Torpedine 06

S = But don’t you miss something in your life?

MT = It is clear, I miss a woman and a son, especially a son.
I miss going home in the evening and finding the family waiting for you.

But I have too many examples near me of unfortunate friends who have not found the right woman or have had divorces and I think it could happen to me too, so I avoid. I have my adventures and then it ends.

S = You like being the sex symbol.

MT = Maybe!! I am a sex symbol for those women who want to start singing or dancing in our environment, but if I were a delivery boy, it would be much harder for me.

 A = How do you see the situation of the concerts, in this moment of virus?

MT = I see it badly, unfortunately, but it is the same for everyone. Luckily in America we only lost 3 concerts, now in August we will have two dates at the Arena and Taormina then Milan, but we will certainly move them to spring 2021. By now this year it will be difficult to do something live.

S = I keep asking you silly questions. Do you watch porn movies?

MT = No, I don’t watch them because they bore me, in the end they are all the same. Look, I always tell the truth and I have to tell you that I have been to Cuba four times and I have never taken advantage of situations, I saw the colleagues who were with me going back and forth from the hotel, I never did it because I didn’t I like to take advantage of this, it’s horrible.

S = How important is sex in a relationship?

MT = A lot and being able to have a person by your side, that involves you is very important.

Final chat and goodbyes!!

Torpedine 07

I enjoyed reading about Michele and I think he really gets “naked” in the interviews.

He has really had very difficult years and surely regrets not having his own child. Maybe that’s why he always said that he considers Ignazio, Gianluca and Piero as his children!!

Did you like the interview?

Daniela

Credit to owners of all photos and video.

INTERVIEW WITH THE DRUMMER OF IL VOLO by Daniela

On YouTube, this video was published which I found very interesting.

It is an interview, but also a report, made with Il Volo drummer, Bruno Farinelli.

The interview actually deals with highlighting the job of a drummer on a tour and therefore I will skip overly technical notions.  At some point the interview also extends to the master Gianpiero Grani.

I found the video very nice, also to find out a bit about the background of an Il Volo concert.

Enjoy the reading!

At the beginning of the video, the interviewer says he would have liked to have a long interview with Bruno Farinelli, the drummer who played for Il Volo during the World Tour, but since the virus intervened, he had to change his plans and asked Bruno to do reports from where they were playing.

The first question he asked Bruno was to tell about this experience of a great world tour with Il Volo around the world.

Bruno replies that it is a fantastic tour that started, speaking of the Italian part, from Matera, with the PBS Special, which was followed by the Latin American part of the tour, starting from Mexico and they had to take 42 planes in two months.

The interviewer asks Bruno if the set (for the sound) has brought him with him or if each time he has to play on a different one, and if he has had surprises, or if everything went well.

Bruno says I’m in San Diego, with six concerts left at the end of this wonderful American tour.

He says the set (of drums) is extremely simple and they found it there in America. He details all the drums and cymbals, and then says that the cymbals were brought directly from Italy. He says that the real news for him, on this tour, was the introduction of the iPad for reading the songs.

Off-camera we hear the voice of Alessio Guerrieri, stage manager, who in turn explains the connections with the drums and the details requested by Farinelli.

The interviewer asks if they are traveling in America on a tour bus and asks to show if they are really comfortable as told.

Drummer 01

Bruno shows the inside of the bus, he says it is like a huge camper, but much more beautiful. He says that the beds are very comfortable and that they have Wi-Fi and all possible and imaginable comforts on board and says, “This is our wonderful traveling home.”

The interviewer says that they have been in wonderful places, famous stages and asks to show some photos of those stages and says that he is very envious of this.

Bruno shows the Microsoft Theater, Bruno says it’s a wonderful view and in the evening there will be 4,500 full seats, and it’s a really nice theater.

Guitarist Andrea Morelli is asked what he and Gianluca were talking about and he replies that they were talking about a CD by John Mayer who shot the video in that theater.

Bruno shows other panoramas of two other stages: Indio and Laval.

Then, he shows a rehearsal with the orchestra made by the master Grani.

