Dj Fonzie Ciaco
Heaven is a place on earth

The moment has finally arrived to let yourself be swept away by the sound waves emitted by DJ Fonzie Ciaco's new superlative album! Directly from Net's Work Records comes the powerful "Heaven is a Place on Earth," a song characterized by a very catchy melody and the classic style that distinguishes summer productions, in a few words an explosive mix of energy to handle with great care.
These are the available versions:
01. Dj Fonzie Ciaco Original Mix 6.29
02. Venuti & Goaty Remix 5.04
03. Holly & Alex Nocera Remix 6.05
04. Dj Fonzie Ciaco Radio Edit 3.35
In just two days since its release on digital stores, the album reached the 1st place in the Club House sales chart on Junodownload and second in the sales chart of all genres also on Junodownload! Since March 21st, it has topped the Top Download chart on the French and international portal MYCLUBBINGSTORE.COM. The song, sung by the singer Diana J, who has also been the voice for the albums of Gigi D'Agostino and Dj Herbie (E. Acerbi) in the past, covers a splendid 1983 song by Belinda Carlisle and is also rising in the iTunes dance track chart! Now, we just await its consecration as the summer 2012 album in summer compilations and on dancefloors around the world! The song is in rotation on the main Italian networks (M2O, Radio Dee-Jay, Radio 105, and Radio Capital) and international ones. The CD single will also be released soon for record stores. We interviewed DJ Fonzie Ciaco, the producer of the song!
Alfonso Ciavoli Cortelli, aka DJ FONZIE CIACO, is a Neapolitan DJ and producer, born in Naples on September 21, 1978. The year 1990 marks a turning point in his life: it is the beginning of his passion for music, to such an extent that he discovered it as a real companion in his life. In 1991 at the age of 13 he began DJing as a hobby under the name of DJ CIACO. In March 2011, he released his first record under the name "Paranormal Groove" featuring Mariano Manuel, entitled "Paranoico" with the record label Net's Work International Record by Enzo Martino and Pino Maresca. His album includes 3 remix versions by internationally renowned remixers such as Alex Nocera & Maurizio Montanari, Daniele Petronelli, and Alex Addea. The album was broadcast by major radio stations including Radio Dee-Jay and M2O. It is his task and honor to enliven, with his music and energy that he conveys in every DJ set, the venues of the Neapolitan nightlife. Heaven is a Place On Earth is his second album, the first as Dj Fonzie Ciaco, and it is well on its way to success on international dance floors. The track has an easy and catchy sound and reflects DJ Fonzie's positive and cheerful nature.
Here is the interview we did at Studiouno, a venue in Caserta where he was the "Dj Guest" a few weeks ago.
One question that many have surely asked you is where does Fonzie Ciaco, your stage name, come from. But why did you choose to use a pseudonym in your musical career, even though Alfonso Ciavoli sounds quite good?
Fonzie is not a stage name, but a nickname I've carried with me since the age of thirteen, also because of my tufted hairstyle, which I used to bleach, as my adolescent friends recall. In my area, a nickname often becomes a real name, and so, when I started DJing, as expected, all the flyers wrote Fonzie instead of Ciaco (a name deriving from the combination of Ciavoli Cortelli, my surname) that I had chosen as my stage name. Moreover, very few knew who Ciaco was, so over time, I combined Fonzie with Ciaco, forming FONZIE CIACO. To be honest, in the discography, my final name Fonzie Ciaco prevailed, which I really like.
Your love for music has taken you from a small village in Naples around the world. What is the greatest satisfaction you have received on this journey?
Although my family gave me the chance to live without having to work (I like to remember that I'm of affluent origins), in the end, the real, immense, priceless satisfaction remains to make a living from what has always been my greatest passion, which is music. A great privilege, for which I thank God every morning.
You are one of the most followed and appreciated Neapolitan DJs in Naples. How do you feel about being a point of reference for many young people who undertake the activity of DJing?
I cannot deny it: this is another immense satisfaction that life has given me, and of which I am very proud: being born NEAPOLITAN! Naples is a fantastic city, full of folklore and music: you can hear music in the alleys, on the streets, people singing in the streets. It is easy to capture in one's soul a love for music, in this place kissed by God.
You started DJing about 20 years ago. Over the years, music has certainly changed, evolved for better or worse. In your opinion, what are the main changes attributed to it?
I always say that the spirit of people, or whatever we want to call that strange stuff poets call the soul, is what makes them enjoy music. People's souls don't change over time and space; it's something eternal and immutable. We are good and bad, sweet and arrogant, aggressive and gentle, happy and sad. We are all these things together and much more. We are who we are, but a few notes put together make us rejoice, get moved, and jump like free and wild animals, devoid of matter. This hasn't changed and will never change, and this is what I love and want those who listen to my music to experience. Styles, genres, changes, and even undeniable and important musical evolutions are minor details compared to this incredible magic.
In Italy, Neapolitan clubbing is highly praised. You, who have performed in the best venues in Naples, what advice would you give to industry professionals to continue even better in this sector?
Campania and Naples, in particular, is one of the most enchanting places in Italy and the world, full of tourist destinations and where nightlife is more fun, so I'd say the only advice I feel like giving is not to change and to continue like this.
If you hadn't pursued a DJ career, what would you have done?
I guess it's better not to think about it. I'm afraid I would have made a mess of things, besides the ones I've already made… although I like to think I would have been a drummer or bassist in a terribly cool band!