Moroder Week: Pt 1: "I didn't know he did that"

This is absolutely my favourite picture that I've ever published in Music Thing. Giorgio Moroder, sitting at a Moog Modular in some kind of 70s loft, dressed like a bottle of Jean Paul Gaultier perfume, pointing. It's possible that he's saying "I don't know, Donna, just wail something… 'I feel love'? Anything, really, I'm just trying to get this bassline right. No, listen, it's harder than it sounds."
Truth is, I don't know anything else about the picture, but thanks to Tommy Walker III for sending it to me. This is what I do know about Giorgio Moroder:

Giorgio made the first pop record to feature a Moog synth: Chicory Tip's 'Son of My Father' in 1972 [iTunes link] It's awful.

I already knew that Giorgio had made three cool records: Donna Summer's I Feel Love and 'Love to Love you Baby' (iTunes only charge 99¢ for the 16 minute version), and 'Chase', from the Midnight Express soundtrack. Oh, and 'Together in Electric Dreams' with Phil Oakey, I suppose.

I didn't realise that he also made these records: Irene Cara's Flashdance (unfortunately only available in a Latin version on iTunes). Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away', Kenny Loggins 'Danger Zone' (which was originally supposed to be recorded by Toto), Blondie's 'Call Me', the entire Scarface soundtrack, Limahl's 'Never Ending Story', Falco & Brigitte Nielsen's 'Body Next To Body' (Yes, that's Giorgio, Brigitte and Falco)

He also produced and co-wrote Sigue Sigue Sputnik's 'Love Missile F1-11'.

Giorgio's synth programmer was Harold Faltermeyer, who did 'Axel F' on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. There's a delightful rock/trance cover version here

There's an epic Giorgio discography here.
CLICK FOR PART 2

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

I'll be. I always thought the first pop-Moog hit was "Popcorn" by Gershon Kingsley, but I guess Moroder et al beat 'em by a few months.

Craig
http://8128.org/

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:31 pm

AFAIK, "Popcorn" was the first _all_ Moog/synth pop hit... no vocals, y'see?

# posted by

Phillip : 12:24 am

My favourite thing in the photo is the slight paunch poking through the maestro's tight T-shirt.

Possibly the finger is pointing at a trembling Donna Summer, who is being given another talking-to by Herr. Moroder for (yet again) bringing back insufficient pastries from the patisserie.

# posted by

Eric Kleptone : 3:38 pm

Don't forget Moroder's sterling work on "Number One In Heaven" by Sparks.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:34 pm

"maxwell's silver hammer", from 1969's _abbey road_, features a moog modular. that may not be the first, either.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7:01 pm

I just found out this guy is my idol! He made everything I love in the 80´s!!

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:35 pm

'Son of my father' by Chickory Tip was a cover of the original song which apeared on the album of the same name by Georgio (no 'Moroder' on the front sleeve, but there's a picture of him with his dog and mustache). His version is way better than the Chicory Tip version and theres lots of other good songs on the album including some in kind of punky disco styles... in 1972! The album features Georgios' usual gang. ABC/Dunhill DSX 50123 if you like catalouge numbers. Keep your eyes open for this one!

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:13 pm

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:17 pm

Now your forgetting Moroder's "best" tune.

'The Neverending Story' by Limahl :D

# posted by

iain : 9:43 pm

Back in the late 60's, Dick Hyman did a Moog album (all Moog) that had a tune called "The Minotar". That tune made it into the AM pop radio circuit. There was a part in it that sounded like a police siren . . . we'd be driving around and that part would come on and everyone would start looking around. That album also had a tune called "The Legend of Johnny Pot" . . . like Johnny Appleseed only this Johnny sprinked cannabis seeds. Anyway, not really a pop album . . . more crossover from, uh, somewhere.

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:43 pm

Didn't G. Moroder do some stuff with Kraftwerk too?

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:04 pm

Giorgio has 3 Academy Awards - for the "Midnight Express" score, "Oh, What a Feeling" (Flashdance) and "Take My Breath Away" (Top Gun).

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:50 am

Wow That is the best photograph I have seen in several months. Stupendous.

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:36 pm

I'm related to him. Not enough to mooch off him... My last name is also Moroder. He's my great-grandfather's cousin's son or something like that.

# posted by

luca : 5:34 pm

Personally I think thats actually Burton Cummings, not Moroder. :-)

Moroder worked on Japan's "Life In Tokyo."

