Huge summer for the cool Italian DJ, producer and label boss
Hey Simone, welcome to DMCWORLD Magazine. Let’s kick off with the tune that has had everyone dancing around The Buzz Chart office these last weeks, your gorgeous remix of ‘La Jicotea’ out on Go Deeva Records, tell us about your rework…
“Thank you and I’m very glad to be here and to have made you dance in your office to La ‘Jicotea’. A couple of months ago I listened to the track by the two producers Mirco Caruso and Kenny Ground and it was love at first listen!! I also felt it could be a summer hit. So I started to work on it straight away to release my own version and I was very satisfied by the final result. I think it works both as a club or a radio track with it’s very deep bass, percussion lines and 90’s samples and has already been supported by the likes of Luciano and Uner. It will be released soon as a full package with versions by David Herrero and Fabian Argomendo.”
You are one of the residents at the fabulous Supalove night at Sankeys in Ibiza alongside your good friend Joe T Vanelli. One of the UKs finest clubs has really taken off on the white isle this summer, how has it been going…
“For me it’s always a pleasure working with JTV and I’m very glad to be a part of his team in this new Ibiza adventure. I have made as much effort as I can to help him to make Supalova a successful project. Sankey’s atmosphere is very cool, it reminds me the same feeling I have when I’m DJing in some London’s clubs mixed with the warmness of the Spanish and of course Italian people. Also the club has one of the best sound systems and an amazing LED wall and coupled with a great vibe culminate in a very hot night!”
The venue seems to have really caught the attention of Europe’s real music lovers this summer, the Diynamic night is going off too, this is great for Ibiza to finally have a real music venue on the island?
“Yes that’s a good point. Finally we can say we have ‘a club’ on the island that understands a proper musical style and is hosting some of the best parties with the coolest DJs and producers in the world including Solomun, Steve etc.”
What has been your anthem of the summer?
“Without doubt Caruso & Kenny Ground feat. Toto La Momposina – La Jicotea (Simone Vitullo Remix).”
Have you had the chance to play at any other clubs in Ibiza this summer?
“At the moment I am exclusive to Sankets until September 7th, but I am working on a nice surprise for the Ibiza Closing parties a few weeks after that.”
Where else have been great club nights for you in 2012?
“One of the best gigs of 2012 so far was the ‘Go Deeva Records Showcase’ at Egg in London. There is always such good energy there and the crowd always gives you a good feeling. Is it London? Is it Egg? Maybe a bit of both!”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning…
Ricciuti & Qubiko – Burl (Simone Vitullo Remix)
Caruso & Kenny Ground feat. Toto La Momposina – La Jicotea (Simone Vitullo Remix)
Gel Abril & Andrea Oliva – Scene (Shlomi Aber Remix)
Riccardo Sabatini & Sunrose – La Pelagra (Original Mix)
Technasia – Heart Of Flesh (Original Mix)
Black Mood – Flying (Original Mix)
Dj Vitto – Bizzarro (Original Mix)
UAP – Push Me Out (Original Mix)
Hollen – Artedom (Hollen Remix)
Marcello Giordani – Loose Your Love (Simone Vitullo in Laika’s Journey Remix)
You hail from Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. What was your introduction to dance music when you were growing up?
“My older brother who is also a DJ introduced me to his amazing passion and I started to follow suit when I was about 13. And that passion grew bigger and bigger by the day.”
What was the original dream – to become a DJ or a producer?
“When I began spinning the DJs connection to being a producer as well wasn’t really around, so back then I only wanted to be a DJ. Now though it’s different and it’s important for the DJ to be a producer also. So for me it’s like a double dream coming true…”
Most boys growing up in Percara want to follow local boy Jarno Trulli into Formula One, if you hadn’t have become a musician, what else was open for you?
“SUPER JARNO!!! How did you know that?! Well my other passion is soccer, I was playing soccer until the age of 12 at high levels…and then I discovered music!”
What was your first break into he music world?
“It wasn’t really my first break, more so the moment I knew that music was going to be my life and that I belonged this world. I was a resident DJ in a club in my region and I played my first track and suddenly I heard 4000 people screaming! Of course they were reacting to my music and not me! I started to shake and my heartbeat was getting faster and faster…it was the best feeling I had ever had.”
Who were your early DJ heroes?
“At the beginning I was in love with David Morales, Sven Vath, Joe T Vanelli, Bini & Martini and I have been very fortunate to work with them either as a DJ or as a producer.”