He says it is a very important moment, because moving from state to state, they always meet new orchestras to which Giampero must give all the directives before the concert. The master has about a couple of hours to try all the songs. Clearly the orchestra has already received all the songs before, however the rehearsals are a decisive and important moment (Bruno speaks softly so as not to disturb the rehearsals).

The interviewer asks Bruno that, although they are a band, they must also play with the orchestras of the various cities and asks to explain how the whole ensemble works.

Drummer 02

The answer is given by the master Grani.

His role is not easy, because he is the pianist and the musical director of the tour, so he has a lot of work and responsibility.

Grani says that the work starts long before the concert, because he has to send all the songs to be played to the orchestra.

He has the entire archive of Il Volo songs and has also the archive of both the band and the orchestra. He says they have to be very organized, because in America they have very tight times for soundcheck, he only has one hour for rehearsals and they absolutely must be done at that time, because otherwise there are fines.

The parts of the orchestra are sent much earlier and delivered to a contact person. This year they also noted the performance variations directly on the parts, and at the end of the concert the sheets of the parts (sheet music) are recovered to be used for the next concert.

During the day of the concert, in addition to taking care of the parts, the band and connecting with the artists, he comes first to organize the work with the orchestras and see the repertoire which is vast because there are 26 songs. So he arrives and has an hour of time to tell the orchestra the basics, and try the more complicated pieces.

Grani says that he arrives before the others to try the more difficult songs – NESSUN DORMA, GRANADA, NO PUEDE SER, MARIA, MATTINATA, CORE N’GRATO – then communicates with the camera men the concert schedule and names the songs of the most classic repertoire which are also the most difficult to perform and film.

During the concert Grani does more things, plays the piano, follows all parts of the orchestra, he with the microphone, communicates with the artists (Piero, Ignazio and Gian), with the band, with the orchestra and with the stage manager, Alessio Guerrieri.

As soon as he rehearses with the orchestra, he arrives on stage, makes the soundcheck with the band, then the orchestra arrives and then they make the soundcheck all together, band, orchestra and artists.

The soundcheck is very fast, because there is little time, but everything is very well organized.

Maestro Grani shows that he uses the iPad, and says it is an indispensable thing, because on his iPad he has all the versions of the songs, those for the band, those for the orchestra, those for him and those for the director. He also has the parts of other Il Volo songs that the boys could change at the last minute, for example he says that Gianluca asked to replace a song that day and this also happens when the concert changes and they prefer to perform certain songs rather than others. Therefore if all these parts of songs were still in sheet music form there would be hundreds of sheets to carry.

The interviewer asks Maestro Grani what characteristics the drummer of the band must have.

Grani replies that playing for Il Volo means having many different styles, we go from pop to classic, so the first thing is versatility and then the ability to adapt to things that are often sudden and all this along always guaranteeing a very high level.

The skill of the drummer, who is very important in pop songs, is in knowing how to follow the other songs with elegance.

Drummer 03

Now bass player Pier Mingotti is asked, what he expects from a drummer who plays with you on a tour like this.

He replies that he expects a great musicality, not only the technique.

The guitarist Andrea Morelli says that he is interested in a drummer who loves playing with him, he does not care for an individualist.

The bassist says that the Il Volo concerts are more difficult than others, because each verse is different and therefore the songs must be memorized well. 

Even the drummer agrees and says that for them at the beginning it was a challenge, but they are satisfied because they are already at 54 concerts, but it was not easy and together they remember the first “SMILE” saying it was hard !!

In fact, even the guitarist says that it is very difficult for him to follow the part, at a certain point, he doesn’t even look at the iPad anymore, but looks at his companions and plays following the music and the hands of the master.

Then he tells about the difficulty he has with the guitars, which are his, when they encounter very different climates, therefore he has to make some very important adjustments, but everything is part of the game.

Drummer 04

The interviewer, asks our drummer a wonderful question, asks what this tour was like on a human level, since he has already worked at high levels, but Italian artists who travel all over the world are very few.

Farinelli replied that it was a fantastic experience, there were no inconveniences, he said that unlike an Italian tour, you have to have great physical-food attention for yourself, try to sleep as much as possible and eat healthy, because it is a physical need, having to travel across time zones.

Then he shows a hotel gym, saying they start their days there.

