School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Claudio Simonetti

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Claudio Simonetti was born in 1952 and is an Italian musician and film composer. He is the keyboard player of the progressive rock band Goblin, which was originally called Cherry Five. He is the son of the composer and entertainer Enrico Simonetti and studied at the Santa Cecilia conservatoire in Rome. His models were Keith Emerson, Brian Auger, Rick Wakeman and Tony Banks. Since the 1970s he has specialised in music for Italian and American horror films.

Music and breakthrough

He often worked with the director Dario Argento, on films such as Deep Red, Suspiria, Tenebrae, Phenomena, Demoni and Opera. He also wrote music for films by Lucio Fulci, Lamberto Bava, Ruggero Deodato and Sergio Martino, such as The New Barbarians in 1983 and The Versace Murder in 1998. From 1978 he set up electronic disco projects. In 1979 he formed a group with Giancarlo Meo around the singer Vivien Vee, whose song Give Me a Break became a minor hit on the American dance chart. In 1983 he was the central figure in the Italo disco group Crazy Gang. In 1999 he founded the metal band Daemonia, which plays new versions of Goblin songs. Albums under his name include Tenebre in 1982 and Demons in 1985.

Influence

His music brings together synthesizers, organs and rock in dark, menacing sounds. Simonetti made sure that horror film and progressive rock in Italy gained a sound of their own, and that sound remained influential for later horror scores.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the title theme of Suspiria and notice the menacing, high sounds and the whispering voices. Try to hear how the music runs through the scene as a pounding, restless rhythm.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists