Enrico Rogeri follows consistency and reality. His music traces the contours of the soul. Look for spaces of literary storytelling that on several occasions, like the recent great single “Dimentico”, have delved straight into the depths of the minds of people with Alzheimer’s. His punk origins, but vague and, we might say, omnivorous taste in music meant he was always at the peak of the wave.
Ruggeri, first of all, best wishes. 66 years old and not once neglected in a long and successful career. Tell us how you do it.
“I’m on my way. I’ve said it several times. Since I started this job, I have understood two things: that I would not play in stadiums, but also that I would not disappear, which means I would last a long time. I know very well that I have an audience that follows me and loves when I experience different things. I have a wonderful relationship with them and thanks to that I feel free to do what I feel.”
What is the common thread that still connects the rebellious Ruggeri of the punk beginnings with the painter of narratives, always on the fringes of thought, who he is today?
“The inspiration and the fact that I don’t have a reference artist. I like many things: from Clash to Aznavour to David Bowie. So when I write, my tastes overlap. The question I don’t know the answer to is what genre are you? I never really know what to answer. Because I don’t know how to identify myself in just one genre.”
For example, I forgot that his last song, dedicated to Alzheimer’s patients, was in strong narrative coherence for us with Dust, a song from almost 40 years ago. Is there a connection?
“I have written several songs about invisible hardships. There is another one that I like very much. It’s called “The Fool’s Prayer”. Everything that has to do with the spirit is very mysterious and at the same time, unfortunately or fortunately, creates literature. With limits that are as subtle as they are important, because being on the ground due to depression or forgetting things in old age is of course different from having Alzheimer’s disease.”
With this unprecedented trio with Morandi and Tozzi he won Sanremo for the first time. In your opinion, has a similar experience had descendants or has it remained unique?
“We live in years where half the pieces that come out are collaborations. But I believe that out of all those 5% of the trios, duets or performances are what they call sincere today. The other 95% are simply studied by the managers at the table. In our case we played football together with Morandi and Tozzi. We already had a good relationship. Then came this song. First we had to do a play for Christmas, since we didn’t have time we drove to Sanremo. We won and also moved the business world. Do you think my record company got fired when “Si può dare di più” came out? Then they had to switch to double shifts to print the song. In the beginning everything was really very spontaneous between us. A song that worried us because all three of us played for the Singers national team.”
About Sanremo. Is it a closed chapter or do you still think about it from time to time?
“The fundamental phases of my career passed through Sanremo. I had the first attempt with Contessa with Decibels and then I won it again alone with Mistero. So never say never, of course…”
Then he also dealt with Primavera Sarajevo on the theme of the Balkan War, again on the Ariston stage …
“Another song that came about thanks to the National Singers. We flew to Sarajevo on a military plane. A pharmaceutical company had given us medicine to bring and we played football for the Italian soldiers who were there. A very strong emotion that I turned into a song for Sanremo.”
Let’s get back to the subject of television. Will he really be part of the big Rai game plan? There are many voices…
“I hear them too and am happy to hear them. I hope it’s not just rumours. Unfortunately I don’t know much more. It’s obvious that something can happen, let’s say…”
Meloni at work. What do you think?
“It’s nice to see someone make it from scratch. As a woman, everyone should like it. Then it’s not like that, because there’s the opposition that criticizes everything, and that’s fine. But the fact is that she is a woman who took over a 2 percent party and led to the first party in Italy. Surely she knows how to choose the people around her and build a good team ».
Have you been discredited by the label that wants to label you as a right-wing singer?
“Certainly. I’m not one to go to the salons of the left. That’s true. But in the ’80s I quietly went to the Festival dell’Unità, which had more of a crowd than a political connotation. With all due respect, they went Left then happy to cook free sausages for Berlinguer. That was the People’s Party. Not today. There will be a reason if in Milan the left wins in the ZTL and the right wins in the forgotten neighborhoods…”
Intentionally. Inter will play in the Champions League final on Saturday. will he see it
“Certainly. At home with my kids. We’re all Inter fans, just like my father was an Inter fan. It’s a family tradition.”
And on Sunday he will be back on the field with his singing national team…
“We will be in Mantua. A commitment that has collected over 100 million euros over the years. This experience kept me grounded in reality and brought me in touch with those who were suffering. If there’s anything good about me, it’s largely because of that.”