Gaudi (musician) - Biography - London - 1995 - Present

Present

In 1995 Gaudi made the decision to move to London where access to a growing international and more groundbreaking music industry would allow him to continue to develop both artistically and professionally.

in 1996 Gaudi set up ‘Metatron Studio London’ which is his current creative HQ as well as the production company ‘Sub Signal’ .

Gaudi was also still exploring the frontiers of his field and wrote and produced a concept album “Sound of Anatomy” under the name ‘Ultraviolet Zero’ with Pauli Atzei.

Gaudi had risen to the challenge of re-establishing himself and in November 1996 he reached No.1 in the UK dance chart with his remix of Cool Jack's “ Jus' come” (AM PM Records) - it was released under the project name ‘Terra Terra’, a collaboration between Gaudi and DJ Angelino. This was followed in 1997 with his remix of English indie band ‘Mansun’s’ track “Taxloss” reaching No.15 in the UK Chart and in 1998 his remix of Peter Andre’s “All about us ” reached No.3 in the UK charts.

All this bought Gaudi recognition for his work as a remixer and in the following years he remixed an impressive line up including: Lamb, Simple Minds, Artful Dodger, Kinobe, Dusted, Trilok Gurtu, 1 Giant Leap, Africa Bambaataa, Apache Indian, Shpongle, Almamegretta, Elisa among others.

In 1997 Gaudi wrote the track ‘Non ti Scrivero’’ for Italian pop star Irene Grandi which featured on her double platinum selling album ‘Per fortuna purtroppo’.

Since 1997 Gaudi has also written and produced soundtracks for TV programs including the “MTV Europe Music Awards 1998”, and music for TV commercials including ones for Sony PlayStation, Longines, Fiat, Seat, Energie, Fiorucci and “ The Express” newspaper amongst others.

In September 1999, after receiving 3 gold discs and 1 silver, Gaudi's third album “Earthbound” (Bustin Loose Recordings) was released worldwide. Earthbound contains a mix of influences ranging from Indian ragas to African chanting and from Jamaican chatting to Italian traditional melodies; it’s one unifying factor being the flavors of reggae and dub. The album featured 39 musicians from around the globe, including Jamaican Ragga artist General Levy, Indian singers Kiren Sambhi and Sonal Varsani, Sardinian voice virtuoso Tenores di Neoneli with Trio Cocco, and Antonio Testa who provided the track “ Stalagmite”, which was recorded in a cave playing natural stalagmites.

Earthbound gave Gaudi worldwide sales recognition and the exposure led to many tracks appearing on various compilations. The album ‘Earthbound in Dub’ was also released later that year on Sub Signal.

In 2000 Gaudi spent time in Africa in Burkina Faso experiencing for himself the lifestyles and culture of the indigenous communities; for Gaudi it was a profound experience personally; his connections with many talented musicians and the subsequent recordings that he made out there were the catalyst for his next album ‘Bass, Sweat & Tears’.

2000 also saw the beginning of an important collaboration between Gaudi and DJ Pathaan, one of the biggest exponents on the World music scene at that time. Together they created ‘Orchestral World Groove’ (OWG), released several tracks for compilations and toured internationally over a four-year period with performing at high profile venues world wide and festivals such as Roskilde (Denmark), Skol Beat (Brazil), The Big Chill and Gatecrasher (England).

Aside from a busy schedule of performances, production and writing, 2001 saw Gaudi getting involved in creating music for films. He remixes the title track for the Italian movie “ Luna Rossa ” (music by Dr Cat (musician), Pier Paolo Polcari and Raiz) by director Sergio Capuano which was presented at Venice film Festival. He also co-wrote tracks for the soundtrack of the movie “ Cuore scatenato ” by director Gianluca Sodaro, with Raiz and Pier Paolo Polcari (two members of Italian cult band Almamegretta) .

Two further movie projects followed in 2002 as Gaudi wrote the soundtracks for “High Speed” by Hollywood director Jeff Jensen and “The Ride” by UK director Andrea Strand . He also wrote the soundtrack for the theatre play “My Beautiful Launderette” by Hanif Kureishi, subsequently released on his Sub Signal label. This year also saw the production of the album “Recreational” (Sub Signal 2002) released under the name “Weirdub” - one of Gaudi’s side projects, this time in collaboration with Dr Cat (musician), Pier Paolo Polcari and featuring bass legend Bill Laswell.

2003 started with Gaudi producing a version of the song “The man who sold the world”, by David Bowie, for historic band Simple Minds. As a result of his work Gaudi then went on to work with Simple Minds front man Jim Kerr on the production and remixing of his single “Innerworld”.

In the summer of 2003 Gaudi put the final touches to his fourth solo album “Bass, Sweat & Tears” - a fusion of dub and nu-beat with a global mix of influences, inspired by native cultures from around the world.

