Renato Zero
Encyclopedia
Renato Zero is the stage name of Renato Fiacchini (born September 30, 1950), an Italian
singer-songwriter
and showman whose career spans a full 6 decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s.
Zero was born Renato Fiacchini in downtown Rome
, in Via di Ripetta, next to the famed Via del Corso
.
He quit his studies early to devote himself to his true passion, the arts, more specifically playing music and singing - though initially with little success. From an early age, he would wear make-up and cross-dress. He replied to the criticisms he received (including the recurring insult Sei uno zero! - "You're a zero!") by taking on the pseudonym Renato Zero.
He recorded his first songs in 1965: "Tu, sì", "Il deserto", "La solitudine", which were never issued. His first published single, "Non basta sai/In mezzo ai guai" (1967), sold a total of 20 copies and was quickly forgotten.
He had several different jobs, including an appearance in an advertisement for ice-cream, work as a dancer in a TV show, playing and dancing in two musicals and a couple minor roles in two Fellini
movies.
In the late 1960s/early 1970s Zero's career was given a boost by the glam-rock movement, from which he benefited with his sexual ambiguity and androgynous
appearance. At the same time, this led him to being accused of emulating other celebrities like David Bowie
and, in particular, other British singer Marc Bolan
whom he looked a whole lot like. In 1973 he issued his first LP, No! Mamma, no! (recorded live), but still with little success. The follow-up Invenzioni met the same fate.
-like disco beat that was trendy at the time, were, and still are, really popular in Italy, and were among all disco clubs playlists. He also became friends at the time with french chanteuse and disco-queen Amanda Lear
,Gay French icon.
The late 1970s were indeed years of great success for Zero's character, with the LPs Zerofobia ("Zerophobia", 1977), Zerolandia (1978) and Erozero (1979) topping the Italian charts. At this time Renato Zero was amongst the two or three most popular singers in Italy and his song "Il Carrozzone" was already regarded, also by critics, as one of the best Italian songs ever.
The name Zerolandia referred also to the moving theatre (a circus tent with a capacity of 5,000) in which he gave shows throughout Italy. On numerous occasions fans would participate in the gigs, made-up like Zero and dressed in his typical bird-like and strass-decorated costumes.
In 1979 Zero played as himself in the movie Ciao Nì (his usual greeting to his fans, which can be roughly translated as "Hi pal!"). In Italy this film grossed more than the American blockbuster Superman.
's Fantastico 3, then the most popular Italian TV show.
His career continued to be successful until 1984, with top-charts songs like "Amico" ("Friend") and "Spiagge" ("Beaches"). That year, however, his album Leoni si nasce and the tour of the same name, in which he appeared disguised as a lion and escorted by four aborigines
, were commercial failures. The album Zero of 1987 marked the lowest point of his career: instead of playing in arenas and stadiums, Zero had to sing almost for free in the piazzas and discos of Italy's minor cities.
In the mid-90s Zero dubbed the character of Jack Skellington and sang the songs in the Italian release of Tim Burton
's The Nightmare Before Christmas
.
In 1999, he sang at Pavarotti and Friends his hit song Il cielo together with tenor Luciano Pavarotti
, and later the same year, Italian diva Mina paid him a tribute with her album Mina n° 0
, containing nine Zero's songs, including one sung in duet with him.
In 2005 he took part to the Italian stage of Live 8
, in the Circo Massimo. In November his new album Il dono ("The Gift") topped the charts and maintained #1 until the end of the year. In December 2005 he performed in the Vatican
with a song dedicated to Pope John Paul II
. Renato Zero's 2006 tour was entitled Zero movimento and involved 25 concerts.
After 40 years of musical career, in February 2006 he refused the Career Award of the national Festival of San Remo, stating that should be for artists at an old age.
During some concerts held at the time of the campaign for the April 2006 elections
, he declared himself against (right-wing) former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
.
In 2007 he toured again in major Italian cities, filling the biggest sports stadiums. The tour was called MpZerO, and attracted 270,000 spectators on 7 dates, of which 120,000 filled the Olympic Stadium of Rome, his hometown. He's often called the Emperor of Rome.
