Charly Alberti

Carlos Alberto Ficicchia Gigliotti (born March 27, 1963), known by his stage name Charly Alberti, is an Argentine rock musician, better recognized as the drummer of the influential Argentine rock band Soda Stereo. Because of this, he is considered one of the most important musicians of latin and Spanish rock. He's the oldest son of Argentine jazz drummer Tito Alberti.

CHARLY ALBERTI He was born on March 27, 1963 in the city of Buenos Aires. Son of Dolly Gigliotti and Tito Alberti.

From his earliest childhood he felt a special fascination for life in close contact with nature and animals, specially fishes. He devoted himself to the breeding of several different species with great interest and enthusiasm. His passion for this solitary activity allowed him to enjoy and develop his thoughtful and lonely personality. He took advantage of the early afternoon hours, when he was supposed to take a nap, to patiently build model fighters, a hobby which suited a spirit in constant search of perfection. His love for airplanes made him wish to become a pilot, but unfortunately his dream couldn’t come true because he is color – blind. Unlike his friends, he was never attracted by soccer. He would rather practice water polo or play field hockey on skates in River Plate, a club only a few blocks away from home. Music was always present in his life from his birth thanks to his father, a well-known jazz musician, Tito Alberti. When he was six, he started studying percussion, and as a teen-ager he performed in a band playing covers (Gens), accompanying the performances of his father’s orchestra.

Professional Development

Soda Stereo In 1982, with Gustavo Cerati and Zeta Bosio, he gives birth to Soda Stereo, the group that would lead the way for music in Argentina and South America in the 80’s and part of the 90’s. The living memory of Soda Stereo records a vertiginous growth, something that had never happened before in the history of Latin rock music. In Argentina, four years were enough for the trio to become an unquestionable symbol, full of passion and new ideas, open to the culture of young people after the devastating effect of the military dictatorships. In 1986, their third album, “Signos”, was awarded with a platinum record, confirming people’s support all over the country. It was the beginning of a frenzied career. On the following year, after having been awarded the Silver Torch at Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, a tour of unprecedented magnitude ranks Soda Stereo as the Number 1 Band in all Latin America.

In 1988 the success of the group in Mexico exceeds all expectations and paves the way for their admission in the American market. The recording of the fifth album, “Doble Vida”, was carried out in the city of New York. On the following year, the American specialized magazine, Modern Drummer, interviewed Charly Alberti, and acknowledged him as one of the most outstanding drummers of the moment. The video tape of the theme “La Ciudad de la Furia” is nominated as finalist by the MTV. The third grand Latin American tour ends up with concerts in the famous “The Palace” in the city of Los Angeles.

In 1990, MTV News Europe produces a special video of Soda Stereo.

In 1992, at the time of the international mega-exhibition of Sevilla to celebrate their fifth centenary, there were no doubts that Soda Stereo was to be the representative of Argentine music.

In the creative chemistry of the trio, Charly Alberti brought forth ideas and elements that went far beyond his talents as a drummer. One was the permanent updating of different technologies; another was his spirit, in constant pursuit of growth and modernization, which brought about Soda Stereo’s international success.

In the 90’s there were still some outstanding records, such as “Dynamo” and “Sueño Stereo” and also the popular recognition the group enjoyed all along its career. In a two-year impasse, he decides to experiment working on his own, outside the group. Together with Deborah de Corral, he achieves his first record as composer and producer. The project was called Plum and had a limited edition only in Argentina, where it was sold out. Soda Stereo would officially continue as a group until it public farewell in 1997. The way Charly Alberti has chosen to go from then on has more to do with a personal search than with his achievements as a musician. It is a difficult stage in his life, but a determinant one. One that implies a conscious assimilation of the past so that it may become the basis for his future. A self-taught, enterprising young man, he took advantage of his experience as a musician, of his ability to implement leading technologies, as well as of the fact that he is a well-known figure all along America, to create an enterprise with an absolutely novel profile.