In the summer of 2003 Gaudi collaborated with Italian classical composer Massimo Nunzi on a ground breaking project; the work was a symphonic/jazz interpretation of Shakespeare's “The Tempest” for 20 piece Jazz/Classical orchestra infused with live electronic elements and real-time manipulation. On stage with Gaudi were many of the major exponents of the world jazz scene such as: Gianluigi Trovesi, Mederic Collignon, Gianluca Petrella, Paolo Damiani, Ada Montellanico and Italian pop singer Niccolo Fabi. The Tempest was performed at a high profile concert at the Villa Borghese in Rome and also at the ‘Roccella Jonica Jazz Festival’ in the summer 2003.

With his reputation as a skilled producer and remixer growing and more high profile work taking place both within and out of the studio; 2004 saw Gaudi receive his most prized project to date when he remixed the track "Soul Shake Down Party" by Bob Marley. For a consummate reggae fan such as Gaudi, having the honor of working with the original vocals of an artist such as Marley was an awesome experience.

On the 14th September 2004 Gaudi, in collaboration with French musical inventor Michel Moglia and his unique ‘Fire Organ’, gave a spectacular double performance at the Colosseum, Rome. They performed 'Elemental' - an 'opera of electricity' for Fire Organ and Theremin composed and performed by the duo - to an international audience of more than 350,000.

Gaudi's fourth solo album "Bass, Sweat & Tears", released worldwide by Interchill Records in October 2004, was a huge success and is still today the labels best selling release to date. The album reached number 2 in the iTunes European Chart and number 32 in iTunes US. Tracks from the album are featured in around 40 compilations with 2 film soundtrack licenses having been signed (2 tracks were featured in Pooja Bhatt's Bollywood 'film noir' "Rog" as well as appearing on the official CD soundtrack); One of the tracks 'Sufani' was used in the Indian Film "Fareb" and the track ‘Chant Thermique’ featured on the award winning soundtrack for the film ‘Let it Ride’ about the life of snowboarding legend Craig Kelly.

In 2005 Italian pop star Irene Grandi selected 2 tracks written by Gaudi in a joint project with Riccardo Cavalieri for her album ‘Indelebile’. The track ‘Lasciala Andare’, which became the single for the album, was a huge success reaching no. 7 in the Italian charts and staying in the top 10 for 16 consecutive weeks.

The 2005 'Bass, Sweat & Tears’ summer tour saw Gaudi performing both solo and with his band "Live Dub Laboratory", completing a busy schedule of performances at clubs and festivals around the UK and Europe including Glastonbury, Glade Festival, Rototom Sunsplash, Sonica and Omni festivals.

Later in the same year Gaudi's fifth album CONTINVVM was released: created in collaboration with percussionist and Sound-therapist Antonio Testa, Continuum was a concept album blending experimental electronica with organic elements released worldwide by legendary UK label Em:t Records. The album reached no.3 in the iTunes European Electronic chart.

2006 was kicked off by a great collaborative album release between Gaudi and legendary ambient music producer Pete Namlook; Their album "Re:sonate", combines Pete’s ‘trademark’ lengthy meandering structures and spacey pads with Gaudi’s dub vibes and unique ‘home-grown’ sounds, producing an end result that is both very Namlook and definitely Gaudi at the same time. Recorded at Klanglabor Hodeshof, Germany, in November 2005, it was released worldwide on 23 January 2006 by FAX Records.

As well as his own work Gaudi was also involved in a memorable studio collaboration with dub legend Lee "Scratch" Perry and highly respected producer Dennis Bovell. His role, with fellow producer Charlie Redseal, was in the programming of new drum parts for the remakes of three iconic Bob Marley tracks written by Perry: "Kaya", "Sun Is Shining" and "Punky Reggae Party".

Gaudi’s production and performance skills saw him invited to collaborate on a number of different projects in 2006; He co-wrote and played Melodica, Theremin and Moog on the track ‘Palmprint' by electro-dub duo 'Sounds From The Ground' for their album "High Rising". He also produced and co-wrote the debut solo album of Ashtech "Walkin' Target" which includes 4 tracks featuring the inimitable voice of 'Cheshire Cat' from legendary production team Leftfield.

Gaudi's compilation "Sub Signals vol.1" - a selection of prime dub cuts from a pedigree stable of artists, was released on his label ‘Sub Signal’ in association with Interchill Records in November 2006.

By 2007, with 10 albums to his name, 250 music productions, over 80 remixes and more than 100 compilations featuring his tracks, Gaudi had become an artist and producer in demand. One high profile visitor to Metatron Studio that year was reggae legend Horace Andy who Gaudi recorded for the track ‘Just say who’ which featured, alongside Gaudi’s remix of the same, on Almamegretta’s album ‘Vulgus’. A busy and high profile international tour with performances in Australia, Canada, Russia, US and Europe kept him busy while not in the studio.