"Presente", his 30th album, released in Europe, South America and North America March 20, 2009, caused him to gain 5 discs of platinum in Italy and 80,000 copies sold out by Italy. Following Presente release, Renato toured again in autumn 2009: "Zeronove tour" collected 30 sold-out dates, most successful gig of the year in Italy. On December 10, "Ancora qui", the first single from the album "Presente", won the best Italian video of the year. In September 2010 "Presente" (cd edition + special cd+dvd edition) was certified by FIMI as the highest selling album in Italy during 2009–2010 years.
He likes to work with other artists, and wrote songs for numerous other singers as well. With his particular approach in performances, shows and tours, he is a leading live performer in his country and obtained a unique spot in the Italian musical scene.
Throughout his career, Renato Zero has been a crusader against drug abuse
.
His grand force is regarded to be having shown the normality of the diverse, convincing the public that diversity feeds our human abilities to feel and act with love, respect, solidarity and faith.
His image has changed thru the decades, from the flamboyant, make-up wearing transvestite of the mid 1970s, reminiscent of Marc Bolan
or Rocky Horror Picture Show's Frank'n'Furter, to today's somber, blue suit-clad icon of no specific gender and unspecified age, his only allowance to fancifulness, a casque of jet-black hair and a thin veil of foundation and lipgloss.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and showman whose career spans a full 6 decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s.
Zero was born Renato Fiacchini in downtown Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, in Via di Ripetta, next to the famed Via del Corso
Via del Corso
The Via del Corso , commonly known as the Corso, is a main street in the historical centre of Rome. It is remarkable for being absolutely straight in an area characterized by narrow meandering alleys and small piazzas...
.
He quit his studies early to devote himself to his true passion, the arts, more specifically playing music and singing - though initially with little success. From an early age, he would wear make-up and cross-dress. He replied to the criticisms he received (including the recurring insult Sei uno zero! - "You're a zero!") by taking on the pseudonym Renato Zero.
He recorded his first songs in 1965: "Tu, sì", "Il deserto", "La solitudine", which were never issued. His first published single, "Non basta sai/In mezzo ai guai" (1967), sold a total of 20 copies and was quickly forgotten.
He had several different jobs, including an appearance in an advertisement for ice-cream, work as a dancer in a TV show, playing and dancing in two musicals and a couple minor roles in two Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
movies.
In the late 1960s/early 1970s Zero's career was given a boost by the glam-rock movement, from which he benefited with his sexual ambiguity and androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
appearance. At the same time, this led him to being accused of emulating other celebrities like David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and, in particular, other British singer Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
whom he looked a whole lot like. In 1973 he issued his first LP, No! Mamma, no! (recorded live), but still with little success. The follow-up Invenzioni met the same fate.
Birth of the "Zeromania"
It was not until 1976 that he scored his first hit with the single "Madame", a collaboration with songwriter Franca Evangelisti and composer Piero Pintucci, with whom Zero continued to work in the years that followed. "Madame" and the album including it, Trapezio, established a regular and loyal audience for Zero. This was to increase exponentially in the following years, until he could boast a huge following of die-hard fans that he dubbed Sorcini ("Little Mice"). Hi greatest hits at the time, all of them topping and breaking the Italian charts for quite some time, were lurid, only partly veiled recounts of extreme life in the sex-crazed 1970s: "Mi vendo" (a transvestite hooker's anthem), "Il triangolo" (a threesome's tale), and "SessoOEsse" (S.O.S. spelled like "Sex-or-S"), all set to a Bee GeesBee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
-like disco beat that was trendy at the time, were, and still are, really popular in Italy, and were among all disco clubs playlists. He also became friends at the time with french chanteuse and disco-queen Amanda Lear
Amanda Lear
Amanda Lear is a French singer, lyricist, composer, painter, TV presenter, actress and novelist....
,Gay French icon.
The late 1970s were indeed years of great success for Zero's character, with the LPs Zerofobia ("Zerophobia", 1977), Zerolandia (1978) and Erozero (1979) topping the Italian charts. At this time Renato Zero was amongst the two or three most popular singers in Italy and his song "Il Carrozzone" was already regarded, also by critics, as one of the best Italian songs ever.
The name Zerolandia referred also to the moving theatre (a circus tent with a capacity of 5,000) in which he gave shows throughout Italy. On numerous occasions fans would participate in the gigs, made-up like Zero and dressed in his typical bird-like and strass-decorated costumes.