Tell us about your radio shows, thet are obviously a very important part of your life…
“I have always been involved in the radio industry and so the radio is very important to my life and of course my DJ career. Radio shows give different feelings to a DJ than a live show. You don’t have the responsibility of having to make people dance so you can express yourself 100% and go through your own personal tastes. My latest mix sets are constantly on Ibiza Global Radio, Maxima Fm, DeepSound Fm and m2o.”
You have remixed some mighty artists, what rework are you most proud of?
“In the past two years I have remixed so many artists but one of them I’m really proud is not by a popular artist, but from two young producers: Topspin & Dmit Kitz ‘Elvis’ House’ ( Simne Vitullo Rmx). That was for many months on Beatport and it has been played all over the planet and it gave to me a really good visibility as remixer. But there are two other two I’m very proud about and still play: DJ PP – ‘Take It’ (Simone Vitullo Remix) and Simone Vitullo present Felipe Puertes – ‘Shingalin’ (Simone Vitullo Remix).”
Tell us about your studio set up?
“I’m very hectic here: I use the most popular softwares : Logic, Ableton and Cubase. It all depends on the work I’m going to do and and the inspiration, for the final mixing I prefer Logic and of course all the virtual instruments or live recording with the various softwares.”
What has been your favourite ever Italian club to spin in?
“For the sound system and the beauty of the club Area Venice. For the atmosphere and energy Cocorico and for the connection with the crowd Jubilee/Public.”
What did your family think of your choice of career?
“Well obviously my brother always supported my choice as a career as he was the one who showed me the light! The rest of my family is still quite old school and maybe they were expecting me to do something different. But they are happy to see me realise my dreams.”
What is the one record that changed your life?
“Voice Of Live “The World Is Love (Say The Word)” (Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley’s Anthem Of Live Mix). AMAZING!”
Who is the coolest person on your mobile phone?
“Of course Lady Vale, she is first my best friend and my singer and she is the best. But on SKYPE without doubt my business partner Leonardo Glovibes. He is a very hard worker and a very cool friend.”
Had you any idea back in 2005 how massive the Go Deeva hit Sikk ‘My Washing Machine’ was going to be?
“At that time I had just begun my label Go Deeva and I was looking for hits. I think I’ve always had a gift for scouting out hits and this is what happened with : SIkk “My Washing Machine” though I kinda ran a bit of a risk as it was something a bit unusual at that time. But also kinda funny. And the result as you saw was the best I could have expected and it helped a lot in the launch of the new born label Go Deeva Records.”
Who are the new producers you are excited about working with on the label?
“As I said I like scouting hits, but also for new talents. Many names like Claude Vonstroke, Audiofly, Noir, Bini & Martini, Nice7, Aki Bergen, Yves Larock, Wally Lopez, Muzzaik, David Jones, Granite & Phunk and Danny Freakazoid. They have collaborated with me and Go Deeva and some of them were already well known and some others were at the beginning of their careers. But despite that they were new to the industry, I really wanted them on Go Deeva because I saw big capabilities in them. Naturally I got a lot of satisfaction in their success as I believed in them from the beginning. My new ‘Super Heroes’ are Hollen, Tony Dee, DJ PP, Fabian Argomedo, Qubiko, Emanuele Esposito, Leonardo Glovibes, Caruso, Kenny Ground, UAP, Topspin & Dmit Kit, Volkoder & Darocha, Matthew Freedz, B.Cliff…and many others….so stay tuned!”
Outside of dance music, what genres of music do you listen to?
“I listen to every kind of music that gives me emotions, I don’t have a proper genre but I love every kind of styles.”
And finally, two questions. What is coming next from your label and what is coming next from the Vitullo studio?
“There are too many interesting things going on at my labels either with well known names or new talents. On Go Deeva I’ll have tracks by DJ PP, Hollen, Tony Dee, Qubiko, Volkoder & Darocha, Pang! & Chase etc. On Basica Recordings there will be a new EP by Black Mood and Ricciuti & Qubiko whilst on Go Deeva Light new tracks from fresh talent (thanks to my business partner Leonardo who is doing a great job spreading the Go Deeva music overseas) we will have a superb project with few many ‘Diva’ voices such as Anastacia, Michelle Weeks, Ultra Natè, Deborah Cox…and producers such as David Jones, Federico Scavo, Gianni Coletti and many others.”
About myself and my next remixes, I’m about to finish a remix for Patrick M (for the K9 Label) and another one that will be released on Adapt Recordings (Jorgensen’s label ). For my own productions there two new vocal/deep/house tracks with the vocal of Lady Vale and a re-work of a Todd Terry old track…that will be out as Todd Terry vs Simone Vitullo…”
“Thank you guys at DMC for your support and have a fantastic summer.”