Cybrel Digital Entertainment Halfway through the year 1996, he presents a project to the Apple Computer Company in U.S.A. After several meetings, the decision of creating an official platform for Apple’s diffusion in Buenos Aires was taken. That’s why, in 1996, Charly Alberti founded Cybe Relations, a creative structure, highly specialized, whose first objective was to help positioning Apple Computer, Inc. in the Argentine market. This was fully achieved in record time. In only four months the firm was placed among the 25 companies with best image and best press in the country. In the middle of 1997, realizing the tremendous potential of his enterprise, he decides to give it another turn. It will no longer be exclusively Apple, and changes its name to Cybrel Digital Entertainment. Its aim: implement and generate contents based on leading technologies. Charly Alberti conceived and implemented projects related to Soda Stereo which started a new phase in the use and application of digital technology in the field of music and show settings in Latin America. We are referring to the first Spanish-speaking enhanced CD in the world, accomplished together with the MTVchain (“Comfort y Música para Volar”) and the Web Cast of the last Soda Stereo recital in the River Plate stadium. The latter’s repercussion and excellent technique places it as the first of its kind worldwide.

In 1997 he is named Apple Master by Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computer, along with outstanding people such as Harrison Ford, Peter Gabriel, Muhammad Ali and Tom Clancy. Charly becomes the only Spanish-speaking Apple Master of the history, and he stars in the one and only commercial in Spanish in the history of Apple.

On August 1998, Alberti surprises the tech world by inventing the Internet Time, an original concept which would be used as the new standard time on the Internet. By the end of that year, he launches URL Magazine- a magazine about general culture and technology and URL Records- a discographic label aiming at supporting and promoting new musicians. Cybrel starts with Yeyeye.com, a music portal that becomes the most visited music and entertainment Spanish website.

Alberti is regarded by President Fernando de la Rua of Argentina as one of the most successful young entrepreneurs of his country and invites him to take part of the Presidential delegation’s first official visit to the US under Bill Clinton’s Administration. A few months later, CNN would invite Alberti to Atlanta for an interview and a prize. He is considered one of the top ten Internet personalities of Latin America.

In 2002, MTV get Soda Stereo together so as to award them with the Prize to the Most Important Latin America Band of All Times. This Award is created specifically to Soda Stereo and has never been given to anyone else.

In 2003, MTV Latin America summon Charly Alberti, Ricky Martín, and Juanes to play together in the MTV’s 10th Anniversary, as the biggest surprise of the night.

After living in the United States for a few years, in 2005 he returns to Buenos Aires with the purpose of creating a new rock band, MOLE, with his brother, Andres Alberti, Sergio Buffi, and Ezequiel Dasso.

In 2006, Yamaha, the biggest instruments company of the world, gives Charly one of the greatest endorsements of its history.

In May of the same year, the Administration of National Parks appoints Charly as Honorary Forest Ranger, because of his constant work and support to the institution and the protection of the environment.

In 2007, a new chapter in the history of rock is written: Soda Stereo returns. The band break all records of attendance in all Latin America, confirming the greatness of the band.

In 2008, MOLE is awarded with the Gardel Prize to the Best New Album of Rock, and their first national tour find them sharing the stage with The Hives, The Mars Volta, and REM, among others.

In August of the same year, at the request of the Secretary of Tourism of the Nation, Charly designs and directs the project “National Secretariat of Tourism of Argentina”, with the objective of positioning his country as one of the most important tourist destinations of the world. The project wins a Prize at the Webby Awards, the Oscar of the Internet. This is the very first time that an Argentinean project wins a Webby Award.

In 2009, Charly plays in River Plate, the most important stadium of the Argentina, for the eighth time. In this opportunity, with MOLE. They share the stage with Oasis.

At the same time, he decides to work more actively in the protection of the environment and against climate change. So, he makes a TV Spot for the Administration of National Parks of Argentina, spreading the message of the importance of protecting the natural resources.

