19 Facts About Vasco Rossi

Vasco Rossi has published 30 albums and written over 250 songs, as well as lyrics for other artists.

Vasco Rossi was born in Zocca, in the province of Modena.

Vasco Rossi's father, Carlo Rossi, was a truck-driver, and his mother, Novella, a housewife.

Nonetheless, Vasco Rossi fell in love with music and at the age of 14 began playing with his first band.

The performance did not particularly please journalist Nantas Salvalaggio, who published a scathing article against Vasco Rossi calling him a drug addict.

Vasco Rossi argued that Salvalaggio evidently did not understand his music and remarked how easy it is to criticize a still unknown artist who cannot defend himself.

In 1982, Vasco Rossi took part for the first time in the Sanremo Music Festival, performing the song "Vado al massimo".

Vasco Rossi was immediately granted provisional release from jail, but subsequently sentenced to 2 years and eight months of probation.

In 1995, Vasco Rossi was again the star at San Siro with a double concert, Rock sotto l'assedio, which protested the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vasco Rossi invited a few Bosnian bands like Sikter, Lezi Majmune, and Protest to perform but was heavily criticized by the press because the proceeds weren't given to charity, despite the fact they were never meant to be.

In 1996, Vasco Rossi recorded a new studio album, Nessun Pericolo.

In 1998, Vasco Rossi rediscovered his singer-songwriter side, recording and releasing the album Canzoni per me with a softer and less "rock" sound, even remaking never-published songs written at the beginning of his career.

Vasco Rossi would be remembered and celebrated by Rossi and fans in nearly every concert that followed.

In 2001, Stupido Hotel, was released, and Vasco Rossi won his third Festivalbar, this time with the song "Siamo Soli".

In 2002 Vasco Rossi released his first official recording of remastered songs in their original version, Tracks, which was followed by three sold-out performances at San Siro Stadium in Milan.

On 9 September 2005, Vasco Rossi released the double DVD E solo un Rock'n'Roll show with Andrea Lehotska, launching the concept of the 'movieclip,' in which all the songs from Buoni o cattivi ' are used in a two-hour music video.

In 2007, he released the "Vasco Rossi Extended Play", that contains the hit single "Basta Poco".

On 4 May 2010, the newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Vasco Rossi as saying the American and British governments had been responsible for preventing him and other Italian musicians from becoming known in those countries.

In June 2011 Vasco Rossi announced he would be retiring from touring and live work although would continue to work in the music business.