Last thing, Farinelli wants to explain the diversity between his cymbals …………. but Ignazio intervenes – he, seeing that they are interviewing Farinelli, says that nothing he is saying is true !! (he jokes)

Farinelli, amused, says to him, “Ignazio there are two cases, either you sign me the release or you ruined this 16 minutes of my interview”.

Ignazio puts his hands in his hair and immediately says: “I’ll sign you the release.”

Farinelli laughs and says that this is the best summary of the climate they have during this tour …. Ignazio still intervenes saying that he wants at least 45% and Farinelli, always laughing, says that they give him at least 50% and says that yesterday he and Ignazio played tennis, and says the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic.

He says this is the classic tour you dream about when thinking about America – touring, seeing beautiful places, together with people who you like and know very well.

Thanks and final greetings.

Drummer 05

Personally, I found this interview very interesting, but as I am very curious, I went to Bruno Farinelli’s Facebook page and found many of his really nice little posts and I wanted to share them with you.


Sonic Ranch Studio Complex !!! EL PASO!
This place on the border between the United States and Mexico is indescribable.
Six connected studios equipped with all the best you could wish for in an atmosphere that is a color bath! A sensational place where anyone would like to register !!
A “Travel Day”
Really out of the ordinary, a unique experience !!!

Drummer 06

Drummer 07

SHOW # 13! FORT LAUDERDALE (MIAMI) ….. a unique emotion to play for 7,000 people at the BB&T Center !! It was particularly exciting for the presence of my friend and colleague John Favicchia, but also for the presence, in the first rows, clearly visible from my position, of the very l, very great GLORIA ESTEFAN!

Drummer 08

Show # 9! This is the FOX THEATER with its 4,000 seats.

It is one of the most enchanting theaters in America, perhaps the most beautiful
Theater I’ve ever played in!

It was exciting to think how many artists have performed from this stage !!!
….. and now we leave for Chicago !!

Drummer 09

DETROIT! This is Motown’s Studio A! It is incredible to think how much wonderful music has been made in this room, with the microphones hanging from the ceiling (mostly in 4 tracks) and the hole in the ceiling for the reverberation (impossible to photograph it, it was not allowed).

The Temptations, the Supremes, Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder ….. these are some of the artists who started here!

And tonight the Fox Theater awaits us !!

Drummer 10

This was Radio City Music Hall !!

A fantastic night in a city that I love to die for !! In front of 6,000 wonderful people!
I swear to you that from the stage it is a unique emotion !!!

Goodbye New York ❤️

Drummer 11

A typically New York evening:

Let’s go to Greenwich Village to see some shows. How beautiful Greenwich is and my friend Mary rightly thinks of stopping a passerby to capture the moment in front of the Smalls.

Nobody passes …… here is a gentleman …Sorry would you take a picture” ….. “sorry, but do you play the guitar? “…” sorry, but you are Peter Bernstein?”(one of my heroes, an incredible guitarist)

He is surprised, we talk a little bit about Italy, about our tour, and he tells me that his son is called Bruno.
…. And I tell him that my son is named Pietro.

“I hope to play 4 measures with you Peter,” I tell him when I take my leave …… “We hope to play a whole piece,” … he tells me ….. this is NEW YORK.
And tonight we play at Radio City Music Hall !!! ….

I wonder how many times I will still be in a room before going to sleep to thank this wonderful thing called MUSIC! ❤️

Drummer 12

I read that Michele Torpedine had personally contacted Bruno Farinelli. I remind everyone that Torpedine is a good drummer, but I believe that after you have read this you will have noticed how important the human side also is during the tour of the boys. In fact, Farinelli himself, says in the video that the band was chosen also considering their socialization ability, so as to create together a nice group, that works a lot, but also has fun while in each other’s company. 

And we like this very much.😉

Daniela 

 

Credit to owners of all photos and video.

IGNAZIO to RED RONNIE by Daniela

Ignazio’s participation in Red Ronnie (Barone Rosso) was really nice.

He was also connected with Lidia Schillaci and Nico Arezzo.

Their performances were beautiful and Red was very happy to have them as guests.

