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Pierre Baroni

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Pierre Baroni
Born(1955-10-30)30 October 1955
Died9 March 2021(2021-03-09) (aged 65)
Instrument(s)guitar, synthesizer

Pierre Baroni (30 October 1955 – 9 March 2021) was an Australian radio broadcaster, artist, and musician.[1]

Career

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Pierre Baroni was born in Kew, Victoria in 1955, and grew up in Glenroy.[2] He was a member of Melbourne pub band Carmine in the mid-1970s who were described by Ian "Molly" Meldrum as "one of the future top bands of Australia" on his Countdown tv program. After the band broke up, Baroni formed Power by Beat! (P.X.B.) in 1977, who released one EP in 1978.[3]

In late 1980, Baroni joined New Wave band The Aliens,[3] who had previously released singles and an album on Mushroom Records. After Baroni joined, The Aliens released their single I Don’t Care in 1981 and then broke up.[4] During this time he began DJing his collection of 60s vinyl records at a Monday night called Shout, run by Rob Furst, owner of Beat Magazine,[5] before joining his brother Dean Baroni in a new band Filed of Knives, who then became The Pony.[1][3]

Formed in 1986, The Pony released two albums Thorns and Cutlery (1987) and Memories of Daydreams (1989) before breaking up in 1990.[3]

Baroni then began working in the art department for Mushroom Records in 1990, designing record covers, and later directing music videos.[5][3] After three months he was promoted to Art Director,[6] and he created artwork for albums such as Archie Roach’s Charcoal Lane, and others for Tina Arena and Jimmy Barnes.[1] His work for Mushroom was nominated and won ARIA Awards for Best Cover Art.[2]

During the 90s, Baroni was a regular guest on Vince Peach's Soul Time radio program for Melbourne community radio station PBS.[7] He then began presenting his own program Soulgroove’66 in 2003,[8] sourcing records from his own collection of around 5,000 soul, funk and R&B singles.[9]

In March 2021 he died from cancer,[8] with PBS posting a series of tributes from his friends and listeners of his radio program.[10] The theme song to Soulgroove’66 by Renée Geyer was released on vinyl as a tribute to Baroni following the news of his death. The recording featured Geyer and Baroni with organist Jake Mason, drummer Danny Farrugia, and bass player Yuri Pavlinov as the fictional band The New Cobras.[11]

Pierre Baroni was inducted posthumously into Music Victoria’s Hall of Fame at the 2021 Music Victoria Awards, with tributes from Jimmy Barnes and Archie Roach.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fox, Adam (13 March 2021). "Vale Pierre Baroni". Footy Almanac. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Pierre Baroni". Australian Music Vault. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e McFarlane, Ian (1999). The encyclopedia of Australian rock and pop. St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. OCLC 40499862.
  4. ^ McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo - Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop / Ian McFarlane 1999". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Pierre Baroni of Soulgroove'66". PBS FM. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  6. ^ Limnios, Michael (25 September 2018). "Q&A with Melbourne-based Pierre Baroni - primarily as a radio announcer and DJ but also as a photographer. – Blues.Gr". Blues Network. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Soulgroove'66 Archive". PBS FM. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Revered Melb Broadcaster, Musician & Artist Pierre Baroni Passes Away". The Music. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  9. ^ Rocca, Jane (22 January 2009). "Traditionalist of soul". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  10. ^ "A Tribute to Pierre Baroni". PBS FM. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Soulgroove'66 7" Vinyl Release". PBS FM. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  12. ^ Boulton, Martin (9 December 2021). "'This is extra special to me': the award that touched Kylie Minogue". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 September 2022.