Francesco "Mike Francis"Puccioni
April 26th, 1961 - January 30th, 2009
From The Inquirer:
MANILA, Philippines—Mike Francis, international pop sensation in the 1980s passed away Friday due to a lingering illness. He was 47.The Florence-born Francis, or Francesco Puccioni, had been particularly a favorite in Manila with his name figuring in the top acts during the heydays of electronic pop from 1985-1987, with such hits as “Friends” with Ami Stewart, “Survivor” with Belen Thomas, and his stirring solo “Let Me In.”His only live album, “Mike Francis Live in Manila” that featured his highly successful 1989 gig at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, proves how his music was well-received in the country.
A greatest hits compilation, “The Very Best of Mike Francis” featuring a mix of his Italian and English hits, was released seven days before his death in Italy.
The founder of Mystic Diversions, Francesco Puccioni, also known as Mike Francis, passed away this morning. He was the heart and soul of Mystic Diversions. He was a rare person, the kind you don't often meet. An unconditionally generous and loving person. He also had a beautiful and unique voice...
Ciao Francesco..
Un grazie a tutti coloro che hanno lasciato e lasceranno un pensiero per Francesco. Musicista di grande bravura, semplicemente straordinario a me diceva sempre che la sua ragione di vita era scrivere musica; amava il lavoro di studio, non amava apparire in televisione era una persona molto riservata. Un giorno eravamo in macchina e mise un suo cd poi, mi chiese "ti piace questo cantante?" io dissi "tantissimo" lui rispose "a me non tanto". Era un ragazzo semplice, disponibile, modesto, una grande persona e nonostante fosse un grande artista ho imparato da
Lui tanto sotto l'aspetto umano. Mi ricordava sempre che non aveva fans ma solo amici. Ho pianto tanto e parte del mio cuore è in viaggio con Lui. Comunque posso dire a tutti coloro che amano Francesco che ora è più vivo che mai, ha iniziato una nuova e lunga tournèe la più impegnativa. Fino a quando avrò la forza continuerò ad aggiornare il sito insieme al mio amico Mauro e mio nipote Luigi: conosceranno la sua musica tutti coloro che ancora non la conoscono.
Ciao Amico mio, spero che la tua tournèe sia un grande successo. Ti saluto come facevo sempre con un grosso e forte abbraccio, il tuo caro amico Alessandro. Siamo vicini alla famiglia per la grande perdita.
Alessandro Mitola
Translated in english by my friend Tony from Italy:
Thanks to those who have left and will leave a thought for Francesco.
Fine Musician of great , simply extraordinary capacity; he was using to say to me always that its reason of his life was to write music; he loved the music study job, did not love to appear in television shows,he was a discreet person..
A day we were into the car and he start playing a cd, asking me " do you like this singer ? " I said " very, very much , and he replied to me “ he don't like him so much ”.
He was a boy simple, available, modest, a great person and although he was a great artist. I have learned from Him a lot under human aspect. I always remember that he was using to say :i have no fans but only friends.
I have cried so much and a part of my heart is travelling with him.
However I can say to those who love Francesco that he now is alive , and he has started the hardest and longest new tour.
Till when I have the strenght, I will continue to update the website with my friend Mauro and my nephew Luigi : all that till now don't know its music will know .
Goodbye Friend of mine, I hope that your next tour will be a big success.
I say goodbye to You,like always i used to do :with a large and strong embrace, your friendly beloved Alessandro. We are near the family for the great loss.
Alessandro Mitola
Another write up from an italian news agency stating that he passed away due a lung tumor (cancer):
Translated by my good friend Tony from Italy.
On january 30 2009 Mike Francis, italo disco icon of the 80s is dead.He went away quietly and without clamor , as like as he have lived in times of increasing popularity: Francesco Puccioni aka Mike Francis was a protagonist of the booming dance-pop music of eighties, he died in Rome. He was born in Florence 47 years ago, at Rome hospital for lung cancer.
