Apparel Radio show #123: Claudio Coccoluto

Apparel Music Radio show is happy to present a special vinyl only selection mixed by the italian legend Claudio Coccoluto. Since then he has placed a significant mark within the world of electronic music under his birth name, Claudio Coccoluto, which he has used to showcase an ever growing blend of music, and confront the future as a DJ, an artist and a global communicator. With over 70,0000 records collected and catalogued since the early 70's - “Goats Head Soup” by the Stones being the first one he ever bought at the tender age of nine, and an apprenticeship starting from spinning records on pirate radio stations to the all the world's most respected dance institutions, “Cocco” or “Cocodance” (as he was known until the end of the 80's) is born. He has created soundtracks for famous parties, from the birthday of Diesel's Renzo Rosso (with whom he has always collaborated with throughout the years), to Fiorello's (one fo Italy's most famous entertainers and radio hosts), for companies like Ericsson and Valtur, Vodafone and Peroni, Seat and 3, for events such as the iconic festival of Sanremo and Futureshow, several editions of the MTV Music Awards (Milan, Dublin and Stockholm), and even fashion shows for Moschino and Prada and many other respected brands. His secret lies in his ability to play with the music in every sense of the word. Mixing skill, knowledge, passion he plays all the records he can to transduce his obsession with music into the public's mind and soul on the dance floor. Using everything from the vintage sounds of Chicago and Detroit to the ultra-modern music coming out of Europe and everything else he hears around the world, Claudio Coccoluto is never afraid of experimenting with new sounds and allowing others to be influenced by his never ending search for the next record. Acting as a mentor to any body who is in need of musical guidance and inspiration, Claudio has published over 3,000 articles in the press and his word has always been considered seriously by both his peers and the younger generations of electronic music aficionados. From television to radio programmes, his brand was exported overseas - “The Italian DJ”, his face was published in countless magazines (DjMag cover, July 97' and the new DJMag Italy in December 2011). Having had a strong link with the UK since his career took off, he has even appeared on countess radio shows for the likes of BBC1 and Kiss FM, which allowed his skill and dedication to transform into a true mastery in the art of mixing and giving the public an experience of being moved by the power of sound. It's also due to his varied interests that his career has been so multifaceted. With a collection of Apple Mac computers that dates back to the mid 80's and finishes at the latest iPhone, Claudio has always had a keen interest in all that is groundbreaking, interactive and technological. A string of interests which feed off each other. Never afraid of trying new things but also closely following specific aspects of art and culture which intrigue him – Pop art, Transavantgarde, literature, the works of Terry Gilliam, Kubrick and an eye for architecture, a subject which he studied before moving his main focus on music. Since the beginning of the 90's, his determination to create a name for himself within the music scene inevitably led him to the production studio. A new door opens for Claudio, one which leads him to discover the science of sound. His lab has always been growing and maturing. An artist who accepts both the past and future of music production, he is surrounded by all the famous analogue machines of the 80's and 90's: Emulators, 909s, 808s, Vermonas, Akais, Moogs etc, but also obsessively experiments with the latest digital softwares and the explosion of the “plug-ins”. Right from the start, he has formed relationships with new and emerging artists to work and share ideas with. His precipitation into the world of production led him to begin working on a new project with Savino Martino and Dino Lenny, creating a new record label – “The Dub” and a new production studio which enabled him to delve deeper into the arrangement of dance music pieces but also other aspects of sound. He collaborated with Subsonica on the production of one of the band's tracks on the critically acclaimed “Microchip Emozionale” album. The secret to his success undoubtedly lies in his passion.