In 1979 Zero played as himself in the movie Ciao Nì (his usual greeting to his fans, which can be roughly translated as "Hi pal!"). In Italy this film grossed more than the American blockbuster Superman.
The 1980s: career dip
In the 1980s he began to abandon make-up and greasepaint, but this did not rid Zero of his mania for grandeur: in the 1980 tour, for example, he entered the scene riding a white horse. In 1982 he began a collaboration with the opera director Renato Serio, who was to write the string arrangements for almost all of Zero's following LPs. In late 1983 he took part in RAIRAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
's Fantastico 3, then the most popular Italian TV show.
His career continued to be successful until 1984, with top-charts songs like "Amico" ("Friend") and "Spiagge" ("Beaches"). That year, however, his album Leoni si nasce and the tour of the same name, in which he appeared disguised as a lion and escorted by four aborigines
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
, were commercial failures. The album Zero of 1987 marked the lowest point of his career: instead of playing in arenas and stadiums, Zero had to sing almost for free in the piazzas and discos of Italy's minor cities.
1990s: The comeback
In 1991 Renato Zero participated to the Sanremo Music Festival with "Spalle al muro", and from that moment on his career began to rise again. In 1993 he ranked #1 on the Italian charts with the LP Quando non sei più nessuno. The following year Imperfetto repeated this success. During his tour concerts would regularly sell out, and he returned to his famous dress changes during the spectacles, although in a more balanced style.In the mid-90s Zero dubbed the character of Jack Skellington and sang the songs in the Italian release of Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
.
In 1999, he sang at Pavarotti and Friends his hit song Il cielo together with tenor Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, and later the same year, Italian diva Mina paid him a tribute with her album Mina n° 0
Mina n° 0
Mina n° 0 is an album by Italian singer Mina, released in 1999.Nine of the ten songs found in the albums were penned by Renato Zero, who also sings with the Italian diva on the song "Neri"....
, containing nine Zero's songs, including one sung in duet with him.
2000s: the Emperor's Reign
In 2004 his tour "Cattura il sogno/Il sogno continua" (Catch the dream/The dream continues) was awarded from Pollstar magazine as the most successful of the year in Italy and as well as one of the most successful worldwide (#30). The recording of the Roman concerts, held at Olimpico Stadium in June, was the best sold musical DVD of 2004.In 2005 he took part to the Italian stage of Live 8
Live 8 concert, Rome
On 2 July 2005, a Live 8 concert was held at the Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy.The event is also referred to as "Live 8 Rome" or "Live 8 Italy"-Lineup:Past Live Aid performers are listed with an asterisk...
, in the Circo Massimo. In November his new album Il dono ("The Gift") topped the charts and maintained #1 until the end of the year. In December 2005 he performed in the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
with a song dedicated to Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. Renato Zero's 2006 tour was entitled Zero movimento and involved 25 concerts.
After 40 years of musical career, in February 2006 he refused the Career Award of the national Festival of San Remo, stating that should be for artists at an old age.
During some concerts held at the time of the campaign for the April 2006 elections
Italian general election, 2006
In the Italian general election, 2006 for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy held on April 9 and April 10, 2006 the incumbent prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right House of Freedoms, was narrowly defeated by Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left The...
, he declared himself against (right-wing) former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
.
In 2007 he toured again in major Italian cities, filling the biggest sports stadiums. The tour was called MpZerO, and attracted 270,000 spectators on 7 dates, of which 120,000 filled the Olympic Stadium of Rome, his hometown. He's often called the Emperor of Rome.
"Presente", his 30th album, released in Europe, South America and North America March 20, 2009, caused him to gain 5 discs of platinum in Italy and 80,000 copies sold out by Italy. Following Presente release, Renato toured again in autumn 2009: "Zeronove tour" collected 30 sold-out dates, most successful gig of the year in Italy. On December 10, "Ancora qui", the first single from the album "Presente", won the best Italian video of the year. In September 2010 "Presente" (cd edition + special cd+dvd edition) was certified by FIMI as the highest selling album in Italy during 2009–2010 years.
