SIR OLIVER SKARDYThe history of Sir Oliver Skardy, Gaetano Scardicchio, born in Venice, on June 14, 1959 under the zodiac sign of Gemini has been, over the last twenty years inextricably linked to the most popular Italian reggae band, Pitura Freska. The popularity of Sanremo combined with the overwhelming communicative skills, have made of Skardy, sometimes even by himself, a character who meets the sympathies of an extremely versatile audience: considered from time to time as the "Mayor" of Marghera in the process of redemption, the standard bearer of the legalization of marijuana, the spokesman for the musicians overlooked by the media for their lack of sex appeal, the exponent of the Venetian musical movement, Skardy represents the "popular" soul of the Italian song linked to the suburbs, the desire for redemption and social peace. From the cellars of Marghera where he began playing the guitar with the "mythical" friend Ciuke, through "enlightenment" on the way to San Siro, where Marley shows him the path of reggae (refused by him in Venetian), until the meeting with the "Venetian" artists (Valerio Silvestri, Marco Forieri and Cristiano Verardo) and with Francesco Duse which gave the final shape to Pitura Freska having lots of success. The history of Sir Oliver Skardy is a simple passion for music first, for reggae in particular, then, combined with the spontaneous expression of his engaging lyrics that allowed thousands of fans to feel part of the "stories" of ordinary life told with the disenchantment and irony. Skardy was the soul of the band, with his compelling power of communication, has made Pitura Freska the most important band of Venetian music scene with a popularity that has gone beyond cultural background, musical tastes and generation gaps. Since it is inconceivable that it was the reggae to break down these barriers, the real reason lies in Skardy’s ability for writing lyrics. He knows how to communicate through his lyrics, in Venetian dialect and Italian, his personality, speaking bluntly of his way of looking at politics, love, news and current events, all seasoned with sincere expressions of "popular anger" and a great deal of self-irony and musical taste. His success, born locally in the '80s, was then expanded to the rest of Italy so that the four albums of the band have sold over 500,000 copies earning double platinum and two gold records. The unique composition skill of Skardy has produced some of the songs that are now part of the history of Italian music, such as the extraordinary fresco on Pink Floyd in Venice Pin Floi, or the hymn of an entire city first, and then the anti-prohibitionist movement, Marghera, another hit Picinin, the comic in music La pianta and Le sorti de un pianeta that will, many years after its release, testimonial of a campaign of Emergency. Other hits are Olanda ( for the legalization of drugs ) and Papa nero, the refrain that has been the talk of "young and old people” all over the country. During his career with Pitura Freska he has released several albums: Na bruta banda (1991), extraordinary purely reggae success, Duri i banchi (1993), full of rhythms and flavors from all over the world, Yeah (1995), to underline the return of the first reggae album with increased compositional skills and the "brother" Yeah in dub (1996) with his Dub reinterpretation and production of Peter Mash Aswad; Gran calma (1997), the album released for Sanremo Festival. Also Piatti roventi (1999 alma music / Lion) record released as project I Piatti Roventi il Sound System dei Pitura Freska, dance reinterpretation of the hits of the band and the expected double live album Olive Vol 1 & 2 (1998) which shows the energy and the coolness that the band is able to express on stage that ensured the success of their concerts in Italy. As for many marriages though, life in common with Pitura Freska over the years begins to split off. Many individual projects begin to take shape, Skardy in particular has always been attracted to new roads and collaborations, he sings with Elio e le Storie tese or Raul Casadei and his Italian Orchestra, works as actor with Anna Galiena, Alessandro Haber and Roberto Citran in the film directed by Maurizio Zaccaro Cervellini fritti impanati or releases a solo single President Buana (2001 alma music) in collaboration with Mauro Ferrucci (dj and producer of Moony and Db Boulevard). But even these activities are not enough, Skardy needs new projects and so, at the end of 2002, it was decided to dissolve the band: Pitura Freska no longer exist! They pass from chronicle to the history of music, and Skardy assumes the role of Sir Oliver Skardy ("name" with which Skardy held a very personal chronicle of the Venice Film Festival in Venice in the columns of The Gazzettino) starting a new path. After the first live gigs, which see him take part in the most important national music festival as Arezzo Wave in 2003, the "controfestival" Mantova Musica Festival and the Rototom Sunsplash in 2004, Sir Oliver Skardy starts preparing a new album intended to propose a new musical turning point for the "poet of Marghera." The album is called Grande bidello (2004 alma music) and see the artistic production of Leonardo Angilla and Gianluca Ballarin (a little later entered respectively in the band of Tiziano Ferro and Jovanotti and Elisa). In the cd Sir Oliver Skardy proposes new arguments to support his innate ability to say in a few blunt words what we all want to be able to say, with the simplicity and ease that distinguish him and the incisiveness and effectiveness that have always allowed him to get straight to the heart of people. Songs like Bideo, autobiographical disrespect towards the educational institution, Nord Est , the homeland becomes Far west and it is governed by mayors who act like "sheriffs". Super skank selected for the Festival of Sanremo and then refused (apparently for the similarity of the title with a particular type of soft drugs, super skunk) and Ah mi no so miga sa, new anti-prohibitionist manifesto, quickly becoming into the milestones of his new solo career. In 2006, with Fahrenheit 451 meets Skardy it starts the collaboration between Sir Oliver Skardy and Fahrenheit 451. The show was divided into two parts in which the Venetian ska band presented their repertoire before offering as a backing band for the Prince of reggae’s live show. The partnership has been strengthened over time through a successful series of concerts and has resulted in the implementation of the project Destra Sinistra (2008 alma music) single accompanied by a video clip, music and content based on the updating of the song by Giorgio Gaber. It was actually a double tribute / reinterpretation: the video resumes another "classic", the forerunner of today's video clips, Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan. The same version of Destra Sinistra is included in the album Piragna (2010 alma music) that will strenghten the artistic co-operation between Sir Oliver Skardy & Fahrenheit 451. The album, with a comics cover designed by Vauro Senesi, leaving the pop and rock beats that characterized the previous productions of Sir Oliver Skardy and is immersed in the old-style reggae, thanks to the mix of Paolo Baldini (co-producer and bassist of Africa Unite and producer Mellow Mood). To anticipate the album’s release , the single hit Fame un spritz accompanied by a nice videoclip. In December 2011, it was released Piragna in Dub (2011 alma music) the dub version of the previous album "revised" by Paolo Baldini, with an original version of a song of the popular Venetian tradition, Sarde in sàor. To anticipate the new album and tour of the summer of 2012 it was released for digital download the smash ragga Mamba nero (2012 alma music). In the video Sir Oliver Skardy plays with four beautiful maidens who, with water, soap, sponges and their exuberant beauty, make the cars shine bright when they enter the "rasta car wash." A bustle of characters who represent a cross-section of coarse "Italy”. In the final of the video, an unexpected surprise waiting for him at the gate ... Released on April 23, 2013, the latest album Ridi Paiasso! (2013 Planet Records - alma music)... but that's another story ...
Last Updated: April 1st, 2013
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