The Deep Red Riff

The Deep Red Riff

Deep Red—who hasn’t seen the film and heard its fantastic, eponymous title track? But how did that eerie and fantastic keyboard riff come to be? Should we thank the keyboardist, Claudio Simonetti? No, let’s thank Pink Floyd, Genesis, Jethro Tull, and a bassist playing an acoustic guitar…

Dario Argento originally wanted Pink Floyd for the soundtrack and, as a backup, Genesis. However, due to the bands’ unbreakable commitments, it didn’t happen. Instead, the then-unknown Goblin were hired. After attending a Jethro Tull concert, Goblin’s bassist, Fabio Pignatelli, was inspired to spontaneously compose the famous riff we all know, using an acoustic guitar.

By recording it and looping it on meters of tape (digital didn’t exist) held up by microphone stands, the complete track was ready in a day (!).

It was fate: a bassist with a guitar, three legendary bands in the background, and a film that became a cult classic—the success was inevitably immediate and endures to this day. And forever…

The Deep Red Riff

Click here for the return of Profondo Rosso to theaters

---