Born in Milan, the artist Vasco Rossi calls “the Italian John Lennon” grew up on The Beatles, The Police, and native touring acts like Battisti. In fact, it was an encounter with Massimo Luca, guitarist for Battisti, who helped get Gianluca Grignani his Polygram deal in 1994. Grigs’ first single was “La Mia Storia Tra Le Dita”, and the next year he stormed the Sanremo Festival’s new artist category with “Destinazione Paradiso”, the title cut of his first album. It was also then that rumors began of the singer’s chemical appetites. In ‘98 Gianluca saw his audience grow with “Campi Di Popcorn”, an album co-produced by Jay Healy (John Mellencamp, Patti Smith). Although now married and a father, Giancarlo still has a knack for getting himself into trouble. The single “Sei Sempre Stata Mia” is off his latest disc, “Romantico Rock Show”.

by Mark Emge