Thanks to..

I’d like to thank the people who, over the years, willing or not, have put up with my drumming and supported me in my career:
My father Giorgio – if it weren’t for him, who believed in me and bought me my first drumset at the early age of seven, who knows what would’ve become of me…
My mother Luisa (a great lady of the theatre), who passed away a short time ago – perhaps I’m only starting to appreciate how much love and understanding she gave me when I was growing up.
Aura (my ex-wife and now “the sister I’ve never had”), who supported me over the nearly 10 years we lived together and who, despite the rough times, is still behind me in all my professional and personal vicissitudes.
My brother Giorgio and his wife Elena.
Fabrizio (Bizio) (damn it…you could’ve…if only…well, forget it…I love you, brother, nonetheless...);
Marco “Foster” Taggiasco (thank you, Marco, for calling me “RB” and making me feel a little bit “American”, you know how to please the “adult contemporary” side in me…you’re right: we’re bit long in the tooth, but, so what? I don’t care, brother…).
Now on to a long list of people who are very important to me:
Luigi Tronci (a friend, a wonderful person and the big boss at UFIP), thank you and all the people at UFIP.
“The Don Backy Group”: Aldo (alias Don Backy, a friend and advisor in life matters), Michele “no problem” Mele (guitar), Matteo Esposito (bass);
“The Marco Taggiasco Band” …aside from the “boss” (already mentioned): Andrea Sanchini (vocal), Gabriele Pistilli (saxes), Fabio Penna (bass) e Daniele Loreti (guitars);
“The Soulsystem Group”: Max Pasquarelli (a great singer and friend of mine), Gianni Sebastianelli (bass), Emanuele di Cavio (keyboards) e Maurizio Moricci (guitar);
“The Ezra Group” (even if the band no longer exists): Giancarlo Capo (guitar), Maurizio Meo (bass) and a third guy that I’m not going to thank at all…
“My colleagues”: Mimmo “Mimmetto” Antonini (a distinguished colleague and, most of all, a true friend), Claudio del Broccolo (thank you, brother, for the Noble Cooley...I was only joking..);
Alessandro Scala (a friend and the manager of the percussion section of the store “Your Music” – thank you, Ale, for being a friend and helping me on music-related emergencies);
The Aiello brothers, Paolo, Danilo and Silvana and all the staff at “Your Music” (Claudio, Marco, Federico, Carlo, Miki, Giampiero e Raffaella);
Eleonora and Virginia (the two amazing head teachers at the “Syntonia” music school in Rome where I has the pleasure and the privilege to work);
Giorgio Meloni (one of my dearest friends, a provider of advice and rare records and a great collector of “vintage” drums);
Carlo Goberti (a superb drums restorer but, most important, a true friend);
I’d like to thank all the musicians that I’ve had the honour to play with “on the road” over the years. I cannot list all the names for they are many and would take up a lot of space…I hope they’ll understand…I’d like them to know that they’re an integral part of my life as an artist and as a man…
There are people (musicians and otherwise, men and women – only a few really) who, over the years, have proven an “unnecessary burden”… so GOODBYE, WE’RE LOOKING AHEAD HERE!
Thank you Gretsch, you’ve been with me since the very beginning even though I was never one of your endorsers.
Thank you, Sergio Pastore, you’re clever mind, accuracy and dedication have made this website possible.
I’d like to thank the great drummers from whom I’ve drawn inspiration and have hopefully learnt the key to “perfect drumming”: Steve Gadd, John “JR” Robinson, Jeff Porcaro and Carlos Vega (in loving memory), Peter Erskine, Steve Jordan, Harvey Mason, Jim Keltner and many more…