Now that I have finally read Alice's L'Unica via d'uscita é dentro biography, or rather her professional biography as it is very much based on her career and albums rather than her personal life, I can also reveal to those who haven't read it what she thinks about her and Franco Battiato's joint Eurovision song contest adventure in 1984. It's no secret she's not a fan of competitions and festivals. She writes (freely translated):
"The year 1984 had been so far very satisfying professionally and marked by two duets. First with German songwriter Stefan Waggershausen and Zu nah am Feur that sold in Germany and other countries over 1,5 million copies and the adorable I treni di Tozeur with Franco Battiato that EMI, our label wanted to send us to Eurofestival with, the poppiest festival in Europe or maybe in the world. Neither of us was very convinced but decided to play the game. We took it very lightly, as a trip or a little holiday. Zero anxiety, expectations, we both were having a golden era of our careers and both were feeling a growing need to step out of the public scene. And when Franco decided to take it easy it was a lot of fun. On top of that we finished well and the song was a success not only at home."
Other interesting facts from the book are that Open your eyes was first ment to duet with Everything but the Girl's Tracey who had just had twins and had to decline and the duet partner became Skye from Morcheeba. The song written Kate Bush in mind as duet partner was Luci lontane.
And indeed in early 1980's she turned down a recording deal in the US in both English and Spanish with global release topped with a world tour of three years.
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