It all began when I was 17. Playing guitar on tour for the legendary Ben 'E' King, ex lead singer of The Drifters. For those that don't know, Ben 'E' King sang the original 'Stand by Me' amongst other classics. We were doing two shows per night at different venues all over England for two months, great experience for a young guy, and of course great to learn from a master like Ben. After that I ended up doing more tours playing guitar for U.S. soul singers doing the UK circuit.

I then got a call from a new London band called Moon who had just recruited a friend of mine to do lead vocals, that was Noel McCalla. They needed a guitar player and bass player, Noel suggested me and my pal Ron Lawrence for the job. We auditioned got the gig moved to London and started playing the London pub scene, very healthy in those days loads of work, we are talking the 70's. We then got loads of good reviews in the music and national press, signed to the biggest agent in town and started doing gigs all over the country. Sometimes 3 or 4 a week playing colleges & Unis and eventually playing larger venues such as The Hammersmith Odeon, The Rainbow, The Fairfield Halls etc. We then got signed to C.B.S records and recorded two albums for them 'To Close for Comfort' produced by Stuart Levine The Crusaders producer, and 'Turning the Tides' produced by Barry Blue and James Guthrie.

I then got a call from a label called Imagination records that was just starting up, they needed a house guitar player. Moon had just split up so I took the offer and recorded five albums in one year as house session guitarist, sort of Steely Dan to country rock type stuff. Around this time the ex Moon drummer Luigi Salvoni asked me and other friends to do some demos for an unknown singer, which we did then promptly forgot about. Some while later Luigi phoned up and said 'Got a deal from those demos, come over to the studio were doing the album'. That turned out to be 'Sniff 'n' the Tears' the album was 'Fickle Heart'. The single 'Drivers Seat' became an international hit except in the UK because the pressing plant went on strike for two weeks as the single was released, (but it's the UK what do you expect not much get's done here.)

 

A lot of touring throughout Europe followed, lot's of TV and flights. Then Foreigner's manager Bud Prager signed the band and set up a three month tour of the U.S.A.. The first half of the tour supporting Kenny Loggins playing colleges, the second half playing football stadiums supporting Kansas, lazer light shows the lot. One week off in New Orleans, one week off in Florida. However New Orleans is where my surreal side came to life. I was wild before but that beautiful witchy woman took me to a wilder side, and not for the last time. After the U.S. tour we recorded the second album 'The Games Up' produced by Steve Lipsom. We then started rehearsals at Shepperton Film studios getting in shape for a European tour. Unfortunately or fortunately whichever way you look at it, the day before the tour I managed to have an accident on my motorbike and broke my arm. So I was laid up for six months, which meant I couldn't play guitar for some time. So I started writing songs onto a borrowed four track tape machine. A year later I signed a deal with A.T.V Music publishers in London, a little later I signed to 21 Records/Polydor, this was the beginning of my solo career.

 

My first solo album 'Loz Netto's BZAR' was recorded at George Martin's Air Studios, Oxford Street, London. Produced by Collin Thurston, who had just produced the Planet Earth album for Duran Duran. The engineer on my album was the very excellent Renate, who later became famous for marrying Ellton John. The band Japan were recording an album in the next studio, and Paul McCartney was recording one of his solo albums in the next studio up. I remember Paul coming in and listening to one of the tracks and making some favorable comments, I think at the time I was too awe struck to say much, he was a very nice bloke though. The first single off the album was 'Fade Away' which did well in Europe and when released in the U.S.A. went to number 75 in the Hot 100 U.S. charts in four weeks.

My second album I produced myself, it was recorded at Chipping Norton studios in the Cotswolds, England. Engineered by the very excellent Barry Hammond. I also decided to get married at this time and was married at Battle Abbey in Hastings the first marriage in the Abbey for five hundred years. Also at this time I bought an 18 room country house in England . All very decadent just like the eighties, however I had to take a year off to renovate the old pile. With more than a bit of coaching from my dear old pal Trev Dennington thanks old mate.

Out of a deal and out of cash it was time to go back to work. So around 1984 I started writing more material for a new album, and in 1985 signed to Atlantic Records in New York. I was proud to be personally signed by Ahmet Ertigun the founder of the company. In November of the same year my first son was born Elliot Netto. I was at the birth and it was one of the two greatest experiences in my life. We recorded the album at Revolution studio's in Stockport. The Producer and Engineer was the legendary and brilliant Andy (Rocky) MacPherson still a good friend to this day. Andy also taught me a lot about studio recording techniques, programming and endurance. The album entitled simply 'Loz Netto' came out in 1986 to critical acclaim and we received good airplay from the first single 'We Touch'

1987 time for my next album, I decided that I wanted to build a pro private recording studio at home to record in, and funds were needed. So I got on a plane to L.A then New York, had meetings with various record labels to see if they were into the idea sadly they were not, especially when I said I was going to produce the album myself.