Red = I can’t wait to start this live. There will be many guests tonight. The first person I share contact with is Ignazio Boschetto from Il Volo. (here Red asks to share the live broadcast, and makes a long speech that the internet is trying to limit the connections and he is against this thing.) Then he says that Ignazio has joined the live, also Lidia Schillaci and also Nico Arezzo and then there will be many other guests.

Initial theme plays of the Barone Rosso Solo Flight show.

Red = Let me immediately call Ignazio. He has just returned from a tour, so now let’s see if I can find him ……. “are you there?”

I = Maybe, I’m here.

Red = Here you are, listen to Ignazio, will we call your friends immediately?

I = As you wish, yes.

Red = We start first with the young ladies and so with Lidia.

“Are you Lidia?, wait because Ignazio was vertical.
(Ignazio turns the video horizontally), well that’s better.

Meanwhile Ignazio, welcome back from your tour.

I = This time I don’t have the chance to break anything (he refers to the first time Il Volo was with Red Ronnie and Ignazio broke the juke box.)

Red = In fact, the juke box, it is still here and still suffering, if I put a record in, it does not go and you know why.
(Ignazio laughs). Maybe it’s better if you stand vertical, so Nico is there too. (Ignazio returns to vertical). While I call Nico, explain to me why your friends are involved, are they only Sicilians?

I = No, there is nothing patriotic, it is a question of relationships, with Lidia there is a great friendship that binds us and with Nico, there is a friendship but also a working relationship, because as you know, we are preparing Nico’s CD and I can’t say anything anymore because he’s here.

N = I’m here, I arrived on time.

Red = Let’s explain well, where are you, from Sicily, Ignazio?

I = I was born in Bologna, but my family and in any case my Sicilian house that I have is in Marsala.

Red = Lidia instead you are from Palermo?

L = I am from Trapani, born in Palermo but I live in Trapani, from Castellammare del Golfo and then I live around Italy.

Red = Is Nico from Ragusa instead?

N = Yes, I’m from Ragusa, Ragusano, point down (in the sense the lowest point of Sicily)

Red = So we have Sicily, here, of the excellence of Sicily. Lidia I have to tell you one thing, I saw that you are on all platforms, even periscope, because your friend was responsible for periscope, and she is also called like you.

L = Livia, her name is Livia and not Lidia. (Lidia’s image appears) I was doing these crazy live shows, but now I have stopped, now I’m more on Facebook.

(Finally there is the image of all three.)

Red = Now all three of you are here, stay in that exact position because you are at the center of the image.

N = But is it okay horizontal?

Red = Okay, now you are all vertical because Ignazio dictated the rule

I = But I have the phone like this.

Red = But you could turn it.

I = I did, but then you said to go back vertical.

Red = Okay that’s fine, you all are so beautiful.
Listen Ignazio, let’s start from Il Volo, how did it go in America?

I = It went very well, we were lucky enough to bring the tour almost to the end, we only canceled three concerts. Without talking about what happened in the end, we had a lot of fun, because it was already a year and a half, two, that we were not returning to America, and it was nice to come back with the tenth anniversary, because we celebrated 10 years. However, we are used to taking nothing for granted, and receiving people’s affection in that way, after 10 years, has been surprising.

Red = And after that you came back, you had the greatest contrast, a tour in America and then armored in the house.

I = Think what luck (ironic).

Red = It went well because you have almost finished the American tour.

I = We canceled the last concerts, when the decree arrived, which canceled flights to and from Italy, we looked each other in the eye and we said to each other, we have people who work with us and have families, small children, it is it’s just that we make a serious decision and go home.

And that was it.

Red = How many dates have you canceled?

I = Three

Red = And how many dates have you had?

I = About twenty.

Red = How did you meet Lidia?

I = I remember Lidia, when I was a child, at the time of “Operazione Trionfo” (Star Academy talent show), and I was extremely in love with her voice, obviously and I don’t go further because it would be obvious.

After years, we met personally through a mutual friend, guitarist, right? (Lidia nods), Gino De Vita, in Sicily and so this friendship was born.

Red = But will you do things together?

I = We have already done something.

