Datura Del Diablo, Datura Fanpage

Biography

Datura is a magical plant which grows in the hills of north Mexico and the yaqui shaman use these plants for their rituals to get close to knowledge. From this plant Ciro Pagano, Stefano Mazzavillani, DJ Ricci (Riccardo Testoni) and DJ Cirillo (Carlo Andrea Raggi) take the name for the group. They are captured by the mystery, by the religions and by all the processes of knowledge that go beyond the scientific reason. Datura try to get close and to explore these parallel and under worlds which fill up their minds.

In October 1991 their first single "Nu Style" where been released: the voice of a shaman announce the universe where Datura are getting towards. The track gets several good critics and enters the dance charts.
The big success arrives in august 1992 with the track "Yerba Del Diablo" which reaches the top of the charts and at the end of the year they won their first golden record (100.000 copies sold).

In spring 1993 they produce a new track “Devotion” which reached the top ten position on the sales chart. After "Devotion" sung by Billy Ray Martin it starts a cooperation with her who sings for other two tracks included in the Datura album called "Eternity" like the single previously released which reached the first position in the official sales chart in Italy.

Abroad Datura starts consolidating their name and are recognised as a cult band thanks to the success of "Yerba Del Diablo" and in winter 1994 the release of the track "Fade To Grey" featuring Steve Strange confirms the internationality of the group musically speaking.
Another new single "The 7th Hallucination" has been released in spring 1994 and contains a strip cartoon where a mystic dr. Datura is engaged in fighting with the 7 mental hallucinations. After summer 1994 they release a mix including the track "El Sueno” live performed. In may 1995 Datura produce a track together with the successful group U.S.U.R.A. giving life to "Infinity" which becomes one of the most sold and danced track of the summer.

Meanwhile Datura decide to change the recording company and at the end of 1995 they sign with TIME Records with which they release the new single "Angeli Domini", a latin song with a religious style chorus. It enters the chart together with the remix of an old track of them coming from the album "Mystic Motion" sung by the great Billy Ray Martin. After a very successful winter at the top of the charts with two tracks, Datura released a brand new album which was preceded by the release of the single "Mantra" massive summer hit which also entered in the Italian top ten.

Autumn 96 sees the release of their brand new single that marks the start of an important change in their artistic career. In fact the single "Voo-Doo Believe" sees their change in sound with the production of an authentic "Pop Dance" song with "Danny" ex vocalist of Double D. The track has had very good reception both in Italy and more importantly the rest of Europe which is what Ciro Pagano and Stefano Mazzavillani better known as Datura are aiming for. "The Sign" is the smash hit of this summer 1997 following once again the pop dance style which gets good reactions from everywhere. In summer 1998 Datura are back again with another pop dance track called "I Will Pray" that has been airplayed by all the major radio networks and has reached the top of the Italian selling chart in a few weeks after its released!!!

January ’99: the latest year of the millennium has started with a great cooperation of the new single by Datura: is going to be released with their new production entitled "I Love To Dance” performed by Ben Volpellier … lead-vocal from "Curiosity Killed The Cat". Time records staff decided to complete this production commissioning the remix to DJ Dado’s team… we think that "I Love To Dance" will be appreciated all over the world!

2001 after two years they released a new Datura single, the third part of "Yerba Del Diablo", which they show a harder style of Dance.
January 2002: Datura are always original and updated and with "Will Be One" they reconfirm their style and tendence in the worldwide dance-music scene. March 2002: the anthem is the biggest floorfiller of the period and since a month Datura has been at #1 in all the Italian radio charts (# 17 offically italian music charts / # 50 AUT-charts). During November 2002, it was also realized a remix by DJ Tony (Tony H.)of one their old success called "El Sueno". March 2003 they produced a brand new project called Alma with "La Trompeta" in a latin/house style that reached number 6 of all the Italian charts during summer 2003. One year later, during march 2004 they produced another project on time label, entitled April Shower with "Tell Me" and realized in cooperation with a young production team made by DJ Jolly and Darkangel and sung by the Bulgarian Barbara Chocholacova. In June '04 come out also a new song with collaboration with "Gigi D'Agostino" with "Summer Of Energy" which got very big success on the italian, austrian and german charts. In 2004 they also started to cooperate with the Italian independent label "103" and made some remixes and remasterings for some artist there.

March 2005: new exit of NU STYLE, the first Datura single of 1991. The song is remixed by an italian dj team.
September 2005: another remix of Datura classic. This time the song is INFINITY a classic hit of 1995 written and produced with U.S.U.R.A. The remix of Infinity is produced by a SAIFAM Group Team.
May 2006: a remix of FADE TO GREY is also realised by the Saifam Group. The remix is made with the original voice of Steve Strange the same of the Datura original mix and the same of the original eighties Visage.

In the beginning of 2006 Datura starts with a new project: PEZZI DA 90. "PEZZI DA 90" is a remake of the the 90’s parties with the sound and the artists of that period. Datura in console mixes the hits of the nineties with all their artists friends that make live performance in a one special night named "PEZZI DA 90".
October 2006: it’s available the first compilation "PEZZI DA 90": made in Italy”. The compilation, in double cd, contains the original smash hits of the best Italian producers and artists selected by Datura.
December 2006: Datura start with a new tour named “PEZZI DA 90” with live performances and their dj set all around the clubs.
February 2007: "PEZZI DA 90" becomes a television program guest on Enjoy Television. In this program Datura talk about music, history, artists, djs and more of nineties with interview and memories of that golden decade.

Datura is still active on facebook and on their lil projects and remixes, but their last real single was made '06 ... a long time.

But the story always continues…

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