Paul Beaver's Moog modular appeared on albums by the Doors and the Monkees more than a year before the Beatles did Abbey Road.

# posted by

tim gueguen : 6:07 am

it wasn't moroder who did the programming on 90% of the hits...its was HAROLD FALTERMEYER of "axel f" fame.

As is evidenced by all the stuff moroder did post 1982...it wasnt very good because harold had "gone solo".

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:07 pm

Ehhr...all this talk about Harold Faltermayer...you seem to forget that LA Synthesist/programmer Dan Wyman was responsible for the Moog programming on several Moroder productions like "Once Upon A time" (1977), "Giorgio & Chris" (1978), "No 1 Song In Heaven (1979) and "Bad times".

I repeat, the pix above with Moroder in front of a big Moog modular was in fact taken at Dan Wyman's Sound Arts studio (either during the '77 OUAT sessions or the '78 "G & C" sessions).

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:00 pm

Sir, you are correct. This is, without doubt, one of the great images of the 20th century.
I feel a T-shirt coming on.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:27 pm

1972 is a lot late, given that The Monkees Released "Star Collector" and "Daily Nightly" on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones in 1967.

While niether of those were hit singles, the album itself was a #1

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:29 pm

I believe Morodor also did the soundtrack to Turkey's number one tourism killer, "Midnight Express".

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:20 pm

He also designed his own sports car.
What a legend

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:43 am

The song and album Eequal mc2 (1979)
wasn't produced entirely digital as mentioned and was'nt the first digital recording ( the first beeing a bozz scaggs lp). moroders 1979 album where
24 analog synths controlled by roland MC8 microcomposer beeing 2 track life recorded onto a digital 2 track system
(with visual waveform editing as seen on the inner sleeve pic) that moroder
cost 15.000 USD pro day to hire!

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:20 pm

What about his own album, From Here To Eternity (1977)? I'm surprised that hasn't been mentioned. Utopia-Me Giorgio is my favorite cut.

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:14 am

I too must throw in a mention of the 'From Here to Eternity' LP. It's absolutely seminal synth-dance-pop, and some of the best work I've heard by him.

Great photo. I too love the paunch (about as big as my own), a testament to hours spent geeking out, rather than working out. This is what we'll look like in the lifestyle of futuristic utopias.

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:13 am

what about his best work of all: E=MC2

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:49 pm

what about his best work of all: E=MC2

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:50 pm

WOW !!! FANCY.... SWEETY ACCOUNT REFFER/- MIX-MIXER ONT.80s HI-NRG. SANTANONES" 103.3 FM. [MX.] THE POINT OF MEETING RUELAS/SNDSET???

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:17 am

TOPS LIKE YOUR STUDY ANCIENT REALITY YOUR MORODER' STYLE...80s LIGHT-SPHERAS & MORE

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:24 am

REAR FRECUENCY BREAK-LIGHTING MORODER-GGIO TOPS RATING-UPS BEAUTIFUL 80s.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:28 am

"The bathroom is over there, Donna"

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:28 pm

moroder also did the soundtrack to a movie called 'foxes' which was actually some of his better stuff i think. there was at least one really good 7 minute + dancefloor destroyer on there.

# posted by

Anonymous : 6:28 pm

Speaking of TOTO and synth history: I'm told that some members of TOTO, well before TOTO, did synth work on some songs with Gary Wright, songs that did a lot to make me notice synths back in their day: "Dream Weaver" and "My Love Is Alive". IIRC, one or more of the future TOTO players was still a kid in high school.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:40 pm

The original version of "Son of My Father" by Giorgio is also on the K-Tel album "22 Explosive Hits, Vol. 2" (TU 224).

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:01 pm

Some links in the post are broken.

# posted by

review : 12:27 am

textballoonmessage for photo morodor: "Yeah man!, pass me a beer too"

# posted by

rubensosa : 1:58 pm

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere on MT, bit I'm sure that George Harrison used a Moog modular on 'here comes the sun'(1968 ?) Not Mention the bakelite nightmare which was the clavioline which turned up on a few sixties hits such as Del Shannon's 'runaway' and poor old Joe Meek's 'telstar'.

I suppose it depends on how you define what exactly consitutes a synth. (Theramin anyone?)

# posted by

Anonymous : 10:57 pm

Dont forget Giorgio synths triumph:
I feel love> by Donna Summer

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:28 am