Interview with Joey Mauro

Thank you for this interview. Could you tell me who is Joey Mauro?
Thank you. Joey Mauro is most of all a humble person available to all, he is also a professional musician with many years of study under his belt. I initially began with the piano and keyboard, and then began playing various instruments (like the guitar, bass and drums), in several bands; I also sang live. These experiences all allowed me to develop my instrumental and vocal skills. I also studied Sound Technician, computers ed electronics which allowed me to produce my own work as well as other's works in my own small recording studio.

Your passion for synthesizers began very early. Can you tell me about those days when you discovered your passion?
Everything began when I discovered through records, a whole other world of sounds outside of the piano. It was possible to start from a single sound wave and create thousands and thousands of different sounds. All of this changed my life and pushed me in the direction of synthesizers. The same love I have for synthesizers, I have for the hammond organ (a fantastic instrument).

It seems that you are not only a user of synthesizers but also a collector. Is that true?
Synthesizers and keyboards are my passion, but i am expert of keyboards. With time I became familiar with and learned to repair all the legendary keyboards like: the hammond organ, minimoog e mellotron. I worked as a techinican and repairman for many keyboardists for some of the most recognized Italian bands.

You were born in the 80's, the decade when italo disco conquered hearts of people who were mostly born in the late 60's and 70's. Then you were a kid. When did you discover italo disco music and what attracted you to italo disco?
Although my biography may be short, I grew up in the 80s and I remember them very well. I may have been young in that period but I definitely remember Italo Disco playing continuously on the radio and t.v. I remember the "festivalbar" cds, videos , the vinyls and all the magic of that music during those years. Still today i keep the knowledge and I'm sure that even now an Italian has an edge in producing and creating good music (italo Disco).

Can you tell me about your work with Karl Otto? How and when you met him?
Roberto Carlotto is an amazing person that I first met years ago. Other than disco, I am also musician of progressive,hard rock, and 70s Italian music. Roberto Carlotto was in a band called "Hunka Munka , as well as keyboardist and voice of the band "DIK DIK" (a group that has sold millions of albums and is also considered a legend in Italian music). Roberto has been out of the "music Business" for many years because he had grown tired of it. His current interests are collecting sports cars like: FERRARI, PORSCHE,CHEVROLET etc. It's still surprising that he would return to record music with his beautiful voice.

Once you told me that you used real 80's keyboards in making your "Electric Love" song. Tell me more about that song please?
To create electric love I began by listening to Karl Otto songs from the 80s like Sunny and Promise of love. I then recreated the magic and atmosphere of those songs. I used many different keyboards, both old and new, among which the legendary Minimoog and other keyboards like the 'logan'that Carlotto used in the 70's and 80's. The sound of the drums are exactly those that he used in the 80s. I wrote the music, the words as well as played all the instruments on the disc. I also recorded a version with my voice that Carlotto re recorded in his studio with his voice.

On Flashback Records site we all can hear a sample of one of possible next releases, under name Come Into My Dream. It is a song with Karl Otto's voice and it's a fantastic song! You mentioned to me before that you are working on his new song, underworking title No Compromise. Is this the same song? Tell me more about this new song please.

Exactly. You can hear a clip of come into my dream , a great song that contains the same atmosphere of the first disc. In this song I used the sound of the di minimoog. I am glad that you like it and appreciate it. With regards to the new, and third (maybe last) work of Karl Otto and I, the title could be 'land of broken heart', or 'no compromise' and it is a little more on the melodic side but I don't think it will lose the 'classic' sound of Karl Otto and I.

How you get in contact with Marc Fruttero? You are working these days with him on his few songs: Disco Sylvia, Deep Inside On Your Heart... Tell me more details about that please.
Marc is a great person and singer. I played with him at the party di Iventi di azzurro organized by the great Marcello D'Azzurro. We played a classic song from his cult band AQUARIUS PROJECT. We recorded an EP which I am finishing up mixing. It may be called "deep inside of your heart", and I don't know of any words to describe it. It'll come out with Flashback records, and it's a blend of melody, groove and rhythm. It is probably one of his best written and produced works. Marc's voice is amazing in this new work.

Very interesting should be also your new work on Meccano! Tell me more please.
Meccano were a well known band and their singer Nadia, is one of the best Italian singers. Unfortunately they did not get the acclaim they deserved. Fans of italo disco go crazy for songs like "activate my heart". I met and spoke on the phone with Nadia (the lead singer), and we would in the future like to make a new single with Meccano, obviously utilizing the sound and the fantastic voice of Nadia. This can all become reality or just a thought...I hope for the best.

What is your favorite italo disco song(s) and artist(s)?
I really like Savage. I think that their songs, voice and sad melodies are really great. I hope one day that I can meet Roberto Zanetti. I like also Den Harrow, Modern Talking and more music.

Do you have live perfomance in clubs or anytning like that?
I am currently working on organizing a 'mini' tour, where I will play live without base, the most well known Italo Disco songs like den harrow,gazebo,savage, etc. On vocals I could be the surprise guest.

What are you doing when you not writing songs?
My main thing is being a musician. When things are looking down I can adapt to any random job, but music will always be my life.

Goodbye!! And very thanks ! Please visit my website www.joeymauro.com and buy my albums hehehe !