The artistic career of Francis can be summarized in the collection "The very Best of Mike Francis' release on January 20 after two years of absence from the music scene. 32 songs that sum up his dual Italian-British soul; songs never published offering the hit songs that have become Mike Francis very popular in Europe, from "Survivor" to "Friends." The career of Francis starts at 20 years in 1981.
After the debut as a autodidact in local radios, the first success, "Survivor," arrived in 1983. One year later, is the 'boom' with the American singer, but Italian by adoption, Amii Stewart with "Friends": The song was at first place of the individual topten charts becoming the 14th best-selling 45 rounds in 1984 and very, very popular in Uk charts.
In the eighties this Tuscan singer and musician make a cd in English (Features of Love, Flashes of Life, Let me in) composing also soundtracks for tv movie and TV. Between 1989 and 1996 he was in London where he starts working with Richard Darbyshire, leader of Living in the Box and author among others of Lisa Stanfield. In the 90s he decided to try with the Italian language, using lirycs made by two of most important italian lirycs writers: Mogol and Pasquale Panella (which in the'94 signing Bellissimi occhi chiusi).
The popularity was growing in Italy and abroad and in 1999 it was the turn of cd : All Rooms With View, which sees the rebirth of its most popular hit in a new music style. Studio's activity stop was until 2007, when the artist published his work: “Inspired”; this cd includes also some cover (including Someone like You by Van Morrison) and some unpublished pieces, this was the return on the music scene after a dedicated artistic projects, during the late nineties, ( Mystic Diversions), a trendy and great success project among fans of ambient and lounge music, Buddha Bar style Francesco Puccioni was a shy artist, far away from the media;Mike Francis was called himself “a random, a haphazard both in music and in life.
He used to say that he had inspiration for my music from all that was happening around him. " Some journalist asked him if he was interested in participating in some reality shows such as former colleagues in the'80s as dance Den Harrow and Sandy Marton; he replied: "No, thanks .
I do not see us in that type of program. I am a musician and I want to do only music. I love so little to appear: with the Mystic I had kept hidden even my real name. " Before Christmas, in an interview with the web site Miticultnews, he stated that "the best beautiful dance music began in the mid of 70s and ends in 1980."
After 1980 dance music has expired, it was no more the same,because in that period we were having so much fun and there was a general prosperity; in my opinion now people still listen 80 disco music more because it evoke the memories of Wellness than for the value art songs.
The singer's funeral was strictly private and now he is buried in his beloved island Ponza.
From a french news media report:
Nous apprenons avec tristesse que Mike Francis, l'un des chanteurs parmi les plus populaires de la dance music des années 80 en Italie, est mort à 47 ans, d'une tumeur aux poumons, dans la nuit de dimanche 1er Février 2009, à Rome.Né à Florence, il forme à 14 ans son premier groupe avec des camarades de classe de l'Institut Américain de Rome, de là son penchant à écrire des textes plutôt en anglais. Après ces quelques expériences musicales d'adolescent, il décroche très jeune un premier contrat discographique.
Il réalise son premier album et avec Survivor, il devient célèbre dans toute l'Europe.Il collabore avec de nombreux artistes dont la chanteuse noire américaine Amii Stewart pour qui il compose Friends, une chanson qui se classe dans le TOP 10 des meilleures ventes. Les années suivantes, il réalise d'autres albums qui font de lui, un créateur très apprécié sur le marché international.En 1991 il publie en prévision de sa participation au Festival de Sanremo, un album en italien en collaboration avec le légendaire parolier Mogol.
Il n'est finalement pas retenu mais son album obtient un énorme succès ce qui l'encourage en 1994 à enregistrer un nouvel album en italien, "Francesco innamorato" cette fois avec Pasquale Panella, disque qui sera classé dans le TOP 30 des ventes, publié par nos confrères du journal
Musica e Dischi. La production de Mike s'enrichit en 1995 du nouvel album "A different air" en collaboration cette fois avec Frank Musker et Richard Darbyshire, ce dernier étant l'ex leader du groupe Living in a box.
