To create a hit single, a summer hit or a top chart song is certainly the goal of many music producers and amateurs that every day, are chasing the dream of reaching the top of the national and international charts with their own song.
Everybody tries to find-out the secrets and tricks to achieve “the hit", but a real recipe for musical success has never been found. But what makes a song a hit?
Do you remember that song that goes - Samba Cafe, Carnaval; Samba, Cafe, Carnaval? That song went straight to the stomach and made you jump, dance, laugh! We listened to the song being broadcast on the radio, and so somehow, we couldn’t get the tune out of our head. We could hear it almost everywhere and it remained in our mind with those words “Samba Cafe, Carnaval!”
And this other song – “I Know You Want Me” .. Who was it that sang it? Ah, Pitbull, a US famous rapper and songwriter of Cuban origin. But we must not forget that without the creative hand of at least two other people this song would never have been born. These two guys are Pat Rich and Nicola Fasano. Today, we have the pleasure to interview Pat Rich, who has put his hand to the making of this song. I have so many questions for him, also because I think that apart from the song named above, certainly he will have done so many other good things. What are these things? Now we shall discover them together. Let’s start with some simple questions - tell us a little about yourself, your origins, where you were born, your first experiences in the world of the night and music?
PAT RICH - I was born and raised in Lignano Sabbiadoro a coastal town in the province of Udine, north-east of Itlay. My mother’s family is a family of musicians and I believe that this "cursed" passion for music is in my DNA. I started back in 1986 (at 11 years) to have fun with my friend Marco scratching and rapping over the sample of Public Enemy, LL Cool J etc ... from there the first parties with friends and the first student parties on Sunday afternoon, up to 1991 when I met Andrea Pellizzari who asked me if I wanted to give him a hand, then from there then on, together with him I developed my second passion (which is now my main job) that is the radio. He took me to Italia Network where sometimes (with the presence of someone more experienced) I learned this fantastic job. I then had more experiences in local radios which led me to Radio Monte Carlo where I have been working for the last 10 years.
URLOPOP - On your Facebook profile I saw that you wrote "Intruder at Virgin Radio Italy" can you give us an explanation of what it means? Prior to RMC, for which radios did you work?
PAT RICH - Ahaahahaha the nickname "intruder" came from a confirmation request of a colleague of Virgin Radio (... your Facebook friend "xx" says he has worked with you at ...) I confirmed, then I was asked in what role and I wrote intruder because it seemed appropriate and made me laugh. Actually Virgin Radio is part of the group Finelco which includes Radio 105 and Radio Monte Carlo. In the end we are a big family, it has happened that I have helped my colleagues of 105 and Virgin when maybe there was a technical problem and in turn they help us ... so intruder because sometimes I drop by and we have a coffee together, or maybe it happens to record a voice in their studios etc ... ah ... the fellow who made me the request on Facebook is called Darren.
URLOPOP - Lignano Sabbiadoro, a small town that comes alive only in summer, how was the move to Monaco? And how did you end up in Monaco?
PAT RICH - Even Monaco is just a small town, with the difference that even in the winter it doesn’t stop or just a part of it does. I ended up there because after local radios I wanted to work in a national radio, I sent some CVs around the various networks and did a few auditions. Radio Monte Carlo (based in Monaco) is the one that called me first ... A few weeks later I had two more requests from other networks, but I had already accepted that of Monaco. URLOPOP - Can you name us some of the clubs for which you worked?
PAT RICH - How much time do we have? ahahahaah I’m just joking. Well I’ve been around a lot of clubs, starting with the Rendez-vous of Lignano Sabbiadoro, then the BBC in Bologna, the Pink Elephant in New York, Gold in Santo Domingo, the Soho Rooms in Moscow, the Skybar in Beirut, the Nurseries in St. Moritz ... last but least the one to which I was involved with recently is the Jimmy'z in Monte Carlo.
URLOPOP - Tell us about your experience at Jimmy'z Monte Carlo.
PAT RICH - It's always been my goal to play there, ever since I was invited by my friend and teacher (one of many) Papa DJ (DJ of Buddha Bar in Monaco) who was then resident there. As with every club I put passion in my work and I try to do my best to make people dance. The Jimmy'z is not a easy club because the audience is international, and so you have to try to satisfy everyone: Russian customers, people from the Emirates, French, English, Italian .. it’s always a real challenge playing my music. But when the dance floor is full and the people come to greet and thank you it gives you a lot of satisfaction.
URLOPOP - So far, what has been your biggest success in your career?
PAT RICH - I would prefer to talk about satisfaction, success is something else, As soon as I get there I'll call you. (can you give me your number?)
URLOPOP - We are curious to know what is the connection between you and the hit by Pitbull "I know you want me."
PAT RICH - Well ... he was successful ahahaahaa I’m joking. All this starts from a record made in the studio in one hour and a half with Nicola Fasano (I can tell you that we will be back together again with something soon) called "75, Brazil Street" ... the legend has it that Armando Perez (Pitbull) heard the tune while he was at the barber (he went to cut his hair LOL) and then he wanted to sing along. Our publisher at that time safeguarded and protected our copyright as producers.
URLOPOP - What makes a song a hit?
PAT RICH - People decide if it is a success or not ... 75 Brazil Street .... me and Nicola didn’t like it at all ... we did not expect it to become number one in the top 100 of the portal Beatport for 3 consecutive weeks... Things went differently ...
URLOPOP - Success should not be pursued; it should be something that happens due to the person you become! Ok, let's talk about your experience and your feelings when you won the 2010 ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (the American equivalent of Italy’s SIAE) for the Best Pop Song and most played Rhythm & Soul song.
PAT RICH - Amazing! The most beautiful thing is that Chicago (authors of the sample was added to "75, Brazil Street") told us that we can use when and how we want all of their music.
URLOPOP - What other famous person you've got involved with?
PAT RICH – At the moment I’m collaborating with Paolo Ortelli and Luke Degree (authors together with me of several tracks). The studio in which we work together has done several remixes for Selena Gomez, Beyonce, Bob Sinclar ... to tell the truth these were jobs that were commissioned to the studio, but we didn’t work with them in person.
URLOPOP – And what about your album "Monte Carlo Party"?
PAT RICH - Montecarlo Party was created in the studio with Paul and Luke. We had the idea to make a record for Monaco describing the Monegasque evenings from our point of view. The director of Jimmy'z gave us input and we got together in the studio to do it.
URLOPOP – Do you mind telling us something about your private life? Are you engaged / married?
PAT RICH – You haven’t given me your phone number yet !! ahahahaha No, I'm single, and for now it's okay that way, it is not easy to be with a dj (although I had long relationships lasting many years) ... and I will stop here ... There could be lots of things to say. But maybe next time!
URLOPOP –Do you feel satisfied with your current life? Do you have any regrets or wish you had done something differently?
PAT RICH - Never complain. I would do it all again, just taking less time, so as to arrive at where I am but having done more.
URLOPOP - One last question, what goals do you want to achieve in 2015?
PAT RICH – A difficult question and luckily it’s the last one! I have many, but it depends on what life has to offer me.
