Gianni Mocchetti

Gianni Mocchetti
Birth name Gianfranco Mocchetti
Born (1947-05-12)12 May 1947
Legnano, Italy
Died 28 January 2013(2013-01-28) (aged 65)
Como, Italy
Genres Beat, experimental, progressive rock, pop rock
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist
Instruments Guitar, bass guitar
Years active 1965–present
Labels Ricordi, CGD, Metronome, Lira, Giungla, BMG Ricordi, Spintapes
Associated acts Franco Battiato

Gianfranco Mocchetti, also known as Gianni Mocchetti, (31 May 1947 - 28 January 2013) was an Italian singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.[1]

Career

Mocchetti began playing the guitar with beat groups and formed the group crystals fragile, with Gianfranco D'Adda on drums and percussion and Richard Pirolli on vocals (the latter of whom would later have a solo career under the name Genco Pure & Co.) In the same period he began working as a session musician in the recording studio, playing on records by various artists.

In 1971 the crystals fragile were discovered by Franco Battiato, and with the addition of other musicians, including keyboardist Roberto Cacciapaglia, the group became the Battiatio's support group in the studio and in live performances. Mocchetti also played on the albums of other artists on the Italian "Bla Bla" record label.

When Battiato moved stylistically to a more experimental type of music, Mocchetti decided to start a solo career, and signed a recording contract with the Ricordi record label. In 1978 he participated in the Festivalbar Festival with the song Cantilena, and also performed the song at the Cantagiro in the same year. The following year he participated in the 29th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival with "Talismano nero".

In 1980 Mocchetti returned to the Cantagiro Festival with the song "Un amore in garage". He then adopted the name Methuselah, issuing in 1992 the album Terra di nessuno, and in 1996 formed with Luca Bonaffini the group Cronache, releasing the album Minora.

Affected by a serious family tragedy, Mocchetti was forced to take a break from his musical activities for a few years, but resumed in the new decade by signing with the Spintapes label and recording the 2004 album Beta, in which he reinterpreted every song (apart from "Revolution in the Air") in which he had participated on Battiato's records.

He has often performed with singer Silvia Perlini.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Albums (issued abroad)

CDs

Album anthologies

On other artists' records

Sources

  1. ↑ "Scomparso Gianni Mocchetti storico bassista di Franco Battiato" (in Italian). Musicalnews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
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