Zero's accomplishments
Renato Zero is still the only Italian artist to have reached the number one charts position of singles in 4 different decades (70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's). He had no fewer than 26 albums in the Top 10.He likes to work with other artists, and wrote songs for numerous other singers as well. With his particular approach in performances, shows and tours, he is a leading live performer in his country and obtained a unique spot in the Italian musical scene.
Throughout his career, Renato Zero has been a crusader against drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
.
His grand force is regarded to be having shown the normality of the diverse, convincing the public that diversity feeds our human abilities to feel and act with love, respect, solidarity and faith.
Personal life
Zero has never either admitted nor denied being gay and he avoids the subject although the general consesus is that he is gay, albeit a conservative one, who fancies no outings and no public displays of it except in his art.His image has changed thru the decades, from the flamboyant, make-up wearing transvestite of the mid 1970s, reminiscent of Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
or Rocky Horror Picture Show's Frank'n'Furter, to today's somber, blue suit-clad icon of no specific gender and unspecified age, his only allowance to fancifulness, a casque of jet-black hair and a thin veil of foundation and lipgloss.
Discography
| Album | Year | Peak | Weeks | Label | Year end chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No! Mamma, No! | 1973 | - | - | RCA RCA RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor... |
- |
| Invenzioni | 1974 | - | - | RCA | - |
| Trapezio | 1976 | 32 | 11 | RCA | - |
| Zerofobia | 1977 | 16 | 57 | RCA | 24 |
| Zerolandia | 1978 | 3 | 35 | Zerolandia/RCA | 9 |
| EroZero | 1979 | 1 | 25 | Zerolandia/RCA | 7 |
| Tregua | 1980 | 1 | 26 | Zerolandia/BMG | 7 |
| Icaro | 1981 | 1 | 35 | Zerolandia/BMG | 4 |
| Artide Antartide | 1981 | 1 | 24 | Zerolandia/BMG | 1 |
| Via Tagliamento 1965/1970 | 1982 | 1 | 21 | Zerolandia/BMG | 4 |
| Calore | 1983 | 1 | 20 | Zerolandia/BMG | 14 |
| Leoni si nasce | 1984 | 1 | 16 | Zerolandia/BMG | 36 |
| Identikit | 1984 | 14 | 7 | Zerolandia/BMG | 85 |
| Soggetti smarriti | 1986 | 2 | 22 | Zerolandia/BMG | 34 |
| Zero | 1987 | 13 | 17 | Zerolandia/BMG | 58 |
| Voyeur | 1989 | 5 | 21 | Zerolandia/BMG | 74 |
| Prometeo | 1991 | 3 | 20 | Zerolandia/BMG | 30 |
| La coscienza di Zero | 1991 | 5 | 8 | RCA | 70 |
| Quando non sei più di nessuno | 1993 | 1 | 23 | Zerolandia/BMG | 42 |
| Passaporto per Fonopoli | 1993 | 1 | 13 | Zerolandia/BMG | - |
| L'imperfetto | 1994 | 1 | 23 | Fonopoli/Sony | 22 |
| Sulle tracce dell'imperfetto | 1995 | 2 | 21 | Fonopoli/Sony | 19 |
| Amore dopo amore | 1998 | 2 | 51 | Fonopoli/Sony | 2 |
| Amore dopo amore Tour dopo tour | 1999 | 1 | 34 | Fonopoli/Sony | 14 |
| Tutti gli Zeri del mondo | 2000 | 3 | 19 | Fonopoli/Sony | 53 |
| La curva dell'angelo | 2001 | 1 | 40 | Tattica/Sony | 10 |
| Cattura | 2003 | 1 | 53 | Tattica/Sony | 5 |
| Figli del sogno CD | 2004 | 2 | 39 | Tattica/Sony | 17 |
| Figli del sogno DVD | 2004 | 1 | 60 | Tattica/Sony | 1 |
| Il dono | 2005 | 1 | 35 | Tattica/Sony | 4 |
| Renatissimo! | 2006 | 3 | 34 | Tattica/Sony | 5 |
| Zero40 DVD | 2008 | 1 | 28 | Universal | 6 |
| Presente | 2009 | 1 | 89 | Tattica | 2 |
| Zeronove tour DVD | 2010 | 1 | 13 | Tattica | 14 |
| Sei Zero DVD | 2011 | 1 | 5 | Tattica |