Alex Staropoli

Alex Staropoli

Alex Staropoli performing in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2010.
Background information
Birth name Alessandro Staropoli
Born January 9, 1970
Trieste, Italy
Origin Italy
Genres

Power metal
Symphonic metal[1]
Progressive metal[2]

Neo-classical metal[2]
Occupation(s) Musician, Composer
Instruments Keyboard, Guitar
Years active 1993–present
Labels Limb Music
Magic Circle Music
SPV
AFM Records
Associated acts Rhapsody of Fire
Website www.alexstaropoli.com.

Alessandro "Alex" Staropoli (born 9 January 1970 in Trieste, Italy) is a keyboard player and composer, co-founder with Luca Turilli of the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire. He does the orchestral arrangements in all the band's songs.[3] Following the split with Turilli, Staropoli is Rhapsody of Fire's only remaining founding member.

Alex and Luca met in 1990 during a course in mental techniques (how to have more control of your own mind), and together they started the band Rhapsody (later named as Rhapsody of Fire) in 1993.[3]

Due to Turilli writing the lyrics and co-composing the songs with keyboardist Alex Staropoli in the previous albums, the lyrics are written by singer Fabio Lione, with Staropoli now composing the music with his brother Manuel.[3] Following the departure of other guitarist Tom Hess earlier in the year, the album also marks the return to one full-time guitarist only.

When Alex was a child he was mainly interested in nature - mountains, forests and lakes. At the age of nine he got his first piano and began to study its basics,[3][4] and at the age of fourteen he bought his first electric guitar. After meeting Luca, but before the creation of Rhapsody of Fire, he bought a Korg 01/W pro keyboard, a model he still uses.[3]

Solo Project

Alex has started working on his first solo album with his brother Manuel, who is also featured on every Rhapsody of Fire album playing the baroque recorder and flutes. He has stated that he is writing the songs together with Manuel, and that he is aiming for an album using more heavy metal elements than the orchestral style of Rhapsody of Fire.[5][6]

Sources

  1. ↑ Rock Detector
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Allmusic
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Official Alex Staropoli Website". Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  4. ↑ "Interview With Rhapsody's Alex Staropoli". Metal-rules.com. 2001-02-23. Archived from the original on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  5. ↑ "Rhapsody of fire". Lordsofmetal.nl. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  6. ↑ "Interview with Fabio Lione & Alex Staropoli of Rhapsody". Metal-temple.com. 2005-01-07. Retrieved 2008-03-23.

External links