Mike se produit alors à l'Hollywood Palladium de Los Angeles et à San Francisco puis enchaine les tournées en Extrême Orient où sa musique est très aimée.
En 1998, il publie l'album "Misteria" suivi par "The best of". En 1999, il enregistre l'album "All rooms with a view" distribué par Sony qui commercialise aussi une compilation de ses plus grands succès.
En 2000 et 2004 il retourne en Extrême Orient pour une tournée qui le mène jusqu'aux Philippines où il remplit l'Araneta Coliseum de Manille avec plus de 16 000 fans.En 2007, après une pause bien méritée il sort son nouvel album "Inspired", composé de standards que Mike aimait plus particulièrement et de chansons originales.
Tous ceux qui le connaissent, garderont de lui le souvenir d'un talentueux mélodiste mais aussi d'un garçon adorable, humble et discret. Notre équipe s'associe de tout coeur à la peine de sa famille et de ses amis. La musique vient de perdre quelqu'un de rare et de précieux, attentif à la misère du monde et généreux. Mike laisse derrière lui une oeuvre considérable et en réécoutant ses chansons, nous nous souviendrons de lui.Qu'il repose en paix.
Eric MONTANA S.M.N. Mardi 3 Février
A quote from myself:
"His music made me happy all the time. It did not matter what time of the day, month or year it was, but his music was right for any time, all the time."
I made a medley of his music a few months back, I did not know why I suddenly had the urge to make one as I have never played his music for a long time. I felt like I had to, and somehow he was telling me subconsciously to do it for him.
My tribute mix to Mike was featured by his official website
http://www.mikefrancis.it/ , here is a portion of the main page from his site:
IN MEMORIA DI FRANCESCO PUCCIONI (MIKE FRANCIS)
La sua famiglia ringrazia tutti coloro che hanno lasciato messaggi di cordoglio e vi invita a sostenere le persone che lottano tutti i giorni contro i tumori.Una piccola donazione all'Istituto che ha assistito Francesco sarebbe gradita.
Francesco's family would like to thank all those who left their condolences. No flowers by request, but donations to the undermentioned institute are welcome. Please help the fight against cancer!
Ospedale San PietroBanco di Sicilia Ag. 18, RomaCausale del versamentoAssistenza del malato Oncologico Day Hospital (in memoria di Francesco Puccioni)IBAN: IT 67E 03002 05326 0004 00014278
Lascia un messaggio, una dedica o semplicemente scrivi un pensiero dedicato a Francesco.
Firma il Guestbook:The Best Mike Francis Medley Mix
This mixset is a tribute to Francesco "Mike Francis" Puccioni by DJ Dave Pineda
Ascoltala
To all the fans of Mike Francis , this is probably the best Mike Francis compilation you will find and some of the songs are not available on any commercially released cd.
Mixed and recorded on the fly by yours truly. 100 % Pure Classic Vinyl.
Stereo DBX Encoded, 192 kbps, 96.3 mb, 1:10:07
1.Dusty Road
2.On And On3.Body Thrill (Extended Version)
4.Don't Star Givin' Up (Extended Version)
5.Livin' It Up W/Bros 2 (Remixed Version)
6.Let Me In (Dave Pineda Remix)
7.Friends W/Amii Stewart (Dave Pineda Remix)
8.Lovely Day (Extended Version)
9.Features Of Love (Extended Version)
10.Dreams Of A Lifetime (Extended Version)
11.Together Again W/Amii Stewart (Remixed Version)
12.Suddenly Back To Me (Extended Version)
13.Survivor (Dave Pineda Recombination Mix)
14.Times Out Of Time (Extended Version)
15.Night Time Lady (Extended Version)
To Listen/Ascoltala:
Here is a rare promo cd that I have and you can listen to the 3 different versions of it. This song came from the cd titled "A Different Air"
