Gepy & Gepy, born Giampiero Scalamogna, was an Italian singer,
songwriter, producer and arranger born in Rome on 13 June 1943. Scalamogna
began his artistic activity at the age of 16. In 1965 he arrived at the Piper
Club in Rome where he formed the duo “Dany & Gepy” with Daniela Casa,
specializing in covers of soul and rhythm & blues singers. He then signed a
recording contract with ARC, a sublabel of the Italian RCA, and released his
first 45 in 1967 under the pseudonym "Gepy & Gepy", to underline
his "double" size compared to normal.
In the early seventies he dedicated himself to the activity of an author,
writing songs for Fiorella Mannoia, Patty Pravo and Mario Musella. A passionate
Roma fan, in 1975 he composed the song Roma (you don't discuss, you love) (Roma
Roma Roma) together with Antonello Venditti, Franco Latini and Sergio Bardotti,
which became the official anthem of the A.S. Rome.
Subsequently “Gepy & Gepy” became a trio formed by Scalamogna, the
Italian-Eritrean singer Melissa Chimenti and Marcella Petrelli.
The turning point for Gepy came with the meeting with Ornella Vanoni, who
offered him a recording contract with the label she owned, Vanilla. Later, he
became Vanoni's producer and duetted with her on the highly successful song
"Più". In 1978 he participated in the Cantagiro presenting the song
"Chi... io?", with which he also competed at the Festivalbar.
At the end of the seventies he wrote numerous songs, especially of the
disco genre, such as "Blu" (1977) and "Body to Body", the
theme song for "Discoring" in 1979 and 1980. These songs, thanks to
his soulful voice, reached the top of the charts throughout Europe. His song
"African Love Song" was part of Nicky Siano's playlist at Studio 54.
Due to his powerful voice and robust physique, in those years he was often
compared to Barry White and Demis Roussos.
He participated in the 1989 Sanremo Festival as co-author of the songs
"Per lei", sung by himself, and "Ciao", performed by
Gigliola Cinquetti. Giampiero Scalamogna died on 3 July 2010 at the age of 67,
due to the worsening of a serious form of pneumonia, at the Policlinico Umberto
I in Rome, where he had been hospitalized for a few days in the intensive care
unit.
Album
1979 - Body To Body
Singles
1967 - Baby E' Un Abitudine Averti Qui
1968 - Il Mio Destino / Una Strada
1977 - Blu
1978 - Chi Io
1979 - African Love Song
1979 - Body To Body
1979 - Angelo Blu
1981 - Teneramente / Sera Sarà
1983 - Serenata Per Una Notte Blu
1984 - Stop Your Love
1989 - Per Lei
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