Red = But something more substantial, now let’s see something, because you sent me some wonderful videos. At two in the morning the videos arrived, I downloaded them and I thought, now I go to bed and then tomorrow I watch them and instead I started to watch them, beautiful, with a fantastic technique, besides, very beautiful. I don’t like to make people sing live, because in the end, there is no synchronization, the audio is bad etc., instead your videos are spectacular. (certainly all Ignazio’s work)

L = Ignazio is very good, he does the editing, he does everything , it’s crazy,  I have to say it’s all thanks to him.

Red = Having had him in my studio, I don’t know how he does things without breaking something though …….. Lidia and Nico, you must know that when Il Volo came here, he went to the Juke Box and started to push and remove at the same time, the buttons …… Lidia you are gone, what have you done? (there is no longer Lidia’s image)

L = But do you hear me at least? Maybe it’s my connection, I try again.

Red = You are there, you are there. Ok. No, you went away again.

N = Red, as soon as you spoke of Ignazio who breaks everything, the connection was automatically dropped.

Red = But do you see the coincidences? I said “Ignazio who breaks” and immediately see what happened !! (everyone laughs)

Here you are Lidia ….. no you are no longer there.

Wait until I attract positive energy: “Ignazio doesn’t break anything, Ignazio is a good boy, Ignazio brings Lidia back in connection …….”

I = But what have I got to do with it ???

(Lidia’s image comes and goes.)

Red = So Nico, I was telling you that Ignazio came here and started pounding the buttons on the juke box, like a computer …. tac tac tac …. and the juke box went haywire. They have already come twice to fix it ….. today I reminded Ignazio of this and he said “reset”, but it is not a computer !!!!

That juke box is from 1956.

N = I saw you in the next phase, (means the second episode of Il Volo da Red), when you had already placed the prohibition signs for Ignazio.

Red = But look, I didn’t put those signs, it was my staff.

I = There is Lidia doing ping pong (Lidia’s image appears and disappears)

L = I don’t know what to say, I don’t stay connected.

Red = I take advantage of it to put up one of your videos, I will put up ENDLESS LOVE ?? What do you want to hear?

I = As you want, if you want to put a song made by all three WHAT FOR FRIENDS ARE FOR.

Red = Yes a song made by all three. Look at the technique, I don’t know how Ignazio did it, in my opinion there is some dwarf who works or some worker who does everything for him.

It’s a beautiful song, are Ignazio Boschetto, Lidia Schillaci and Nico or Nico Arezzo?

N = For today Nico Arezzo.

Red = Not for today, it must be forever. OK, then WHAT THE FRIENDS ARE FOR, Nico Arezzo, Lidia Schillaci and that wretched one !! (everyone laughs)

Red = How nice guys. I don’t know how you did Ignazio, you were really good, I must say that it’s done in an incredible way.

I = But it’s simple ….

Red = How simple, how do you do it?

I = It’s simple, I make my video, then Nico does his, Lidia his part and then I assemble everything.

Red = I hear your voice coming and going.
Even Nico, feels bad, I do something, I call everyone back, let’s see if it works.
I will call Ignazio back.

I = Can you hear me?

Red = of course I hear you.
(Ignazio appears with the golden tapir in his hand, which is given here when there is a situation of particular embarrassment.)

I = As the best phone call of recent times !!! (Red laughs loudly, amused)

Red = But when was it given it to you?

I = When there was the history of the hotel.

Red = It’s true, when they invented that you had destroyed the hotel. Also this story, in your career. Wait I add, first Nico, that we are sure he has a good connection …… nice tapir ….

I = Yes, one never thinks of receiving it, but it is cool.

N = Here I am.

Red = Here you are, Nico and we also call Lidia, but where does she connect from ???

I = She is in Sicily.

Red = She’s in Sicily, that’s why the connection is hard. Here is Lidia.

L = Do you see me?

Red = Yes, here are all three. Listen Lidia, but where are you now in Palermo?

L = I’m in Castellammare del Golfo, do you know these areas? In short, San Vito lo Capo, these areas here, are beautiful.

Red = Do you know that I have never come to San Vito lo Capo? I was hoping to come this year with the festival, with a project, but then it didn’t go well, so …….

I = I invite you.

