Bobby Orlando
Robert Philip Orlando, also known as Bobby Orlando or just Bobby O, is an American record producer, indie record label owner, songwriter, musician. He is regarded as an innovator in the hi-NRG genre for developing his signature sound; utilizing a "powerful beat" and "new wave-style" vocals with the help of a "heavy bass," synthesizers, piano, guitars, cowbells.
Early life
The son of a suburban New York schoolteacher, Orlando declined a classical music scholarship to pursue his then current musical interest, glam rock. In the late 1970s, his professional interests turned to disco and shortly thereafter, he established his own record label, "O" Records.Music career
Bobby Orlando has been active as prolific music producer, songwriter, musician, and record label impresario. During the 1980s he produced, composed and performed on hundreds of music productions that he released under various record labels, including: "O" Records, Bobcat Records, Memo Records, Telefon Records, MenoVision Records, Beach Records, Plastic Records, Eurobeat Records, Obscure Records, Beat Box Records, Riovista Records, Intelligent Records, Basic Records, Knowledge Records and others. In the late 1980s, at the peak of his success, he stopped being active as a producer.Orlando is credited as one of the founding fathers of Hi-NRG dance music. His productions are easily identifiable by their dense synthesizers, rolling bass lines, and resounding percussion. He has played multiple instruments on his tracks including electronic keyboards, guitars, bass, synthesizers, drums, piano, assorted percussion, trumpet and saxophone. The ringing cowbell percussion lines and robotic sequencers heard in "She Has A Way", "The Best Part of Breakin' Up", and "Native Love " have been described as defining his trademark sound.
As a solo artist, Orlando scored hits with tracks "She Has a Way", "How To Pick Up Girls", and "I'm So Hot for You". He created his project concept, The Flirts, to further front his performances as an artist, musician and songwriter. With an ever revolving roster of female session singers and models, Orlando churned out hits "Passion", "Danger", and "Helpless". His association with underground film star Divine resulted in classic club anthems "Native Love ", "Love Reaction", and "Shoot Your Shot". Orlando also produced The Fast, later to be known as Man 2 Man.
When Neil Tennant, then an assistant editor at Smash Hits, and later a member of Pet Shop Boys, was sent to interview The Police in 1983 in New York, he sought out Orlando. Both Tennant and fellow Pet Shop Boy Chris Lowe were obsessed with Orlando's sound and productions – "Passion", by The Flirts, being a particular favourite. Orlando decided to produce a Pet Shop Boys album and released their earliest 12"s including the original "West End Girls" and "One More Chance". Orlando and the Pet Shop Boys recorded twelve tracks together, including the original "It's A Sin", "Opportunities ", and "I Get Excited".
Orlando wrote and produced music in multiple genres in mostly self-created groups and aliases, often just consisting of Orlando himself. He sang lead vocals in many of his groups including One, Two, Three, The Now, The Bigalows, Hippies with Haircuts, Kinski Music, Barbie & the Kens, and Waterfront Home. His productions were released under the names: Ian Darby, The Beat Box Boys, Spooge Boy, Something/Anything, New Breed, Jonny Bankcheck, Hotline, Waterfront Home, Banana Republic, Oh Romeo, Teenrock, The New York Models, Hippies With Haircuts, Girly, Barbie & the Kens, Wow, 1 plus 1, The He Man Band, The Boyd Brothers, Nancy Dean, Ian Darby with Ya Ya, Cha Cha featuring Don Diego, Yukihoro Takanawa, This is House, Joy Toy, Dressed To Kill, Band Of South, Dynasty featuring Dexter D, The Now, "One, Two, Three", Darlene Down, The Fem-Spies, Gangsters of House, Girls Have Fun, Zwei Maenner, Gomez Presley, Gringo Lopez, Patty Phillipe, Malibu, Lilly & the Pink, Miss Tammi Dee, Mc Fritz and the P-Rockers, Charlene Davis, Claus V, Ronnie Goes to Liverpool, The Bang Gang, Bubba and The Jack Attack, Fascination, Free Enterprise, Sandra Ford, Future Generation, Citrus, The College Boys, Condo, The Bigalows, Free Expression, The Look, Contact, Lola, Lifestyle, I Spies, Latin 1, Kinski Music, Gina Desire, Beachfront, Vision 1, and others. Other aliases of Bobby Orlando include John "Gumball" Gonzales, C. Shore, Cha Cha Garcia, Klaus Vogel, Mein, B. Banora, Yuki, and Gato Perro. Bobby Orlando also produced recording artists Franki Avalon, Claudja Barry, Lyn Todd, Tod Foster, Tony Caso, Leah, and Nadia Cassini. In 1996 Orlando founded the short lived Eurodance label Reputation Records, involving himself in the production of much of the labels releases as well.
