Luca Prodan

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Luca Prodan (17 May 1953 — 22 December 1987) was an Italian-English musician.

Luca in concert

He was the son of an Italian father and a Scottish mother. Born in Rome after the return of the Prodan family from China because of the Japanese invasion, where Luca's father had settled a prosper bussines becoming an expert in ancient chinese pottery. Prodan attended Gordonstoun School, a private boarding school in Scotland, and for some time drifted in Manchester and London. In 1981, after a heroin crisis in the late 70's London, he moved to an old anglo-argentinan (Timmy McKern) friend's farm in the central hills of Cordoba Province Argentina seeking peace to try kicking his heroin addiction.

After some time at the farm in the Traslasierra valley, he settled in Hurlingham (a suburb of Buenos Aires), where he founded and led Sumo and the Hurlingham Reggae Band.

Prodan died either of a heart attack or cirrhosis of the liver in Buenos Aires shortly before Christmas 1987.

After his death, he became one of the most recognized icons of Argentine rock culture. Graffiti stating "Luca Not Dead" have been spotted around the world, especially in South America and Europe.

Two posthumous records of pre-Sumo recordings are available and show us an 'insider's' view of the artist. Recorded mostly in the Traslasierra region of Cordoba, Argentina (his initial dwelling place), they bear testimony to his musical inspiration and inspirators: Peter Hammill, Nick Drake, Lou Reed, Joy Division and Bob Marley.

After Luca Prodan's death, two bands were formed from former Sumo members: Divididos and Las Pelotas. These names were taken from Luca's comments about Sumo's dissolution, when he said "Divididos, las pelotas", which translates as "separated, bollocks!".