However while still in L.A, I got a call from my New York lawyer who said jump on a plane because someone wants to meet you. That someone was Gene Simmons from Kiss he was setting up his own label financed by BMG/RCA. Apparently he liked my demos and wanted to have brunch and talk. So the following morning I went over to meet with Gene at his hotel. I was a little suspicious at first as I didn't recognise him. He told me that he didn't wear his make up all the time. So I asked him to put his tongue out, it was him alright. So that put me at ease a little. I told him my terms and about building my own studio, how it would be cost effective blah, blah, blah. He said fine how much do you want. I told him he said fine again. I thought about asking for a swimming pool but then reconsidered. Boy talk about turning things around. So back to the UK and time to get in the builders. Ooops!

As anyone knows who has used builders, in general terms builders in the U.K have a different diary and language to anyone else in the country. Which means if they agree to turn up this week, translated it means next week or even next month. It can get very confusing. After three different crews and maybe seven or eight months down the road, finally I had a pro state of the art studio. 1988 we started recording and all went well. Also in the same year my second son Luke Netto was born. Again I was at the birth and it was the second greatest experience in my life. Eventually the album was complete and sent to the record label.

Gene faxed me a glowing report, ("Great record, you should be proud I am"). What a relief that was. However the parent company BMG required remixes, and then more remixes. By 1990 they still had me doing a remix of a remix of the original remix. By this time I was all remixed out and my health and marriage had suffered big time and still no sign of a release date. Then BMG pulled the plug on the financial backing to Gene's label. And that was that. Time to move on again. So I opened up the studio to outside acts, did some good albums; Thomas Dolby, Betty Boo, Lene Lovich. Even pulled Paul Roberts out of retirement and persuaded him to start recording a new Sniff 'n' the Tears album. We recorded three or four quality master/demos, did a short European tour doing TV shows. Set up a little deal, got fired. What fun, what memories, what loyalty? I still have unreleased tracks from that period but more of that at a later date.

However on the domestic front things were far from rosy. My wife had decided to leave home taking the kids with her, (Tip: never convert the kitchen into a studio some woman get very touchy.) and I was stuck in a studio in the middle of the back of beyond. That was when I knew I had really had enough. I decided to call it a day and went walk about for two years.

So began my blue period as they say, this was a sad but also interesting growing time for me. I caught up with lost friends, put a small portable studio together based around an 8 track tape recorder, and Mackie mixer, and continued writing and recording in barns, friends guest bedrooms, anywhere. My old friend Andy Mac let me record at his studio downstairs in the live room, which was pretty cool of him. This was a period of self doubt mixed feelings and refiinding myself. My ex, (how shall I say this.) had painted a picture of me as Rasputin the mad monk crossed with Hannibal Lectore. Which is hardly fair as I do not sport a beard and don't like Liver beans. My business contacts in the UK and U.S would not answer my calls and it was as if I had the plague. I could count my true friends on one hand, just. As far as the music industry was concerned I was dead.

So time to start again. I went back to London and started doing some live gigs around the town. As I had only been doing studio work for the last ten years this was trial by fire. Yet I managed to put a set together playing covers and new originals and eventually overcame my fears. I did some studio work as a recording engineer, live front of house mixing for bands at gigs, then set up my own studio. Got into martial arts which I still enjoy even with the broken bones and stuff. London however had changed and for me not for the better. Aggresive, dirty, gridlocked and although they talk it up not so much going on.

So in 2001, I moved to Brighton 500 yards from the sea, bit of a difference and I'm still here. At least for the moment. I now compose music for TV and film, occasionally doing some live gigs, recording a new solo album, some photography, eating fresh fish on the beach. In general life is good, a lot of that is to do with my girlfriend Julia, of course whom I could not do without. What else?

Oh yea, writing a kids book soon to be completed, a web site of my photos to get done, more music for TV & Film, more gigs. Keeping busy.

The moral of this story is I suppose never give up and hold onto your dreams. Bear in mind certain people will try to trip you up. When you fall accept it and strive to get up no matter how long it takes. Remember that material possessions are not what life is about, only inner strength is of value.

So good luck stay focused and all the best.

Loz