Orlando's songs frequently deal with philosophical themes such as "Try It ", which was given a contemporary twist when it was re-recorded by Pet Shop Boys in 2003. Many of Orlando's lyrics describe unrequited love, private despair, personal angst and a truth-seeking perspective. Orlando frequently etched philosophical maxims into vinyl records featuring his songs; these adages being literally cut into the grooves near the "lead out" and "lock grooves" of the vinyl. Many of these are rare and are now collector items often selling for hundreds of dollars.
His music appears in numerous motion pictures, including: ', ', Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Valley Girl, Dark Mirror, Flying, High Risk, Rappin, Underground and others. French electroclash duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker mention Orlando in their song "Walking in the Sunshine" from their 2001 release, First Album. In 2005, Dance-punk band Shitdisco from Glasgow, Scotland, paid tribute to Bobby Orlando and The Flirts in their first single titled "Disco Blood".
Orlando has influenced various Eurodisco, Tropical House, Techno, Italo-disco, Electronic, and Hi-NRG releases. He has been cited by music historians for his contribution to dance music.
Activity in the 2010s
Orlando's most recent releases as of 2016 were:- December 2016 CD Perception of One
- December 2015 CD Paragon of Energy
- November 2014 CD Twilight Of The Masses
- 2013 CD Idols of the Mind
- 2012 CD Self-Evident Truth
- 2012 CD Primitive Primal Scream
- 2011 CD Social Contract Theory
- 2010 CD Bright Nothing World
Discography
Albums
Singles
Production discography
Bobby Orlando productions:| Year | Title | Artist | Note |
| 1982 | "Passion" | The Flirts | covered by multiple artists including Steve Murano |
| 1982 | "Bring On The Men" | Wow | - |
| 1982 | "Who's Your Boyfriend?" | Eric | - |
| 1982 | "Jukebox " | The Flirts | - |
| 1982 | " Breaking Up" | Roni Griffith | - |
| 1982 co-produced and co-written with Mark Bauman | "Native Love" | Divine | - |
| 1982 | "Shoot Your Shot" | Divine | - |
| 1983 | "Danger" | The Flirts | - |
| 1983 | "Shake It Up" | Divine | - |
| 1983 | "Love Reaction" | Divine | - |
| 1984 | "Einstein" | The Beat Box Boys | - |
| 1984 | "West End Girls" | Pet Shop Boys |
Oh Romeo discography
Oh Romeo, was a concept group created by Bobby Orlando. Each release featured different session singers.| Year | Song title | Label |
| 1983 | Try It / Lookin' Out | Bobcat Records |
| 1983 | These Memories | Bobcat Records |
| 1984 | Once Is Not Enough / Light of Love | Oh My! Records |
| 1985 | One More Shot | Memo Records |
"Living Out A Fantasy"
- The song "One More Shot" was also featured on the 1994 Avex Trax album Super Eurobeat Presents Hi-NRG '80s.
- In 1991 the Hot Productions label released their greatest hits album, These Memories: The Best of Oh Romeo.