In May of the same year, he travels to Nashville, Tennessee, to the Annual Meeting of Directors of “The Climate Project” foundation (TCP), where he meets with former vice president of the United States and Nobel Prize, Al Gore, who invites him to be a part of his project.

Since then, Charly is working with TCP, helping to spread the message of the threat of climate change around the world.

In 2011 launch R21 (revolution 21) to raise awareness about the environment for all Latin America.

CHARLY ALBERTI He was born on March 27, 1963 in the city of Buenos Aires. Son of Dolly Gigliotti and Tito Alberti.

From his earliest childhood he felt a special fascination for life in close contact with nature and animals, specially fishes. He devoted himself to the breeding of several different species with great interest and enthusiasm. His passion for this solitary activity allowed him to enjoy and develop his thoughtful and lonely personality. He took advantage of the early afternoon hours, when he was supposed to take a nap, to patiently build model fighters, a hobby which suited a spirit in constant search of perfection. His love for airplanes made him wish to become a pilot, but unfortunately his dream couldn’t come true because he is color – blind. Unlike his friends, he was never attracted by soccer. He would rather practice water polo or play field hockey on skates in River Plate, a club only a few blocks away from home. Music was always present in his life from his birth thanks to his father, a well-known jazz musician, Tito Alberti. When he was six, he started studying percussion, and as a teen-ager he performed in a band playing covers (Gens), accompanying the performances of his father’s orchestra.

Professional Development

Soda Stereo In 1982, with Gustavo Cerati and Zeta Bosio, he gives birth to Soda Stereo, the group that would lead the way for music in Argentina and South America in the 80’s and part of the 90’s. The living memory of Soda Stereo records a vertiginous growth, something that had never happened before in the history of Latin rock music. In Argentina, four years were enough for the trio to become an unquestionable symbol, full of passion and new ideas, open to the culture of young people after the devastating effect of the military dictatorships. In 1986, their third album, “Signos”, was awarded with a platinum record, confirming people’s support all over the country. It was the beginning of a frenzied career. On the following year, after having been awarded the Silver Torch at Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, a tour of unprecedented magnitude ranks Soda Stereo as the Number 1 Band in all Latin America.

In 1988 the success of the group in Mexico exceeds all expectations and paves the way for their admission in the American market. The recording of the fifth album, “Doble Vida”, was carried out in the city of New York. On the following year, the American specialized magazine, Modern Drummer, interviewed Charly Alberti, and acknowledged him as one of the most outstanding drummers of the moment. The video tape of the theme “La Ciudad de la Furia” is nominated as finalist by the MTV. The third grand Latin American tour ends up with concerts in the famous “The Palace” in the city of Los Angeles.

In 1990, MTV News Europe produces a special video of Soda Stereo.

In 1992, at the time of the international mega-exhibition of Sevilla to celebrate their fifth centenary, there were no doubts that Soda Stereo was to be the representative of Argentine music.

In the creative chemistry of the trio, Charly Alberti brought forth ideas and elements that went far beyond his talents as a drummer. One was the permanent updating of different technologies; another was his spirit, in constant pursuit of growth and modernization, which brought about Soda Stereo’s international success.

In the 90’s there were still some outstanding records, such as “Dynamo” and “Sueño Stereo” and also the popular recognition the group enjoyed all along its career. In a two-year impasse, he decides to experiment working on his own, outside the group. Together with Deborah de Corral, he achieves his first record as composer and producer. The project was called Plum and had a limited edition only in Argentina, where it was sold out. Soda Stereo would officially continue as a group until it public farewell in 1997. The way Charly Alberti has chosen to go from then on has more to do with a personal search than with his achievements as a musician. It is a difficult stage in his life, but a determinant one. One that implies a conscious assimilation of the past so that it may become the basis for his future. A self-taught, enterprising young man, he took advantage of his experience as a musician, of his ability to implement leading technologies, as well as of the fact that he is a well-known figure all along America, to create an enterprise with an absolutely novel profile.

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