John Rocca

John Rocca
Born (1960-09-23) 23 September 1960
London, England
Genres House, post-disco, freestyle, electro
Occupation(s) Singer, record producer
Instruments Vocals, percussion, synthesizers, drum programming
Labels Beggars Banquet
Associated acts Freeez
Midi Rain
Pink Rhythm
Pictures, John Rocca

John Rocca (born 23 September 1960) is a British businessman who became known first as a dance music performer, remixer and record producer. During the early 1980s, Rocca formed, played with, wrote for, produced and managed his first band, Freeez. After his entrepreneurial first self-funded and self-released effort, "Keep in Touch", became a No. 49 hit in the UK Singles Chart, his next effort, "Southern Freeez", was a chart success in various countries in Europe and around the world, reaching No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart.

During 1983, one of the first records to use digital sampling, "IOU", featured Rocca's falsetto voice and became one of the major dance successes of the 1980s electro music style. It scored number one in dance charts in Europe and the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play and had popular music chart success across the world, spending three weeks at number 2 in the UK.

As a solo artist, Rocca scored number one again, this time with "I Want It To Be Real", on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart during 1984. Rocca retired from the music business during 1993. His last solo recording, using the pseudonym Midi Rain, reached No. 1 on the Billboard US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with Shine.

After 1993, John became an accomplished IT specialist, with a first-class honours degree in Information Technology with Spanish, from Middlesex University London, England. He then became a share holder as Global Operations Director of the DOTCOM Technology Start Up Intec Telecom Systems that launched its IPO successfully on the London Stock Exchange in 2001 and from there moved into various senior roles in telecommunications and IT.

Singles

Year Song title / singles UK Singles Chart
1983 "I.O.U." (Freeez) (Streetwise, Beggars Banquet) -2
1983 "Pop Goes My Love" (Freeez) (Streetwise, Beggars Banquet) -24
1984 "My World Is Empty Without You" (Streetwise, Beggars Banquet) -
1984 "Once Upon a Time" (Streetwise, Beggars Banquet) -20
1984 "I Want It To Be Real" (City Beat) -18
1986 "I.O.U." (featuring Freeez) (Criminal Records) -2
1987 "Extra Extra"/"Move" (City Beat) -
1987 "Move" (Criminal Records) -
1985 "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" - Pink Rhythm Feat. John Rocca -

Albums

Title Release
date		 Chart positions
U.S. Billboard 200 U.S. R&B albums UK Albums Chart[1]
Extra Extra June 1987 - - -

See also

References

  1. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 214. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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