Gaudi's own very special album project "Dub Qawwali" featuring the amazing vocals of the 'Pakistan’s premier ambassador of Qawwali music' Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was released worldwide August 2007 by Six Degrees Records. It received massive critical acclaim internationally reaching no.2 in iTunes US Chart, no.4 in the UK and was the no.1 seller in Amazon.com’s Electronic Music section for a period. It also earned him a nomination for the BBC's World Music Awards 2008.

In early 2008 Gaudi lent out his talents in a studio session with the legendary hip hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash, for his single “What if no more hip hop”. Alongside a busy tour schedule, Gaudi returned to Italy in the spring for 4 months to take on the role of 'vocal coach' for the hit TV talent show The X Factor; he worked with the vocal groups category and emerged victorious with his group 'Aram Quartet' winning the show.

2009 started with a return to X Factor for the second series and once again to coach the groups category. It was another successful series with his group 'The Bastard Sons of Dioniso' winning the "critic's award" and their track 'L'amor Carnale' (co-written and produced by Gaudi) reaching no.1 in the Italian charts; Their debut EP also earned Gaudi his 4th Gold Disc. Subsequently, Gaudi also produced their debut album "In Stasi Perpetua" which was released by Sony Music in November 2009. After spending the summer touring America, Canada, UK and Greece, Gaudi returned to Italy again in the autumn for the 3rd series of X Factor where this time his female vocal trio "Yavanna" took 3rd place.

Gaudi’s 12th album 'NO PRISONERS' (feat. Michael Franti, Dub Gabriel, Elisa, Dr. Israel) was released in March 2010 by Six Degrees Records and his subsequent 'No Prisoners World Tour' (which lasted three years) was a big success, with pretty much all the 220 performances sold-out.

2011 began with a heavyweight and ongoing collaboration with UK electronica pioneer Alex Paterson of The Orb, where the pair remixed classic reggae tunes from the Trojan Records catalogue including tracks by Desmond Dekker, The Upsetters and Bob & Marcia among others. Gaudi and Alex Paterson along with musical maverick Chester, have also formed the studio project SCREEN, with the release of their debut album "We are Screen" by UK label Malicious Damage (www.screen.so). Another hi-profile 2011 production was Gaudi's remix work of the project Metallic Spheres, the chart-topping collaboration between The Orb and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. The remix work didn't start and finish there however as amongst others Gaudi also remixed Lamb, Trentemoller, Willie Nelson, Delhi 2 Dublin, Ganga Giri, Animation, Kaya Project, HFB, Adriano K, Noia, Meditronica feat. Raiz, David Harrow, The Orb and Lee Scratch Perry. February 2012 was the release date of the double cd compilation "Everlasting - selected and mixed by Gaudi" (Iboga Records), a selection of electronic cuts by heavyweight music producers including: Tipper, Pete Namlook, System 7, Eat Static, Shpongle & Alan Parson's Project, Trentemoller, Lamb, Mad Professor, The Orb, Tripswitch, Screen, Pitch Black and also Gaudi himself, with his exclusive song "Filling the void”. He also produced the tracks “What I am” and “Nuclear ting” by reggae artist Marty Dread, both appearing on his 2012 album “Sometimes it rains in paradise”.

A tight schedule of music works kept Gaudi very busy in the recording studio throughout 2012, with the production of his new album, the production of the new album by American reggae band “Indubious”, the composition of the track “Pawa 2 da ppl” with Adamski, the remix of psy-trance artist Captain Hook, and the production/songwriting of the tracks “Tonto’s expansions” and “Leather Sexy Dynamite (LSD)”.

A lengthy 2012 tour of the USA, Canada, Europe, India and Australia ended in December with Gaudi performing at The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. New remixes and studio collaborations with Deep Forest, Banco de Gaia, Suns of Arqa, Sizzla, Asian Dub Foundation and Almamegretta started off 2013; and, following on from his successes as a vocal coach on the hit TV show X Factor in previous years, Gaudi took on the role of vocal coach once more but this time for show 'The Voice' (shown on Italian national TV RAI2). For this he worked in partnership with long time friend and colleague Piero Pelú - front man of Italian rock band Litfiba.

Gaudi’s album “In between times” was released worldwide in May 2013 by Six Degrees Records. This reggae / electronica album features many pioneering artists such as Michael Rose (Black Uhuru front man), Lee Scratch Perry, Twilight Circus, The Orb, Danny Ladwa, Dennis Bovell, Raja Ram, Deadly Hunta, Jahmai and author and philosopher Gregory Sams,"

Read more about this topic:  Gaudi (musician), Biography, London, 1995

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