Red = Why are you down (in Sicily) in the summer?

I = Always, I always spend August in Sicily.

L = See you all, this summer, come to visit us, Red.

N = Sorry, we make a midpoint.

I = Sorry, you come to Marsala, we all meet in Marsala.

Red = Yes, then maybe we will cross the sea and go to Favignana or …….

I = Favignava is in front of my house, so …..

Red = Now I am sending another video of yours, because the songs you have made are very beautiful, but the concept is this, since your collaboration is very beautiful, as soon as the borders reopen (intended as the quarantine ends), as soon as they let us leave the house I wait for you here.

I = Of course.

Red = You should have already come, in the last episode (of the Barone Rosso) available before you went to America, only that I was already full of guests and instead I wanted to give you the necessary time.

So, Ignazio we all know him, Lidia, you did OPERAZIONE TRIONFO, so Ignazio saw you too, then what did you also do?

L = I was on tour for a long time, I was on tour for a few years with Ramazzotti and others and then I have dedicated myself to many things, soundtracks, I have written a lot. I did TALE E QUALE SHOW (she played a copy of Lady Gaga, very good), and now I’m in the process of processing, and writing.

Red = But does Ignazio also have something to do with your project or not?

L = No, I don’t know.

I = I have something to do with friendship, we give each other advice.

L = Exactly, I’m working on my own. I am writing many things, let’s see what happens.

Red = You Nico instead, you did XFACTOR, if I’m not mistaken.

N = Yes, Xfactor from three years ago, I think.

Red = And then you did Sanremo Young.

N = Yes, last December, therefore more recent.

Red = But did you show up with your own song? Or didn’t they let you do your own song?

N = Yes, a song of mine that I wrote about two years ago at the beginning of my writing phase. I introduced myself and …. we chose this song because it was the one I felt the most and therefore it was the right one.

Red = Now I would like to put up a video, what do I put up Ignazio?

I = What you want.

Red = But they are all beautiful …. there is Shallow with you and Lidia (Red mispronounces Shallow, and the three laugh a lot, because as pronounced by Red it seems a forbidden thing.)

I = Put ENDLESS LOVE

Red = Wow, Ignazio I want to know what the word means, you could explain it with words spoken well?

I = I am a lively, spontaneous boy, but I have a certain dignity, so I don’t say it, and you go look for vocabulary. (everyone laughs)

Red = Let’s give some dignity.

I = Let’s hear the song. (laughs)

Red = Watch how they laugh, shut up I put the video.
ENDLESS LOVE Ignazio and Lidia Schillaci.

(after returning from the video, Red’s voice is not heard)

I = Let’s say that after this video a particular love was born between me and Lidia.

L = Yes, incredible.

I = A crazy professional love, there is a great esteem between me and Lidia.

L = But the esteem has always been there.

Red = I forgot to turn on my microphone.

I = So?

Red = So, nothing, I’m doing some chaos.

I = I know that I made you anxious.

Red = Look, when I deal with Ignazio, I sweat. Even when he arrived with Il Volo at the Red Ronnie studio, I expected him to sit down to the piano, instead he immediately went to the drums. Luckily Torpedine was there and took him away.

Listen Ignazio, what does it mean that your love for Lidia was born, does it mean that you will make children together?

I = No, no, only that professional love was born.
You know, when I came from America, I thought what I can do, to be close to the people who follow us and who love us? And I thought about making videos, but I thought it would be fantastic to do something like a collaboration, a duet, something …. and I immediately thought of Lidia. Because thinking about ENDLESS LOVE I thought that Lidia was perfect , and she immediately made herself available, just as when we thought of What The Friends Are For, Nico made himself available immediately.

All this has been done to give a message of hope, to remain close to the people who are forced, like all of us, to stay at home, to live a life they were not used to.

Red = But, what to say Ignazio, that with this speech, you made sense of this live?
Now I’m serious too.

I = Wait for me to turn the page to the talk. (jokes)

N = Do you know that I have never felt Ignazio so serious?

Red = But neither did I, in fact, amaze me, because he has an incredible ability, because he is from Il Volo, the funny boy, the jester of the three, then, this guy here, seats on the piano, he sings and you think but is he the same person that was around here before?  Because he is completely transformed. It’s a crazy thing, understand?

