Posted on June 23, 2010 - by Mark Zonda

Everything takes time and patience: dancing with Linda

At a certain point of her life, Linda Jo Rizzo decided tha being a nourishing expert and model wasn’t enough for her life, so she met Hi-NRG producer Bobby “O” Orlando and decided to form the disco band “The Flirts”. Linda was very relevant for spreading the vogue of Disco Music in Europe and starting the whole Italo Disco stuff. Still very present in the music biz she was so kind to share some words with us in occasion of our Neo Italo Disco project.

Mark Zonda: First of all, Linda: how did your love for music begin and what Italo Disco meant to you?

Linda Jo Rizzo: I always loved music. of course when I was younger i listened to rock, country rock and rock blues. my favorite groups were Crosby, Stills and Nash, Led Zeppelin. that is very different to disco. my first real experience with disco music was the Flirts but in Europe. In America we were considered New Wave. Italo Disco for me is happy music that makes you want to dance!

Mark Zonda: Was MTV relevant for The Flirts success? Were you confortable with the members of the band and Bobby O’?

Linda Jo Rizzo: I cannot say if MTV was so important for the flirts. i believe the dicoteques and DJ’s were the the most important. the flirts became famous on the dance floor. I was not very comfortable with the other Flirts. I was the oldest and therefore the one who took the career more seriously. I wanted success and was willing to work hard for it. The other 2 girls not so much. I got along well with Bobby. i never really had a problem with him. He was a hard worker and full of energy like me so I could identify with him very well.

Mark Zonda: Was “Passion” your best hit after all these years? It sounds really Giorgio Moroder. Have you ever met him?

Linda Jo Rizzo: yes I think Passion is probably the best seller of the Flirts. I never met Moroder. I would love to meet him. i am sure he is a great man!

Mark Zonda: Were all the songs written just by yourself? Which one made you more proud?

Linda Jo Rizzo: all the Flirts songs were composed by Bobby O. i did help with the texts in the studio when we recorded but he had all the rights to them. I wrote all the texts for my records. i like to write because when I sing the song it means something personal for me. it tells a story about me. of all my published songs I like “You’re My First, You’re My Last” the best.

Mark Zonda: What’s the story behind “You’re my first, you’re my last”? Do you have any particular memory of that song?

Linda Jo Rizzo: Yes it has a special meaning. At that time I was single and looking for a LOVE that would be true, faithful and no games involved. It is about a girl who then falls in love but it does not work out so she thinks. You are my first (true love) but he does not feel the same and so she is heart broken and thinks…You are my last…She will never feel the same deep love she felt for him. That really happened to me! But I must say I now found that special partner an am very happy. Everything in life takes time and patience!

Mark Zonda: Do you think that Italo Disco has still something to say after all these years?

Linda Jo Rizzo: I think italo Disco is coming back. I do many 80′s concerts and they are full with young and old people so the music is popular.  I hope it becomes stronger because I find the music of today sometimes very
aggressive and hectic. 80′s music was fun, happy and positive.

The Flirts – “Passion”

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