La Bionda
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Music production |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Carmelo La Bionda, Michelangelo La Bionda |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Fate | Disbanded following Carmelo La Bionda's death |
| Headquarters | Milan , Italy |
Area served | International |
| Products | Music albums, singles, soundtracks, jingles |
| Owner | Carmelo La Bionda, Michelangelo La Bionda |
La Bionda was an Italian disco duo formed by brothers Carmelo (1949–2022) and Michelangelo La Bionda (born 1952), who are widely regarded as trailblazers of the Italo disco movement.
Originally from Ramacca, Sicily, the siblings' family relocated to Milan, Lombardy in 1954.
Early Years
Carmelo entered the world on 2 February 1949, followed by Michelangelo on 25 August 1952, both born in Ramacca, Sicily. Their family settled in Milan in 1954.
Musical Journey
Their career commenced with songwriting, notably penning "Primo sole, primo fiore," which was performed by Ricchi e Poveri at the 1970 Venice Song Festival. They also crafted songs for Italian vocalist Mia Martini and teamed up with Bruno Lauzi on "Piccolo uomo." Michelangelo contributed as a session guitarist, playing acoustic guitar on Fabrizio De André's 1975 album Volume VIII.
Between 1972 and 1977, La Bionda produced two albums centered on acoustic ballads: Fratelli La Bionda s.r.l. (1972) and Tutto Va Bene (1977), the latter recorded at London's Apple Studios with pianist Nicky Hopkins.
Shifting towards disco, they relocated to Munich and adopted the alias D. D. Sound (Disco Delivery Sound) for their releases. Their first disco tracks, "Disco Bass" and "Burning Love," garnered international acclaim, followed by singles such as "Café" (1977) and "1, 2, 3, 4 Gimme Some More."
The 1978 album La Bionda featured notable songs including "Sandstorm" (produced by Dieter Bohlen), "There for Me", and the worldwide smash "One for You, One for Me." From 1978 to 1981, they released additional dance records—Bandido, High Energy, and I Wanna Be Your Lover—and singles under D. D. Sound like "Café," "The Hootchie Cootchie," and "Wake Up in the Night." After the 1980s, their emphasis shifted towards songwriting, producing, and managing music publishing.
Songwriting and Production Work
During the 1980s, La Bionda composed soundtracks for films directed by Sergio and Bruno Corbucci, including titles such as Super Fuzz (1980), Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981), My Darling, My Dearest (1981), Cat and Dog (1983), A tu per tu (1984), Miami Supercops (1985), and Roba da ricchi (1987), along with Antonio Margheriti’s Virtual Weapon (1997). They also created the theme music for the television series Inspector Giusti and produced advertising jingles for brands including Walls' Cornetto, Bayer Aspirin, Coca-Cola, and Mediaset Premium. In 2009, they revisited "1, 2, 3, 4 ... Gimme Some More" with a new recording for Vodafone.
From 1983 onward, they collaborated with dance duo Righeira, co-writing hits like "Vamos a la playa" and "No Tengo Dinero." Carmelo La Bionda released a solo single in 1984; its material was later sampled by American band Neon Indian.
Logic Studios
In 1985, La Bionda established Logic Studios in Milan—a recording venue that attracted prominent artists such as Ray Charles, Robert Palmer, Paul Young, Depeche Mode, Laura Pausini, Nek, Rihanna, and Pooh.
Personal Details
Carmelo La Bionda succumbed to cancer on 5 November 2022 at the age of 73.
Discography
La Bionda
- Fratelli La Bionda s.r.l. (1972)
- Tutto Va Bene (1977)
- La Bionda (1978)
- Bandido (1979)
- High Energy (1979)
- I Wanna Be Your Lover (1980)
- In Beatween (1998)
D. D. Sound
- 1-2-3-4 Gimme Some More! (1977)
- Disco Delivery (1977)
- Café (1978)
- The Hootchie Cootchie (1979)