The Evil Italo Disco Nightmare Is Coming To Town And We Are All Going To Gang Up And Kill It

May 25, 2006 11:46 AM

Something Wicked This Way Comes:Here's my nomination for the worst-sounding, worst-looking music that ever happened in the history of torture. I challenge anyone to come up with worse. Can any music known to human anguish be more repulsive than the best Italo Disco, specially when skillfully presented by an enthusiastic Greek web tycoon? I think not! And what's more, be on your guard, for there are ominous signs it's about to flare up again...
posted by MiguelCardoso (42 comments total)

hello there : )
posted by sgt.serenity at 11:48 AM on May 25, 2006

I don't know, what's not to love about lyrics like:

"Now how old are you
where is your harbour
have many things to do
open the door.

Yes I live so true
without my lover
but tell me if the sky is blue
How old are you?"
posted by OmieWise at 11:50 AM on May 25, 2006

Excellent! That Albert One song will make it to my driving mix tape. Though this post could use some Modern Talking...
posted by swordfishtrombones at 11:54 AM on May 25, 2006

Damn, forgot my link... here you go.
posted by swordfishtrombones at 11:57 AM on May 25, 2006

I have not read any of the links in this thread, but would just like to say:

ZOMG! MiguelCardoso!

(I have a sudden urge to post a MetaTalk thread to that effect, but suspect Miguel would like the honour himself.)
posted by jacquilynne at 11:57 AM on May 25, 2006

omg it's migs

Time to disco!
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:03 PM on May 25, 2006

I like italo.
I have been known to go out of my way to find and listen to italo songs.
posted by Lord_Pall at 12:05 PM on May 25, 2006

Migs!

*swoons*
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:11 PM on May 25, 2006

Huh. I lived in Rome in that time period and never heard any. Eros Ramazotti, yes.
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:15 PM on May 25, 2006

Yay! Miguel's back.

Saw this, thought EuroTrash, then saw the tag. Ladies with big boobies, music that even my dad would think was bad, and haircuts from hell.
posted by veedubya at 12:16 PM on May 25, 2006

< girlish squeal and much jumping about>

Migs!!

< /girlish squeal and much jumping about>
posted by echolalia67 at 12:16 PM on May 25, 2006

Migsy!

Where you been!

Somebody light the beacon! :D
posted by jokeefe at 12:19 PM on May 25, 2006

Welcome back, Miguel! Long time, no type...
posted by Samizdata at 12:30 PM on May 25, 2006

Christ blimey. Yet *another* post trashing Europeans and their music, and...

Oh. Hi Migs. Hope you are well.

*whistles, leaves thread*
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 12:38 PM on May 25, 2006

I honestly had no idea there were people who didn't like Italo Disco. That would be like not liking Hi NRG.

You'll be glad to hear that the recent revival is well on its way out, though, Miguel - it started in the mid-to-late 1990s, and probably peaked in 2000 with I-F's Mixed Up in the Hague.

That said, I saw William Bennet out of noise overlords Whitehouse (sample lyric: What did you think you'd be when you grew up? Certainly not raped.) do an Italo set the other week. A very peculiar experience.

Here's hoping this is a re-revival!
posted by jack_mo at 12:48 PM on May 25, 2006

Heh, upon clicking a few more links, you may have a point on the 'worst-looking' front, though.
posted by jack_mo at 12:54 PM on May 25, 2006

I've tried doing that bizarro leg step overy thing that the finnish disco guy does but its really difficult - we need someone to give dancing lessons in meta - well , italo disco , it's hardly northern soul is it ?
My friend is into things like this - i'd much rather they were a crack addict or something useful rather than this shameful musical fetish - on a side note if anyone knows how to do those fancy northern soul footsteps please post them here ........
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:00 PM on May 25, 2006

italo disco , it's hardly northern soul is it ?

No, but it should be noted that, effectively, Italo Disco + Northern Soul = Stock, Aitken & Waterman. Not to mention the still-controversial evolutionary process that connects the Blackpool Mecca to Hi NRG. And I don't mind saying that SAW had their moments, either. I think this is hands-down the gayest comment I have ever made on MetaFilter.

Anyway, I'll show you the Northern dance at the next meetup, sgt! I'm really, really bad at it!
posted by jack_mo at 1:28 PM on May 25, 2006

I have nothing to add except that I hate italodisco as much as I hate anything that enters my system through my ears against my will, and that on the first day in months that I come back and check mefi out, Miguel is here and alive and still pissed about how awful bad art can be, and deep inside, that makes me feel better about myself.
posted by chicobangs at 1:47 PM on May 25, 2006

Miguel Cardoso? They told me you were... dead!

*faints*
posted by pracowity at 1:50 PM on May 25, 2006

*wakes up*

Hey, what about Disco polo? There is nothing worse than Polish disco.
posted by pracowity at 1:53 PM on May 25, 2006

I agree with JackMo entirely. I didnt know there was anyone who didnt like Italodisco. In Glasgow the best clubs are bastard Italodisco/ Punk hybrids. Optimo I am looking at you.

I was listening to I-Fs Mixed up in the Hague today and thinking how good it sounded (even if its five years too early for this barely existent re-revival.

This was followed up by I-Robots compilation, especially Spacer Woman.

For any Glasgow Mefites who like Hypnosis from the Mixed in the Hague mix is playing an undisclosed location soon. Apparently. Maybe there is a re-revival right enough.

Long live the ItaloGerman genius!
posted by ClanvidHorse at 1:56 PM on May 25, 2006

Grammar went out of the window in my rushed attempts to prove my love of all things Italosynth there. Apologies.
posted by ClanvidHorse at 1:57 PM on May 25, 2006

Better make sure it's the real Miguel. After all, there's that ..something... that possessed the body of quonsar after he got hit by the banhammer way long ago and has been posting as the q-person ever since.
posted by jfuller at 2:19 PM on May 25, 2006

I would submit that

Donna Summer - I Feel Love

is one of the greatest electronic dance records ever recorded and single-handedly justifies the entire genre of Italo-Disco, and, in fact, the entire nation of Italy.
posted by empath at 2:37 PM on May 25, 2006

*does happy dance*
posted by konolia at 2:53 PM on May 25, 2006

I don't believe this is the real Miguel, returned from the dead.
posted by Joeforking at 3:04 PM on May 25, 2006

MiguelCardoso!

(Has someone been using the Migs-signal?)
posted by drill_here_fore_seismics at 3:21 PM on May 25, 2006

I wonder if Miguel will be able to post again without the thread being all about him? He's the old new dios! ;-)
posted by jack_mo at 4:15 PM on May 25, 2006

Also, lovers of obscure Italian or Italian sounding disco / proto-house might want to check out the series of bootleg releases on Automan, where some fantastic tracks are available. Also worth mentioning is Morgan Geist's good-humored Unclassics mix. If you want the whole package, there's nothing more comprehensive though than Cybernetic Broadcasting Systems' Top 100 mix from december 2005.
posted by Herr Fahrstuhl at 4:21 PM on May 25, 2006

Oh, and for modern-day check out the netherland-based Viewlexx / Bunker / Clone empire. Artists to watch out for would be I-F, Putsch 79, Bangkok Impact and Legowelt, among others.
posted by Herr Fahrstuhl at 4:26 PM on May 25, 2006

mam said them continentals are like little monkeys
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:06 PM on May 25, 2006

more music to beat back the disco tide!
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:09 PM on May 25, 2006

Nonsense. If you hate Italo-disco, you hate fun. Full stop. Why have you returned from the dead to hate fun, Miguel? What are you--some kind of fun-hating zombie?
posted by octobersurprise at 6:47 PM on May 25, 2006

My nomination goes to U2. These things are extremely subjective of course.
posted by juiceCake at 7:03 PM on May 25, 2006

Forget Miguel - welcome back, chicobangs!!!!!

The joke is my reading through the FPP with the jaded attitude of an old-timer, silently sneering at the overweening bad form of this obvious newbie, and then I get to the end and fuck, it's Miguel!

OK, well, it's a joke, anyway.

Anyway, back on topic. Ahem. What does this poster know about music? He doesn't even like Joe Jackson. There.
posted by soyjoy at 7:44 PM on May 25, 2006

ÖNHIBÁMON KÍVÜL A LETÖLTÉS ÁTMENETILEG SZÜNETEL .

????
posted by lalochezia at 8:39 PM on May 25, 2006

What's with the hate? Italo-disco rocks. OK, maybe it doesn't rock... it discos!

What octobersurprise said.

Incidentally, my homage to Italo-disco is on the MeFiComp. You can hear a bit of the song on MySpace. Unless you hate MySpace too.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:16 PM on May 25, 2006

i'm really trying to work up the proper kind of hate for this music but somehow, i just can't manage it


posted by pyramid termite at 1:22 AM on May 26, 2006

Migs, you beautiful bitch, it's about goddammed time you stopped lurking.

CunningL, humour me: was that when Eros still sang with his Roman accent or had he already switched to the fake posh milanese accent?
posted by romakimmy at 7:18 AM on May 26, 2006

wowie - how did I miss this thread? Welcome back Miguel! Yay!
posted by madamjujujive at 3:32 AM on May 27, 2006

I missed this too? Man... So, wait, are there any sites with working mp3s?
posted by klangklangston at 7:48 AM on June 8, 2006