I = I can say, singing is a little like making love, when one makes love it’s like entering another world and for me, singing is the same thing.

L = He enters another dimension, understand Red?

Red = You Ignazio, you told me that, with Nico you started your own project, your label.

I = Yes, we have been talking about this for a long time with Torpedine. In our group everyone has roles and certainly Piero and Gianluca are the ones a little closer to Michele for some decisions, I too say my opinion, but I always give my ok. I do the recording studio part more, I play. It’s been a while since we’ve talked with Michele about doing something, producing guys. We had started with a girl named Shari, but then we took different paths, we were busy doing other things, so it was a mess.

Then, the other two (Piero and Gian) said that they were not so interested, instead I wanted to have my record label, and so I told Michele that I would like to produce Nico, who had already been seen by Michele and Ciotti (Il Volo press office manager) and so Floki Production was born.

Red = What does FLOKI mean?

I = Floki is a Viking character, he was a ship builder, so behind Floki there is the genius of the builder and also hope ……. and then why Nico and I are passionate about the TV series that  is on Netflix, where there is Floki.

Red = Here is the reason.

I = Now I tell you, Nico has been waiting for a long time to go out with the new CD, we had to go out in May …. what could have happened ??? World pandemic !!!

N = You must know that I had had several projects, which for one thing or another had never started, now this year finally in early January, we closed ourselves in the studio every day and at the end we already had the CD. We wanted to publish it for May then it was ready and we wanted to anticipate and instead ….. the decree of the pandemic. Maybe it was all, because the album  was supposed to come out.

L = Too bad all this.

Red = In my opinion it is a pandemic-juke box, which has come at the right time.

Ignazio, there are a lot of people, from Salvador, Brazil, Morocco, Miami, Rome.

I = But what is behind you – the mask of THE PAPER HOUSE?

Red = Yes, I also have a sweatshirt, I’m a friend of Helsinki, I did an interview with him in Venice, very beautiful, it’s on my Facebook.

I = I tell you the truth, when it all started (his career) for a young age, I didn’t know you, then when I did some research I discovered everything, but the pinnacle, for me, was seeing you with Pavarotti and Bono, in the film by Pavarotti.

Red = But you know that critics have criticized that documentary but they say that’s that is the most important part. I haven’t seen it yet.

I = They do it on Monday it seems to me.

Red = Where?

I = I don’t remember, but on the main TV channels.

Red = Then I see it. One day, Ignazio, you and I go to dinner and I’ll tell you everything, because they are good adventures, understand?

I = Absolutely.

Red = So, I salute you, I hope you will come here when you can. Nico, I hope your CD comes out soon.
Tell me Ignazio.

I = Do we say goodbye with the medley made with Nico?

Red = Yes, do you want to teach me how to make TV? I don’t teach you to make songs.

I = Also because it is better not.

Red = No, I’m out of tune …..  greetings also from Bolivia, from America …..

I = Do you know how this medley was born with Nico? Because when there is a certain type of music …. even with Lidia, we love Pino and then we decided to do a 4/5 minute medley of Pino Daniele.

Red = This medley is amazing. I greet you, you have an appointment here. Lidia, you are very good, and then you and Ignazio are well together, he looks like D’Artagnan and you sweeten things a little.
Nico, a question, in Pino Daniele’s medley, you play the guitar, but do you really play it then?

N = Yes

Red = Good.

I = He plays very well, like it was from God, heavenly.

Red = Ignazio greetings from Detroit, Mamma Mia, what a great success Il Volo has had.

I = We have been so lucky and it is nice to bring our culture.

Red = Ignazio is no luck.

I = Also

Red = Luck does not exist, remember, they are always merits.

I greet you guys, I love you.

I + L + N = Final goodbyes.

Red = I put this video, which I find amazing, is a medley of Pino Daniele.

I must also say this that, when there was a tribute to Pino Daniele, made at the stadium in Naples, Il Volo’s participation was criticized, in reality, as Pino Daniele sings, Ignazio, I believe that nobody sings it like this.
I don’t say it because I have him here, live, but because it is reality, because he is simply magical.

