Franco Schipani’s new book “Senza vizi è una vita di merda”

The new book by Franco Schipani, “Senza vizi è una vita di merda” (Without vices, life sucks), tells the extraordinary life story of a Calabrian man raised in the southern outskirts of Rome who always dreamed of exploring the world. In 1979, with determination and courage, Schipani buys a one-way ticket to New York, where he becomes part of the show business and creative industry. Passionate about music, he pitches a documentary on Woodstock to Rai, co-founds the “Rolling Stone Italian Edition” and frequents iconic venues like Studio 54, CBGB’s, and Madison Square Garden.

In New York, Schipani has the opportunity to meet icons like Lou Reed, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, and John Belushi, immersing himself in the city’s creative frenzy. He collaborates with magazines, newspapers, and TV programs, helping to introduce Italian music to America with artists like Pino Daniele, Renzo Arbore, and Lucio Dalla. This extraordinary memoir combines the personal story of a dreamer in a world without borders with the vibrant chronicle of the Seventies, Eighties, and Nineties, with all their Rock’n’Roll energy.