Interview With Franco Gorgon

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Marco Virgona: Can you tell me briefly your story?
Franco Gorgon: My story starts in La Spezia Italy. I was born in 1955 and the second World War had left Italy in a bad way. My father left for England in 1957
To find work and my Mother and I followed a year later in 1958. We lived in Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, and Paddington, which is west London.
This was an area full of immigrants, Italian, Greek, Spanish, and West Indian. My best friends at school were the Jamaican boys, no Rasta yet, just baldhead. I was always very much into music, by the time I was 10yrs old I hadv seen every Italian Opera, Puccini, Verdi, etc and of course Pop Music in the London charts….but one day when I was around 14yrs old I heard a record on the radio which changed my life. It was
“Double Barrell” Dave and Ansel Collins..It was Reggae. I wanted more of this music but it was hard to find. I found some reggae music shops in Brixton, Notting Hill and Shepherds Bush in West London and every week I would go to buy the latest music, Pre release from Jamaica and London.
By 1972 I was 17 and had a great collection of Reggae music and I was very popular, everyone invited me to play at there parties. I decided to put a Sound System together and play out. I slowly mad a name for myself and did many gigs. In those days I was the only white boy in this scene but slowly over the years things changed. One memory I have, was when I played a Sound Clash at Acton Town Hall London. I must have been really good because some guys from another sound, no names! Cut my speaker wires and I had to drop out…things in dem days were rough.
About 1980 reggae music was going through an evolution, keyboards and drum machines were dominating the scene and the music became very electronic, that’s not a bad thing in itself but it need musicians to get a lot better and write some good songs. I decided to make my own music and managed a 13 piece Reggae band called “Ifficial Combat”
I wrote many songs between 1980- 1990 and put out two singles “Don’t Make it Hurt” and Ain’t No Sunshine.
In 1990 Reggae was born again, roots music was coming back, producers sampling old Studio One riddims, exciting times. So I put my Sound together again and now called it “Gorgon Hi-Power. I was a multi cultural sound with DJ Squeeze, Satta Jon, and many chatters passin through.
At this stage Gorgon was playin New Dancehall from JA, Roots revival, Dub, Bhangra/Reggae, Jungle/Drum n Bass. Another great decade of music from Gorgon.
In 2000 I moved from London to a small village called Kintbury, in Berkshire and built my own home studio and I also work with a good friend of mine Jah Rej of Jahworks label. Locally we have some great Reggae bands “DUB THE EARTH” MILITARY SURPLUS” SEVENTH SENSE”
Anyway things are cool for me at the age of 52 I’m still going and having fun working with many fine artist from all over the world. If the right gig comes in I’ll jump at the chance so “See You Soon………

MV: Why the name valentino?
FG: I was doing a Reggae Show on Pirate Radio in London called Beat FM 105.3 circ 1992 and the guy that wrote the Dj schedueling forgot my name, so for my slot he put..Dj Valentino the Italian between 10pm -12
I liked it so I kept it since then.

MV:Are you a rasta?
FG: No I am not.

MV:When you started listening to reggae who were your favorite artists?
FG: The Ska-talites, Don Drumond, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Ken Booth, John Holt, Dennis Brown, Dennis Alcapone,Alton Ellis, The Heptones, The Paragons, Max Romeo, I Roy, U Roy, Prince Jazzbo, Big Youth, Jah Stitch, …….Too many. And of course the Prophet, Robert Nesta Marley.

MV:In your opinion, who was the best sound system in jamaica and
england?
FG: In My Opinion…….Jamaica – Sir Coxone Studio One Sound, Duke Ried, King Tubby’s Hi-Fi, Stone Love, Killimanjaro,
In The UK the best Sound Systems….Jah Shaka, Channel One, Moa Ambassa, Sir Coxone, Saxon, Jah Tubby’s, David Rodigan, Unity, Irration Steppers,

MV: What about the Gorgon experience?
FG: That’s a tuff Question. Gorgon is A positive vibe, a One Love vibe, Conscious Party, Multi Cultural. The Music we play covers 35yrs of
Ska, Rock Steady, Roots and Culture, Dub, Steppers, Bingi riddims,
This Music is Forever……..

MV: Any brand new project?
FG: Yes. I always have new projects. I am working on a new album, an Instrumental Reggae album, called Reggae Got Roots. You can hear the title single on http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm…endid=71665058. I have just finished an album with Laura Urqhart called Tatoos. And I hope to work with Roots Garden in Brighton with Jon and Nik Manaseh.

MV: Did you have the opportunity to see Bob Marley in concert?
FG: Yes I have. My best one was Crystal Palace London June 1980 (the picture above is one of the photos shot by Franco)

MV: Can you tell us the story of the 10 superbe (most of them unseen) Wailers photos taken in jamaica in 1971?
FG: Yes. In 1980 a friend who lived next door to my brother in law had some photo negatives of Bob Marley and the original Wailers taken in Jamaica. My brother in law said that I would be intrested in buying them as I was a fan. I met him and I payed £200 which was a lot of money in 1980. I then kept these photos for 25 years. I had no idea how valuable they were till people started to make comments. So I issued permission to publish 3 of the collection of 10. One for a CD release and 2 others for another CD release.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/…2L._SS500_.jpg

MV: I know you have many marley memorabilia: can you describe them?
FG: Well apart from the Photos, I have Bob Marley’s autograph which was got in Eire (Ireland) Daleymount Park concert by a friend of my sister in law, who got back stage and met him. I got it from her by swapping some rare recording of The Wailers.
I have many posters and concert tickets. I have very many acoustic recordings of Bob. Demos, work in progress, and recordings from private collections.

MV:Last question: any possibility to came back in Italy for a tour date?
FG: Oh yes if any promoter wants to book me for a set, I would love to play in my home country. Next time I’m in Italy I contact You and maybe you can get me a gig. Its been good to talk to you guys.

One Love and Unity
Franco Antonio Agresta. Aka Dj Valentino.
And The Champion Sound Fi years “GORGON HI-POWER”
Stay Safe