This is a Medley, with QUANDO – QUANDO PIOVE – CHE MALE C’E’.

Red Ronnie 01

Below, instead, I publish the video of the song that Nico presented in December at Sanremo Young.

The title of his song was “VOLO”.

And here the magical interpretation of Lidia Schillaci TALE E QUALE, after which every singer had to imitate a famous singer.

Very good Lidia who imitates Lady Gaga.

I must say that here too there is a lot of talent and skill.

Very beautiful both the duet and the trio, and then Pino Daniele medley, really strong.

Lidia you have a beautiful voice and Nico you have many skills.

Ignazio you are a boy who has many facets, you know how to be funny, but also serious, you are bright and romantic and you also have an entrepreneurial soul.

What can we say again, we wish everyone a lot of luck for your projects.

Daniela

Red Ronnie 02

 

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.

PIERO AND A JOKE ON IGNAZIO by Daniela

Our Piero, a few days ago, woke up with the desire to make a joke on someone.

And who could it be, if not poor Ignazio ???

P = Igna, do me a courtesy ….. since Marta from the Press Office called me, and I had to do a video interview, you can do it, which I took this morning ….. I fell asleep …..

I = (Ignazio is very amazed, but he still hasn’t realized what happens, he doesn’t see Piero entirely).

Can you ask Gianluca to do it? Today I have to finish one thing.

P = No, Ignazio, Gianluca cannot. I fell asleep in the sun this morning.

(At this point Piero shows his face, greets Igna with his hand. Ignazio says an exclamation, then and Ignazio’s face is a mixture of amazement and concern 😁)

I put aloe vera ….. (Ignazio doesn’t know what to say, he’s open-mouthed) …. and now my skin is burning, it’s burning me.

I= But why can’t Gianluca?

P = I don’t know, Igna, in your opinion, with aloe vera, it passes.

I = Yes, yes, it must pass. Damn I had to finish one thing.

P = It is important.

I = Who is it with? (the interview)

P = Bho, I don’t know what to do. (Piero laughs, and bring his face closer)

I = Why are you laughing? (observes Piero’s face) But you are crazy.

P = I don’t know what to do “cumpa” (word in Sicilian dialect that is addressed to a friend). I have all scrapes.

I = Of course. But did you wear sunscreen?

P = The oil.

I = Then the oil reacted to you.

P = Sure !!! Good this face mask that I put, I recommend it.

(Piero laughs but Ignazio has not yet understood but begins to suspect).

I = But are you taking me for the bottoms ??? (big laugh by Piero) “Che facisti”. (Sicilian dialect to say “what have you done?”)

P = It’s the face mask. (keep laughing)

I = Bip Bip Bip  (series of censored words)  But is it a face mask?

P = Yes

I = You made me “scantare” (Sicilian word to say frighten). Cretin

P = Bye, bye, I love you!!

I = Bye.

😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

Piero Burn 01

Piero Burn 02

Piero Burn 03

Piero Burn 04

Piero Burn 05

On Sunday there was a call between Piero and Anastacia. I think you all know the good singer Anastacia.

Their dialogue is very beautiful, and this time no translation is needed, but for those who haven’t seen it, here is the video.

At the beginning Piero says: “Hi everyone, how are you and happy Sunday. Today is a beautiful sunny day. Today I will do a live with a special friend that you all know, but many do not know the human side of this fantastic woman, we have been friends for a long time and I wanted to share a Sunday chat with you. Many know who I’m talking about, here she is” :

 

Really interesting what was said by Piero and Anastacia, and as I’m curious, I went to look for the video of Budapest where Piero said he lost his voice. 

Poor Piero, in the first verse, Ignazio came to his aid, and more ahead,  played only the orchestra. Who knows what fear Piero had, and here it is the video:

And here is a video of a performance at the Arena di Verona, by IL VOLO and ANASTACIA.

Really fun.

Ignazio’s face was an open book, with his faces.

But be careful Piero, Ignazio will surely devise a way to return the joke to you. 

Very nice live between Anastacia and Piero, two good artists.

Daniela

 

Credit to owners of all photos and videos.